With the withdrawal of the Israeli army, Khan Younis was left in ruins.
Four UN human rights experts issued a statement today condemning Israel's alleged use of artificial intelligence systems and related military directives in the occupied territory of Gaza, which has led to unprecedented damage to the civilian population, housing, vital services and infrastructure.
The Israeli military reportedly used artificial intelligence systems such as "Gospel," "Lavender," and "Where Did Daddy Go?" in the Gaza offensive. This alarming revelation, combined with the reduction of the principle of caution to avoid or minimize civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure, explains why the death toll and the level of destruction of homes in Gaza are so high.
Artificial intelligence is aiding abuse
More than 15,000 people have died in Gaza in the first six weeks following Hamas's sneak attack on Israel on October 7, accounting for almost half of all civilian deaths to date, experts said, and it is clear that the military is relying on artificial intelligence systems to select targets.
The statement said that the military operation allegedly used artificial intelligence, using unguided munitions known as "duds," to attack the "family homes" of suspected Hamas operatives, often in the dead of night. The consequence of the use of such munitions is that the safety of civilians in or around the dwelling is excluded from consideration.
The statement noted that the current military offensive has been going on for six months, and that the number of destroyed houses and civilian infrastructure in Gaza is increasing day by day. With the destruction of their homeland, so do the memories, hopes and aspirations of the Palestinians, as well as their ability to realize their other rights, including land, food, water, sanitation, health, security and privacy, education, development, a healthy environment and the right to self-determination.
crime against humanity
It is estimated that 60-70 per cent of houses in Gaza and up to 84 per cent in northern Gaza are either completely destroyed or partially damaged. According to the experts, the systematic and widespread destruction of housing, services and civilian infrastructure is a crime against humanity, genocide and a war crime, as stated by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory in his recent report to the Human Rights Council. The statement expressed grave concern over the bombing of so-called "power targets", including large high-rise residential and public buildings.
The World Bank, the United Nations, and the European Union estimate that the economic losses suffered by the Gaza Strip so far are $18.5 billion, equivalent to 97% of the combined GDP of Gaza and the West Bank. Of this estimate, 72 per cent is the cost of housing, while the other 19 per cent is the cost of civilian infrastructure, including water and sanitation, electricity and roads. It is estimated that at least 33,000 Palestinians have been killed and 1.7 million displaced by the conflict in Gaza.
The statement stressed that the reconstruction and reparations of Gaza should be considered first and foremost from Israel, the occupying Power that destroyed Gaza, and the countries that provided military, material and political support for the war and occupation, all of which had legal and moral responsibilities.
The experts who issued this statement included the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, and the Special Rapporteur on the right to food.
The Special Rapporteur is part of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system, is the general name of the independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, dealing with country-specific situations or thematic issues around the world. Special procedures experts work on a voluntary basis. They are not United Nations staff members and do not receive a salary at the United Nations. They are independent from any government or organization and serve the United Nations in their individual capacity.
