Pillay condemns continuing attacks on civilians in Gaza

3.8.14

DisplayNews: -- ohchr.org -- GENEVA (31 July 2014) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Thursday strongly condemned the 30 July shelling by Israeli military forces of a UN school in Gaza sheltering people fleeing the violence, as well as other attacks on schools, hospitals, places of worship and vital infrastructure such as Gaza’s only electric power plant.

She underlined the need for “real accountability considering the increasing evidence of war crimes and an ever-growing number of civilian casualties, including some 250 children.”

“Six UN schools have now been hit, including another deadly strike on 24 July that also killed civilians,” Pillay said. “The shelling and bombing of UN schools which have resulted in the killing and maiming of frightened women and children and civilian men, including UN staff, seeking shelter from the conflict are horrific acts and may possibly amount to war crimes,” Pillay said. “If civilians cannot take refuge in UN schools, where can they be safe? They leave their homes to seek safety – and are then subjected to attack in the places they flee to. This is a grotesque situation.”