An international rights group on Monday said Israel's destruction of four high-rise buildings in the course of its offensive on the Gaza Strip may amount to war crimes.
"The Israeli military’s airstrikes that destroyed four high-rise buildings in Gaza City during the May 2021 fighting apparently violated the laws of war and may amount to war crimes," Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement.
The New York-based rights group denied Israel's allegations that Palestinian armed groups used these buildings for "military purposes" and said Israel "provided no evidence to support those allegations."
“The apparently unlawful Israeli strikes on four high-rise towers in Gaza City caused serious, lasting harm for countless Palestinians who lived, worked, shopped, or benefitted from businesses based there," Richard Weir, HRW's crisis and conflict researcher, said.
“The Israeli military should publicly produce the evidence that it says it relied on to carry out these attacks,” he added.
HRW said it found no evidence that members of Palestinian groups involved in military operations had a current or long-term presence in any of the towers at the time they were attacked.
The United Nations reported that Israel killed 260 people in Gaza, at least 129 of them civilians, including 66 children. The Gaza authorities also said 2,400 housing units were made uninhabitable along with the destruction of over 2,000 industrial, trade and service facilities across the seaside territory.
“Throughout the May hostilities, unlawful Israeli strikes not only killed many civilians, but also destroyed high-rise towers, wiping out scores of businesses and homes, upending the lives of thousands of Palestinians,” Weir said, adding that donors funding can't alone rebuild Gaza but requires an end to the ongoing blockade imposed on the Palestinian territory.
Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007, badly affecting livelihood in the seaside enclave.
* Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara
