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

General Martin Dempsey: Israel has gone to "extraordinary lengths" to limit civilian casualties in Gaza

Several months ago,  at an appearance in New York at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs Army General Martin Dempsey, the highest-ranking US military officer  and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declared that Israel  had gone to "extraordinary lengths" to limit civilian casualties in the war with Gaza .

Israel has faced unrelenting criticism for civilian deaths during the conflict. Over than 2,100 Palestinians were reportedly killed.

Recent research from the Meir Amit  Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center suggest that suggest that terrorist operatives constitute about 52% of the fatalities who have been identified, and non-involved civilians constitute approximately 48%. This ratio may vary in the future, as more information is uncovered.

As of the last report, 

* 528 of those killed in Gaza in Operation protective Edge were terrorist operatives.

* 480 of those killed were non-involved civilians.

* 157 of those killed are unidentified at this stage. 

An earlier analysis of  Gaza deaths during Operation Protective Edge indicated that over:

80% of Gazans killed so far have been male, with almost half of these males being in the 18-28 age group. One can imagine many of these being “combatants.” A further 20% of these males are between 29 and 48, an age group one could envisage may also contain many Hamas members.

If Israel were deliberately targeting civilians, the gender ratio would be significantly closer to 50/50.

For those in need of a refresher course: Operation Protective Edge by the numbers:


For 50 days, armed groups in Gaza fired 4,564 projectiles at Israel.
3,659 rocket and mortar impact sites were found
Of those that struck in Israel, 224 hit built-up areas.
735 were shot down by the Iron Dome missile defense system.
197 “failed launchings” – projectiles that never left the Gaza Strip or that did not launch at all.

In spite of hostilities, humanitarian aid continued to flow to Gaza

959 tons of medicine and medical supplies entered the Strip 
5,359 trucks carrying goods entered Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

The World Stands in Solidarity With Israel

One of the gratifying  aspects of the last 51 days has been the tremendous outpouring of love, affectation and solidarity from across the world for Israel, as she struggles in her fight against terror.

Photos from the Facebook Page, Solidarity with Israel Event Locator

The world stands with Israel

Huntsville, Alabama in solidarity with Israel

India, in  solidarity with Israel

London in solidarity with Israel

Paris in solidarity with Israel

Guatemala in solidarity with Israel

Belgium in solidarity with Israel

Philadelphia in solidarity with Israel

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,000 showed up in New York City to stand with Israel

There is so much more.

Check out this brief youtube for a glimpse of worldwide solidarity with the only democracy in the Middle East

Hamas responsible for childrens death at Shati and Shifa

Confirmed by an Italian journalist Gabriele Barbati: A misfired rocket from Hamas is responsible for the deaths of nine children at Shati and Shifa yesterday.

Out of #Gaza far from #Hamas retaliation: misfired rocket killed children yday in Shati. Witness: militants rushed and cleared debris
— gabrielebarbati (@gabrielebarbati) July 29, 2014

From Algemeiner:

The Israeli army said it was not operating in the vicinity of Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza on Monday, where an explosion reportedly killed and wounded dozens of Palestinians.

“A short while ago Al-Shifa Hospital and Al-Shati Refugee Camp were struck by failed rocket attacks launched by Gaza terrorists,” the army said in a statement sent to reporters.

The failed attempt to fire the projectile apparently hit a car near the center, according to Israel’s Channel 2 News, causing the casualties.

The station said that a “Hamas Fajr-5 rocket aimed at central Israel, which was fired from a playground outside the Shifa hospital and exploded on the site causing casualties, had at least a 100 kg (220 lbs) warhead,” according to The Times of Israel.

This information was confirmed through IDF calculations

Since Operation Protective Edge has begun, Over 200 Hamas  rockets launched  have fallen short of their target and have terrorized the Palestinian people within Gaza

From Berkeley: A blessing on seeing Iron Dome

From Berkeley's beloved Rabbi Menachem Creditor of Congregation Netivot Shalom, now visiting  Israel

"I just witnessed an Iron Dome intercept of a bomb from Gaza above me and the AIPAC Rabbinic Mission to Israel as we exited the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem. Baruch....she'asah li nisim bamakom hazeh. Blessed are you, Adonai, for made a miracle for me in this place."

"I am shaken and I am more resolved than before. This must end, and the accusations against Israel are heinous misrepresentations of a nation-wide reality of bombs that, as of today are being sent by Fatah AND Hamas against the civilian population of Israel.

Please share this widely. I bear testimony to the need for strength and for action. Peace is a long while away, and now is the time for unity in the face of threats to our very existence."