International

Israeli strikes on Gaza may have violated laws of war – UN report

Published

2 years ago

June 20, 2024

The UN human rights office examined six strikes, including one in Jabalia refugee camp on 31 October 2023

Israeli strikes on Gaza may have violated laws of war – UN report

The UN Human Rights Office says Israeli air strikes in Gaza may have systematically violated the laws of war requiring that civilians and civilian infrastructure be protected.

It is the conclusion of a report on what it calls six “emblematic attacks” on residential buildings, a school, refugee camps and a market between 9 October and 2 December last year.

The UN says it has verified that at least 218 people were killed in the incidents and that civilian objects were destroyed.

Israel’s mission in Geneva rejected the UN’s findings as “factually, legally, and methodologically flawed”.

It insisted that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was operating in Gaza in accordance with international law and accused Hamas of unlawfully embedding itself among civilians.

The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy the Palestinian armed group in response to an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on 7 October, during which about 1,200 people – mostly civilians – were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

More than 37,390 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but it had reportedly identified 14,680 children, women and elderly people among the dead by the end of April.

The report published by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) on Wednesday examined six strikes where it said Israel might have violated fundamental principles of the laws of war.

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The strikes allegedly involved the use of 2,000lb (907kg), 1,000lb (453kg), and 250lb (110kg) air-dropped munitions, known respectively as GBU-31, GBU-32 and GBU-39s.

Jabalia market, 9 October 2023 – Explosions destroyed two buildings. The UN said it verified at least 42 people were killed, including 14 children, and received information about an additional 18 deaths. The IDF said it struck several military targets, including an underground “terror tunnel” and Hamas fighters.
Taj3 Tower, Gaza City, 25 October – The seven-floor residential building and six nearby structures were destroyed. The UN verified at least 105 people were killed, among them 47 children. Another seven fatalities were reported. The IDF said strikes that day hit “several unique and high value Hamas military assets and infrastructure”.
Jabalia camp, 31 October – Ten structures in the densely-populated refugee camp were destroyed. The UN verified at least 56 people were killed, including 23 children, and received reports of another 43 fatalities. The IDF said the strike killed the commander of a Hamas battalion and a “large number of terrorists” hiding in tunnels.
Bureij camp, 2 November – At least 12 buildings in the refugee camp were destroyed. The UN verified 15 people were killed, including nine children, and received information about an additional seven fatalities. The IDF said it struck “several Hamas infrastructures”.
Al-Buraq school, Gaza City, 10 November – A two-storey section of the school was destroyed. At least 34 people were reported killed. The IDF said it struck a Hamas company commander hiding there, other operatives and military infrastructure.
Shujaiya neighbourhood, Gaza City, 2 December – Fifteen buildings were destroyed. The UN received reports that 60 people were killed. The IDF said the strike killed a Hamas battalion commander, other fighters and military infrastructure.

The UN report says GBU-31, GBU-32 and GBU-39s are mostly used to penetrate through several floors of concrete and can completely collapse tall structures.

“Given how densely populated the areas targeted were, the use of such a wide-area effect weapon would have in all likelihood resulted in an indiscriminate attack,” it adds.

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“Explosive weapons with such wide-area effects cannot be directed at a specific military object in densely populated areas of Gaza, and the effects cannot be limited, resulting in military objects, civilians and civilian objects being struck without distinction.”

The report says no specific warning was issued before five of the strikes, and that the presence of one commander, several combatants, or several military objectives in one area “does not render an entire neighbourhood a military objective”.

“The requirement to select means and methods of warfare that avoid or at the very least minimise to every extent civilian harm appears to have been consistently violated in Israel’s bombing campaign,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said.

He called on Israel to make public the detailed findings of the IDF’s investigations into the six incidents “with a view to identifying those responsible for violations, holding them to account and to ensuring all victims’ rights to truth, justice and reparations”.

Israel’s mission to the UN in Geneva condemned the report, saying it “suffers from hindsight and methodological biases which cast a shadow on the credibility of its legal assessment”.

“The only objective of this thematic report is to lambast and single-out Israel, while further shielding Hamas terrorists in Gaza,” it added.

