HRW: Israel illegally attacks Gaza school shelters with US ammunition

HRW: Israel illegally attacks Gaza school shelters with US ammunition

The Israeli army has used American ammunition “illegally and indiscriminately” to attack school shelters in Gaza, claiming hundreds of lives, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). The report, titled “Gaza: Israeli airstrikes on schools increase risk to civilians,” was released on Thursday. Since the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, the majority of Gaza's 2.1 million people have been left homeless as many are forced to leave their neighborhoods in search of civilian infrastructure.

Attacks on schools and civilian facilities

Israel has repeatedly stressed that its attacks on school buildings in Gaza target encircled Hamas fighters. However, HRW found only seven cases in which the military released details of militants allegedly killed, and highlighted two airstrikes that killed nearly 50 people without proving a military target. Such attacks constitute a violation of international law, as schools and other educational institutions are civilian objects and are therefore subject to protection from attacks unless they are used for military purposes or occupied by armed forces. However, using schools to accommodate civilians does not change their legal status.

Call for an arms embargo

HRW called on the US and other governments to stop selling weapons to Israel because there is a “clear risk” that these weapons could be used to commit or facilitate “serious violations” of international humanitarian law. Washington's support for Israel makes the US "complicit" in the lawful use of these weapons, the organization reported.

Reports of civilian suffering

Gerry Simpson, a senior fellow at HRW, said in the report: "Israeli attacks on schools where displaced families seek refuge provide a glimpse of the widespread carnage wrought by Israeli forces in Gaza." Simpson added: “Other governments should not tolerate this heinous massacre of Palestinians who are simply seeking safety.”

The Israeli Defense Force's perspective

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was operating “solely out of military necessity and in strict accordance with international law.” They noted that the report "grossly overlooks" that Hamas systematically places its military assets beneath and in close proximity to densely populated civilian areas and exploits civilian infrastructure for terrorist purposes. The IDF further stated that it is well documented that Hamas uses schools and UNRWA facilities for military activities, including the establishment of military networks within schools.

The impact on the civilian population

Israeli attacks on school shelters in Gaza have reportedly left at least 836 Palestinians dead and injured another 2,527 people, HRW said on July 18, citing the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). HRW has investigated two such attacks in which US munitions were used. The organization reviewed satellite images, photos and videos of the attacks, as well as social media and interviews with eyewitnesses.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza

The allegations echo repeated warnings from human rights groups that Israel's 22-month bombardment and siege have left large swathes of the Gaza Strip uninhabitable. HRW said attacks on school housing have reduced access to shelter, exacerbated reconstruction challenges and disrupted education among a pre-war population of more than 2.2 million people, half of whom are under 18. At least 97% of schools in Gaza have suffered damage, the UNICEF-led education cluster reported.

Outlook and future in Gaza

The UN said reconstruction work in Gaza could last until 2040. The destruction is so extensive that it requires external assistance, the likes of which have not been seen since 1948. As of Wednesday, at least 61,158 Palestinians have died in Gaza, while at least 193 people, including 96 children, have died of starvation. A Palestinian student told CNN that days at university gave way to a brutal struggle for survival, marked by repeated displacement and acute hunger. "The war came and destroyed everything," said Raghad Ezzat Hamouda, 20, adding: "Gaza has become uninhabitable. There are no houses, no schools, no universities, no infrastructure... just ashes."