Overview

• The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed concerns that the March 23 killing of 15 humanitarian workers in Gaza may constitute war crimes by the Israeli army.
• The victims, including eight Palestinian Red Crescent workers and one UN staff member, were found in a mass grave near Rafah after their ambulances were fired upon.
• Subsequent rescue teams attempting to recover the victims were also targeted over several hours, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
• The Israeli army has stated it is investigating the incident but claims its forces fired on 'terrorists,' a justification that has been widely questioned.
• UN officials have condemned the ongoing blockade and siege of Gaza as collective punishment, raising concerns about the use of starvation as a method of warfare.