Israel killed at least a dozen of its own citizens on October 7, UN claims
By Nicola Smith
June 14, 2024
https://www.watoday.com.au/world/mi...s-on-october-7-un-claims-20240614-p5jlt3.html
The Israeli military likely killed more than a dozen of its own citizens during the October 7 Hamas attacks, a United Nations investigation has alleged.
The report by the UN commission investigating the attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza documented “strong indications” that the “Hannibal Directive” was used in several instances that day, “harming Israelis at the same time as striking Palestinian militants”.
The directive – officially revoked in 2016 – was put in place to prevent the capture of Israeli soldiers by enemy forces who may use them as bargaining chips, allowing troops to open fire even if it caused the death of a comrade.
Sharone Lifschitz visits the burnt-out home of her parents in Kibbutz Nir Oz. They were kidnapped by Hamas militants on October 7.Credit: Bloomberg
UN investigators, led by Navi Pillay, a former UN human rights chief, concluded that at least 14 Israeli civilians, including 12-year-old twins and a 68-year-old grandmother, “were likely killed as a result of Israeli security forces fire”.
These specific accusations have not yet been addressed by Israel, although in January Asa Kasher, a philosophy professor at Tel Aviv University who wrote the Israeli military’s code of conduct, called on the authorities to investigate them immediately.
The Israeli government angrily rejected the UN report, which also accused both Palestinian groups and Israel of committing war crimes. The UN panel also claimed Israel’s conduct of the war included crimes against humanity.
The funeral service for hostage Shani Louk in Srigim-Li On, Israel in May.Credit: Getty
The Israeli government said the report was “reflective of the systematic anti-Israel discrimination of this commission of inquiry”, noting that it had ignored Hamas’ use of civilians as “human shields”.
It has also criticised the commission for “outrageously and repugnantly” drawing a false equivalence between Hamas and the Israeli military in relation to sexual violence........
.........Separately, the Israeli government has discussed far-reaching measures against UN agencies operating in Israel and the Palestinian territories, including the possible expulsion of staff, reported the Financial Times.
Bubbling tensions spiked last week after António Guterres, the UN secretary-general, added Israel’s military to a list of countries and organisations that fail to protect children in conflict – a move the Israeli ambassador to the UN described as “shameful”.
The Telegraph, London
By Nicola Smith
June 14, 2024
https://www.watoday.com.au/world/mi...s-on-october-7-un-claims-20240614-p5jlt3.html
The Israeli military likely killed more than a dozen of its own citizens during the October 7 Hamas attacks, a United Nations investigation has alleged.
The report by the UN commission investigating the attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza documented “strong indications” that the “Hannibal Directive” was used in several instances that day, “harming Israelis at the same time as striking Palestinian militants”.
The directive – officially revoked in 2016 – was put in place to prevent the capture of Israeli soldiers by enemy forces who may use them as bargaining chips, allowing troops to open fire even if it caused the death of a comrade.
Sharone Lifschitz visits the burnt-out home of her parents in Kibbutz Nir Oz. They were kidnapped by Hamas militants on October 7.Credit: Bloomberg
UN investigators, led by Navi Pillay, a former UN human rights chief, concluded that at least 14 Israeli civilians, including 12-year-old twins and a 68-year-old grandmother, “were likely killed as a result of Israeli security forces fire”.
These specific accusations have not yet been addressed by Israel, although in January Asa Kasher, a philosophy professor at Tel Aviv University who wrote the Israeli military’s code of conduct, called on the authorities to investigate them immediately.
The Israeli government angrily rejected the UN report, which also accused both Palestinian groups and Israel of committing war crimes. The UN panel also claimed Israel’s conduct of the war included crimes against humanity.
The funeral service for hostage Shani Louk in Srigim-Li On, Israel in May.Credit: Getty
The Israeli government said the report was “reflective of the systematic anti-Israel discrimination of this commission of inquiry”, noting that it had ignored Hamas’ use of civilians as “human shields”.
It has also criticised the commission for “outrageously and repugnantly” drawing a false equivalence between Hamas and the Israeli military in relation to sexual violence........
.........Separately, the Israeli government has discussed far-reaching measures against UN agencies operating in Israel and the Palestinian territories, including the possible expulsion of staff, reported the Financial Times.
Bubbling tensions spiked last week after António Guterres, the UN secretary-general, added Israel’s military to a list of countries and organisations that fail to protect children in conflict – a move the Israeli ambassador to the UN described as “shameful”.
The Telegraph, London