UN: Israel, Hamas could both be responsible for ‘war crimes’ over civilian deaths in hostage rescue

The United Nations human rights office says that the civilian deaths in Gaza during the Israeli operation to secure the release of four hostages over the weekend, and their holding by terror groups in densely populated areas, could both amount to war crimes.

“Hundreds of Palestinians, many of them civilians, were reportedly killed and injured,” said Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for the UN human rights office.

“Furthermore, by holding hostages in such densely populated areas, the armed groups doing so are putting the lives of Palestinian civilians, as well as the hostages themselves, at added risk from the hostilities. All these actions, by both parties, may amount to war crimes.”

Hamas claimed that at least 210 people were killed during the operation, while the IDF said it knew of around 100 Palestinian casualties but could not say how many were civilians and how many were terror operatives.