Written by JAMEY KEATEN

The U.N. human rights office is citing possible war crimes by Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups in connection with a deadly raid by Israeli forces that freed four hostages over the weekend and killed hundreds of Palestinians.

Office spokesman Jeremy Laurence expressed concerns about possible violations of rules of proportionality, distinction and precaution by the Israeli forces in Saturday’s raid at the urban Nuseirat refugee camp.

Palestinian health officials say at least 274 Palestinians, including dozens of women and children, were killed in the operation.

Palestinians look at the aftermath of the Israeli bombing in Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza Strip, on June 8, 2024. (Photo via AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Laurence said Palestinian armed groups who are holding hostages in densely populated areas are putting the lives of nearby civilians and the hostages at “added risks” from the hostilities.

“All these actions by both parties may amount to war crimes,” he told a regular U.N. briefing in Geneva.

“It was catastrophic, the way that this was carried out in that civilians — again — were caught smack bang in the middle of this,” Laurence added.

Alluding to the “ordeal” faced by hostages and their families, he said: “The fact that four hostages are now free is clearly very good news. These hostages should never have been taken in the first place. That’s a breach of international humanitarian law. They must be freed. All of them. Promptly.”

Israel launched its war against Hamas after the group’s Oct. 7 attack, in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250.

Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 36,730 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. Palestinians are facing widespread hunger because the war has largely cut off the flow of food, medicine and other supplies. U.N. agencies say over 1 million in Gaza could experience the highest level of starvation by mid-July.

Related Stories
‹
Gaza’s Main Hospital Is Overwhelmed With Children in Pain From Malnutrition
Experts warn Gaza could plunge into famine if Israel doesn’t stop its military campaign and fully lift its blockade.
Mediators Herald Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Deal. Israel Says Final Details Are in Flux
Israel and Hamas have agreed to pause the devastating war in the Gaza Strip, mediators announced Wednesday, after 15 months of fighting.
Israel Plans to Capture All of Gaza Under New Plan, Officials Say
Written by TIA GOLDENBERG and SAM MEDNICK TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel approved plans Monday to capture the entire Gaza Strip and remain in the Palestinian territory for an unspecified amount of time, two Israeli officials said, a move that, if implemented, would vastly expand Israel’s operations in Gaza and likely bring fierce international opposition. Israeli Cabinet ministers […]
Aid Groups: Thousands of Children in Gaza Are Malnourished Amid Israel’s Blockade
Aid groups are raising new alarm over Israel’s blockade of the war-ravaged Gaza Strip as the deterrence of resources reached six weeks.
Israeli Strikes Across Gaza Kill More Than 400 Palestinians and Shatter Ceasefire With Hamas
The surprise bombardment, the deadliest in Gaza since the start of the 17-month war, shattered a ceasefire in place since January.
UN Report Accuses Israel of Sexual Violence Against Palestinians. Netanyahu Claims Anti-Israel Bias
United Nations-backed human rights experts accused Israel of “sexual, reproductive and other gender-based violence" in Gaza Strip.
The Gaza War Is Paused, but Israel and Hamas Keep Up a Fierce Battle of Optics Over Hostage Releases
The visuals out of Israel and Gaza during recent hostage-for-prisoner swaps were part of a choreographed battle of optics waged in parallel to the 16-month ground war between Israel and Hamas.
Hundreds of Thousands of Palestinians Return to a Shattered Northern Gaza
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians streamed into Gaza’s most heavily destroyed area on Monday after Israel opened the north for the first time in 15 months.
Israel’s Borders Have Shifted Throughout Its History. Action in Syria May Reshape Them Again
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, entered Syrian territory Tuesday and said Israeli troops would remain in the area indefinitely, blurring the border with its northern neighbor.
Sinwar’s Killing Means Much Uncertainty for the War in Gaza but Also Possible Opportunity
Israel’s killing of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ top leader, is a dramatic turning point in the brutal yearlong war in Gaza that it touched off.
›