UN rights chief calls for probe into Hamas execution of six hostages

UN human rights chief Volker Turk is calling for an independent investigation into reports that Gaza terror groups executed six Israeli hostages whose bodies were recovered this week.

“We are horrified by reports that Palestinian armed groups summarily executed six Israeli hostages, which would constitute a war crime,” the UN Human Rights Office says on X, adding that Turk “calls for [an] independent, impartial and transparent investigation and for perpetrators to be held to account.”

#Gaza: We are horrified by reports that Palestinian armed groups summarily executed six Israeli hostages, which would constitute a war crime. @volker_turk calls for independent, impartial and transparent investigation and for perpetrators to be held to account.

— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) September 3, 2024

The six, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, were apparently executed as Israeli troops neared the southern Gaza tunnel where they were being held captive.