The UN's Human Rights Office latest report on the war in Gaza found that nearly 70% of Palestinians killed by Israel Defense Forces from November 2023 to April 2024 were women and children, with the youngest victim being a 1-day-old boy and the oldest being a 97-year-old woman.
Nearly 44% of the deaths in Gaza have been children, the largest group was ages five to nine, followed by ages 10 to 14, and newborns to four year old children.
The report stated the high number of deaths were likely caused by "the IDF's use of weapons with wide area effects in densely-populated areas," but added "some of the fatalities may have been the result of errant projectiles" from Palestinian armed groups.
Additionally, the report found that Israel may have further broken international humanitarian law by targeting residential buildings "with high numbers of babies and young children, women, older persons, and families." In some instances, entire Palestinian families were killed in one strike, per the report.
Although the IDF has claimed it targets areas where it believes Hamas combatants are stationed, the UN group ascertained that it failed to "take all feasible precautions to avoid, and in any event to minimize, incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects," further violating international law.
The report also found that the IDF intentionally targeted Palestinians attempting to access food and medical aid. In one instance, on Feb. 29, 2024, at least 118 Palestinians were reportedly killed and around 760 were injured when the IDF opened fire while they were collecting food.
The IDF blamed the deaths and injuries on Palestinians "overcrowding and being run over by Palestinian trucks." They also claimed they "opened fire only when they encountered danger, when the mob moved toward it in a manner that endangered the force."
Finally, the report found that "the violations documented in this report by the parties could amount to war crimes" and "constitute crimes against humanity" if they were directed against civilians.
"If committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, they may also constitute genocide," the reported added.
It ended with several recommendations for "all parties," Israel, and Hamas, including implementation of an immediate ceasefire on both sides and for Israel to allow Palestinians displaced within and from Gaza to return to their homes.
The Human Rights Office also offered four calls to action on member states of the UN, including actively supporting "the protection of Palestinians wherever they are, including by engaging the parties to the conflict to cease violations, securing an immediate ceasefire, and enabling provision of humanitarian assistance."
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