Probe into Gaza Homes Strikes Finds 60% of Deaths Non-Militants
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - An investigation carried out by AP stated that 508 of 844 victims in air strikes on residential buildings during Israel’s Operation Protective Edge that unfolded previous summer in Gaza were women, children and elderly people.
The agency studied 247 attacks that targeted residential buildings only – out of about 5,000 strikes conducted by the Israeli forces. Under the rules of war, civilian homes cannot be used as targets for air strikes.
The probe concluded that about 10 percent, or 96, of those killed in the strikes were confirmed or suspected militants. A further 240 dead were males between 16 and 59 years old, whose names weren’t linked to any armed groups.
Finally, 508 of the 844 victims were women, children and elderly people. In particular, children under 16 constituted about 30 per cent of the total deaths: 280 killed, among these 19 babies and 108 kids between 1 and 5 years old.
In 83 attacks, three or more members of one family were killed.
Palestinians said that Israeli air force often hit a target without paying any attention to civilian population, RT reported.
