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UN commission accuses Israel, Hamas of Gaza war crimes
After months of investigation, the United Nations' Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict has concluded there's evidence that Israeli forces and Palestinian militants committed war crimes during Israel's recent military operations in Gaza.
The mission, headed by South African jurist Richard Goldstone, called on the United Nations Security Council to monitor Israeli and Palestinian investigations into these charges and urged that if these aren't taking place in good faith to refer these cases to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.
The 554-page report released Tuesday has detailed investigations into 36 incidents, including some that McClatchy Newspapers reported previously, such as the shooting of civilians with white flags, the firing of white phosphorus shells and charges that Israeli soldiers used Palestinian men as human shields.
According to the report, these violations weren't aberrations but rather appeared to be "the result of deliberate guidance issued to soldiers."
The US has rejected the Mission's proposal to refer the matter to the Security Council.
read the US response here