It also asserted that the conclusions were based on public information and data published by Hamas, overlooked operational considerations, and did not address Hamas’s tactics.

“Hamas systematically and unlawfully embeds its military assets within populated areas, and carries out its military activities amongst, behind, and under its own civilians in a deliberate and strategic attempt to maximize civilian harm,” it said. “It also cynically manipulates the statistics surrounding casualties.”

It added: “Israel is committed to its obligations under national and international law, and in particular, the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions.”

BBC

Related Topics:Featured Gaza Israeli laws of war

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Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

Published

15 hours ago

November 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

A man who reportedly visited the headquarters of luxury car manufacturer Bugatti in search of employment allegedly drove away in the company chief executive’s £2 million sports car after discovering that its keys had been left inside.

The incident involved Mate Rimac, the Croatian businessman and chief executive of Bugatti, whose personal Bugatti Chiron was stolen from the company’s production and technology campus near Zagreb, Croatia.

The suspect, a Croatian man in his mid-30s, reportedly entered the facility looking for a job before spotting the high-performance vehicle with its keys inside and driving away.

Rimac disclosed the incident in a series of posts on Instagram, explaining that he had routinely left the keys inside his vehicles because he considered Croatia a safe place.

He admitted that the habit had continued for years without any incident until the Chiron disappeared.

The theft was discovered after an employee alerted colleagues that an unfamiliar person had driven away in the expensive vehicle.

Rimac immediately contacted the police and used the car’s built-in tracking and telemetry system to monitor its movements.

The tracking technology provided information about the vehicle’s location, speed and fuel level, allowing the Bugatti team to follow its journey and share updates with law enforcement officers.

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After discovering that the stolen vehicle was heading towards Slovenia, Rimac jumped into a Porsche 911 and pursued it.

The pursuit continued across borders, with the Chiron eventually reaching Austria. Rimac and his team maintained communication with the police through a group chat, providing updates that helped Austrian officers locate and intercept the vehicle.

The suspect was subsequently arrested in Austria, where Rimac later met him at a police station.

According to the Bugatti boss, the man explained that he had initially visited the company’s premises to seek employment but decided to take the car after noticing that its keys were inside.

Rimac said he was not planning to press charges against the suspect. However, he acknowledged that the man could still face prosecution because of the high value of the stolen vehicle.

The CEO also revealed that he had considered giving the suspect a lift home to his family but police officers did not allow him to do so.

The recovered Chiron sustained some damage during the incident, although Rimac said it could be repaired.

The businessman thanked the Austrian police for their intervention, saying he was relieved that nobody was injured during the incident.

He also admitted that the experience had taught him an expensive lesson, promising never again to leave the keys inside his vehicles.

The Bugatti Chiron, unveiled in 2016, is one of the world’s most powerful luxury hypercars. The model has a starting price of about €2.4 million, equivalent to approximately £2 million, and a manufacturer-limited top speed of 420 kilometres per hour.

Bugatti operates under Bugatti Rimac, a joint venture in which Rimac Group holds a majority stake.

The unusual theft has attracted international attention because of the vehicle’s value, the suspect’s reported reason for visiting the facility and the extraordinary cross-border pursuit involving the Bugatti chief executive.

Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

International

Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

Published

15 hours ago

November 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has given opposition leader and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form the country’s next government, dealing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a major political setback after a closely contested general election.

Herzog announced his decision on Saturday, November 7, 2026, following consultations with political parties elected to the 26th Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, emerged with the highest number of recommendations from lawmakers, receiving the backing of representatives from factions controlling 67 seats, compared with 46 seats for Netanyahu. Representatives of another faction controlling seven seats did not recommend either candidate.

The decision followed the October 27 general election, which left neither Netanyahu’s governing bloc nor the opposition grouping with the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition secured 53 seats, while the four-party opposition alliance led by Eisenkot won 48. The two Arab-led parties made significant gains, securing a combined 19 seats, placing them in a potentially decisive position in negotiations over the next government.

Eisenkot is expected to receive the formal mandate from Herzog at a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on Sunday, November 8.

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Under the Israeli government-formation process, he will have 28 days to negotiate a coalition, with the possibility of a further 14-day extension.

