A UN report has accused Israel of committing the crime against humanity of extermination in Gaza over IDF strikes on schools and religious sites.
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory claimed that Israel is engaged in a “concerted campaign to obliterate Palestinian life” in relation to the military operations in the Strip.
Israel has previously launched strikes on school compounds, often resulting in civilian casualties. However, it has long maintained that it is targeting Hamas operatives using the site as cover, claiming the terror group has embedded itself in civilian infrastructure.
IDF commanders also insist that they make every effort to minimise collateral casualties, accusing Hamas of using civilians as human shields.
The commission, though, seemed to reject this justification, with its chair – former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay – saying: “Israel's targeting of the educational, cultural and religious life of the Palestinian people will harm the present generations and generations to come, hindering their right to self-determination.
"We are seeing more and more indications that Israel is carrying out a concerted campaign to obliterate Palestinian life in Gaza.”
Its latest report estimated that 90% of educational facilities and more than half of religious sites in Gaza have been destroyed during the war.
It went on: “Israeli forces committed war crimes, including directing attacks against civilians and wilful killing, in their attacks on educational facilities.
"In killing civilians sheltering in schools and religious sites, Israeli security forces committed the crime against humanity of extermination.”
And the report also claimed that Israel had targeted educational centres within its own borders, while seemingly suggesting a misogynistic element to this alleged campaign.
It concluded: “Israeli authorities have also targeted Israeli and Palestinian educational personnel and students inside Israel who expressed concern or solidarity with the civilian population in Gaza, resulting in their harassment, dismissal or suspension and in some cases humiliating arrests and detention.
"Israeli authorities have particularly targeted female educators and students, intending to deter women and girls from activism in public places.”
Israel has consistently said that it is complying with international law in its conduct of the war and rejected claims of war crimes.
Indeed, when the commission’s last report claimed that Israel had targeted women’s health facilities in Gaza, its findings were condemned by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu as biased and antisemitic.
"Instead of focusing on the crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by the Hamas terrorist organisation...the United Nations once again chooses to attack the state of Israel with false accusations,” he said at the time.
Israel formally disengaged from the UN Human Rights Council in February, claiming the body had consistently demonstrated anti-Israel bias.
