In the early phases of the Gaza conflict, both Israel and Hamas were judged to have committed war crimes by a UN investigation on Wednesday. Because of the significant civilian casualties, the investigation also concluded that Israel had committed crimes against humanity.
The UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) produced two reports in simultaneously, one on the attacks of October 7 and the other on Israel’s reaction. These reports contained the findings.
Over 37,000 Palestinians have died as a result of Israel’s military reaction, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The majority of the 2.3 million people living in Gaza have also been forced to flee their homes, and buildings and infrastructure have been severely damaged.
Over 100 hostages are thought to still be held captive in Gaza, and negotiators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar have been attempting to broker a ceasefire and liberate the prisoners for months.
Izzat al-Rishq, a representative of Hamas’ political bureau, stated that the organization’s official reaction to the US President Joe Biden’s May 31 ceasefire proposal was “responsible, serious, and positive” and “opens up a wide pathway” for an agreement.
Israel, which refused to engage with the inquiry, argued that the results were biased against Israel. A request for comment from Hamas was not immediately answered.
On October 7, terrorists commanded by Hamas, the Islamist organization in charge of Gaza, killed 1,200 Israelis and captured over 250 more, according to Israeli estimates. This marked the start of the conflict.
In exchange for Palestinians detained in Israel, Biden’s proposal calls for a truce and the gradual release of Israeli prisoners in Gaza, which would finally result in an end to the conflict.
