Hamas exploitation of civilians as human shields: Photographic evidence
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
10 March 2008
For full links - please view at
www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Hamas+war+against+Israel/Hamas+exploitation+of+civilians+as+human+shields+-+Photographic+evidence.htm
Deliberate use of civilians as human shields
In its fight to defend itself against Hamas attacks against its civilians,
Israel is faced with moral challenges unprecedented in their complexity.
Hamas, as a basic element of its strategy, exploits the Palestinian
population as shields for its terrorist operations and infrastructure. This
cynical strategy include the following tactics:
- The deliberate launching of rocket from populated areas
- The deliberate use of civilian homes to shield Hamas arms and explosives
manufacturing facilities
- The deliberate use of civilians as human shields against anticipated
airstrikes
Deliberate use of civilians as human shields against anticipated air-strikes
In order to avoid civilian casualties, Israel sends warning messages before
attacking terrorist targets advising civilians to leave. Israel prefers to
attack empty buildings used to manufacture rockets, even taking into
consideration that the terrorists too will be warned and their lives spared.
Hamas, on the other hand, calls on civilians to come and to protect with
their bodies the precise locations they expect Israel to attack. Since they
know that Israel will usually strike from the air, they send the children to
the roofs to prevent the air force from targeting that building.
During the course of the Israeli operation against terrorists in the Gaza
Strip (March 2008), Hamas repeatedly called upon Palestinian civilians to
gather near buildings where they feared that the IDF was about to launch
air-strikes against Hamas targets hidden within. The purpose of the civilian
presence was to have them serve as human shields, exploiting the fact that
the IDF avoids harming Palestinian civilians, even if it means aborting
attacks on crucial terrorist infrastructure targets.
The following are but a few of the documented examples of calls in the Hamas
controlled Gaza media for Palestinians civilians to serve as human shields:
1) Hamas's Al-Aqsa TV called upon children to form a human shield at the
home of Abu al-Hatal of the a-Shouqaf quarter of Sajaiyeh in order to
protect the building from an anticipated IDF airstrike (March 1).
View clip
http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ClipMediaID=1915991&ak=null
2) Al-Aqsa TV News broadcast a story about how a crowd of civilians gathered
on the roof of Abu Bilal al-Ja'abeer in the Northern Gaza strip, in order
cause the IDF to abort a threatened airstrike against the structure.
View clip
http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ClipMediaID=1913349&ak=null
3) Al-Aqsa TV called upon the Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip to go
to the house of Othman al-Ruziana in order to protect it against an
anticipated IDF strike (February 29).
4) Al-Aqsa TV called upon the residents of Khan Yunis to gather at the house
of Ma'amoun Abu 'Amer due to an anticipated airstrike. (February 28). An
hour later dozens of Palestinians from Khan Yunis were reported to have
gathered on the roof of Abu 'Amer's house to serve as human shields to
prevent the house from being hit (Pal-today Website, February 28).
The deliberate launching of rockets from populated areas
It is a common practice for the Hamas to launch their rockets, aimed at
Israeli cities, from within built-up areas, in order to make it difficult
for Israel to take preventative action against Hamas rocket salvos, without
endangering the Palestinian population. These photos and video clips give
evidence of this practice.
When launching rockets against Israel, Hamas terrorists usually do not stay
nearby, but rather use timers, radio frequency and other ways to remotely
control the launchings. In order to protect the rockets from counter-attack
until they are launched, they send children to play near the launchers, or
place the launchers near playgrounds.
View clip
http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ClipMediaID=1916446&ak=null
View clip
http://switch3.castup.net/cunet/gm.asp?ClipMediaID=1913331&ak=null
The deliberate use of civilian homes to shield Hamas arms and explosives
manufacturing facilities
Hamas frequently uses civilian homes in the Gaza Strip for the manufacture
of rockets, explosives, antitank missiles and other arms being used against
Israel. Rockets, explosives and other arms were also found in the mosque in
Jabalya.
For example, a factory manufacturing dozens of Kassam rockets a day was
located in the basement and first floor of a two-storey building. The
terrorist responsible for the factory was housed with his family on that
second floor. When Israel targeted the factory, destroying scores of rockets
as well as the factory's capability to continue producing those rockets,
civilians in the house were unfortunately hit as well.
The IICC assisted in the gathering of materials presented on this page
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