Trendpills
A series of reports from United Nations bodies and the U.S. Department of State have detailed a significant deterioration of the human rights and humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The findings cover the period following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas and the subsequent Israeli military operations in Gaza.
According to the U.S. State Department's 2023 Human Rights Report, the Israeli military response in Gaza had resulted in over 21,000 Palestinian deaths by the end of that year. This report also documented the initial attack by Hamas and other groups, which killed an estimated 1,200 people in Israel. The humanitarian fallout in Gaza has been a central focus, with a UN Special Committee report from September 2024 raising concerns about starvation being used as a weapon of war and the possibility of genocide.
In the West Bank, a separate report from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) described an alarming acceleration of long-standing trends of discrimination and violence against Palestinians. The document highlights that the dramatic increase in Israeli settlement expansion and associated human rights violations after October 7 has pushed the region "to the brink of catastrophe." This includes the establishment and growth of outposts, which are illegal under international law, and the transfer of Israel's civilian population into occupied territory.
Multiple international bodies are investigating the actions of all parties involved in the conflict. The UN's Independent International Commission of Inquiry has been tasked with examining alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. The findings from this commission, published in mid-2024, contribute to a growing body of evidence being scrutinized for accountability purposes. These comprehensive investigations underscore the gravity of the crisis and the widespread international call for adherence to legal and humanitarian standards by all actors.
