GENEVA: Israeli forces committed serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza and carried out atrocity crimes, a UN report published on Thursday said.
Intensified Israeli attacks and the forcible transfer of Palestinians appeared aimed at a permanent demographic shift in Gaza “raising concerns over ethnic cleansing,” the report by the UN human rights office said.
The holding and mistreatment of hostages by the Hamas Islamist militant group may amount to war crimes, it said.
Israel’s permanent mission in Geneva dismissed the report’s findings about Israel’s actions, and said in a statement that the UN human rights office had lost its credibility.
“Office of the High Commissioner is engaged in a vicious campaign of demonization and disinformation against the State of Israel,” it said.
