Israel must protect civilians: UN

A United Nations special investigator said while Hamas' attacks on Israel at a minimum constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, Israel in its response is required to protect civilians and is banned from targeting schools, hospitals and people fleeing harm.

Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, the special rapporteur on protecting human rights while countering terrorism, told a UN news conference on Monday that when these rules of international humanitarian law are breached, “We are also in the territory of war crimes.” She stressed that under the Geneva Conventions governing the conduct of war, it isn’t only Israel and Hamas that must respect humanitarian law. Those “with influence” over the parties also have an obligation to ensure the rules of war are respected — and to remind the parties to comply.