UN: Israeli destruction to make Gaza buffer zone a war crime

ISRAEL'S reported ongoing destruction of all buildings along the border inside Gaza with the aim of creating a "buffer zone" is a war crime, the United Nations rights chief warned on Thursday.

In a statement, Volker Turk pointed to reports that the Israeli military is working inside the Gaza Strip to destroy all buildings within a kilometre of the border fence with Israel with the objective of creating a "buffer zone." "I stress to Israeli authorities that Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits destruction by the occupying power of property belonging to private persons, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations," he said.