UN Human Rights Briefing on IHL report
/
3:47
/
MP4
/
537.4 MB

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Briefing on IHL report

The UN Human Rights Office published an assessment today on six emblematic attacks by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza last year that led to high numbers of civilian fatalities and widespread destruction of civilian objects, raising serious concerns under the laws of war with respect to the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack.

“The report details six emblematic attacks involving the suspected use of GBU-31 (2,000 lbs), GBU-32 (1,000 lbs) and GBU-39 (250 lbs) bombs from 9 October to 2 December 2023 on residential buildings, a school, refugee camps and a market,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said.

“Such bombs are mostly used to penetrate through several floors of concrete and can completely collapse tall structures.

Given how densely populated the areas targeted were, the use of an explosive weapon with such wide area effects is highly likely to amount to a prohibited indiscriminate attack, the report finds. The effects of such weapons in these areas cannot be limited as required by international law, resulting in military objects, civilians and civilian objects being struck without distinction, the report states.

“The report concludes that the series of Israeli strikes, exemplified by the six incidents, indicates that the IDF may have repeatedly violated fundamental principles of the laws of war. In this connection, it notes that unlawful targeting when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population, in line with a State or organisational policy, may also implicate the commission of crimes against humanity,” Laurence said.

“Israel's choices of methods and means of conducting hostilities in Gaza since 7 October, including through the extensive use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in densely populated areas, have failed to ensure that they effectively distinguish between civilians and fighters,” he said.

On 11 November 2023, the IDF stated that since the start of their operation into Gaza, the Air Force had “struck over 5,000 targets to eliminate threats in real time”. By that time the Ministry of Health in Gaza had documented the killing of 11,078 Palestinians, with another 2,700 missing and about 27,490 reportedly injured.

“At around the time of these attacks an IDF spokesperson was reported to have said that “while balancing accuracy with the scope of damage, right now we’re focused on what causes maximum damage.” Another IDF official was quoted as saying “Hamas and the residents of Gaza” are “human beasts” and “are dealt with accordingly. Israel has imposed a total blockade on Gaza. No electricity and no water, just damage. You wanted hell, you will get hell, the spokesperson said.

While the focus of the report is on Israel, it also highlights that Palestinian armed groups have continued to fire indiscriminate projectiles toward Israel, inconsistent with their obligations under international humanitarian law. The report also stresses the obligation to protect civilians and civilian objects by avoiding locating military objectives in or near densely populated areas.

In one of the six emblematic Israeli attacks on Gaza, the report states that strikes on Ash Shujaiyeh neighbourhood, Gaza City, on 2 December 2023 caused destruction across an approximate diagonal span of 130 metres, destroying 15 buildings and damaging at least 14 others. The extent of the damage and the craters visible through verified visual evidence and satellite imagery indicates that approximately nine GBU-31s were used, it added. The UN Human Rights Office received information that at least 60 people were killed,”

Ajith Sunghay, the Head of the OPT office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, added: “So it became very clear to us that the nature of weapons that were used, especially on wide area, that have wide area effect, is extremely dangerous in the context of Gaza. And we have been saying this, in several reports and statements that Gaza is a is a very densely populated area. And in these six incidents, we had sufficient information to demonstrate, the civilian casualties, both in terms of the death as well as, injuries and where we felt that the principles of international humanitarian law, particularly precaution, distinction, proportionality, were not necessarily followed.”

In three of the strikes, the IDF asserted it had targeted individuals connected to the attacks on Israel on 7 and 8 October 2023. As the report sets out, however, the mere presence of one commander, or even several fighters, or of several distinct military objectives in one area, does not turn an entire neighbourhood into a military objective, as this would violate the principle of proportionality and the prohibition of indiscriminate attacks.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact:

In Geneva

Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or

Liz Throssell - + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org or

Jeremy Laurence - +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org

Tag and share

Twitter @UNHumanRights

Facebook unitednationshumanrights

Instagram @unitednationshumanrights

STORY: UN report Israeli use of heavy bombs in Gaza raises serious concerns under the laws of war

TRT: 03:47

SOURCE: OHCHR / UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 19/06/2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Gaza 17/06/24

SHOTLIST

1. Exterior shot: Palais des Nations

2. Cut aways: Briefing room

3. SOUNDBITE (English)— Jeremy Laurence Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):The report details six emblematic attacks involving the suspected use of GBU-31 (2,000 lbs), GBU-32 (1,000 lbs) and GBU-39 (250 lbs) bombs from 9 October to 2 December 2023 on residential buildings, a school, refugee camps and a market.”

4. Stills of: UN Human Rights Report on the use of heavy weapons

5. SOUNDBITE (English)— Jeremy Laurence Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):Such bombs are mostly used to penetrate through several floors of concrete and can completely collapse tall structures.

6. Stills of: UN Human Rights Report on the use of heavy weapons

7. SOUNDBITE (English)— Jeremy Laurence Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):The report concludes that the series of Israeli strikes, exemplified by the six incidents, indicates that the IDF may have repeatedly violated fundamental principles of the laws of war. In this connection, it notes that unlawful targeting when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population, in line with a State or organisational policy, may also implicate the commission of crimes against humanity.”

8. Travelling shot: Gaza destruction © OHCHR (17/06/24)

9. SOUNDBITE (English)— Jeremy Laurence Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):Israel's choices of methods and means of conducting hostilities in Gaza since 7 October, including through the extensive use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in densely populated areas, have failed to ensure that they effectively distinguish between civilians and fighters.”

