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A destroyed building in Gaza after an Israeli air strike
Photo: John Minchillo / AP
In the United Nations Human Rights Council, there was heavy criticism of Israel and Hamas following the recent escalation.
UN Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said Israel's air strikes in Gaza may have been war crimes.
That is the case if the attacks were "indiscriminate and disproportionate" against civilians and civil institutions.
At the same time, she condemned the rocket attacks by the radical Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
With the indiscriminate firing of rockets at Israel and the stationing of military material in densely populated areas, Hamas has violated international humanitarian law, said Bachelet.
The EU, the USA and Israel classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.
After an eleven day conflict, Israel and Hamas agreed on a ceasefire less than a week ago.
The escalation was triggered by clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and in the Arab-dominated east of the city.
More than 43,000 rockets hit Israel
Hamas fired more than 4,300 rockets at Israel.
Israel responded with air strikes on the Gaza Strip.
According to the UN Human Rights Council, 242 people were killed there.
Hamas rocket attacks killed ten people in Israel.
UN Commissioner Bachelet accused Israeli security forces of disproportionate violence to end demonstrations against the threat of evictions of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem.
Israel claims the ensuing air strikes in Gaza targeted buildings that were used for military purposes.
"We saw no evidence of this," said Bachelet.
The Israeli ambassador Meirav Eilon Shachar denied all allegations.
Hamas is a "murderous, extreme terrorist organization" that abuses civilians as human shields.
Criticism of the Human Rights Council
The UN Human Rights Council had a special session because of the recent violence.
Israel and the US repeatedly accuse the Council of being biased against Israel.
Of the 33 inquiries it has passed since it was founded in 2006, seven concerned the Palestinian Territories.
Under Donald Trump, the US had therefore left the council.
After his election, Joe Biden had announced that he would return to the council.
lau / dpa / Reuters
