28 dec 2012
Justice Ministry: Human Rights Watch's report on aggression is unfair
GAZA, (PIC)-- Dr. Mazen Haniyeh, Palestinian Minister of Justice, said that the report of Human Rights Watch, which accused the Palestinians of violating the international law by firing rockets towards the Israeli entity, was not fair, but it Justifies targeting civilians by the Israeli occupation.
Haniyeh described the report issued by the International Organization as "non-neutral, giving an excuse to the occupier, noting that the reports of this organization are not transparent and objective."
The minister stated that the report gives justification to the Israeli crimes during the recent aggression, as the targeting of Dalu family which was an absolute violation to the international law that considers targeting civilians as a war crime and a crime against humanity.
He expressed his surprise by considering the resistance as military target even if he is at home, noting that all the settlers are occupying the Palestinian territories and belong to a military institution.
The resistance is doing its role in defending the Palestinian people and they did not start the attack, by contrast the occupation army started the aggression by bombing civilians and children in their homes, he said.
The Palestinian minister pointed out that resistance does not targeting civilians, but it defends the Palestinian people by targeting the occupation forces and Israeli military targets.
Justice Ministry: Human Rights Watch's report on aggression is unfair
GAZA, (PIC)-- Dr. Mazen Haniyeh, Palestinian Minister of Justice, said that the report of Human Rights Watch, which accused the Palestinians of violating the international law by firing rockets towards the Israeli entity, was not fair, but it Justifies targeting civilians by the Israeli occupation.
Haniyeh described the report issued by the International Organization as "non-neutral, giving an excuse to the occupier, noting that the reports of this organization are not transparent and objective."
The minister stated that the report gives justification to the Israeli crimes during the recent aggression, as the targeting of Dalu family which was an absolute violation to the international law that considers targeting civilians as a war crime and a crime against humanity.
He expressed his surprise by considering the resistance as military target even if he is at home, noting that all the settlers are occupying the Palestinian territories and belong to a military institution.
The resistance is doing its role in defending the Palestinian people and they did not start the attack, by contrast the occupation army started the aggression by bombing civilians and children in their homes, he said.
The Palestinian minister pointed out that resistance does not targeting civilians, but it defends the Palestinian people by targeting the occupation forces and Israeli military targets.
- 15 nov 2012
Four Israelis killed by Qassam rockets "Kiryat Malachi"
GAZA,(PIC)-- At least four Israelis were killed and two others were seriously injured in a bombing carried out by al-Qassam Brigades on Thursday morning, in "Kiryat Malachi" in response of the assassination of al-Qassam Brigades commander Ahmed Jabari yesterday.
According to Hebrew radio, "southern Israel" was exposed to what it called "heavy bombardment"; where an Israeli building of four floors in "Kiryat Malachi" (about 40 kilometers from the Gaza Strip) was subjected to bombardment of direct Palestinian rockets, which resulted in the killing of four settlers and the injuring of others critically.
Meanwhile, Israeli public transportation vehicles in the occupied region of the Negev witnessed an overcrowding, where thousands of Israelis started to flee from the occupied Negev region to escape from the Palestinian resistance's rockets, where two hundred rockets were fired, causing injuries and panic among the Israelis.
The Israeli railway company was forced according to the Hebrew radio, to provide more trains on lines heading from southern Palestine to central Palestines, after the resistance escalation in targeting new areas, particularly "Tel Aviv."
The company was also forced to use additional buses to help university students to have access to their places of residence, after the study was suspended in all Israeli educational institutions of in the Negev.
In the same context more than thirty-five Israelis were injured, where they were taken to the hospital, due to the resistance missiles, in addition to damaging properties in some Israeli communities.
In the same time, the Israeli Department of Homeland Security directed the residents of areas adjacent to the Gaza to remain in the bunkers and shelters, and warned them not to go to their workplaces, while shopping centers will be closed.
Gaza rockets hit city near Tel Aviv
GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Rockets fired from Gaza reached an Israeli city near Tel Aviv on Thursday afternoon for the first time as cross-border violence continued for a second day.
