By Prensa Latina
United Nations : UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour requested an investigation Monday into the recent violent actions by the Israeli Army in Gaza that caused the death of dozens of civilians.
The UN human rights authority condemned the disproportionate use of force by Israel in Gaza and stated that Tel Aviv bears the particular responsibility under international human rights and humanitarian laws, to protect the civilian population and buildings in the occupied zone.
The high commissioner called upon Tel Aviv’s government to carry out impartial investigations about the death of civilians, reveal their result, and try those responsible.
Arbour also denounced the attacks by Palestinian agents against Israeli civilian targets, and said they violated humanitarian law.
UN sources estimated that at least 59 Palestinians died in Gaza on Saturday, and 39 of them were civilians, while hundreds were wounded in the Israeli army attacks.
On the Israeli side, two soldiers and a civilian were reported dead, besides five others wounded.
Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and the Security Council, which held an emergency session on Saturday, condemned the violent escalation and demanded the end of those actions.
The UN special reporter’s office on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian occupied territories since 1967 called for more efforts to stop violence and said the current situation in Gaza and Israel cannot be allowed to continue.