HRW: ’Israel’ Violated Laws of War in Gaza

Local Editor

The New York-based rights watchdog, Human Rights Watch [HRW], said on Thursday that "Israel" violated the laws of war in seized Gaza during its recent aggression on the besieged enclave.

HRW said in a statement that in three cases it examined, "Israel" caused "numerous civilian casualties in violation of the laws of war."

The incidents were the separate shellings of two UN schools in northern seized Gaza on July 24 and 30, and a guided missile strike on another UN school in the southern city of Rafah on August 3.

The attacks martyred a total of 45 people including 17 children, HRW said.

"Two of the three attacks Human Rights Watch investigated... did not appear to target a military objective or were otherwise unlawfully indiscriminate. The third attack in Rafah was unlawfully disproportionate if not otherwise indiscriminate," the watchdog said.

"Unlawful attacks carried out wilfully -- that is, deliberately or recklessly -- are war crimes," it said.

HRW further stated, ""Israel" has a long record of failing to undertake credible investigations into alleged war crimes."

The United Nations and international rights groups have condemned "Israel" for numerous attacks, and Washington slammed the July 24 UN school attack, but refrained from placing the blame squarely on "Israel."

The Palestinians have threatened "Israel" with action at the International Criminal Court [ICC] over war crimes.

The 50-day aggression by "Israel" against seized Gaza ended on August 26 after martyring more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team