The Israeli military has regularly been accused of disproportionately targeting civilians in the conflict against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Recent analysis by CNN shows that the Israeli military has in fact targeted areas where it had previously directed civilians to.
According to the report, from March 10 to April 18, the Israeli military struck at least seven areas in Gaza that had previously been identified and promoted by the military as safe places for civilians to take refuge. Sources say that the Israeli officials had fed inaccurate location data, claiming those areas to be empty of civilians.
However, the analysis found that in reality those sites were filled with residents who later had to flee or were subjected to strikes. According to data from Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, at least 469 civilians were killed in these events.
The analysis also found evidence that the military was aware of the possibility that civilians were present in the areas that had been identified as safe. The report said that in two of the seven businesses targeted, warnings were given in Hebrew, the language of the Israeli military, and only a few minutes prior to the strikes. This indicates that the military was aware that civilians were present in the listed safe areas.
Furthermore, the analysis found that the Israeli military failed to follow its own protocols and regulations in the targeting process. These protocols were supposedly designed to ensure that only legitimate targets were hit.
The analysis has also revealed that many of the targeted sites were not connected to the militant group Hamas in any way. This is significant since it indicates that the military was not properly targeting military targets in its offensive against Hamas.
The report has shed light on the Israeli military’s targeting of civilians in the conflict against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In the face of this widespread destruction, the world must pay closer attention to the grievances of the people of Gaza. If the international community fails to hold the Israeli military accountable for its actions then such acts of violence and injustice will remain unchecked.