Israel's army said a projectile hit an open area near Rishon Lezion, a city 12 km south of Tel Aviv. The Israeli daily Haaretz said two rockets had landed, but no casualties were reported.
Israeli media reports said the rocket came down near an amusement park in sand dunes on the edge of the city.
Hamas' armed wing the al-Qassam Brigades said it had fired two rockets in the vicinity of Tel Aviv. Israel's military said 245 rockets were fired at Israel since Wednesday.
Resistance fighters from different factions continued to claim responsibility for rockets fire at military sites and across the border Thursday as the death toll in Gaza reached 15.
A rocket fired from Gaza early Thursday struck an apartment building in southern Israel, killing three Israelis.
The al-Qassam Brigades, which vowed to respond to Israel's assassination of its top commander on Wednesday, said it fired rockets, mortars and missiles at Israeli military bases and sites in southern Israel.
The Popular Resistance Committees' an-Nasser Salah Addin Brigades fired grad rockets at Israeli sites, including an intelligence base and the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, the al-Quds Brigades, fired projectiles toward southern Israeli towns and military bases.
The National Resistance Brigades, Fatah-affiliated al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades the al-Umma army and the al-Mujahidin Brigades also said they fired cross-border rockets.
Gaza death toll reaches 15
The death toll in Gaza rose to 15 on Thursday as a Palestinian child succumbed to wounds sustained earlier and a man's body was found buried in the rubble of an Israeli airstrike.
Eighteen-month-old Walid al-Abadleh succumbed to his injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza early Thursday.
The body of a 52-year-old man was also pulled out of the rubble of an airstrike in the al-Amoudi area in the northern Gaza Strip.
Overall, medics say 15 Palestinians have died and 150 were injured in the 24 hours since Israel began a major escalation in Gaza and assassinated a senior Hamas military commander.
Earlier al-Qassam members Rami Hamad and Khaled Abu Nasr were killed in an airstrike east of Jabaliya refugee camp. Their bodies were taken to the Kamal Adwan hospital, medics told Ma'an.
Before that Israel killed a senior police official and two al-Qassam Brigade members.
A separate airstrike targeted the Shujaiyya area of Gaza City, injuring six Palestinians including three children and a pregnant woman, medics said. Another airstrike in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip injured four Palestinians including a woman.
On Wednesday evening, a pregnant woman, a 7-year-old boy and an 11-month-old baby were among at least eight Palestinians killed when Israel broke an Egypt-mediated truce by assassinating Hamas military commander Ahmad al-Jaabari.
Qassam Brigades launches rocket counterattack on Tel Aviv
GAZA, (PIC)-- A homemade rocket fired by Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, landed at a late hour Wednesday in the occupied city of Tel Aviv for the first time since Palestine came under occupation.
In a communiqué, the Brigades stated that at 11:57 pm yesterday, one of its rockets targeted Tel Aviv in response to Israel's crimes in Gaza and the assassination of its commander Ahmed Jabari.
"Al-Qassam Brigades has committed itself to turn the lives of the Zionists into hell and to make them regret the moment they thought of assassinating our brave leader, and the days are enough to prove we are right," its statement underscored.
US condemns Gaza rockets
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The United States on Wednesday condemned rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel and expressed "regret" over the deaths and injury of innocents.
"We support Israel’s right to defend itself, and we encourage Israel to continue to take every effort to avoid civilian casualties," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement.
"There is no justification for the violence that Hamas and other terrorist organizations are employing against the people of Israel. We call on those responsible to stop these cowardly acts immediately," he said.
"Hamas claims to have the best interests of the Palestinian people at heart, yet it continues to engage in violence that is counterproductive to the Palestinian cause.
Toner added: "Attacking Israel on a near daily basis does nothing to help Palestinians in Gaza or to move the Palestinian people any closer to achieving self determination."
The United States provides Israel about $3 billion per year in assistance, much of it for weapons.
Washington suspended civilian aid to the Palestinians in 2011.
Peres briefs Obama
Earlier, Israeli President Shimon Peres briefed US President Barack Obama about Israel's killing of a Hamas military commander in Gaza, saying the man was a "mass-murderer".
