The UN human rights office has raised concerns that war crimes could have been perpetrated by both Israeli forces and Palestinian militia during a raid by Israelis in Nuseirat, central Gaza, last week.

According to Palestinian health authorities, the Saturday operation led to the death of at least 274 people, as Israeli troops liberated four captives held in Gaza for over eight months.

The unusual daylight raid involved heavily armed Israeli special forces backed by air support.

Palestinian authorities report that over 600 individuals, including women and children, were wounded during the raid. This surge of patients has strained Gaza’s already resource-limited hospitals.

Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, expressed profound shock at the civilian toll from the Israeli raid.

“The raid’s execution in such a densely populated area significantly raises questions about whether the laws of war—specifically distinction, proportionality, and precaution—were observed by Israeli forces,” Laurence stated in a statement.

He also criticized Palestinian armed factions for holding civilians hostage, an act banned under international humanitarian law. By keeping hostages in populous areas, these groups endanger both hostages and civilians.

Israel’s UN mission in Geneva remarked that Turk had finally recognized Hamas's tactic of using Palestinians as human shields, but accused him of maligning Israel even in its efforts to rescue hostages.

“Those who continue enabling Hamas terrorists, including Turk’s office, share responsibility for the suffering of both Palestinians and Israelis,” the mission stated.

No immediate response came from Hamas.

Laurence acknowledged the UN Security Council's recent resolution supporting a US-proposed Gaza ceasefire and stressed the need for the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid.

On Tuesday, Hamas expressed support for the UN resolution and readiness to engage with mediators for further indirect negotiations.

In March, the Security Council had previously passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, which remains unimplemented.

Since the conflict began on October 7, at least 37,164 people have been killed and 84,832 injured, reports the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.