UN RIGHTS EXPERTS CALL FOR ICC PROBE INTO ATTACKS ON CIVILIANS IN GAZA

Fri 21 May 2021:

UN human rights experts urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch an investigation into the attacks on civilians and other violations of human rights in the Gaza Strip and Israel, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a statement on Friday.

“The experts urged the ICC to investigate acts by all parties which violate the Rome Statute, especially war crimes, including targeting of civilians, the massive and indiscriminate violations of the right to adequate housing, and to investigate acts and policies that have taken place during the conflict, or have contributed to it, that may amount to the crime of apartheid and crimes against humanity,” the statement said.

A ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip appeared to be holding on Friday, but there have been tensions in occupied East Jerusalem where Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and fired tear gas at Palestinians after Friday prayers.

The Egyptian-brokered ceasefire came into effect in the early hours of Friday after 11 days of relentless Israeli bombing of the besieged enclave and thousands of rockets launched into Israel by Hamas, the group ruling the Strip.

Israel’s bombardment of Gaza killed at least 257 Palestinians, including 66 children, and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished territory. On the Israeli side, 12 people, including two children, were killed.

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