Israeli-Palestinian conflict (23 Viewers)
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JERUSALEM (AFP) - Israel's use of white phosphorus -- banned under international law for use near civilians -- during the Gaza offensive was "clear and undeniable," Amnesty International said on Monday.
"Amnesty International delegates visiting the Gaza Strip found indisputable evidence of widespread use of white phosphorus in densely-populated residential areas in Gaza City and in the north," the rights group said in a statement.
"We saw streets and alleyways littered with evidence of the use of white phosphorus, including still burning wedges and the remnants of the shells and canisters fired by the Israeli army," said Christopher Cobb-Smith, a weapons expert touring Gaza as part of a four-person fact-finding team.
Human rights groups and medics in Gaza reported having treated dozens of people suffering burns caused by white phosphorus during Israel's 22-day offensive against the Hamas-ruled territory that killed more than 1,300 people.
Under international law, white phosphorus is banned for use near civilians, but is permitted for creating a smokescreen.
Israel has insisted that all weapons being used in its Gaza war were within the bounds of international law.
The substance is a toxic chemical agent which can cause severe burns. Dispersed in artillery shells, bombs, and rockets, it burns on contact with oxygen and creates a smokescreen in order to hide the movement of troops.
Donatella Rovera, Amnesty's researcher on Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, said the use of white phosphorus could amount to a war crime.
"Such extensive use of this weapon in Gaza's densely-populated residential neighbourhoods is inherently indiscriminate.
"Its repeated use in this manner, despite evidence of its indiscriminate effects and its toll on civilians, is a war crime," she was quoted as saying in the statement.
"Artillery is an area weapon; not good for pinpoint targeting. The fact that these munitions, which are usually used as ground burst, were fired as air bursts increases the likely size of the danger area," Cobb-Smith said.
The group said that one of the places worst affected by the use of white phosphorus was the United Nations Works and Relief Agency compound in Gaza City, where Israeli forces fired three white phosphorus shells on 15 January.
The same ammunition was used in a strike on Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City the same day, Amnesty said.
Israel launched the air and ground offensive on December 27 with the goal of halting continuous Palestinian rocket fire against the south of the country that killed four people during the offensive which ended on Sunday.
"Amnesty International delegates visiting the Gaza Strip found indisputable evidence of widespread use of white phosphorus in densely-populated residential areas in Gaza City and in the north," the rights group said in a statement.
"We saw streets and alleyways littered with evidence of the use of white phosphorus, including still burning wedges and the remnants of the shells and canisters fired by the Israeli army," said Christopher Cobb-Smith, a weapons expert touring Gaza as part of a four-person fact-finding team.
Human rights groups and medics in Gaza reported having treated dozens of people suffering burns caused by white phosphorus during Israel's 22-day offensive against the Hamas-ruled territory that killed more than 1,300 people.
Under international law, white phosphorus is banned for use near civilians, but is permitted for creating a smokescreen.
Israel has insisted that all weapons being used in its Gaza war were within the bounds of international law.
The substance is a toxic chemical agent which can cause severe burns. Dispersed in artillery shells, bombs, and rockets, it burns on contact with oxygen and creates a smokescreen in order to hide the movement of troops.
Donatella Rovera, Amnesty's researcher on Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, said the use of white phosphorus could amount to a war crime.
"Such extensive use of this weapon in Gaza's densely-populated residential neighbourhoods is inherently indiscriminate.
"Its repeated use in this manner, despite evidence of its indiscriminate effects and its toll on civilians, is a war crime," she was quoted as saying in the statement.
"Artillery is an area weapon; not good for pinpoint targeting. The fact that these munitions, which are usually used as ground burst, were fired as air bursts increases the likely size of the danger area," Cobb-Smith said.
The group said that one of the places worst affected by the use of white phosphorus was the United Nations Works and Relief Agency compound in Gaza City, where Israeli forces fired three white phosphorus shells on 15 January.
The same ammunition was used in a strike on Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City the same day, Amnesty said.
Israel launched the air and ground offensive on December 27 with the goal of halting continuous Palestinian rocket fire against the south of the country that killed four people during the offensive which ended on Sunday.
'Israel breaks the ceasefire again’
Press TV
Monday, Jan 19, 2009
Israeli naval gunship vessels have violated the uneasy truce with Hamas, opening fire at the western coast of northern Gaza Strip.
Palestinian residents living at the western coast of northern Gaza City said Israeli naval gunship vessels opened fire at their houses in western Gaza Strip on Monday morning, AFP reported.
