The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel hereby submits its second report to the General Assembly. The report examines the use of force by Israel and the de facto authorities in Gaza.

“The atrocities we have witnessed since 7 October add an unprecedented urgency to our conclusions and recommendations,” Pillay said. “Civilians and civilian objects should always be protected. They are never a legitimate target. All parties must uphold their duty to protect them under international humanitarian law.”

What is an “open-source investigation” in the context of international criminal and human rights law?

It is an investigation into any big research question using open-source information, which is available to the public usually by at least one of three means: observation, request, or purchase. What the Human Rights Center (HRC) is pioneering is how to use new and emerging digital technologies to help us understand social phenomena. Our focus is primarily on war crimes and human rights-related issues.