Urging or forcing civilians to stay in their homes 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict

1 alleged violations israel

1.1 civilian deaths

1.1.1 warnings prior attacks


1.2 destruction of homes
1.3 shelling of unrwa schools
1.4 infrastructure
1.5 attacks on journalists
1.6 human shields

alleged violations israel

israel received 500 complaints concerning 360 alleged violations. 80 closed without criminal charges, 6 cases opened on incidents allegedly involving criminal conduct, , in 1 case regarding 3 idf soldiers in aftermath of battle of shuja iyya, charge of looting laid. cases closed military magistrates considered lack of evidence sustain charge of misconduct. no mention made of incidents during black friday events @ rafah.

according assaf sharon of tel aviv university, idf pressured politicians unleash unnecessary violence basic purpose satisfy need vengeance, politicians tried whip in israel s population. asa kasher wrote idf pulled fighting both strategically , morally asymmetric , other army made mistakes, charges faces grossly unfair . israeli ngo breaking silence, reporting on analysis of 111 testimonies concerning war 70 idf soldiers , officers, cited 1 veteran s remark found in idf area, idf had occupied, not civilian, argue basic rule of engagement. soldiers briefed regard inside strip threat. report cites several examples of civilians, including women, being shot dead , defined terrorists in later reports. since leaflets dropped telling civilians leave areas bombed, soldiers assume movement in bombed area entitled them shoot. in 1 case came under investigation, lt col neria yeshurun ordered palestinian medical centre shelled avenge killing of 1 of officers sniper.

civilian deaths

many of killed civilians, prompting concern many humanitarian organisations. investigation human rights watch concluded israel had committed war crimes on 3 specific incidents involving strikes on unwra schools. amnesty international stated that: israeli forces have carried out attacks have killed hundreds of civilians, including through use of precision weaponry such drone-fired missiles, , attacks using munitions such artillery, cannot precisely targeted, on densely populated residential areas, such shuja iyya. have directly attacked civilian objects. b tselem has compiled infogram listing families killed @ home in 72 incidents of bombing or shelling, comprising 547 people killed, of whom 125 women under 60, 250 minors, , 29 on 60. on 24 august, palestinian health officials said 89 families had been killed.

nine people killed while watching world cup in cafe, , 8 members of family died israel has said inadvertently killed. golani soldier interviewed operations inside gaza said not distinguish between civilians , hamas fighters because hamas operatives dressed in plainclothes , night vision goggles made green. idf spokesperson said hamas deploys in residential areas, creating rocket launch sites, command , control centers, , other positions deep in heart of urban areas. doing so, hamas chooses battleground idf forced operate. highest-ranking u.s. military officer, army general martin dempsey, chairman of joint chiefs of staff, said israel went extraordinary lengths limit collateral damage , civilian casualties . later in speech said, pentagon 3 months ago sent lessons-learned team of senior officers , non-commissioned officers work idf see learned gaza operation, include measures took prevent civilian casualties , did tunneling. col. richard kemp told observer idf has taken greater steps other army in history of warfare minimise harm civilians in combat zone

warnings prior attacks

in many cases idf warned civilians prior targeting militants in highly populated areas in order comply international law. human rights organizations including amnesty international, confirmed in many cases, palestinians received warnings prior evacuation, including flyers, phone calls , roof knocking. report jaffa based ngo physicians human rights, released in january 2015, said israel s alert system had failed, , roof-knock system ineffective. idf criticized not giving civilians enough time evacuate. in 1 case, warning came less 1 minute before bombing. hamas has told civilians return homes or stay put following israeli warnings leave. in many cases, palestinians evacuated; in others, have stayed in homes. israel condemned hamas s encouragement of palestinians remain in homes despite warnings in advance of airstrikes. hamas stated warnings form of psychological warfare , people equally or more unsafe in rest of gaza.

amnesty international said although israeli authorities claim warning civilians in gaza, consistent pattern has emerged actions not constitute effective warning under international humanitarian law. human rights watch concurred. many gazans, when asked, told journalists remained in houses because had else go. ocha s spokesman has said there literally no safe place civilians in gaza. roof knocking has been condemned unlawful amnesty international , human rights watch united nations fact finding mission in 2008 war.

destruction of homes

ruins of residential area in beit hanoun.

israel targeted many homes in conflict. unwra official robert turner estimated 7,000 homes demolished , 89,000 damaged, 10,000 of them severely. has led many members of same family being killed. b tselem documented 59 incidents of bombing , shelling, in 458 people killed. in cases, israel has stated these homes of suspected militants , used military purposes. new york times noted damage in operation higher in previous 2 wars , stated 60,000 people had been left homeless result. destruction of homes has been condemned b tselem, human rights watch , amnesty international unlawful, amounting collective punishment , war crimes.

israel destroyed homes of 2 suspects in case of abduction , killing of 3 teenagers. house demolition has been condemned b tselem unlawful.

palestinians returning homes during ceasefire reported idf soldiers had trashed homes, destroyed home electronics such tv sets, spread feces in homes, , carved slogans such burn gaza down , arab = dead arab in walls , furniture. idf did not respond request guardian comment.

on 5 november 2014, amnesty international published report examining 8 cases idf targeted homes, resulting in deaths of 111 people, of whom 104 civilians. barred access gaza israel since 2012, conducted research remotely, supported 2 contracted gaza-based fieldworkers conducted multiple visits of each site interview survivors, , consulted military experts evaluate photographic , video material. concludes, in every case, there failure take necessary precautions avoid excessive harm civilians , civilian property, required international humanitarian law , no prior warning given civilian residents allow them escape. israel did not disclose information regarding incidents, report said not possible amnesty international of israel targeting; said if there no valid military objectives, international humanitarian law may have been violated, attacks directed @ civilians , civilian objects, or attacks otherwise disproportionate relative anticipated military advantage of carrying them out, constitute war crimes.

