Friday, March 27, 2015

Documenting Palestinian war crimes during Operation protective edge

According to an Israeli  investigation, during Operation Protective Edge, Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organisations violated the Law of armed conflicts, in Gaza by  intentionally and systematically employing military strategies designed to maximize harm to civilian life and property, both in Israel and in Gaza.

1. Hamas and other Terrorist Organisations in Gaza Committed War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity By Deliberately Attacking Israeli Civilians

2. Hamas and Other Terrorist Organisations in Gaza Embedded their Military Activities amongst the Civilian Population and Exploited Hospitals, U.N. Facilities, Schools, Mosques, and Homes for Military Operations

3. Hamas and other Terrorist Organisations in Gaza Directed the Movement of Civilians in Order to Shield Military Assets and Operations

4. Hamas and other Terrorist Organisations in Gaza Utilized Additional Unlawful Tactics

The conclusion:

Throughout the 2014 Gaza Conflict, Hamas and other terrorist organisations in Gaza made systematic use of blatantly unlawful military strategies that were designed to heighten civilian suffering both in Israel and in Gaza. Hamas and other terrorist organisations in Gaza intentionally attacked and terrorised Israeli civilians by way of rocket and mortar fire, causing civilian deaths, injuries, lasting psychological trauma, and civilian property damage.

For the first time, Hamas extended its assaults against civilians to an additional battlefront, this one subterranean, sending militants through cross-border tunnels to attack residents of Israeli border towns. By deliberately targeting Israeli civilians and the civilian population in these ways, as part of a widespread and systematic policy, Hamas and other terrorist organisations in Gaza violated customary norms of the Law of Armed Conflict and committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.  

Read this important paper here

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