Peres told Obama that the killing of Hamas' Ahmad al-Jaabari was Israel's response to a surge in cross-border Palestinian rocket and mortar salvoes from Gaza.
"Israel is not interested in stoking the flames, but for the past five days there has been constant missile fire at Israel and mothers and children cannot sleep quietly at night," Peres was quoted as telling Obama.
"There is a limit to what Israel can absorb," said Peres, who visited the Israeli border town of Sderot on Wednesday.
As a presidential candidate in 2008, Obama came to Sderot and voiced sympathy with residents under threat of rocket attack from nearby Gaza. He raised that visit during his successful campaign for re-election this month, after being accused by Republican rival Mitt Romney of being soft on Israel's security.
Obama speaks to Israel, Egypt leaders about Gaza violence
Canada 'condemns Hamas, stands with Israel'
Israeli army denies rocket attack on Tel Aviv
Explosion, air raid sirens heard in Tel Aviv for first time since Gulf War
A picture taken from the southern Israeli town of Sderot shows a rocket being launched from the Gaza strip into Israel
The sound of an explosion and air raid sirens have been heard in Tel Aviv. There are no reports of injuries or damage, according to Israeli Army Radio.
A siren warning residents of incoming rockets was heard in the Tel Aviv area at around 6:45pm on Thursday. An explosion was reportedly heard shortly after.
Conflicting reports say that a rocket hit off the area of Jaffa Beach, south of Tel Aviv, according to AFP. Islamic Jihad has already claimed responsibility for the attack, Ynetnews reports.
However, an Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson says a rocket has not struck the area.
Today marks the first time air raid sirens were set off in Tel Aviv since the 1991 Gulf War.
The news comes shortly after a rocket from Gaza hit Rishon LeZion, a city located just nine miles from Tel Aviv.
No injuries were reported from the previous strike.
Rishon LeZion, a city of 200,000 people, is Israel's fourth largest city.
The rocket reportedly set off an air raid siren in the city.
The area is located just nine miles from Tel Aviv, and is Israel's fourth largest city.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike on its Twitter account.
Israel and Hamas have exchanged fire for a second day in a row, after Israel opened strikes on Gaza on Wednesday, killing the commander of the Hamas military wing.
Since then, Israel has reportedly hit more than 200 targets in Gaza. Hamas has responded by firing rockets at Israel.
The exchanges have resulted in a number of casualties on both sides. Three people have been killed and several dozens injured in Israel while in Gaza, at least 13 people have been killed and over 100 injured.
The strike comes some 17 hours after Hamas’ armed wing claimed to have shelled Tel Aviv.
Israeli Defense Forces denied the report.
Israel says footage shows targeting Fajr missiles
(1:44) Hamas Hides Fajr-5 Rocket in Underground Launch Site in Gaza
16 nov 2012, 16:13 , Respect -
Maria 16 nov 2012
TWITTER
MohammedQudaih SOME ISRAELI MEDIA CONFIRM .. THEY LOOSE F16 WARPLANE,, AND ALSO THE 2PILOTES
Samah Saleh unconfirmed : pilots of the F16s that was downed by the Palestinian resistance might be in the Gaza sea
Palestinianism: Photo of the Israel F16 Jet that was targeted by Palestinian Resistance in Gaza fucking amazing
LinahAlsaafin: Reports that an f-16 israeli fighter jet shot down in khan younis
Nader Elkhuzundar photo was taken june 26, 2012. HERE'S PROOF
17 nov 2012, 12:40 , Respect -
Maria 17 nov 2012
Downing Isareli aerial vehicle?
Qassam Brigades: We downed an Israeli warplane west of central Gaza
GAZA, (PIC)-- Hamas's armed wing Al-Qassam Brigades said it shot down on Friday evening an Israeli warplane with a surface-to-air missile.
In a communiqué, Al-Qassam Brigades added that that the warplane fell west of the central Gaza Strip where a search was conducted to look for the wreckage and the bodies of the pilots.
It noted that other Israeli warplanes intensively bombed the area where the jet fighter fell to prevent the resistance from approaching the scene.
