AN international human rights organisation says Israel is pressing ahead with a ‘systematic policy of targeting civilians’ in the Gaza Strip, including bombardment of shelter centres for displaced people and areas designated as humanitarian zones by the United Nations.
The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, in a report on Tuesday, said that by specifically targeting UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) schools, Israel ‘deliberately’ aims to hinder security and deny displaced Palestinians, who are protected by international humanitarian law, stability or temporary shelter.
‘By targeting UNRWA schools functioning as shelter centres, Israeli bombing tactics demonstrate a deliberate policy intended to prevent security across the entire Gaza Strip and deny displaced Palestinians stability or shelter, even if that shelter is only temporary,’ the Geneva-based monitor said in its report.
Euro-Med said that since the early hours of Tuesday, there have been four reported instances of Israeli strikes targeting shelter facilities, which resulted in several killings and injuries, mostly women and children.
On Tuesday afternoon, Israeli aircraft bombed the Nadi Al-Jazeera shelter centre, west of Gaza City, killing one displaced person and injuring others.
Eight displaced Palestinians were also killed on Tuesday morning when Israeli aircraft targeted the Abdel Fattah Hammoud School in central Gaza through a bombing operation.
Meanwhile, Israeli aircraft bombed the UNRWA-run ‘Asmaa C’ school in al-Shati camp near Gaza City at dawn, which had been previously targeted on June 7th. The Tuesday bombing resulted in the deaths of eleven more displaced individuals, including five women and four children, the report went on to say.
Euro-Med added that the Israeli military planes carried out an airstrike on the UNRWA-operated ‘Industry’ facility on June 23, which resulted in the deaths of four humanitarian aid workers and injuries of several displaced individuals.
‘All UNRWA schools’ shelter centres were set on fire and destroyed by Israeli forces during last month’s invasion of Jabalia and its refugee camp,’ Euro-Med said.
‘Targeting shelter centres flying the UN flag and housing displaced persons, as well as eliminating entire families, confirms that the Israeli military is continuing to violate the principles of distinction, necessity, proportionality, and is refusing to take any precautions to prevent civilian deaths.’
Israel is already facing international condemnation for disregarding a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.
The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza and has issued a ruling ordering the regime to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah. Over one million Palestinians had sought refuge in the city before it was invaded on May 6th.
Over eight months into Israel’s US-backed genocide, extensive areas of Gaza are now in ruins due to a severe blockade on essential supplies such as food, clean water, and medicine.
At least 37,658 people have been killed and 86,237 others wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7th.
Meanwhile, Norway’s largest pension fund has announced that it will no longer invest in US industrial group Caterpillar, citing concerns that the company’s equipment is used by Israel in its genocidal war on the besieged Gaza Strip.
The Oslo-based KLP made the announcement yesterday, saying the decision to divest from Caterpillar was made due to the risk that the manufacturer’s bulldozers and other heavy machinery may be contributing to human rights violations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The company noted that its equipment has been used ‘to demolish Palestinian homes and infrastructure to clear the way for Israeli settlements.’
The latest development came a week after the United Nations office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights mentioned Caterpillar among a number of corporations supplying Israel with military equipment, urging investors with stakes in these companies to ‘take action’.
There is no doubt that Israel will continue to get away with mass murder unless the UK, the US and the EU trade unions take general strike action to enforce a complete boycott of Israel. The time has come for action. The trade unions must call a general strike!