AhlulBayt News Agency: UN experts have warned that the destruction of over 90% of Gaza’s educational facilities and more than half of its religious and cultural sites by Israeli forces constitutes war crimes and the crime against humanity of "extermination."
In a report released by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, investigators stated that Israel committed crimes by killing civilians who were sheltering at these sites.
The report, set to be presented to the Human Rights Council on June 17, describes these actions as part of a "concerted campaign to obliterate Palestinian life."
According to commission chair Navi Pillay, Israel’s attacks represent a "widespread and relentless assault" on Palestinians, with growing indications that Israel is systematically working to erase Palestinian life in Gaza.
The report also highlights the destruction of 10 key religious and cultural sites in Gaza, which investigators determined were civilian in nature and had no military significance.
"Attacks on cultural and religious sites have deeply impacted intangible culture, such as religious and cultural practices, memories, and history," Pillay stated.
More than 658,000 children in Gaza have been unable to attend school for nearly two years, as airstrikes, shelling, and deliberate demolitions have devastated educational institutions.
The commission documented instances of Israeli soldiers mocking Palestinians and their education before destroying schools and universities. It also found that Israeli forces repurposed facilities like Al-Azhar University’s campus as military bases or synagogues.
The harm inflicted on Palestinian education is not limited to Gaza, the report noted, citing increased Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank, harassment of students, and settler attacks.
In the West Bank and East al-Quds, Israeli settler violence, military raids, and movement restrictions have severely impacted over 806,000 Palestinian students.
The report also accused Israel of profiting from appropriated heritage sites while blocking Palestinian access to them.
The commission urged Israel to end its occupation, halt all attacks and settlement activity, and comply with international law.
The report comes as Israeli military operations continue in Gaza, with escalating violence against Palestinians.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, nearly 80 Palestinians were killed across the Gaza Strip in the past day alone. The number of deaths in attacks on humanitarian aid distribution centers has also risen sharply.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini condemned the attacks on aid centers, describing the current situation as a "death trap" for Gaza’s population.
The death toll from the war in Gaza is approaching 55,000, with most victims being women and children.
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