A/HRC/30/NGO/X

United Nations

General AssemblyDistr.: GeneralXX August 2015
English only

Human Rights Council
Thirtieth session
Agenda item 7
Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories

Written statement* submitted by Human Rights Now, a nongovernmental organization in special consultative status
The Secretary-General has received the following written statement which is circulated inaccordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31.
[31 August 2015]*GE.15-This written statement is issued, unedited, in the language(s) received from the submitting
non-governmental organization(s).

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The International Community Must Make all Effort to End
the Impunity and Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
1. Introduction
Human Rights Now (HRN), a Tokyo-based international human rights NGO, welcomes thework of the United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict(hereinafter “the Commission”) and supports the Commission’s findings and recommendations
stated in its report of 14 June 2015. In particular, we call on the international community to face up
to the indiscriminate attacks against the people of Gaza as a consequence of the conflict, whichhave killed thousands of civilians.
Further, during the Gaza Conflict, Israel targeted critical infrastructure such as medical
facilities, schools, and electricity delivery. The attacks and the continuing blockade of the Gaza
Strip have caused devastating impacts on a wide range of fundamental human rights and should berecognized as serious human rights violations. The international community should take immediate
action to end abuses of the Palestinian people’s fundamental human rights.
2. Indiscriminate Attacks against People in Gaza
In its report, the Commission concluded that in the Gaza conflict serious violations ofinternational humanitarian and human rights had been committed by both parties, some of which
may constitute war crimes. 1 As it found, 1462 Palestine civilians, including 299 women and 551
children, were killed by the Israeli Military. 2The Commission suggested that “the attacks of the Israel Defense Forces on residentialbuildings; the use of artillery and other explosive weapons … in populated areas; [and] thedestruction of entire neighborhoods” raise serious questions as to whether Israel’s military policy
violates the laws of war.3 Moreover, the Commission’s findings regarding a series of Israeli attacks
on UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) schools sheltering
civilians show persistent patterns of alleged war crimes. 4
We echo the Commission’s assessment that “[t]hose responsible for suspected violations ofinternational law at all levels of the political and military establishments must be brought tojustice.”5 The prevailing impunity for alleged crimes in Gaza and the West Bank by Israeli forces,
as well as Israel’s persistent failure to implement the recommendations made by the UN mechanism,
significantly contribute to a recurrence of gross human rights violations against the Palestinianpeople. To date, the investigations implemented by Israel’s Government have been far from1

Para 668, Report of the detailed findings of the independent commission of inquiry established pursuant to Human Rights Council
Resolution S-21/1 (A/HRC/29/CRP.4)
2
Para 574, Report of the detailed findings of the independent commission of inquiry established pursuant to Human Rights Council
Resolution S-21/1 (A/HRC/29/CRP.4)
3
Para 671, Report of the detailed findings of the independent commission of inquiry established pursuant to Human Rights Council
Resolution S-21/1 (A/HRC/29/CRP.4).
4
Para 446, Report of the detailed findings of the independent commission of inquiry established pursuant to Human Rights Council
Resolution S-21/1 (A/HRC/29/CRP.4)
5
Para 664, Report of the detailed findings of the independent commission of inquiry established pursuant to Human Rights Council
Resolution S-21/1 (A/HRC/29/CRP.4)

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satisfactory. The international community must take all effective measures to put an end toimpunity, injustice and further recurrence.
On the other hand, those Palestinians responsible for suspected violations of internationallaw also need to be investigated. Six Israeli civilians, including one child, were killed by theindiscriminate attacks of Palestinian armed groups during the conflict.6
The ICC prosecutor should accelerate the ongoing preliminary examination of the alleged
crimes committed during the Gaza Conflict and start the criminal investigations of those crimes
immediately. Both the Israeli and Palestinian governments should fully cooperate with the ICC’sinvestigation, and the international community should also support this accountability mechanism.
3. Incalculable Delays in Reconstruction
Alongside the high number of civilian fatalities, the damage caused by the destruction ofcivilian infrastructure stemming from the attacks in the Gaza conflict is enormously high andestimated to be around 1.4 billion dollars. 7
18,000 housing units in Gaza were destroyed or damaged. 8 Water and sanitation facilities
in Gaza were heavily affected by the escalation of violence with 63 water facilities damaged and 23
completely destroyed.9 These deficits were exacerbated by the partial or total destruction of 209
schools caused by the attacks on Gaza.10 Finally, 15 hospitals and 51 primary health care clinics
were damaged and one hospital and 5 clinics completely destroyed, alongside with theincapacitation of tens of ambulances and the decimation of health care personnel. 11 This destructionof critical infrastructure strongly impacts the enjoyment of a wide range of human rights such as therights to security, sanitation, health, privacy and family life.
Since the Gaza conflict, humanitarian organizations and international donors havesupported the reconstruction of Gaza and provided financial aid. Further, at the Cairo Gaza
Reconstruction Conference in October 2014, Palestine, Israel and the UN established a mechanism
to facilitate the entry of construction material. 12 However, these efforts aimed at facilitatingreconstruction have been too slow and lamentably inadequate to address the immense needs in Gaza.
Approximately 100,000 people remain internally displaced; 120,000 people are disconnected fromthe water supply; and 73 percent of the population suffers from food insecurity. 13
This is mainly because of Israel’s blockade on Gaza, which prevents essential construction
material from reaching the people in need.

