Israel committed war crimes in Gaza war: Rights group
A nongovernmental federation for human rights organizations says Israel perpetrated war crimes and crimes against humanity during its devastating military onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip last summer.
In a report entitled “Trapped and Punished: The Gaza Civilian Population under Operation Protective Edge” published on Friday, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) pointed to examples of indiscriminate and direct attacks against civilians and civilian objects, disproportionate use of force as well as deliberate attacks targeting medical services during the Israeli war on Gaza.
The report further made a reference to Israel’s “refusal of access to humanitarian relief, the targeting of residential areas, operational healthcare facilities and transport, and life-sustaining civilian infrastructure” among the regime’s violations of international law.
“Most of people we met with, all of whom have lived through previous attacks on Gaza, told us that the summer offensive in 2014 was the worst they had seen. Bombs fell entirely indiscriminately, on men, women and children alike,” said Gaelle Dusepulchre, one of the members of the FIDH delegation that recently visited the Gaza strip.
The Paris-based FIDH has presented the report to the International Criminal Court (ICC), where the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority is planning to lodge its first case aginst the Tel Aviv regime’s crimes.
“It’s now time for ICC to move from a mere preliminary examination of the conflict to a full investigation. The Prosecutor must go to the field in order to appreciate the magnitude of the crimes committed,” said Shawan Jabbarin, the FIDH vice president, adding, “Palestinian have been waiting for justice for far too long.”
Israel started its latest war on the Gaza Strip in early July last year. The offensive ended on August 26, 2014, with a truce that took effect after indirect negotiations in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
Nearly 2,200 Palestinians, including 577 children, were killed in Israel’s 50-day onslaught. Over 11,100 others - including 3,374 children, 2,088 women and 410 elderly people - were also injured.
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