Amnesty International Report on¨ Operation Cast Lead¨
The leading Human Rights organization, Amnesty International launched an extensive 117 page report today, Operation 'Cast Lead': 22 days of death and destruction on the January war on Gaza.
In the report, Amnesty accuses both the Israeli Army and Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups of war crimes.
The use of artillery shells carrying white phosphorous by the israeli army in densely populated areas, hindering paramedics and ambulances, including attacks on them, and the use of human shields by the israeli army, something the israeli authorities blames the Palestinian side of using is but a few examples of israeli actions during the 22 days of the operation.
On the Palestinian side, the shelling of Qassams and Grads on the civilian population of southern Israel throughout the 22 days is a war crime , and the use of residential areas to fire rockets from, as well as storing them there, endangered Palestinian civilians.
According to Amnesty International 1400 Palestinians were killed during 22 days , from Dec 27th - Jan 18th, in the same period 13 Israelis were killed. Among those killed on the palestinian side were approximately 300 chilren, 115 women , 85 men over the age of 50 and 200 civilian men under the age of 50.
The figure are markedly higher than the figure given by the Israeli military,especially the death toll of civilians, were the military are claiming 1,166, of whom 295 were "uninvolved" civilians.
I have not yet read through the full report, that can be found here(PDF), this is based on a brief first look of the introduction and the press release, i will try to post more during the weekend, after reading through all of it.
In the report, Amnesty accuses both the Israeli Army and Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups of war crimes.
The use of artillery shells carrying white phosphorous by the israeli army in densely populated areas, hindering paramedics and ambulances, including attacks on them, and the use of human shields by the israeli army, something the israeli authorities blames the Palestinian side of using is but a few examples of israeli actions during the 22 days of the operation.
Amnesty International found that the victims of the attacks it investigated were not caught in the crossfire during battles between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces, nor were they shielding militants or other military objects. Many were killed when their homes were bombed while they slept. Others were sitting in their yard or hanging the laundry on the roof. Children were struck while playing in their bedrooms or on the roof, or near their homes. Paramedics and ambulances were repeatedly attacked while attempting to rescue the wounded or recover the dead.
On the Palestinian side, the shelling of Qassams and Grads on the civilian population of southern Israel throughout the 22 days is a war crime , and the use of residential areas to fire rockets from, as well as storing them there, endangered Palestinian civilians.
According to Amnesty International 1400 Palestinians were killed during 22 days , from Dec 27th - Jan 18th, in the same period 13 Israelis were killed. Among those killed on the palestinian side were approximately 300 chilren, 115 women , 85 men over the age of 50 and 200 civilian men under the age of 50.
The figure are markedly higher than the figure given by the Israeli military,especially the death toll of civilians, were the military are claiming 1,166, of whom 295 were "uninvolved" civilians.
I have not yet read through the full report, that can be found here(PDF), this is based on a brief first look of the introduction and the press release, i will try to post more during the weekend, after reading through all of it.
Labels: Amnesty International report, Gaza, Operation 'Cast Lead': 22 days of death and destruction
posted by Ibn ad Dunya at 2:02 PM
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