UN raises concern about pattern of Israel killing Palestinians near armistice line

About a third of the Palestinians killed by Israel since the ceasefire began were near the military’s “buffer zone”, raising concerns that troops may have shot civilians approaching the area - actions that could constitute “unlawful killings and thus war crimes”, according to the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

“Civilians do not appear to have posed any risk to the life of the Israeli military, including some cases in which they appear to have been shot while carrying out daily activities or having approached or crossed Israel’s so-called yellow line,” said Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN human rights office in the occupied Palestinian territory, describing the pattern as alarming.

He added that the boundary was unclear and constantly shifting so that “nobody clearly knows exactly where it starts, where it ends, and how it moves and when it moves”.

UN data shared with Reuters showed that of the 453 verified killings recorded between the start of the ceasefire and 5 February, 152 Palestinians - including women and children - were killed near the boundary.

More than 900 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes since the truce, according to Gaza health authorities.

A Palestinian woman sits on the ground infront of the rubble of buildings detroyed in Israeli military strikes, on the eve of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice, marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimage, in Khan Yunis southern of Gaza Strip on May 26, 2026 Bashar Taleb / AFP — A Palestinian woman sits in front of the rubble of buildings detroyed in Israeli military strikes in Khan Younis on 26 May 2026 (Bashar Taleb/AFP)

This article was sourced from Middle East Eye.

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