Later, the Israeli army also announced officially that it lost contact with two pilots who were bombing Palestinian targets in Gaza.
There is yet no confirmation of the news from a third party.
Three Palestinian rockets hit southern Israeli city of Ashdod
Three Palestinian rockets have hit the city of Ashdod in southern Israel, which has been declared a closed military zone by the Zionist regime.
Be'er Tuvia has also come under Palestinian missile attack again as Channel 10 of Israeli TV says the Iron Dome missile shield has intercepted 230 out of 670 missiles so far fired from Gaza.
Four Israeli soldiers wounded in Gaza rocket fire
At least four Israeli soldiers have been wounded by rockets fired by Palestinian resistance fighters in the Gaza Strip as Tel Aviv regime continues its attacks against the blockaded region.
The Israeli military said that the incident took place on Saturday when the Palestinian rocket hit the Eshkol regional council in the northwestern Negev.
"They were inside a building at the time," an Israeli military source said.
"At 10:00 a.m. (0800 GMT), the Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades hit the Reim -- an Israeli settlement in the Eshkol regional council -- with five mortar shells," Hamas announced, without elaborating.
Three Israelis also were killed and 19 others, including three soldiers, wounded by Palestinian rockets on Thursday.
Israel’s missile shield known as the Iron Dome has so far been able to intercept only 220 of 650 missiles fired from the Gaza Strip into the occupied lands.
The Palestinian resistance fighters have fired missiles and rockets toward Israeli cities in retaliation to Tel Aviv's deadly attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The new wave of Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip has claimed at least 41 lives since November 14.
Gaza gov't: UN and European officials contacted us for a truce with Israel
GAZA, (PIC)-- The Palestinian government in Gaza said it received contacts from the UN and European countries appealing for a truce with the Israeli regime and to listen to its demands in this regard.
Al-Jazeera net quoted a Palestinian official in Gaza as saying that senior officials from the European Union and the UN contacted Hamas at home and abroad to know its position towards a truce with Israel.
Al-Jazeera noted that it seemed that Israel appealed to these parties to contact Hamas to calm the situation.
The Palestinian official affirmed that Hamas told the UN and European mediators that any truce with Gaza must be protected by safeguards including an end to the blockade, the assassinations, and all hostilities against Gaza.
The official pointed out that Hamas started to discuss this calm overture with other resistance factions to form a united position in this regard.
In a related context, Israel's channel 10 reported that the state of alert were heightened to its maximum level in all Israeli hospitals after about five million Israelis became vulnerable to Palestinian rocket attacks.
Palestinian natives from occupied Jerusalem said in this regard that wide evacuation of Israeli settlers and tourists started to take place in the holy city and hotel reservations were canceled after the fall of a Palestinian rocket on an Israeli target to the north of Jerusalem on Friday evening.
For its part, the Hebrew radio affirmed that sirens sounded across Jerusalem and its vicinity after a Palestinian rocket landed there, but it did not disclose the area it hit.
An Israeli military official told the radio that there were no casualties or property damage in the targeted area.
The Hebrew radio also affirmed that two other Palestinian rockets fell in Tel Aviv without any reported damage or casualties.
Al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas had claimed its responsibility for firing two M-75 rockets on Israeli targets in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
US journalist working for World Daily News network named Aaron Klein said on his twitter page that he ran to the shelter when the sirens went off, claiming that he know where the Palestinian rocket fell.
He added that the rocket hit an important site, but the Israeli police asked him not to report further details.
For its part, Israel National News network reported that the Israeli authorities have been embarking since Wednesday on rehousing Jewish settlers in other settlements in the West Bank temporarily after the settlements they were living in were exposed to Palestinian rocket attacks.
The network added that some Israeli settlers became perplexed where to go after they fled to vulnerable areas they had thought they would be safer like Tel Aviv.
The Palestinian resistance in Gaza initiated its rocket counterattacks on Israel after the later escalated its hostilities against Gaza and killed a senior military official of Hamas last Wednesday.
