New York - Rafah: Europe and the Arabs
Independent UN experts said that "Israel's apparent extrajudicial killings of three Palestinian men at Ibn Sina Hospital in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank may amount to serious violations of international law and war crimes." According to what was stated in the United Nations daily news bulletin, a copy of which we received this morning
Surveillance camera footage reportedly showed approximately a dozen Shin Bet and Israeli police members entering the hospital on January 29 disguised as doctors, nurses, and civilians. After entering the rehabilitation ward, Israeli forces shot Bassel Ayman al-Ghazawi, a patient who was being treated for serious injuries from an Israeli airstrike three months earlier, his brother Muhammad Ayman al-Ghazawi, and another visitor named Muhammad Walid Jalamneh.
"war crimes"
The experts said that regardless of Israel's claims that the three men were involved in "terrorism," the most Israeli forces were entitled to do was arrest them, especially in "occupied territory under Israeli control and outside active hostilities." “Instead, Israel chose to deliberately kill them in flagrant violation of their right to life,” they said.
Referring to the attack of Basil al-Ghazawi, the experts stressed that killing “a defenseless wounded person receiving treatment in the hospital amounts to a war crime,” noting also that by disguising themselves as “harmless, protected medical workers and civilians,” the Israeli forces also committed, prima facie, a war crime. It constitutes treachery, and is prohibited in all circumstances.”
Culture of impunity
The experts called on Israel to conduct an effective investigation, in line with international law, with the aim of prosecuting and punishing those responsible for committing, ordering, or assisting in the commission of these alleged crimes, while establishing measures to prevent future arbitrary killings and provide reparations to the victims.
They noted the international community's long-standing concern "about Israel's culture of impunity" regarding alleged violations of international law committed by its members. In the absence of a prompt investigation into the killings, experts urged the ICC Prosecutor to conduct an investigation.
They added: “We urge all parties to fulfill their international legal obligations to ensure respect for international law, including human rights and humanitarian law in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, and to cooperate with the current investigations conducted by the International Criminal Court.”
It is noteworthy that the Ibn Sina Hospital operation occurred amid an alarming increase in the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces “in clear violation of their right to life in the West Bank” since the attack launched by Palestinian armed groups on Israel on October 7, according to the experts’ statement. .
The experts are:
Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism;
Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health;
Maurice Tidball-Baines, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions;
Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers;
Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967
It is noteworthy that special rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Human Rights Council in Geneva, which is an intergovernmental body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world. Rapporteurs and experts are tasked with studying human rights situations and submitting reports on them to the Human Rights Council. It should be noted that this position is honorary, and these experts are not considered employees of the United Nations and do not receive compensation for their work.
This comes as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that the unprecedented density in Rafah makes it impossible to protect civilians in the event of ground attacks. He added that overcrowding in Rafah had reached a point where the roads became clogged with tents set up by families searching for any available flat, clean site.
During the past three months, the city, located in the south of the Gaza Strip, produced an entire year’s worth of garbage, according to what the municipal authorities said. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said food, clean water and services are scarce
sanitation and sanitation facilities, all of which lead to the spread of preventable diseases.
Jamie McGoldrick, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stressed the urgent need to bring in fuel, generators and spare parts to improve water provision. He pointed out that the water desalination plant in southern Gaza operates only at up to 15% of its original capacity.
UN humanitarian partners estimate that about 100,000 families in Gaza need shelter support, including winter-weather tents and other supplies.
Since October 7, partners have distributed about 40,000 tents, mainly in Rafah, Khan Yunis, and the central areas of the Strip. Another 28,000 tents are scheduled to be distributed.