The former military chief will face difficult negotiations because his opposition alliance does not have enough seats to govern independently. Although the Arab-led parties have endorsed him, Eisenkot has previously expressed reservations about forming a coalition with them.

One possible route is to establish a minority government with support from Arab-led lawmakers on confidence votes and key legislation. Another option would involve reaching an agreement with ultra-Orthodox parties that have traditionally aligned with Netanyahu.

However, both options could create tensions within Eisenkot’s own political alliance, particularly among members who oppose relying on Arab parties or making concessions to religious parties.

A broader national unity government involving Netanyahu’s Likud party is another possibility, although the two leaders have significant disagreements over key political and security issues.

Eisenkot has previously ruled out serving in a government alongside Netanyahu, while criticising the prime minister’s handling of the war in Gaza and his reliance on far-right political partners.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, had sought to prevent an opposition-led government from emerging with the support of Arab-led parties.

Shortly before Herzog announced his decision, Netanyahu called for a national unity government and warned against the formation of an administration dependent on what he described as supporters of terrorism, referring to the Arab-led parties.

His comments drew criticism from Eisenkot’s political camp, which accused the prime minister of using divisive language to undermine the opposition’s efforts to form a government.

The Arab-led parties, which represent a significant section of Israel’s Palestinian citizens, have indicated their willingness to support efforts to end Netanyahu’s long tenure in office.

Their combined 19 seats could provide Eisenkot with the parliamentary backing needed to overcome the deadlock, although securing a workable arrangement remains uncertain.

Eisenkot, 66, served as chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces from 2015 to 2019 before entering politics in 2022. He later served as an observer in Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.

He subsequently became one of Netanyahu’s most prominent critics, particularly over the conduct of the war in Gaza, the government’s security decisions and the influence of far-right politicians.

If Eisenkot fails to form a government within the stipulated period, Herzog may give another candidate the opportunity to try. If the process remains unsuccessful, Israel could be forced into another general election.

Netanyahu will remain prime minister in a caretaker capacity until a new government is sworn in.

Herzog’s decision therefore represents an important development in Israel’s political transition, but the final outcome will depend on whether Eisenkot can overcome divisions among opposition parties and secure sufficient parliamentary support.

Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

International

White House Reaffirms US Policy Recognising Only Two Genders

Published

17 hours ago

November 8, 2026

Trends Admin

U.S. President Donald Trump

White House Reaffirms US Policy Recognising Only Two Genders

The White House has reaffirmed the United States government’s policy recognising only two sexes, male and female, under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The administration restated its position in a message published on its official X account on Friday, November 6, 2026, declaring that the United States government officially recognises only two genders.

“It is the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male & female,” the White House stated.

The latest declaration reinforces Trump’s position on gender identity and his administration’s efforts to make biological sex the basis for federal government policies, official documents and administrative procedures.

Trump formally established the policy on January 20, 2025, through an executive order titled Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.

Under Section Two of the executive order, the President declared that it was the policy of the United States to recognise two sexes, male and female.

The directive defined sex as an individual’s unchangeable biological classification as either male or female, distinguishing it from gender identity.

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It also instructed federal agencies to adopt the definitions when interpreting and implementing federal laws, regulations and government policies.

Among other measures, the executive order directed government agencies to review and remove official statements, policies, regulations and communications considered inconsistent with the administration’s position.

It further required federal agencies to ensure that official forms requesting information about an individual’s sex provided only male and female options.

The policy marked a significant departure from measures introduced under former President Joe Biden, whose administration expanded federal recognition of gender identity in several areas of government operations.

In 2022, the Biden administration introduced an X gender marker option on US passports, allowing applicants who did not identify as male or female to select the alternative designation.

Trump’s executive order sought to reverse such measures and restore biological sex as the basis for federal government recognition.

The administration has maintained that the policy is intended to protect sex-based rights and ensure consistency in the interpretation of federal laws.

However, the policy has generated considerable debate over transgender rights, gender identity, discrimination and the legal recognition of transgender and non-binary people in the United States.

The White House’s latest declaration did not announce a new executive order or additional regulatory measures but reaffirmed the administration’s existing position on an issue that continues to attract political, legal and social debate.