- HRW labels Gaza airstrike that killed 106 civilians a “war crime”
- Calls for arms embargo on Israel, support for ICC investigation
- Pressure mounts on UK PM to halt arms exports
The 106 fatalities in a residential block in central Gaza on October 31, 2023, which were caused by an “illegitimate” Israeli airstrike, were classified as an “apparent war crime,” according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).
The international rights organisation announced Thursday that the investigation was founded upon evidence gathered from sixteen individuals interviewed by the organisation between January and March, satellite images, dozens of photographs and videos from the site, and those shared on social media.
The organisation urged nations to halt the transfer of weaponry to Israel and provide assistance to the investigation being conducted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Palestine. It described the attack as one of the “deadliest single incidents for civilians” since October, when Israel initiated its war on Gaza.
According to eyewitness accounts, the Engineers’ Building, situated south of the Nuseirat refugee camp, housed a minimum of 350 individuals at that time. Unpredictably, four aerial munitions struck the structure that afternoon within ten seconds. At least 150 individuals were in search of refuge in Gaza after abandoning their residences elsewhere in the city.
The structure underwent demolition.
The organisation based in New York stated that it did not discover any indications of a military target in the area surrounding the structure at the time of the attack. This rendered the airstrike “illegitimately indiscriminate,” as reported by HRW.
“Residents charging phones in the ground-floor grocery store, children playing football, and displaced families seeking safety” were among the victims, according to HRW associate crisis and conflict director Gerry Simpson.
“One of scores of attacks that caused overwhelming carnage and underscored the urgency of the ICC investigation, this strike inflicted massive civilian casualties with no apparent military objective.”
The Israeli government has not disclosed any information regarding the assault to the public, according to HRW, “including the intended target or any precautions taken to minimise harm to civilians.”
Since Israel launched its military operation in the enclave on October 7, in response to the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel, over 33,000 Palestinians have been slain. There are currently 1,139 casualties in Israel, and dozens more are being held captive in Gaza.
Simpson stated, “The staggering number of Palestinian deaths, the majority of which are children and women, demonstrates a flagrant disregard for civilian life and suggests there are numerous additional possible war crimes that require investigation.”
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“Other nations ought to exert pressure on the Israeli government to cease illegal operations and cease arms shipments to Israel immediately to protect civilian lives and prevent complicity in war crimes.”
Reiterating its commitment to Israel’s security, the United States has defended the transfer of fighter jets and bombs worth billions of dollars to its ally, Israel. However, it has openly expressed apprehensions regarding the protracted Israeli threat to Rafah, a neighbourhood in Gaza, and the increasing number of civilian casualties in the enclave.
The political pressure on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to cease arms exports to Israel is increasing in the wake of the death of seven aid workers from the charity World Central Kitchen in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, which has sparked widespread international outrage.
Governments that continue to supply Israel with munitions, according to HRW, “risk complicity in war crimes.”
“They should also assert pressure on Israeli authorities to cease committing grave abuses through the use of their leverage, including targeted sanctions,” the statement continued.
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