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. The COI has accused Israel of obstructing its work and preventing investigators from accessing both Israel and the Palestinian territories. Sometimes, the evidence gathered by such UN-mandated bodies has formed the basis for war crimes prosecutions and could be drawn on by the International Criminal Court.

Source: Ethiopian News October 10, 2024 13:04 UTC