So it was Hamas that committed war crimes?

                                                                                         

Q: So it was Hamas that committed war crimes?

A: Both prior to and during the IDF operation in Gaza, Hamas flouted the Law of Armed Conflict, terrorizing Israeli citizens through an endless barrage of rocket and mortar attacks, and deliberately using Palestinian civilians, as well as protected U.N., educational, medical, administrative and religious facilities, as a cover for its operations. In adopting such methods of warfare, members of Hamas committed internationally recognized war crimes, and made it impossible for the Israel Defense Forces to avoid collateral damage to civilians and civilian objectives in pursuit of legitimate military objectives during the operation.

Both United Nations officials and the international community have condemned Hamas' deliberate, systematic and widespread use of rocket attacks, mortar attacks and suicide bombings intentionally directed at civilian targets in Israel. These attacks violated the basic principles of distinction. Any doubt about this is resolved by the fact that Hamas itself has boasted of its intention to hit population centers, which constitutes a war crime.

Hamas deliberately targets rockets and mortar rounds at Israeli population centers and cheers when one of its rockets or mortars succeeds in hitting a civilian target. It is therefore clear that the purpose of Hamas' incessant rocket attacks on Israel's southern towns and cities, in addition to causing death, injury and destruction, is to spread terror among Israel's civilian population. Hamas is therefore guilty of repeated and deliberate violations of the Law of Armed Conflict, and because these violations were willful, its leaders and operatives are guilty of committing war crimes.

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