New York, Oct. 26 (Petra) - A UN investigation panel accused Israel on Monday of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including extermination and systematic persecution, in a new report presented to the General Assembly.
The commission concluded that Israeli forces intentionally target civilians and continue to perpetrate acts of genocide in Gaza to destroy the Palestinian population "in whole or in part." The report noted a sharp escalation in the occupied West Bank since Oct. 7, 2023, particularly through airstrikes. While six Palestinians were killed in West Bank airstrikes between 2008 and Oct. 6, 2023, the death toll from aerial bombardments surged to 254 between Oct. 7, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2026.
The panel found that Palestinians in the West Bank face systematic persecution based on nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, and age.
Examining the root causes, the panel determined that Israel has consistently pursued territorial expansion and the forcible displacement of Palestinians since 1947.
The commission urged the international community to press Israel to comply with the International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion.
It called for an immediate end to the illegal occupation, the evacuation of all illegal settlers, the dismantling of settlements, and the return of confiscated lands to their Palestinian owners.
//Petra// HA