10. Travelling shot: Person fetching water in Gaza © OHCHR (17/06/24)

11. SOUNDBITE (English)— Jeremy Laurence Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):At around the time of these attacks an IDF spokesperson was reported to have said that while balancing accuracy with the scope of damage, right now we’re focused on what causes maximum damage. Another IDF official was quoted as sayingHamas and the residents of Gaza are human beasts’ and are dealt with accordingly. Israel has imposed a total blockade on Gaza. No electricity and no water, just damage. You wanted hell, you will get hell.’”

12. Cut away: Briefing room

13. SOUNDBITE (English)— Ajith Sunghay Head of OHCHR OPT office in OPT for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):So it became very clear to us that the nature of weapons that were used, especially on wide area, that have wide area effect, is extremely dangerous in the context of Gaza. And we have been saying this, in several reports and statements that Gaza is a very densely populated area. And in these six incidents, we had sufficient information to demonstrate, the civilian casualties, both in terms of the deaths as well as, injuries and where we felt that the principles of international humanitarian law, particularly precaution, distinction, proportionality, were not necessarily followed.”

14. Travelling shot: Gaza destruction © OHCHR (17/06/24)


Audio Files 1
Download UN Human Rights Briefing on IHL report (Edited Story)
Download

Similar Stories

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on attacks around aid sites in Gaza

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on attacks around aid sites in Gaza ENG FRA

“Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza, are unconscionable. For a third day running, people were killed around an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This morning, we have received information that dozens more people were killed and injured,” Jeremy Laurence UN Human Rights spokesperson said at the biweekly press briefing in Geneva.

Gaza aid update - OCHA 30 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA

Gaza aid update - OCHA 30 May 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza ‘hungriest place on earth’ with aid stymied – UN humanitarians

Starving Gazans continue to be deprived of aid as international relief efforts are being severely constrained by the Israeli authorities, the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said on Friday.

Gaza humanitarian update - OCHA, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , UNRWA

Gaza humanitarian update - OCHA, UNRWA ENG FRA

As a controversial United States and Israel-backed aid distribution plan gets underway in Gaza, the UN called on Tuesday for an “immediate surge” of its own pre-positioned supplies to help prevent starvation.

Uganda UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani  urges president to reject bill allowing trials of civilians in military courts

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

Uganda UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani urges president to reject bill allowing trials of civilians in military courts ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani today urged Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to reject a bill that was recently endorsed by parliament allowing trials of civilians in military courts. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed on 20 May and now awaits presidential signature to become law, among others broadens the jurisdiction of military courts, authorising them to try a wide range of offences against civilians.

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango: South Sudan: UN human rights chief decries escalating hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango: South Sudan: UN human rights chief decries escalating hostilities, arbitrary arrests and hate speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango today warned of a further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan at the bi-weekly briefing in Geneva.

Syria humanitarian update OCHA - WHO 23 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Syria humanitarian update OCHA - WHO 23 May 2025 ENG FRA

Syria: ‘Staggering’ needs amid insecurity, health care crisis  - UN humanitarians

Millions of people in Syria continue to face mortal danger from unexploded munitions, disease and malnutrition and urgent support is required, UN humanitarians said on Friday.

Gaza health update - UNRWA - OCHA - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , OCHA , WHO

Gaza health update - UNRWA - OCHA - WHO ENG FRA

UN life-saving aid allowed to trickle into Gaza as civilian needs mount

Amid calls for more humanitarian trucks to enter the food and medicine-deprived Palestinian enclave of Gaza, UN humanitarians have received permission from Israel for “around 100” more aid trucks to cross into the Strip after only five were let in yesterday,  But the scale of relief efforts allowed remains entirely insufficient to meet the urgent needs of people there, humanitarian workers say.

Press vests becoming a target - war reporter Christina Assi

1

1

1

Edited News

Press vests becoming a target - war reporter Christina Assi ENG FRA

A war reporter from Lebanon who lost a limb in the line of duty is calling for an end to impunity for attacks against journalists.

ITU 160th Anniversary - 17 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | ITU

ITU 160th Anniversary - 17 May 2025 ENG FRA

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) commemorated 160 years dedicated to connecting the world on Saturday, 17 May in Geneva, Switzerland, during the annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

Gaza humanitarian update – WHO, OCHA 16 May 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO , OCHA

Gaza humanitarian update – WHO, OCHA 16 May 2025 ENG FRA

Gazans ‘in terror’ after another night of deadly strikes and siege

Amid reports that Israeli strikes across Gaza into Friday killed at least 64 people, aid teams once again pushed back strongly at allegations that aid is being diverted to Hamas and pleaded for the blockade to end.

UN Human Rights raises human rights concerns about deportations from the United States of America

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights raises human rights concerns about deportations from the United States of America ENG FRA

Deportations over recent months of large numbers of non-nationals from the United States of America, especially to countries other than those of their origin, raise a number of human rights concerns, the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned on Tuesday.   

Gaza health update - WHO

1

1

1

Edited News | WHO

Gaza health update - WHO ENG FRA

Gaza: Over 50 child malnutrition deaths amid aid blockade; entire generation will be ‘permanently affected’ - WHO

In the aid desert of Gaza, malnourished children are dying while survivors can expect a lifetime of dire health problems, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.