The Palestinian resistance, before the current tension, had always showed restraint towards many persistent Israeli violations in Gaza, including the assassination of resistance figures, the harassment and killing of farmers and fishermen, and daily small-scale military incursions.
Dissecting IDF propaganda: The numbers behind the rocket attacks
22 nov 2012, 22:12 , Respect -
Maria 22 nov 2012
Army: Air sirens 'false alarm', no rockets Thursday
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Rocket warning sirens that sounded in south Israel on Thursday morning were a false alarm, Israel's army said.
No rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip since 10 p.m. Wednesday, an hour after a truce deal came into effect, a military spokeswoman said.
Israel and Hamas agreed to an Egyptian-sponsored ceasefire on Wednesday to halt an eight-day conflict around the Gaza Strip that has killed some 170 Palestinians and five Israelis.
Israeli police said 12 rockets landed in open areas after 9 p.m. and caused neither damage or casualties.
Al-Qassam: occupation was forced to raise the white flag
GAZA, (PIC)-- The Martyr Izz el-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement "Hamas", declared that they fired during the battle of "Shale stones", which lasted for eight days, 1573 rockets, noting that a number of them were used for the first time.
The Brigades clarified that they fired six M-75 homemade long-range missiles, and used six Fajr-5 long-range rockets, one of which was to Herzliya, three toward occupied Jerusalem, seven towards the city of "Tel Aviv", and one was toward Beersheba.
Hamas armed wing noted that they targeted Israeli airplanes, gunboats and tanks. "For the first time we used homemade long-range missiles that reached up to 80 km," they said.
"For the first time in the conflict they reached... Tel Aviv and occupied Jerusalem and forced the occupation to raise a white flag," the Brigades added.
After the end of military censorship on the Israeli media, prominent leaders in the Israeli entity launched a widespread criticism campaign against the military failure of the occupation forces.
"The announcement of the truce means that" Israel "raised the white flag and surrendered to terrorism," MK Aryeh Eldad said, adding that "Netanyahu asked the Israeli army to leave, as a slavish and spaniel dog."
MK Michael Ben Ari called on the head of the Israeli government, Benjamin Netanyahu, to resign after his failure to manage the recent aggression on Gaza, accusing him of "dragging Israel into failure."
The head of the Israeli opposition, Shaul Mofaz, stated that "Hamas won in this round and Israel was the biggest loser", adding that instead of destroying Hamas, Netanyahu government ended the campaign without achieving any of its objectives, calling on Netanyahu to resign.
A wide demonstration was organized last night in Ashdod and Sderot, calling on Netanyahu to resign and saying that what happened was a catastrophic failure of the Israeli government.
24 nov 2012, 20:42 , Respect -
Maria 22 nov 2012
Hamas declares victory against Israel's aggression, citizens celebrate
GAZA, (PIC)-- The Hamas Movement declared the victory over the Israeli occupation regime in the war and said Israel was forced to accept the truce agreement under the terms set by the Palestinian resistance.
This came in a news conference held on Wednesday evening by Hamas spokesmen Sami Abu Zuhri and Fawzi Barhoum at Shifa hospital in Gaza in the presence of massive crowds of citizens.
Spokesman Abu Zuhri said the Palestinian people and their resistance made victory in this war and taught the occupation an unforgettable lesson.
Following the news conference, many Palestinians in Gaza took to the streets celebrating the victory on Wednesday night.
Amid celebratory gunfire, Palestinian young men were beeping their car horns and setting off fireworks.
For its part, Hamas information office published the contents of the truce deal that was announced by the Egyptian foreign minister a few hours before it took hold on Wednesday at 09:00 pm according to Cairo local time.
According to this agreement, Israel is to halt all hostilities against Gaza by land, sea and air including incursions and the targeting of people and property.
The Palestinian resistance factions are also to halt all hostile activities against Israel including the launch of rocket attacks on Israeli targets.
24 hours after the ceasefire takes effect, the Israeli side will be committed to the opening of all crossings and the easing of restrictions on movement of people and goods from and into the Strip.
Both parties to the agreement gave guarantees to Egypt about their commitment to the truce and its understandings and to refer to it as the sponsor of this deal if there were any remarks or violations.
