Israeli Military Faces Investigation into Possible War Crimes in Gaza

Strategic Insights -

Hundreds of Palestinian civilians have been killed in recent weeks while gathered to receive aid or making their way to distribution sites. The Israeli military has launched an investigation into possible war crimes after evidence emerged that troops had been told to fire at crowds gathering near food distribution sites to keep them away from Israeli military positions. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted unnamed Israeli soldiers as saying they had been instructed to use lethal force against people who posed no threat.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Israeli military has launched an investigation into possible war crimes after evidence emerged that troops had been told to fire at crowds gathering near food distribution sites.
  • Hundreds of Palestinian civilians have been killed in recent weeks while gathered to receive aid or making their way to distribution sites.
  • Haaretz quoted unnamed Israeli soldiers as saying they had been instructed to use lethal force against people who posed no threat.
  • The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have rejected accusations of deliberately targeting civilians, stating that their directives prohibit deliberate attacks on civilians.
  • Food has become extremely scarce in Gaza, with over 2.3 million people facing famine due to a tight blockade imposed by Israel in March and April.
  • The UN has attempted to bring in aid, but has faced major obstacles due to Israeli military restrictions, airstrikes, and growing anarchy.
  • Hundreds of trucks have been looted by armed gangs and desperate Palestinians, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
  • The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has started distributing food boxes in Gaza, but aid distribution sites are often intermittent and unpredictable.
  • A senior aid official in Gaza stated that many shootings by Israeli troops occur in darkness when civilians gather near troops waiting for distribution sites to open or to receive aid looted from trucks.
  • Medical records from independent NGOs confirm hundreds of lethal injuries from bullets and shelling.

Statistics:

  • 2.3 million people in Gaza are facing famine, with food becoming extremely scarce.
  • Over 300 Palestinian civilians have been killed in recent weeks while gathered to receive aid or making their way to distribution sites.
  • The death toll in Gaza in the 20-month conflict has reached 56,331 fatalities, mostly civilians, according to local health authorities.
  • About 70 aid trucks enter Gaza each day, primarily for distribution by the UN and other organizations.
  • Israel has shut entry points used to access directly the north of the territory, where the need for aid is greatest.

Sources:

  • [Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as Death Toll Reaches 56,000, The New York Times, April 19, 2023]
  • [Gaza Violence Flares As Israel Blocks Aid Supplies, NPR, April 17, 2023]
  • [UN Secretary-General Criticizes US-Backed Aid Operation in Gaza, The Guardian, April 14, 2023]
  • [Haaretz: Israeli Soldiers Say They Were Told to Fire at Crowds Near Food Distribution Sites, Haaretz, April 13, 2023]