On May 10, 2021
eleven days of hostilities began between the Israeli military and Palestinian armed groups
including Hamas, in the Gaza Strip and Israel.
The fighting took place amid escalating repression in occupied East Jerusalem
and the prolonged closure of the Gaza Strip.
These policies and practices reflect the Israeli government’s crimes
against humanity of apartheid and persecution.
Human Rights Watch conducted in-depth investigations
into three Israeli strikes that killed 62 Palestinian civilians
and involved serious violations of the laws of war and apparent war crimes.
In the northeastern corner of the Gaza Strip outside Beit Hanoun town
shortly after 6 p.m. on May 10
a guided missile struck near four houses
belonging to the extended al-Masri family.
Members of the family were packing processed barley
for animal feed into sacks at the time.
My brother Ibrahim and I were around 150-200 meters away
when they struck our children.
We were facing the events, we saw it with our own eyes
when they were hit.
I ran to them right away.
I found our children scattered.
They were scattered on the floor
ripped to pieces, blood and brain fragments.
Israeli authorities have said
that the attack involved a misfired Palestinian rocket coming from the west
but have produced no evidence to back up this claim.
Witnesses saw a munition approaching them from the east
from Israel.
Based on munition remnants found at the scene of the attack
and witnesses' descriptions
we determined that the 6 children and 2 adults were most likely killed
by a type of guided missile used to attack military vehicles or personnel in the open.
Six days after the attack
the Israeli authorities also included the photo of one man killed
in the Beit Hanoun attack on a list of militant group “activists”
they said had been killed in unspecified locations.
Human Rights Watch’s interviews with witnesses who knew him
indicate the man was a civilian.
Our research uncovered no evidence of a military target at or near the site.
We therefore found the attack to be unlawful.
It was a scene I could never expect.
Everyone cries and screams every day.
Do you know what my wife wants?
She wants me to sell the house.
She cannot accept how her children were all killed.
Al-Shati refugee camp
located northwest of Gaza City
is one of the most densely populated places in the world.
At about 1:40 a.m. on May 15
an Israeli airstrike destroyed a three-story building in the camp
killing two women and eight of their children.
I lived with my wife and 5 children in the house.
Our home was filled with love, peace and happiness.
We had been living here for 30 years.
There was no prior notice,
no phone call, no order to vacate.
That night I went to buy bread for dinner.
All of a sudden there were sounds of explosions in the area.
I found that my own home had been struck.
The Israeli military said it struck the building
because senior Hamas officials were there.
It also separately said
that they had targeted a bunker under or near the building.
None of the witnesses Human Rights Watch interviewed were aware of
any militants or other military targets in or near the building.
The Israeli authorities have presented no such evidence.
I had a reality, I had a dream here.
I had a family here.
Now I have no family and no home.
My only daughter and I are on the street.
They destroyed everything in my life.
They destroyed my life entirely.
At about 1 a.m. on May 16
the Israeli military launched a four-minute attack
in the heart of Gaza City along five streets
including al-Wahda Street
causing three multi-story residential buildings to collapse.
Me, my father and mother, and my brother and sister
we started hearing the sound of loud explosions.
After the second missile landed,
the house started to sway right and left
as if it were about to fall down and collapse.
I pulled my sister by the arm
towards the hallway and held her in order to shield her
and suddenly we saw the third missile coming from the window
and the hallway’s entire wall collapsed
and the whole floor suddenly disappeared
and everything fell on us.
And afterwards, the fourth missile came down on us.
and destroyed everything.
Human Rights Watch determined that the three buildings collapsed
after missiles struck the road or sidewalk next to the buildings.
The Israeli military said
that they targeted tunnels used by armed groups.
Later
they said the attack had targeted an underground command center
but without providing any details or evidence.
Why did they kill my family?
Why did they kill my father and mother?
Why did they turn me into an orphan?
Who will in the end give me justice?
The attacks killed 44 civilians
including 14 women
12 men
and 18 children.
It also injured about 50 others.
The Israeli military used powerful weapons
in a heavily populated residential area
putting the lives of scores of civilians at risk.
Since then
they have produced no evidence of a military target
in the vicinity to justify the attack.
If there was a military target
they have also not shown that it was important enough to justify the risk to civilians.
As a result
these attacks were unlawful.
The UN says that Israeli airstrikes in May
killed at least 129 civilians
including 66 children.
The Israeli military said that Palestinian armed groups in Gaza
fired more than 4,360 rockets and mortars
towards Israel between May 10 and 21
resulting in 12 civilian deaths
including 2 children.
Several Palestinians also died in Gaza
when rockets fired by armed groups fell short and landed in Gaza.
Rockets that Palestinian armed groups fire at Israel are inherently indiscriminate
when directed toward areas with civilians.
Their use in such circumstances violates the laws of war
and amounts to war crimes.
For years
Israeli and Palestinian authorities have systematically failed
to credibly investigate alleged war crimes.
The International Criminal Court prosecutor
should investigate Israeli attacks in Gaza
that evidently killed civilians unlawfully
rocket attacks by Palestinian armed groups against Israel
that violate the laws of war
and other grave abuses including the crimes
against humanity of apartheid and persecution.