UN to probe Israeli offensive against Gaza

Ramallah, Sep 2: A senior Palestinian diplomat announced Tuesday that a UN inquiry committee will arrive in the Gaza Strip in October to probe the 50-day Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.

"We were officially informed that the committee will arrive in the Gaza Strip in the first week of October," Ibrahim Khreisha, the Palestinian representative to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), told Xinhua.

On July 23, the UNHRC decided to send a probe committee to the Gaza Strip to investigate possible violations of human rights during the Israeli military offensive dubbed Operation Protective Edge in the coastal enclave.

William Shabas, a professor in international law, will head the committee. The committee will present its report to the UN Security Council.

"The committee will check and see the reality on the ground in the Gaza Strip and listen to the people and hear the testimonies of Palestinians, mainly the violations of killing whole families in Gaza," said Khreisha.

On Aug 26, a ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt ended 50 days of war between Israel and Hamas-led militants in Gaza.

The Palestinian health ministry said that during the war, Israel killed 2,140 Palestinians, wounded 11,100 others and destroyed hundreds of houses.

IANS