this post was submitted on 10 Sep 2024

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'One of the most horrific massacres': Dozens killed in Israeli attack on Gaza 'humanitarian zone' (www.middleeasteye.net)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

98 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Israeli air strikes on a so-called "humanitarian zone" in southern Gaza's al-Mawasi killed at least 40 people on Tuesday, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The strikes targeted at least 20 tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in the coastal area near the city of Khan Younis.

Eyewitnesses told AFP that at least five rockets fell in the area, with emergency services saying the strikes created craters up to nine metres deep.

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[+] [email protected] -35 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (105 children)

https://stratcomcoe.org/cuploads/pfiles/hamas_human_shields.pdf

Hamas is an Islamist militant group based in the Gaza Strip, which has been designated by the US, the EU and other countries as a terrorist group. Hamas has been using human shields in conflicts with Israel since 2007. Although the definition of human shields is not consistent among states and inter-governmental organisations, the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) states the war crime of using human shields encompasses “utilizing the presence of a civilian or other protected person to render certain points, areas, or military forces immune from military operations.”1

Hamas relies on the Israeli government’s aim to minimise collateral damage, and is also aware of the West‘s sensitivity towards civilian casualties. Hamas’ use of human shields is therefore likely aimed at minimising their own vulnerabilities by limiting the Israeli Defense Forces’ (IDF) freedom of action. It is also aimed at gaining diplomatic and public opinion-related leverage, by presenting Israel and the IDF as an aggressor that indiscriminately strikes civilians.2

Hamas’ most common uses of human shields include:

Firing rockets, artillery, and mortars from or in proximity to heavily populated civilian areas, often from or near facilities which should be protected according to the Geneva Convention (e.g. schools, hospitals, or mosques).

Locating military or security-related infrastructures such as HQs, bases, armouries, access routes, lathes,3 or defensive positions within or in proximity to civilian areas.

Protecting terrorists’ houses and military facilities, or rescuing terrorists who were besieged or warned by the IDF.4

Combating the IDF from or in proximity to residential and commercial areas, including using civilians for intelligence gathering missions.

By engaging in these acts, Hamas employs a win-win scenario: if indeed the IDF uses kinetic power, and the number of civilian causalities surges, Hamas can use that as a weapon in the lawfare5 it conducts. It would be able to accuse the IDF (and Israel) of committing war crimes, which in turn could result in the imposition of a wide array of sanctions. On the other hand, if the IDF limits its use of military power in Gaza to avoid collateral damage, Hamas will be less vulnerable to Israeli attacks, and thereby able to protect its assets while continuing to fight.

Hamas’ growing strategic distress in the face of recent geopolitical developments will probably push the organisation towards a more pragmatic strategy in the near future. However, the movement is simultaneously preparing itself for yet another round of armed conflict with Israel. If this indeed happens, and in light of the success of the human shield practice, there is every reason to believe Hamas will continue resorting to the use of civilians as human shields.

Edit: FTA, since people think this is whataboutism :)

The Israeli army said it attacked a Hamas command centre "disguised in the humanitarian area in Khan Younis" and that "many steps were taken to reduce the chance of harming civilians, including the use of precision weaponry, aerial surveillance and additional intelligence information".

Edit 2: ITT Hamas? You mean Israel? If not obvious by this point, the effort is to discredit/downplay anything critical of Hamas, turn discussion about Hamas activities into whataboutisms towards Israel, and reframe arguments against Hamas activities as a defense of genocide. Rinse, repeat in every thread about this conflict. Kinda boring after a while.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 months ago (25 children)

Fukhueson when they find out you're not actually supposed to kill human shields:

[+] [email protected] -12 points 2 months ago (24 children)

Wait until you find out that no one should be using human shields to begin with :) either side.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (2 children)

But they are, that is the situation we are in. At every point we can say Hamas is a piece of shit group for using human shields, but that's not gonna change the situation. You keep saying that Hamas isn't getting enough criticism, but I think bombardment by the IDF is criticism enough. The whole ask is, stop shooting through the human shields to kill the bad guys. Even here there is doubt that there even was Hamas hiding with civilians to begin with. We are just giving Israel loads and loads of money, but we can't even get a more definitive answer than "we said so"? At this point I can only think that, even if by some chance Israel really isn't commiting a genocide, the end result will be indistinguishable from it. Palestine and it's people will be erased physically or culturally and we are allowing it to happen, and any pointing that out is met with "Hamas is the one using them as shields" or "Hamas started it". Hamas is unconscionable. Israel isn't, or atleast they say they aren't.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

We also have tons of evidence of the IDF using civilians as human shields, including children.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I actually haven't even heard about this tbh, usually I just see another massacre of civilians in the news and go about my day feeling like shit

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Yeah. There's a reason you haven't heard about it.

You can search for it yourself. Or look at another comment I made either in this thread or another where I linked to several sources about it.

This is a religious ethnostate with compulsory military service where they indoctrinate every single one of their citizens to believe that Palestinians are subhuman. And I mean this quite literally, they have completely dehumanized the Palestinian people in ever sense of the word.

And when you don't see them as people, they can become useful meat shields.

[+] [email protected] -10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Ignoring your comment since you're misrepresenting my argument. No need to address anything you said, this is simply an attempt to reframe my concern that criticism of Hamas is met with whataboutism.

Just look at the soap box this user takes advantage of when I say no one should use human shields. "Yea Hamas does it, but Israel???"

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Tell me what criticism of Hamas accomplishes then. They went and killed a thousand innocent Israelis, they hide among civilians, resulting in said civilians deaths. What now? Do I get a gold star for pointing out the terrorists? Do the dead get to cheer that their death meant another Hamas militant died (or didn't in the case of this article)?Are the living supposed to feel grateful to Israel that their family and friends are dead, needless to say hateful towards Hamas for hiding amongst them? What is the goal here? What are me, and the dozens of other people here, missing that only you seem to see?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

[–] [email protected] -4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

There's proof it's a mistake? Also, misrepresenting my argument. It's getting more and more clear what's going on here...

Also, I think you meant to reply to me, not yourself?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Again, what is your argument?

[–] [email protected] -5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Ignoring your comment since you're misrepresenting my argument. No need to address anything you said, this is simply an attempt to reframe my concern that criticism of Hamas is met with whataboutism.

Just look at the soap box this user takes advantage of when I say no one should use human shields. "Yea Hamas does it, but Israel???"

I'm really done with you now, you are simply wasting my time trying to distract from discussion.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's really it? I thought it would actually be something important. I actually even agreed with your criticism of Hamas. Like, it's been needless to say that criticism of Hamas has been had already, since way before this thread. Since October 7th even. Your time is being wasted because you wasted it yourself.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Mmk

Edit: downplaying the quite evident problem here where if you are critical of Hamas your argument is shut down with whataboutism and accusations of justifying genocide.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I'm saying that you are bringing back a discussion had many times over and trying to claim that no one has had it. It's redundant. The article is about an action by Israel, of course the discussion is gonna be about that action.