Amnesty International said the Israeli attacks in Gaza on April 16, 19 and 20, which killed 44 people, provide new evidence for war crimes investigations against Israel.
Amnesty International said the Israeli attacks on Gaza on April 16, 19 and 20, in which 44 people were killed, provide new evidence for war crimes investigations against Israel.
In a statement released by the UK-based Amnesty International, it was reminded that 44 people were killed and 20 people were injured as a result of the Israeli attacks in Al-Meghazi Refugee Camp on April 16 and in Rafah on April 19 and 20.
“A new example of the war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, which has been under occupation for 7 months,” the statement said, adding, “Amnesty International found evidence of war crimes committed by Israeli forces, including direct attacks or indiscriminate attacks on civilians, as well as other illegal attacks and collective punishment of the civilian population.”
In the research on the three attacks in Al-Meghazi and Rafah, it was stated that 17 survivors were interviewed, the places where the attacks were organized were examined, the remains of the ammunition used in the attacks, images obtained from local sources and satellite images were examined.
As a result of the investigations, it was determined that there were no military targets in and around the three points where the attacks were organized, “This raises concerns that these attacks are direct attacks on civilians and civilian elements, which are considered war crimes.”
Noting that Israel did not provide satisfactory explanations about the attacks and did not warn civilians living in the areas before the attacks, the statement emphasized that the organization sent questions to the Israeli authorities on May 7, but no response was received.
220 kilogram bomb in a three-story house
The statement also shared information about the ammunition used by Israel. According to the statement, the bomb used in al-Meghazi was a precision-guided missile fired from Israeli drones.
The statement noted that the bomb, which was thrown into a 3-storey house of a family in Rafah on April 19, pierced the roof and the third floor and exploded on the second floor, and stated that this bomb was a 220-kilogram bomb called MPR 500.
The statement added that an investigation into the attack on April 20 revealed that the bomb that killed 20 people, including 16 children, was dropped from a fighter jet.
Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International’s Director of Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, pointed out the importance of the organization’s findings.
Guevara-Rosas emphasized that the findings are important evidence for the ICC Prosecutor’s application for an arrest warrant and the ongoing war crimes investigations against Israel, and stressed that Israel continues its attacks on Gaza despite all calls.
“The documented incidents are clear examples of the Israeli army’s disregard for international law in the last 7 months, killing Palestinian civilians with complete impunity and disregard for human life,” Guevara-Rosas said.
