UN probing Gaza strikes said to kill only women, children
Shafaq News/ The United Nations is investigating dozens of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza that reportedly resulted in casualties limited to women and children, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) announced on Friday.
The agency is reviewing 36 incidents between March 18 and April 9 where all documented victims were women or children. During the same period, around 224 Israeli strikes reportedly hit residential buildings and tents sheltering displaced people.
OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani warned the level of destruction threatens the ability of Palestinians to continue living in Gaza. She noted the attacks raise “serious concerns” about Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law.
“Deliberately targeting civilians not directly involved in hostilities constitutes a war crime under the Geneva Conventions,” she added.
She also described the killing of Palestinian journalists as part of a “broader, alarming pattern.” On the night of April 6–7, an Israeli strike reportedly hit a tent near the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, where several journalists were known to be staying. Reports indicated the strike occurred without prior warning.
Israel’s closure of Gaza border crossings for six consecutive weeks has further worsened humanitarian conditions by blocking the entry of food, clean water, medicine, and other essential supplies, Shamdasani said.
The war in Gaza has faced mounting international scrutiny over Israel’s military conduct in populated areas. UN agencies and aid organizations have repeatedly warned of high civilian death tolls and severely restricted access to humanitarian assistance.
