’Israeli’ Army Uses Illegal Flechette Shells to Martyr Gazans

Local Editor

The "Israeli" military is reportedly using flechette shells in its offensive on seized Gaza, weapons described as illegal under rules of humanitarian law by the "Israeli" "human rights" organization B'Tselem.

Fired by a tank and described as an "imprecise weapon" ill-suited to combat in a built-up area, flechette shells explode in the air above a target, sending out a cone of thousands of tiny steel darts each no more than 4 cm long.

According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights [PCHR], six such shells were fired towards the village of Khuzaa in the seized Gaza Strip on 17 July, the Guardian reported. The PCHR was described as saying that a woman, 37-year-old Nahla Khalil Najjar, suffered injuries to her chest in the flechette shelling, with pictures purporting to show the ammunition were passed on by a PCHR fieldworker.

The "Israeli" War Forces have not denied using the shells during the two-week long offensive, saying that it only deploys weapons "determined lawful under international law."

However, a 2011 report by the "Israeli" "human rights" group B'Tselem described them as carrying "a particularly high danger of harming innocent civilians." The group described the explosives as ‘an anti-personal' weapon. Once fired the metal darts can disperse in a conical arch 300 meters long and about 90 meters wide. Therefore, they can cause widespread civilian casualties if used in a built up area, such as seized Gaza. 

B'Tselem added, "Other rules of humanitarian law render their use in the [seized] Gaza Strip illegal."

It further said, "One of the most fundamental principles is the obligation to distinguish between those who are involved and those who are not involved in the fighting, and to avoid to the extent possible injury to those who are not involved. Deriving from this principle is the prohibition of the use of an imprecise weapon which is likely to result in civilian injuries." 

Meanwhile, the internet site, electronicintifada, reported that "Israel" has been using the munitions since March 2000. 

Flechette rounds have been used before in seized Gaza, and were declared legal by the "Israeli" Supreme Court in 2002. 

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team