U.N. Report Highlights Humanitarian Law Violations in Gaza Conflict

The U.N. Human Rights Office reports that nearly 70% of verified Gaza war fatalities are women and children, indicating systematic violations of international humanitarian law. Contrasting Palestinian figures, the verified toll is 8,119. Israel disputes the findings, attributing civilian casualties to Hamas.

The U.N. Human Rights Office released a report on Friday indicating that women and children constitute nearly 70% of the fatalities verified in the ongoing Gaza conflict. The office condemned systematic violations of international humanitarian law during the war, which sees Israel's military clashing with Hamas militants.

The report notes 8,119 verified fatalities, a figure significantly lower than the over 43,000 reported by Palestinian health authorities. The U.N.'s demographic breakdown, however, supports the Palestinian claim that civilians are predominant among those killed, highlighting possible violations of international law's principles of distinction and proportionality.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk emphasized the need for accountability through credible judicial processes, while Israel's U.N. delegation criticized the report for failing to consider Hamas's role in causing civilian harm. Despite Israel's military efforts to minimize civilian casualties, it contends Hamas uses civilians as shields, a claim Hamas denies.

(With inputs from agencies.)