Inquiry Commission verifies war crimes in Palestine at direct orders from Israeli gov’t

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, affirmed that the Israeli occupation forces committed war crimes against the Palestinians under direct orders from ministers in the Israel government. In its third report to the UN General Assembly, released in Geneva on Thursday, the Commission traced treatment of detainees and hostages and attacks on medical facilities and personnel from October 7, 2023 to August 2024. Constant handcuffing and inadequate medical care reportedly caused some detainees to have limbs amputated. Statements made by some medical personnel suggest that they were complicit in unlawful practices, according to the report. "On 3 July, the (Israeli) Attorney General of Israel stated in a letter that the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir was obstructing prisoner transfers to Israel Prison Service facilities. "On 16 October, the Minister of National Security ordered significant additional restric tions in Israel Prison Service facilities," it noted. Those restrictions included the imposition of a complete ban on family and ICRC visits, cancelling or restricting lawyer visits and phone calls, and cancelling non-urgent medical appointments. Electricity was cut off in prison cells, detainees' personal property was confiscated and access to showers and toilets was severely restricted. Access to fresh air in the prison yard was restricted or prohibited. Restrictions were imposed on food allowances and applied to thousands of detainees and prisoners, including women and children, who had been detained before 7 October. On several occasions, the Minister of National Security indicated that revenge was the motivation for these policies, the report pointed out. Regarding the attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza, the report said, "The Commission finds that Israel has implemented a concerted policy to destroy the health-care system of Gaza." "Israeli security forces have deliberately killed, wounded, arres ted, detained, mistreated and tortured medical personnel and targeted medical vehicles, constituting the war crimes of willful killing and mistreatment and the crime against humanity of extermination," it stressed. In relation to the 29 January attack on a family, including five children, that was in a vehicle and on a Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulance, the Commission, based on its investigation, concludes on reasonable grounds that "the 162 Division of the Israeli security forces was operating in the area and is responsible for killing the family of seven, as well as for shelling the ambulance, killing the two paramedics who were inside." "Those actions constitute the war crimes of willful killing and an attack against civilian objects. "Israeli attacks on medical facilities have led to the injury and death of child patients and have had devastating consequences for pediatrics and neonatal care in Gaza hospitals, creating a large, unmet need for complex surgical and medical care for children, includ ing premature babies," the report added. "Children in particular have borne the brunt of these attacks, suffering both directly and indirectly from the collapse of the health system," Chairperson of the Commission Navi Pillay regretted. He urged bringing to account the Israeli officials responsible for such horrific acts, and ensuring paying damages to the families of the victims. Lack of accountability turned the widespread physical and psychological violence into systemic policy of the Israeli government, she noted. Pillay called on the Israeli occupation government to abide by the advisory opinion, released by the International Court of Justice in last July, to end the illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories, halt all settlement activities, and pay compensations to the victims. Source: Kuwait News Agency