Haneyya hails truce deal as triumph for Palestinian people
GAZA, (PIC)-- Palestinian premier Ismail Haneyya hailed the Egyptian-brokered truce agreement between the Palestinian resistance and Israel and described it as a triumph for the Palestinian people.
"We congratulate our people on this victory after the Palestinian people and their valiant resistance proved their outstanding ability to withstand, create and be patient, while the Umma showed its support for our people and that they were not alone." Haneyya said in a press release on Wednesday evening.
"We assert that we are satisfied with this honorable agreement," he added.
The premier expressed his appreciation for the Palestinian resistance for the death defiance and the courage they showed as they were defending their people in Gaza.
He also thanked the Egyptian leadership for its active efforts that ended the Israeli aggression against Gaza and for its unlimited support for the Palestinian people.
Mashaal: The resistance achieved victory over the Israeli regime
CAIRO, (PIC)-- Head of Hamas's political bureau Khaled Mashaal said the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip had achieved victory over the Israeli occupation regime and forced it to yield to its truce terms.
"We have reached understandings brokered by Egypt to have a truce and a ceasefire with specifics points and demands," Mashaal told a news conference in the presence of senior leaders from the Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza.
He stressed that the Israeli war objectives failed and the Palestinian rocket counterattacks continued until the last moment before the truce started to take effect.
The Hamas official stressed that the Israeli regime tried during its bargaining process to make the Palestinian resistance cease fire first without discussing its demands, but the resistance refused that and insisted on the need for concluding a package deal including its demands.
The official added that the resistance insisted on the need for an Israeli pledge to ease its blockade and to stop the killing and assassination of Palestinian figures and civilians in Gaza as well as its military incursions by land, sea and air.
"We feel pain for the fall of victims, but we ended the battle holding our heads high, and this was one round and would be followed by others. Inevitably, Israel is going to lose; every victory always begets another victory and every defeat begets another defeat," he underscored.
24 nov 2012, 20:42 , Respect -
Maria 22 nov 2012
Israeli soldier dies of injuries sustained in rocket attack
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israel on Thursday said an Israeli soldier from Netanya died after being injured by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip a day earlier.
Boris Yarmulnik, 28, from Netanya, died of his wounds after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit the Eshkol Regional Council Wednesday afternoon, army statement said.
It said the family of the officer has been notified.
24 nov 2012, 20:42 , Respect -
Maria 24 nov 2012
Hamas: Ceasefire deal does not include end to arms smuggling
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – The ceasefire agreement signed Wednesday with Israel did not include a commitment by Egypt to prevent smuggling of arms into the Gaza Strip, a senior Hamas leader said.
Izzat al-Rishiq wrote on his Facebook page Saturday that “it is not true, as some claim, that the agreement included that Egypt will work with special US units to prevent smuggling of weapons into Gaza.”
He added: “These are Israeli rumors aimed to ease the impact of defeat.”
Al-Rishiq was referring to reports in Israeli and Western media that Israel secured a commitment from the US to help stop weapons smuggling into Gaza.
In the text of the agreement circulated last week to reporters in Cairo, clauses include an end to hostilities from both sides but there is no mention of arms smuggling.
6 dec 2012, 10:51 , Respect -
Maria 5 dec 2012
The Islamic Jihad calls for confronting the Israeli attacks with resistance
RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine has warned the Israeli occupation authorities of the continuation of its war and aggression against the Palestinian people, land and holy sites.
This came after the Israeli occupation announced the launch of the construction of thousands of new settlement units, and the demolition of al-Mafkara mosque in the east of Yatta, in al-Khalil southern the occupied West Bank.
The movement said in a statement on Wednesday: "These aggressive policies demonstrate the continuous intentions of the occupation to kill citizens and expand the settlements at the expense of the Palestinian people, land and holy places."
It emphasized that the occupation's attempts to dominate the land, displace the people, and confiscate the rights, will fail and called for confronting and responding to the Israeli aggressive policies with the resistance.
The Islamic Jihad also stressed that the Palestinian people will not remain silent facing the aggression waged on the West Bank and Jerusalem and on any part of the Palestinian land.
