According to Reuters, the United Nations-mandated Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel have accused Israel of obstructing the investigations effort in relation to its probe into the October 7 attacks.
Chris Sidoti, a member of the commission, stated, "So far as the government of Israel is concerned, we have not only seen a lack of cooperation, but active obstruction of our efforts to receive evidence from Israeli witnesses and victims to the events that occurred in southern Israel."
In January, the Israeli Health Ministry instructed healthcare workers not to cooperate with the commission. A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry labeled all three commission members as “famous antisemitic and anti-Israel people,” according to the Times of Israel.
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021 as an ongoing and independent body that would investigate all alleged violations of human rights in the area.
Investigations like those conducted by the commission form the basis for potential war crime prosecutions at the International Criminal Court.
The commission’s probe into the October 7 attacks reportedly focuses on gender-based crimes.
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Overview of the October 7 Attacks
The October 7 attacks, led by Hamas, targeted multiple Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip. The attacks resulted in 1,143 deaths, including 767 civilians—36 of whom were children—and led to 247 hostages being taken.
The attacks triggered the recent war in Gaza, and the hostages, still held by Hamas, remain a central aspect of ceasefire-negotiations.
In March of 2024, the UN reported it had “clear and convincing information” that some of the hostages were victim of sexual violence, sexual torture, and “sexualized cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment”, and that some that violence may be ongoing.