Independent UN experts condemned Israeli forces for using a humanitarian aid truck that departed from the maritime dock in the hostage rescue operation on June 8, despite denials from Israel and the United States. The experts stated in a summary of their report released by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that what occurred in Al-Nuseirat was one of the "most heinous acts of the devastating Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people since October 7, which resulted in the deaths of over 36,000 Palestinians, injuries to more than 80,000, and the displacement and starvation of two million people in Gaza, while violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem also continues unabated."
The experts said, "On June 8, Israeli forces, allegedly aided by foreign soldiers, entered Al-Nuseirat disguised as refugees and relief workers in a humanitarian aid truck. These forces violently raided the area, attacking residents with intensive ground and air assaults, spreading terror, death, and despair."
While expressing relief at the return of the Israeli hostages, the experts reiterated their condemnation of Israeli forces for "treacherously hiding in a humanitarian aid truck coming from the maritime dock built by the United States, which aimed to facilitate humanitarian assistance."
They explained that "dressing in civilian clothing to conduct a military operation constitutes treachery, which is strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law and amounts to a war crime. These tactics put relief workers and the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid at greater risk and reveal an unprecedented level of brutality in Israeli military operations. The high death toll in the operation underscores Israel's blatant disregard for Palestinian lives," emphasizing that "no life is worth more than another."