the report dismissed israeli ministry of foreign affairs narrow , decontextualized , , disattentive of alleged war crimes perpetrated hamas. amnesty, asserted, serving propaganda tool hamas , other terror groups. anne herzberg, legal adviser ngo monitor, questioned accuracy of un numbers used in report, saying come hamas.

shelling of unrwa schools

there 7 shellings @ unrwa facilities in gaza strip took place between 21 july , 3 august 2014. incidents result of artillery, mortar or aerial missile fire struck on or near unrwa facilities being used shelters palestinians, , result @ least 44 civilians, including 10 un staff, died. during 2014 israel-gaza conflict, many palestinians fled homes after warnings israel or due air strikes or fighting in area. estimated 290,000 people (15% of gaza s population) took shelter in unrwa schools.

on 3 separate occasions, on 16 july, 22 july , on 29 july, unrwa announced rockets had been found in schools. unrwa denounced groups responsible flagrant violations of neutrality of premises . of these schools vacant @ time when rockets discovered; no rockets found in shelters shelled. israel defense forces (idf) stated hamas chooses these battles conducted and, despite israel’s best efforts prevent civilian casualties, hamas responsible tragic loss of civilian life. in case of un facilities, important note repeated abuse of un facilities hamas, namely @ least 3 cases of munitions storage within such facilities.

the attacks condemned members of un (unrwa s parent organization) , other governments, such u.s., have expressed extreme concern on safety of palestinian civilians not safe in un-designated shelters. rafah shelling in particular criticized, ban ki-moon calling moral outrage , criminal act , state department calling appalling , disgraceful . un high commissioner human rights navi pillay said both hamas militants , israel might have committed war crimes. human rights watch investigation 3 of incidents concluded israel committed war crimes because 2 of shellings did not appear target military objective or otherwise indiscriminate , while third rafah shelling unlawfully disproportionate . on april 27, 2015, united nations released inquiry concluded israel responsible deaths of @ least 44 palestinians died in shelling , 227 injured.

infrastructure

on 23 july, twelve human rights organizations in israel released letter israeli government warning gaza strip s civilian infrastructure collapsing . wrote due israel s ongoing control on significant aspects of life in gaza, israel has legal obligation ensure humanitarian needs of people of gaza met , have access adequate supplies of water , electricity. note many water , electricity systems damaged during conflict, has led pending humanitarian , environmental catastrophe . sydney morning herald reported every piece of critical infrastructure, electricity water sewage, has been compromised either direct hits israeli air strikes , shelling or collateral damage.

between 5 , 8 of 10 power lines bring electricity israel disabled, @ least 3 hamas rocket fire. on 29 july, israel reported bomb gaza s power plant, estimated take year repair. amnesty international said crippling of power station amounted collective punishment of palestinians . human rights watch has stated [d]amaging or destroying power plant, if served military purpose, unlawful disproportionate attack under laws of war . israel denied damaging power plant, stating there no indication [idf] involved in strike … area surrounding plant not struck in recent days. contradicting initial reports take year repair, power plant resumed operation on 27 october.

attacks on journalists

17 journalists killed in conflict, of 5 off-duty , 2 (from associated press) covering bomb disposal team s efforts defuse unexploded israeli artillery shell when exploded. in several cases, journalists killed while having markings distinguishing them press on vehicles or clothing. idf stated in 1 case had precise information vehicle marked tv hit killing 1 alleged journalist in military use. several media outlets, including offices of al-jazeera, hit. international federation of journalists has condemned attacks appalling murders , attacks . journalists considered civilians , should not targeted under international humanitarian law. israeli army said not target journalists, , contacts news media in order advise them areas avoid during conflict . israel has made foreign journalists sign waiver stating not responsible safety in gaza, reporters without borders calls contrary international law. director-general of unesco, irina bokova, in august 2014 condemned killing of al aqsa tv journalist abdullah murtaja, withdrew comments after revealed murtaja combatant in hamas s al qassam brigade, , said deplore[d] attempts instrumentalize profession of journalists combatants

itic published report analyzing list of 17 names published wafa news agency based on information originating hamas-controlled gaza office of ministry of information supposedly belong journalists killed in operation. report says 8 of names belong hamas or islamic jihad operatives, or employees of hamas media.

israel bombed hamas s al-aqsa radio , tv stations because of propaganda dissemination capabilities used broadcast messages of (hamas s) military wing. reporters without borders , al-haq condemned attacks, saying expert committee formed international criminal court s prosecutor former yugoslavia, assess nato bombing campaign of 1999, specified journalist or media organization not legitimate target merely because broadcasts or disseminates propaganda. u.s. government classifies al-aqsa tv being controlled hamas, specially designated global terrorist, , states not distinguish between business financed , controlled terrorist group, such al-aqsa television, , terrorist group itself.

human shields

the jaffa based ngo physicians human rights stated in report in january 2015 idf had used human shields during war. idf criticized report s conclusions , methodology cast heavy shadow on content , credibility . defense children international-palestine reported 17-year-old ahmad abu raida kidnapped israeli soldiers who, after beating him up, used him human shield 5 days, forcing him walk in front of them police dogs @ gunpoint, search houses , dig in places soldiers suspected there might tunnels. several of key claims not verified because hamas-employed father said forgot take photographs of alleged abuse marks , discarded clothing idf soldiers supposedly provided abu raida when freed.

the idf confirmed troops suspected ahmad of being militant based on affiliation of father (a senior official in gaza s tourism ministry) hamas , detained him during ground operation. idf , israeli authorities challenged credibility of dci-p noting scant regard truth . idf military advocate general opened criminal investigation event.