6

Press release, Humanitarian coordinator calls for an accelerated recovery effort for the Gaza Strip one year after the 2014 hostilities,
at: http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/press_release_7-7-2015.pdf
7Press release, Humanitarian coordinator calls for an accelerated recovery effort for the Gaza Strip one year after the 2014 hostilities,
7 July 2015
8Para 576, Report of the detailed findings of the independent commission of inquiry established pursuant to Human Rights Council
Resolution S-21/1 (A/HRC/29/CRP.4)
9
Para 61, Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the implementation of Human Rights Council
resolution S-9/1 and S-12/1 (A/HRC/28/80/Add.1)
10
Para 585, Report of the detailed findings of the independent commission of inquiry established pursuant to Human Rights Council
Resolution S-21/1 (A/HRC/29/CRP.4)
11
Para 591, Report of the detailed findings of the independent commission of inquiry established pursuant to Human Rights Council
Resolution S-21/1 (A/HRC/29/CRP.4).
12UN Daily News, at: http://www.un.org/News/dh/pdf/english/2015/07072015.pdf
13Press release, Humanitarian coordinator calls for an accelerated recovery effort for the Gaza Strip one year after the 2014 hostilities,
at: http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/press_release_7-7-2015.pdf

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According to a petition proposed by 35 aid organizations, only 5 percent of the 6,700,000
tons of construction material needed to rebuild the buildings and facilities destroyed in the war havebeen permitted to enter Gaza.14 At this rate, it is estimated reconstructing the Gaza Strip could takeup to 17 years.15 As a consequence, not a single home has been rebuilt in the last year. 16Considering the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the blockade constitutes collective punishment,
another war crime committed by the Israel under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Israel must lift theblockade immediately and unconditionally.
International donors at the Cairo Conference had pledged 5 billion USD to the Palestinian
Territories, of which 3.5 billion USD were intended to support Gaza. However, on 15 May thedisbursement ratio had only reached 27.5 percent.17 The international community must increase
their efforts to support the reconstruction process in Gaza.
4. Recommendations(1) HRN calls upon the government of Israel to respect and ensure compliance with international
human rights and humanitarian law, especially with regard to:
1. Cease all violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in the occupied
Palestinian territory;
2. Immediately and unconditionally lifting the blockade against Gaza in order to facilitate thereconstruction of destroyed buildings and infrastructure;
3. Cooperating with the ICC’s criminal investigations and all other efforts to achieve justice
and accountability over all acts violating international law in the occupied Palestinian
territory, including the violations committed during recent Gaza conflict;(2) HRN calls upon the State of Palestine:
1. To make effort to investigate alleged violations of human rights and humanitarian law
against Israel civilian during the recent Gaza conflict;(3) HRN calls upon the international community:
1. To use its influence to promote compliance with human rights and humanitarian law
obligations in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel;
2. To support efforts for justice and accountability with regard to the human rights violationsin the Palestinian occupied territory;
3. Increase its efforts to support the reconstruction of Gaza. In particular, it urges donors to
fully provide the financial means they pledged at the Cairo Conference.
(4) HRN calls upon the ICC prosecutor to accelerate the preliminary examinations and to
immediately start criminal investigations.
(5) HRN calls upon the UN Human Rights Council to set up effective mechanisms to ensureaccountability over the alleged violations as well as the implementation of all UN
recommendations on the State of Israel in relation to the human rights situation of people in theoccupied Palestine territory14

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/gaza_blockade_aida/?1440413696.
The 35 aid organizations include members of the Association of International Development
Agencies (AIDA), a coordination forum of over 80 international NGO and NPO organizations working in the occupied Palestinian
territory and other regional networks working closely with AIDA.
15
The Shelter Cluster, Construction Material Tracking for Gaza, at: http://shelterpalestine.org/Upload/Doc/741ec903-0c96-47fa93ee-e320417e7dc4.pdfhttp://shelterpalestine.org/Upload/Doc/741ec903-0c96-47fa-93ee-e320417e7dc4.pdf
16https://secure.avaaz.org/en/gaza_blockade_aida/?1440413696
17
World Bank, Reconstructing Gaza, Donor Pledges, at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/rebuilding-gaza-donor-pledges#3

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