24 dec 2012, 23:51 , Respect -
Maria 24 dec 2012
Human Rights Watch: Palestinian Rockets Unlawfully Targeted Israeli Civilians
Human Rights Watch (HRW) revealed in a report published on its website that Palestinian groups in Gaza violated the laws of war during the November 2012 fighting by launching hundreds of rockets toward population centres in Israel.
According to Israeli Occupation Forces, about 1,500 rockets were fired at Israel between November 14 and 21. At least 800 struck Israel, including 60 that hit populated areas.
Human Rights Watch also revealed that the rocket attacks, including the first from Gaza to strike the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem areas, killed three Israeli civilians, wounded at least 38, several seriously, and destroyed civilian property. Rockets that fell short of their intended targets in Israel apparently killed at least two Palestinians in Gaza and wounded others.
According to Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, "Palestinian armed groups made clear in their statements that harming civilians was their aim," She continued, "There is simply no legal justification for launching rockets at populated areas."
HRW stated that under international humanitarian law, or the laws of war, civilians and civilian structures may not be subject to deliberate attacks or attacks that do not discriminate between civilians and military targets.
"Anyone who commits serious laws-of-war violations intentionally or recklessly is responsible for war crimes."
HRW said its research in Gaza found that the groups "repeatedly fired rockets from densely populated areas, near homes, businesses, and a hotel, unnecessarily placing civilians in the vicinity at grave risk from Israeli counter-fire."
"The laws of war prohibit reprisal attacks against civilians, regardless of unlawful attacks by the other side," HRW said, "Statements by armed groups that they deliberately targeted an Israeli city or Israeli civilians are demonstrating their intent to commit war crimes."
it's worth mentioning that the Israeli occupation forces during the latest Israeli aggression on Gaza violated all types of international and human rights laws by targeting civilians and civilian structures in the Gaza Strip.
In addition to, a day after the Israeli authorities signed a cease fire truce with Hamas and the other political factions in Gaza, Israel violated the truce by killing and injuring several Palestinians.
The death and injury toll of Palestinians during November 2012 was 190 martyrs and more than 1500 injured including children and women.
25 dec 2012, 23:50 , Respect -
Maria 24 dec 2012
Al-Qassam Brigades confirm targeting Israeli soldiers
GAZA, (PIC)-- Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, confirmed that its operations represent response to the massacres committed by Israeli occupation against innocent civilians, houses and civilian facilities in Gaza.
The media spokesman for the Qassam Brigades, "Abu Obeida", said in a statement via his Twitter page, in response to the allegations by some human rights organizations accusing the brigades of committing war crimes, "We do not have modern and accurate weapons enabling us to strictly bomb military targets."
He noted in his statement that the Qassam Brigades have been aiming at Israeli soldiers and their sites and military bases, and denied Israeli claims that the resistance is targeting civilians.
The Human Rights Watch organization has accused the Palestinian resistance of targeting civilian areas in the 1948- occupied territories during the latest aggression on Gaza.
25 dec 2012, 23:50 , Respect -
Maria 25 dec 2012
Abu Mujahed: Human rights watch is blatantly biased in favor of Israel
GAZA, (PIC)-- Spokesman for the Palestinian resistance committees Abu Mujahed condemned the report of the human rights watch on the resistance rocket attacks on Israeli targets as blatantly biased in favor of the Israeli regime.
In a press release on Tuesday, Abu Mujahed said that the human rights watch equalized between the victims and the executioner and deliberately ignored the nature of the Palestinian struggle against the Israeli occupation.
"Our people are seeking to restore their homeland," the spokesman emphasized.
"Our resistance of the Zionist occupation is a legitimate inalienable right guaranteed by all laws and norms, and such organization claiming its defense of human rights was supposed to stand by our cause of freedom and liberation from the obnoxious racist Zionist occupation," he added.
He also highlighted that the Palestinian resistance uses every weapon in its hand to repel the death that comes from the Israeli regime which had embarked on targeting innocent people in their homes and on the streets in full view of the whole world during the last war on Gaza.