No casualties have been reported yet.
The breach of the ceasefire comes as many Palestinians are returning to their town while most houses are completely razed to the ground due to the 22-day massive air strikes by Israel.
Hamas announced a week-long ceasefire in response to Israel seeking to unilaterally end its war without having achieved any of the objectives it had previously sought.
The Hamas ceasefire will be in effect for one week, allowing Israeli troops to withdraw from the impoverished territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared on Sunday Israel’s willingness to drawdown troops from Gaza before the new US President Barack Obama takes office officially on Tuesday Jan 20.
Press TV
Monday, Jan 19, 2009
Israeli naval gunship vessels have violated the uneasy truce with Hamas, opening fire at the western coast of northern Gaza Strip.
Palestinian residents living at the western coast of northern Gaza City said Israeli naval gunship vessels opened fire at their houses in western Gaza Strip on Monday morning, AFP reported.
No casualties have been reported yet.
The breach of the ceasefire comes as many Palestinians are returning to their town while most houses are completely razed to the ground due to the 22-day massive air strikes by Israel.
Hamas announced a week-long ceasefire in response to Israel seeking to unilaterally end its war without having achieved any of the objectives it had previously sought.
The Hamas ceasefire will be in effect for one week, allowing Israeli troops to withdraw from the impoverished territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared on Sunday Israel’s willingness to drawdown troops from Gaza before the new US President Barack Obama takes office officially on Tuesday Jan 20.
95 Palestinian fighters killed in Gaza war
Press TV
Monday, Jan 19, 2009
A Palestinian human rights group has revealed that only 95 resistance fighters were killed in the 23-day Israeli offensive into Gaza.
From the 1194 Gazans officially registered as killed in Israeli attacks from December 27 to January 17, a whopping 1099 were civilians, the Gaza-based Palestinian center for human rights reported on Sunday.
Only 95 of those killed were resistance fighters.
Israel unleashed its Operation Cast Lead on Gaza on December 27 allegedly to halt Hamas from targeting Israel and to destroy the Palestinian resistance group.
The 19th day of the Gaza carnage saw Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni state an objective different from the one echelons in Tel Aviv has previously announced.
Livni claimed that despite the assertions of many officials in Tel Aviv, Operation Cast Lead “was never about destroying Hamas”.
“Our aim was to restore our deterrence capability. They will think twice before they dare to fire the next rocket at Israel,” she explained.
After 23 days of fighting, Israel announced a unilateral truce without having achieved any of the objectives announced for the attack on the strip.
The Israeli onslaught on Gaza has cost the Palestinian economy at least $1.6 billion.
A governmental report on the war revealed on Monday that Israel reduced some 4,000 residential buildings to rubble and damaged 16,000 other houses during the conflict.
Since the cessation of the hostilities, at least 100 bodies have been recovered from the rubbles. The number of those killed in Israeli attacks has been put at around 1,300, according to the latest statistics.
Nearly 6,000 Gazans have been injured in the attacks.
Press TV
Monday, Jan 19, 2009
A Palestinian human rights group has revealed that only 95 resistance fighters were killed in the 23-day Israeli offensive into Gaza.
From the 1194 Gazans officially registered as killed in Israeli attacks from December 27 to January 17, a whopping 1099 were civilians, the Gaza-based Palestinian center for human rights reported on Sunday.
Only 95 of those killed were resistance fighters.
Israel unleashed its Operation Cast Lead on Gaza on December 27 allegedly to halt Hamas from targeting Israel and to destroy the Palestinian resistance group.
The 19th day of the Gaza carnage saw Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni state an objective different from the one echelons in Tel Aviv has previously announced.
Livni claimed that despite the assertions of many officials in Tel Aviv, Operation Cast Lead “was never about destroying Hamas”.
“Our aim was to restore our deterrence capability. They will think twice before they dare to fire the next rocket at Israel,” she explained.
After 23 days of fighting, Israel announced a unilateral truce without having achieved any of the objectives announced for the attack on the strip.
The Israeli onslaught on Gaza has cost the Palestinian economy at least $1.6 billion.
A governmental report on the war revealed on Monday that Israel reduced some 4,000 residential buildings to rubble and damaged 16,000 other houses during the conflict.
Since the cessation of the hostilities, at least 100 bodies have been recovered from the rubbles. The number of those killed in Israeli attacks has been put at around 1,300, according to the latest statistics.
Nearly 6,000 Gazans have been injured in the attacks.