U.S. judge to lead U.N. war crimes investigation of 2014 Israeli-Gaza conflict

NEW YORK, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Former New York State Supreme Court justice Mary McGowan Davis will replace the recently resigned William Schabas as the leader of the United Nation's investigation into the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict.

Davis was already part of Schabas' three-person team. The United Nations Human Rights Council chose not to select a new member for the investigation, as it is almost complete.

Davis spent 24 years as judge or federal prosecutor in her criminal justice career.

Davis also served as a chairwoman of a panel to investigate another U.N. report into the 2008-2009 invasion of Gaza by Israel. The report found that Israel investigated about 400 allegations of misconduct during the invasion, but took no further disciplinary action.

"The Commission, now comprised of Mary McGowan Davis and Doudou Diène, both of whom were appointed in August last year, continues its important work and is scheduled to present its findings to the Human Rights Council on 23 March as mandated," the U.N. said in a statement. Schabas resigned due to bias allegations for his previous work with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The investigation seeks to determine if potential war crimes were committed in the 50-day war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The panel's inquiries, sanctioned by the U.N. Human Rights Council, are set to be released in March.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the investigation to be "anti-Israeli" and called for the inquiry to be terminated.

The death toll for the conflict was more than 2,100 Palestinians, mostly civilians, about 67 Israeli soldiers and six Israeli civilians.