Hamas militants parade through Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip during an anti-Israel rally on May 28. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
People watch as Hamas militants parade through Rafah. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
A Hamas militant flashes the peace sign during the parade. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
The parade included brandishing heavy artillery. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians inspect their destroyed homes following the cease-fire between Gaza and Israel in Beit Hanun in the northern Gaza Strip on May 23. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Gazans tried to piece back their lives, after a devastating 11-day conflict with Israel that killed more than 240 people and made thousands homeless in the impoverished Palestinian enclave. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
A child rides a bicycle past destroyed homes in Beit Hanun. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians walk past their destroyed homes in Beit Hanun. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians chant as they carry bodies of members of the Ezz-Al Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, during their funeral in Khan Younis in Gaza on May 21. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Young people attend a funeral for Palestinians killed during the fighting. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians pray at a funeral for those killed during the fighting, following an Israel-Hamas truce. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians celebrate in the streets following a cease-fire brokered by Egypt between Israel and Hamas following days of fighting, in Gaza on May 21. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians gather around a destroyed house hit during an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on May 20. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinian rescuers work on a building following an Israeli airstrike. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
A missile fired by Israeli air forces is seen over Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians pray over the body of Huda Khazandar, killed in an Israeli airstrike that also wounded her husband and neighbors, in Khan Yunis. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UP.
Seven-month-old Khaled Al-Khawaldah, injured in an Israeli airstrike, lies in hospital in Khan Yunis. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI.
Palestinian police and explosive experts remove an unexploded Israeli missile. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI.
Palestinians look at the rubble of Al-Shroq Tower, which was housing international press offices and many shops, following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza on May 19. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Remains of Jewel Tower building are seen following Israeli airstrikes. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians inspect their destroyed homes following overnight Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on May 19. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
At least 45 were killed overnight, most of them from the Al-Kuolak and Abu Al-Awf families. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Medics tend to Palestinian journalist Dahlan injured in the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike in Gaza on May 19. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Farah Al-Mutraabiay (R), 5, receives treatment for injuries from an overnight Israeli airstrike in Gaza at Al-Shifa Hospital in the Palestinian enclave. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians and Israelis hold signs during a protest calling for an end to Israeli-Gaza fighting outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
The signs in Hebrew, Arabic and English call for co-existence and equality between Israelis and Palestinians. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
Israelis hold signs during a protest calling for an end to Israeli-Gaza fighting. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians react to stun grenades fired by the Israeli police outside the Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem during a protest in solidarity with the people in the Gaza Strip and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
Palestinians wave the Palestinian flag outside the Damascus Gate. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
Palestinians react to stun grenades fired by the Israeli police. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
The Palestinian Civil Defense extinguishes a fire in a paint warehouse that was hit by an Israeli artillery shell in Gaza. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Rockets from Hamas are launched from Gaza toward Israel. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinian families take shelter in a United Nations school in Gaza after fleeing their homes. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Families take shelter amid continued bombing in Gaza. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinian families take shelter with their children in a U.N. school. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
An Israeli soldier walks in a staging area of armored personnel carriers and D-9 bulldozers on the Israel-Gaza border. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
Palestinian children stand in their destroyed house following overnight Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians inspect their destroyed houses following overnight Israeli airstrikes. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians inspect the destruction. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI.
Israeli soldiers speak near artillery batteries on the Israel-Gaza border. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
Palestinian firefighters battle a blaze following an Israeli strike on a house in Gaza. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
A Palestinian family evacuates a building following an Israeli strike on the house. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians inspect the damage following an Israeli strike. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinian families evacuate a building targeted by Israeli bombardment in Gaza. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
A police officer stands outside a fashion shop damaged from a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
Rockets are launched towards Israel from Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, controlled by the Hamas. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Palestinians inspect their destroyed houses following overnight Israeli airstrikes in town of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Israel pounded Gaza and deployed extra troops to the border as Palestinians fired barrages of rockets back. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
A Palestinian man carries the corpse of a his son, killed in a reported Israeli airstrike. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
An Israeli man inspects the damage in an apartment building hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip in Petah Tikva, near Ben Gurion International Airport. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
An Israeli stands in an apartment building hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip in Petah Tikva. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
A birthday greeting hangs on the wall of an apartment building hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip in Petah Tikva. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
Palestinians gather to pray around the bodies of 13 Hamas militants, killed in Israeli airstrikes, during their funeral in at the al-Omari mosque in Gaza City. Photo by Ahmad ZaqutUPI
Rockets are launched from Gaza City, controlled by the Hamas movement, toward Israel. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
Israeli soldiers look at the damage of a building hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
An Israeli man takes cover as a siren sounds alerting of incoming rockets fired from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon in southern Israel. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
An Israeli with an automatic weapon holds the national flag during the annual Jerusalem Day march marking the reunification of Jerusalem during the Six Day War on May 10. The march was cut short when Hamas fired rockets toward Jerusalem. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
May 27 (UPI) -- The United Nations human rights chief said Thursday that Israel's attacks on Hamas over 11 days in Gaza this month could amount to war crimes.
During a Human Rights Council meeting in Switzerland, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called for an investigation into root causes that caused the conflict.
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The fighting between Israel and the Palestinian militant group killed more than 200 people and resulted in significant structural damage across Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused for days to let up on the shelling in the face of widespread international criticism, until Egypt helped broker a cease-fire a week ago.
Bachelet on Thursday condemned Israel for the strikes and Hamas for retaliating with rocket fire into Israel.
"Such strikes raise serious concerns of Israel's compliance with the principles of distinction and proportionality under international humanitarian law," Bachelet said in a statement.
"If found to be indiscriminate and disproportionate in their impact on civilians and civilian objects, such attacks may constitute war crimes."
Bachelet added that Hamas likely broke international law by locating and firing military assets from densely populated civilian areas. She said an investigation must work to identify "systematic discrimination and repression" in Israel and Palestine.
Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, expressed concerns that an inquiry might seek to shift the blame to Israel and whitewash the role of Hamas.
"This terrorist organization fired more than 4,400 rockets at Israeli civilians," Shahar said in a statement.
"The rockets were fired by Hamas from Palestinian homes, hospitals, and schools. Each one of these rockets constitutes a war crime. Each one of these rockets constitutes a tragedy."
U.S. President Joe Biden condemned the fighting but noted Israel's right to defend itself. This week, he sent Secretary of State Antony Blinken on a diplomatic tour through the Middle East that included stops in Israel, the West Bank, Egypt and Jordan. During the visits, he met with Netanyahu, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.