UN investigators blast Gaza Humanitarian Foundation over civilian deaths

UN investigators consider Gaza Foundation "scandalous Keystone-SDA

The aid distribution initiative of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is outrageous, according to UN investigators. On Wednesday in Geneva, they stated that international justice is slow but will come.

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“We will have to analyse further the political objective” behind the deaths of people who came to the GHF aid delivery sites seeking help, Navi Pillay, President of the International Commission of Inquiry on Israel and the Palestinian Territories, told the press. But she said that the initiative, which claims to be a private foundation, is “outrageous” because it involves the government of the United States.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in recent weeks in gunfire during aid distributions carried out by the GHF. The UN has described the operation as “a failure”.

The situation observed over the past two weeks “is only the most serious exacerbation” of the siege of the Gaza Strip, said another member of the commission, Christopher Sidoti, although these UN investigators are not speaking on behalf of the organisation. “The population should not have to risk their lives to obtain food for their children,” he added.

He added that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has never been as “firm” in its comments as it has been over the past two weeks.

Request from several European countries

The UN investigators state that Israel must guarantee fair trials in civilian courts for those responsible for war crimes in connection with the massacres on October 7, 2023. None have taken place, says Sidoti.

But the investigators also deplore the lack of open prosecutions for the crimes in the Gaza Strip and no longer believe that Israel is willing to look into the matter, appealing to other jurisdictions. “International justice is slow, that’s the sad reality. But it is coming,” said Sidoti. “Responsibility will be established,” he said.

The three investigators have identified “in many cases” the Israeli military units that allegedly carried out crimes against humanity and war crimes. And the individual Israeli soldiers involved. “All those who played a role” in the application of the Israeli military approach since October 7, 2023 “are suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity”, insists Sidoti.

Indications have been shared with the International Criminal Court (ICC), and at least three European states have requested an investigation. In its recent report, the commission claimed that the Israeli army had perpetrated “crimes against humanity” of extermination in Palestinian territory.

Translated from German by DeepL/jdp

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