GAZA, September 17 (RIA Novosti) - The Palestinian radical Islamist group Hamas has welcomed a UN report accusing Israeli military forces of war crimes in the Gaza Strip, but rejected the same accusations in its address.
A UN mission on the Gaza conflict, led by Justice Richard Goldstone, released a report on Tuesday saying that both Israeli and the Palestinian forces committed "war crimes" during Israel's December 27, 2008 through January 18, 2009 attack on the enclave.
"The report, prepared by a UN mission and Richard Goldstone, proves that the Zionist occupants committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war in the Gaza Strip. We demand that the world community immediately initiate legal proceeding against the criminals in international courts," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said.
"However, the report is unjust to the Palestinian resistance, which protects itself, its land and its holy places. This is our legitimate right, guaranteed by international laws. The resistance is a result of the continuous aggression against our people...," he added.
Israel said on Wednesday it was "shocked and disappointed" by a UN report stating that it was "clearly one-sided and ignored the thousands of Hamas missile attacks on civilians in southern Israel that made the Gaza operation necessary."
Israel put the death toll among Palestinians at 1,166, including 295 civilians, while the Palestinians said 1,417 were killed, including 926 civilians.
