Once again, OHCHR fails to accurately reflect the realities on the ground, and disregards the extensive role of Hamas and other terrorist organizations in deliberately causing civilian harm in Gaza.
This report further exemplifies the inherent obsession of OHCHR with the demonization of Israel, which is reflected in the unprecedented plethora of existing mechanisms against a single democratic State, and the number of communications targeting Israel over the past year.
OHCHR’s consistent exclusion of the extensive evidence of Hamas's modus operandi, raises questions regarding the Office’s credibility. This includes the omission of Hamas’s systematic exploitation of civilian infrastructure. The report goes as far as stating that “In most instances, the IDF did not offer substantial evidence to support their allegations [of use of civilian infrastructure by Hamas]” or that “The IDF has made allegations that “Hamas terrorists” were operating inside some hospitals, which has not been independently verified.” These are absurd conclusions in light of the abundance of publicly-available evidence.
By relying on unverified information—often promoted by Hamas or other entities known for manipulating narratives, the report severely compromises its objectivity and credibility, and is indicative of the politically-driven nature of this initiative. Furthermore, the very fact that OHCHR was not able or not willing to verify the death of a single Palestinian terrorist amongst the victims it supposedly identified, demonstrates the lack of credibility of the statistical analysis used and conclusions reached in this report.
As Israel has consistently pointed out, the methodology employed is fundamentally flawed, particularly the report's uninformed analysis of the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC). The report also hardly takes into account Hamas’ systematic abuse of civilian infrastructure and its methodical transformation into façades for military assets.
Israel’s rejection of the flawed OHCHR report should not be confused with a dismissal of its obligations under LOAC. Israel remains committed to the LOAC and to mitigating civilian harm in all operations, including by facilitating humanitarian assistance to Gaza through multiple channels, and in doing the utmost to distinguish military assets from civilian objects. The State of Israel reaffirms its commitment to international law, and remains committed to examining and investigating any exceptional incidents through its established mechanisms.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Daniel Meron highlighted that the OHCHR report distorts international law and entirely relieves non-State armed groups of their obligations vis-a-vis civilian populations. “The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights continues to hand-pick facts, advancing a distorted narrative of a tragic conflict and shielding a ruthless terrorist adversary that actively seeks to maximize civilian harm. The outcome is emboldening Palestinian terrorism and violence against Israelis and Jews around the world.”
ENDS