Gaza City [Gaza], October 16: The United Nations has accused the Israeli military of war crimes with non-combatants still being killed in Gaza despite the ceasefire that came into effect five days ago.
The Israeli army "continues to kill civilians" in areas where it has redeployed since the ceasefire took hold, with at least 15 Palestinians shot and killed since October 10, said the UN Human Rights Office-Palestine.
"Targeting civilians not directly participating in hostilities constitutes a war crime regardless of the location of the incident and its proximity to agreed deployment line," it said.
Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN Human Rights Office-Palestine, said it's vital that the truce leads to both lasting peace and respect for Palestinians' rights.
"It's imperative to ensure that the ceasefire holds and progresses to recovery and the full realisation of Palestinians' right to self-determination," Sunghay said.
Earlier, Israel handed over the bodies of another 45 Palestinian prisoners to the Red Cross. A forensics team that received the bodies in southern Gaza's Khan Younis said some arrived still shackled or bearing signs of physical abuse.
Sameh Hamad, a member of a commission tasked with receiving the bodies at Nasser Hospital, said others arrived with their hands and legs cuffed.
"There are signs of torture and executions," he said.
The bodies belonged to men ages 25 to 70. Most had bands on their necks, including one who had a rope around the neck. Most of the bodies wore civilian clothing, but some were in uniforms, suggesting they were Palestinian fighters.
Hamad said the Red Cross provided names for only three of the dead, leaving many families uncertain of their relatives' fate.
United Nations Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher has urged all parties to fully implement the Gaza ceasefire deal, asserting that "Palestinians, Israelis and people across the region want this peace to take hold".
"Earlier this week, we were able to kick off our humanitarian scale-up after months of frustration and blockages.
Food, medicine, fuel, water, cooking gas and tents got through to those who need them," he said in a statement posted on X.
However, Fletcher noted that on Tuesday, the organisation faced "further setbacks to the implementation".
"We are now tested to see whether we can ensure that these do not prevent the progress on which President Trump, the UN Secretary-General and so many leaders have insisted," he asserted.
Israel notified the United Nations on Tuesday that it will only allow 300 aid trucks - half of the number it originally agreed to - daily into the Gaza Strip from Wednesday.
Source: Qatar Tribune
