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UN condemns 'war crimes' in Gaza | UN condemns 'war crimes' in Gaza |
(10 minutes later) | |
There is evidence that both Israeli and Palestinian forces committed war crimes in the recent Gaza conflict, the official UN report says. | There is evidence that both Israeli and Palestinian forces committed war crimes in the recent Gaza conflict, the official UN report says. |
The report criticises Israel for using "disproportionate force" and "collective punishment " during the three-week assault ending January 2009. | The report criticises Israel for using "disproportionate force" and "collective punishment " during the three-week assault ending January 2009. |
The document also said both sides possibly committed crimes. | The document also said both sides possibly committed crimes. |
Palestinian groups say more than 1,400 Gazans were killed, but Israel puts the figure at 1,166. | Palestinian groups say more than 1,400 Gazans were killed, but Israel puts the figure at 1,166. |
Israel, which had refused to co-operate with the UN fact-finding team, said the report was "clearly one-sided". | |
It reiterated that it was "committed to acting fully in accordance with international law and to examining any allegations of wrongdoing by its forces". | |
The investigation, led by South African judge Richard Goldstone, found evidence "indicating serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law were committed by Israel during the Gaza conflict", a UN statement said. | |
Israel also "committed actions amounting to war crimes, and possibly crimes against humanity". | |
The report accuses Israel of imposing "a blockade which amounted to collective punishment" in the lead-up to the conflict. | |
"The report concludes that the Israeli military operation was directed at the people of Gaza as a whole, in furtherance of an overall and continuing policy aimed at punishing the Gaza population, and in a deliberate policy of disproportionate force aimed at the civilian population," said the statement. | |
The report found there was also evidence that Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity in their repeated rockets and mortars attacks on Israel. | The report found there was also evidence that Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity in their repeated rockets and mortars attacks on Israel. |