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Topics Covered: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
Israeli war crimes apparent in Gaza assault, says HRW:
Context:
Human Rights Watch investigation has revealed that Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups carried out attacks during the May 2021 fighting in the Gaza Strip and Israel that violated the laws of war and apparently amount to war crimes.
- Such attacks, it said, violate “the prohibition against deliberate or indiscriminate attacks against civilians.”
Background:
In May 2021, three Israeli strikes killed 62 Palestinian civilians where there were no evident military targets in the vicinity. Palestinian armed groups also committed unlawful attacks, launching more than 4,360 unguided rockets and mortars toward Israeli population centers, violating the prohibition against deliberate or indiscriminate attacks against civilians.
What do international laws say on war Crimes?
- Under international humanitarian law, or the laws of war, warring parties may target only military objectives.
- They must take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians, including by providing effective advance warnings of attacks.
- Deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian objects are prohibited.
- The laws of war also prohibit indiscriminate attacks, which include attacks that do not distinguish between civilians and military targets or do not target a military objective.
- Attacks in which the expected harm to civilians and civilian property is disproportionate to the anticipated military gain are also prohibited.
- Individuals who commit serious violations of the laws of war with criminal intent – that is, deliberately or recklessly– are responsible for war crimes.
What happened? How has the recent war unfolded?
The war erupted on May 10 after Hamas fired a barrage of rockets toward Jerusalem in support of Palestinian protests against Israel’s heavy-handed policing of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, built on a contested site sacred to Jews and Muslims, and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers in a nearby neighborhood.
- During the fighting, Hamas fired over 4,000 rockets and mortars toward Israel, while Israel has said it struck over 1,000 targets it says were linked to Gaza militants.
About Human Rights Watch:
Founded in 1978, it is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights.
- The group pressures governments, policy makers, companies, and individual human rights abusers to denounce abuse and respect human rights, and the group often works on behalf of refugees, children, migrants, and political prisoners.
Insta Curious:
Do you know what Universal Jurisdiction is? Read Here
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- Where is the west bank?
- Gaza strip.
- Golan heights.
- Who are Hamas?
- What is Al-Nakba?
- About the conflict.
Mains Link:
Suggest solutions to end the long standing Israel- Palestine conflict.
Sources: the Hindu.
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