A United Nations panel has started preliminary investigations into potential war crimes committed in the conflict between Palestinians and Israel this past July and August. The panel will submit its findings over to the UN Human Rights Commission.

One incident in particular is drawing attention as some legal experts suspect it may constitute a war crime. On the morning of August 1, Israel invoked what is called the “Hannibal directive,” which directs its forces to take drastic measures to avoid the capture of an Israeli solider. This policy has never been clearly defined by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) but it is widely understood that the heavy price of a captured Israeli solider means the IDF would rather the solider be killed than be taken prisoner.