Israel has shown “active obstruction” in Oct. 7 investigation, UN says

I mentioned that we’ve been collecting material since October 7th, and indeed, we’ve amassed a significant amount of digital and documentary evidence. However, we’ve encountered challenges in gathering firsthand evidence from witnesses and victims of the events that transpired in southern Israel on October 7th, 8th, and 9th, as well as in Gaza and the West Bank since then. The government of Israel has not only failed to cooperate but has actively obstructed our efforts to obtain evidence from Israeli witnesses and victims.

While we’ve been in contact with many individuals, we seek to engage with more to supplement the physical, digital, and documentary evidence we possess. Personal experiences are crucial in informing our conclusions and recommendations, particularly those of children, women, and men who have directly experienced these events. We appreciate the assistance of cooperating states in our investigations and urge the government of Israel to extend similar cooperation to our inquiries.

I must express serious concern over the recent escalation in the region and the military tensions between Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran, posing a significant risk of sparking a regional conflict. It’s imperative that all parties prioritize military de-escalation and minimize the impact of conflict on civilians in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and elsewhere.

Furthermore, the Israeli authorities have consistently obstructed the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, directly contravening the provisional measures mandated by the International Court of Justice. Israel is obligated, as per the court’s order, to take all necessary and effective measures to ensure the unhindered provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance in conformity with its obligations under the Genocide Convention.