Thread by @YousefMunayyer

Israelis May Have Committed Crimes Against Humanity in Gaza Protests, U.N. Says nyti.ms/2tJqwTw

Here is the UN report after investigating the killings of Palestinian protesters by the Israeli Military ohchr.org/Documents/HRBo…

"The commission conducted 325 interviews and meetings with victims, witnesses, government officials and members of civil society, from all sides, and gathered more than 8,000 documents, including..."

"affidavits, medical reports, open source reports, social media content, written submissions and expert legal opinions, video and drone footage, and
photographs"

"the commission assessed whether these duty bearers respected, protected and fulfilled the right to life, the freedom of peaceful assembly and the freedom of expression, among other rights."

"Prior to the first demonstration, Israeli forces reinforced their positions at the fence with additional troops, including more than 100 sharpshooters."

"In the commission’s view, the demonstrations were civilian in nature, had clearly stated political aims and, despite some acts of significant violence, did not constitute combat or a military campaign."

"Founded in the right to life, law enforcement rules based on international human rights law permit potentially lethal force by law enforcement agencies or security forces only in self-defence or for the defence of others when there is an imminent threat to life."

"For a threat to life to be regarded as imminent, an attacker should have no remaining preparatory steps and be in sufficient geographic proximity for the attack to succeed."

"The commission found that 189 Palestinians were killed at demonstrations sites, 183 of whom were killed by live ammunition used by Israeli security forces"

"Overall, at the demonstrations held on 30 March, Israeli forces killed 18 people and wounded 703 people with live ammunition; another 62 people were wounded by bullet fragmentation or shrapnel...."

"The youngest casualty was a two-year-old, wounded in the head; the oldest, a 71-year-old woman shot in the legs."

"Over the weeks that followed, demonstrations were held every Friday at the five main sites."

"Israeli forces continued to employ live ammunition against demonstrators, killing and wounding civilians, including children, journalists and health workers, and leaving many with permanent disabilities."

"On 14 May, Israeli security forces shot and killed seven children: a girl, Wisal Khalil (14), and six boys: Izzedine al-Samak (13); Said al-Kheir (15); Ahmad al-Sha’ar (15); Talal Matar (15); Saadi Abu Salah (16); and Ibrahim al-Zarqa (17)."

"In total, Israeli security forces killed 60 demonstrators on 14 May, the highest one day death toll in Gaza since their military operation there in 2014. The snipers shot at least 1,162 people with live ammunition; some 141 were wounded by bullet fragmentation or
shrapnel."

"Children enjoy special protection under international law. Israeli security forces killed 35 children during the demonstrations in 2018."

"The Occupied Palestinian Territory is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a health worker. During the demonstrations, Israeli forces killed three clearly marked paramedics"

"Between 30 March and 31 December, Israeli forces killed two journalists and wounded 39 others with live ammunition as they covered the demonstrations."

"The commission found reasonable grounds to believe that Israeli snipers shot journalists intentionally, despite seeing that they were clearly marked as such."

"Persons with disabilities are entitled to special protection under international law. The commission investigated several emblematic cases of persons with disabilities who were killed by Israeli forces."

"The use of live ammunition by Israeli forces inflicted life-changing injuries on demonstrators. Some 21 people became paralysed by injuries to the spinal cord and nine people suffered permanent loss of vision"

"No Israeli civilian deaths or injuries were reported during or resulting from the demonstrations."

"The commission investigated all 189 fatalities and tracked more than 300 injuries caused by the Israeli security forces at the demonstration sites and during the demonstrations. "

"Victims who were hundreds of metres away from the Israeli forces and visibly
engaged in civilian activities were shot, as shown by eyewitness accounts, video footage and medical records."

"Journalists and medical personnel who were clearly marked as such were
shot, as were children, women and persons with disabilities"

"The Israeli security forces killed and maimed Palestinian demonstrators who did not pose an imminent threat of death or serious injury to others when they were shot, nor were they directly participating in hostilities."

"The commission therefore found reasonable grounds to believe that demonstrators were shot in violation of their right to life or of the principle of distinction under international humanitarian law"

I've included several important excerpts in this thread but go read the whole thing at the link at the top. It shouldn't take an international commission to tell us that shooting unarmed protesters is criminal but, in case you needed that, there you go. End.