A statement signed by 17 rapporteurs, experts and members of human rights groups rejected the events of the last weeks that aggravated tensions in the region, derived from the conflict in Gaza.

The text condemned the rocket attack on a village in the Israeli-occupied Golan that killed 12 children as well as the assassinations by Tel Aviv forces of Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur and Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran.

In the experts’ view, the three incidents highlight the vital need for full, independent and impartial investigations.

This includes access to all evidence and full cooperation from relevant countries, to establish the facts of the assassinations and ensure accountability.

“We are alarmed by this reckless disregard for the human right to life, in violation of international humanitarian law, and by the dangerous escalation of the border conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon’s peaceful capital,” the signatories added.

The experts urged the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibility to respond effectively to all actors in the region whose actions threaten international peace and security.

The text further insisted on the need for a ceasefire by all parties and on all fronts to protect the lives of innocent civilians.

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