Possible war crimes in Gaza: UN

Member of the Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza conflict Doudou Diene (L) gestures and Chairperson of the Commission Mary McGowan Davis. Photo / AFP

Israeli forces and Hamas may have committed war crimes during their 50-day conflict in Gaza last northern summer, a widely anticipated United Nations report said.

The bloodshed claimed the lives of 2250 Palestinians - including 1462 civilians - and 67 Israelis, the inquiry conducted by the UN Human Rights Council found.

"The extent of the devastation and human suffering in Gaza was unprecedented and will impact generations to come" said Justice Mary McGowan Davis, the chairwoman of the investigation.

Some of the worst fighting took place in Shejaiya, a densely populated area of Gaza City. The report found "strong indications" the assault by the Israel Defence Forces on July 19 and 20 was "in violation of the prohibition of indiscriminate attacks and may amount to a war crime".

Large areas were devastated and scores killed.

Hamas, the radical Islamist movement, fired more than 4000 projectiles at Israel. The report noted the indiscriminate firing and the "targeting of Israeli civilians".

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Human Rights Council of "inciting and agitating against Israel". Hamas welcomed the condemnation of Israel, but refused to accept its own possible responsibility for war crimes.