The inquiry found that Israel was committing ‘war crimes and crimes against humanity’ in its deliberate attacks on hospitals.

United Nations investigators have accused Israel of deliberately targeting Gaza’s health facilities and killing medical personnel during its war on the besieged enclave.

A statement by ex-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay released on Thursday in advance of a full report accused Israel of “committing war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination with relentless and deliberate attacks on medical personnel and facilities” in its assault on Gaza, which it launched after the Palestinian armed group Hamas led a deadly cross-border attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

“Children in particular have borne the brunt of these attacks, suffering both directly and indirectly from the collapse of the health system,” said Pillay, whose report will be presented to the UN General Assembly on October 30.

The Israeli government has routinely said that its attacks on hospitals and schools in Gaza are to target members of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. Hamas has denied it uses the locations as command centres.

The UN inquiry’s statement also accused Israeli forces of deliberately killing and torturing medical personnel, targeting medical vehicles and restricting patients from leaving Gaza.

The Commission of Inquiry has a broad mandate to collect evidence and identify suspected perpetrators of international crimes committed in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. It bases its findings on a range of sources including interviews with victims and witnesses, submissions and satellite imagery.

The COI has previously alleged that both Israel and Hamas committed war crimes in the early stages of the Gaza war, and that Israel’s actions also constituted crimes against humanity because of the immense civilian losses. The term is reserved for the most serious international crimes knowingly committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against civilians.

Children deal with ‘brunt’ of attacks

Pillay called on Israel to “immediately stop” its “wanton destruction of healthcare facilities in Gaza”.

“Children in particular have borne the brunt of these attacks, suffering both directly and indirectly from the collapse of the health system,” Pillay added.

The report cited the death of a six-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, who died, along with her cousins, aunt and uncle, after pleading for help for hours.

The COI referred to Rajab’s death as one of “the most egregious cases” of Israeli attacks on the healthcare system.

‘Systemic abuse’ of detainees

Within Israeli military camps and detention centres, the report found that thousands of Palestinians were subjected to “widespread and systemic abuse, physical and psychological violence and sexual and gender-based violence”.

It added that male detainees were subjected to rape and attacks on their sexual organs.

The COI said the “institutional mistreatment” of Palestinians was under direct order from far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The statement also found that many Israeli captives held in Gaza were subjected to “physical pain and severe mental suffering” and called for the immediate and unconditional release of those held in the enclave.

Israel did not cooperate with the inquiry after arguing it had an “anti-Israel” bias.