UN chief sets up board to investigate incidents on UN premises during Gaza war this summer

UNITED NATIONS – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has established a board of inquiry to investigate deaths, injuries and damage to United Nations premises during this summer's Gaza war as well as the discovery of weapons in vacant U.N. schools.

U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq announced Monday that the five-member independent board will be chaired by Patrick Cammaert, a Dutch major general who previously served as Ban's military advisor.

More than 2,100 Palestinians were killed, mainly civilians, according to U.N. and Palestinian estimates. Seventy-two people were killed on the Israeli side.

Thousands of buildings were destroyed and at least 223 Gaza schools, either run by the U.N. refugee agency or the Hamas government, were hit in the fighting. Weapons caches were found in several U.N. schools that weren't being used at the time.