UN panel accuses Israel of extermination crimes on West Bank

An independent UN-linked expert group has accused Israel of crimes against humanity, including "extermination," on the occupied West Bank. The group states Israeli authorities and forces conducted widespread and systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians. The panel, established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021, says Israeli authorities intended to "collectively punish" civilians following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Alleged crimes include extermination, torture, rape, and persecution, with settler violence forming part of the attacks. Israel's UN ambassador dismissed the report as a "disinformation campaign" to demonize the state. Separately, UN human rights chief Volker Türk expressed concern over Israel's military operation in Hebron, warning that threats to empty and raze neighborhoods raise fears of ethnic cleansing.