(MENAFN) A confidential review conducted by a US government oversight office has determined that Israeli forces may have committed “many hundreds” of potential violations of US human rights law in Gaza. Two American officials revealed that a full investigation of these incidents would require the State Department “multiple years” to complete.

The findings, issued by the State Department’s Office of the Inspector General, represent the first instance in which a US government report has recognized the magnitude of Israeli operations in Gaza that could fall under the Leahy Laws.

These US statutory measures bar the government from offering security assistance to foreign military or police units credibly linked to "gross violations of human rights,” a media outlet reported Thursday.

US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the report remains classified, noted that the volume of incidents and a review procedure that largely defers to the Israeli military raise serious questions about accountability.

Charles Blaha, a former State Department official who managed Leahy Law evaluations and was briefed on the report, expressed concern: “What worries me is that accountability will be forgotten now that the noise of the conflict is dying down.”

The report was completed shortly before Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement.

The arrangement included the release of the remaining Israeli hostages, a swap of Palestinian prisoners, a limited withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the partial restoration of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

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