Attachments
UN Human Rights in Occupied Palestinian Territory, Ramallah, 13 December 2024
The UN Human Rights Office strongly condemns the Israeli military’s persistent use of explosive weapons with wide area effects on densely populated areas in Gaza, including residential buildings and displacement shelters. Recently, An Nuseirat Camp in Middle Gaza has been a particular target of such attacks.
These strikes continue to result in the tragic loss of many Palestinian lives including children and women and raise concerns about the violation of international humanitarian law’s principles of proportionality, distinction, including the prohibition of indiscriminate attacks, and precautions in attack. In June 2024, the UN Human Rights Office issued a report highlighting these concerns.
On Thursday, two airstrikes hit three residential buildings in An Nuseirat camp, less than 20 hours apart. The first attack reportedly killed at least 15 Palestinians, including at least seven children. The second attack reportedly killed at least 34 Palestinians, including at least 10 children and eight women, and injured 40 missing. On 6 December, an Israeli airstrike had hit a residential building, also in An Nuseirat, killing 34 Palestinians including at least children and women.
Similar attacks on residential buildings, often also sheltering internally displaced persons, have been reported daily over the past days in other parts of Gaza, particularly in Beit Lahiya and Gaza City.
In the meantime, Civil Defense and other emergency workers are being targeted by the Israeli military, and lack fuel for their equipment, which is curbing their ability to rescue victims of Israeli airstrikes.
The UN Human Rights Office reiterates its calls for independent, effective, and transparent investigations into all Israeli airstrikes that appear to constitute indiscriminate attacks in violation of international humanitarian law, and to hold those responsible to account.
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact:
Mayy El Sheikh – mayy.elsheikh@un.org
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