{"id":674925,"date":"2023-10-25T09:44:21","date_gmt":"2023-10-24T22:44:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.amnesty.org.au\/?p=674925"},"modified":"2023-11-23T13:36:10","modified_gmt":"2023-11-23T02:36:10","slug":"what-you-need-to-know-escalating-conflict-in-israel-and-gaza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.amnesty.org.au\/what-you-need-to-know-escalating-conflict-in-israel-and-gaza\/","title":{"rendered":"What you need to know: Escalating conflict in Israel and Gaza"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As the world watches in horror the crisis unfolding in Gaza and Israel<\/a>, Amnesty International has been hard at work. Our teams have been researching, monitoring, and documenting human rights abuses. Our experts are carrying out painstaking verification of the findings in our <\/strong>Crisis Evidence Lab<\/strong><\/a> to expose crimes under international law. We will continue to campaign, as we always do, for the protection of civilians. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the violence broke out, unverified rumours and false claims have been circulating on social media. To combat this misinformation, Amnesty has rigorously documented and verified the evidence, including violations of the laws of war. Read on to find out what we uncovered<\/a> and what we can do to protect civilians in the face of catastrophe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amnesty International\u2019s findings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Attacks by Palestinian armed groups<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On 7 October, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups from Gaza fired indiscriminate rockets and sent fighters into southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and injuring more. In one of the most egregious incidents at the Nova Music festival, at least 260 people were killed, while others are still missing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These flagrant violations of international law<\/a> display an absolute disregard for human life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We verified chilling videos which show armed men shooting at civilians and dragging people away as hostages \u2026 All civilians who were abducted, including children, must be released immediately.<\/p>\nAgnes Callemard, Secretary General, Amnesty International<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Israeli strikes hitting civilian targets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Israel responded to these attacks with relentless strikes on Gaza, killing Palestinian civilians and leaving many more trapped under rubble. The bombing has obliterated generations of families and destroyed whole neighbourhoods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amnesty International has documented unlawful Israeli attacks,<\/a> including indiscriminate attacks, which caused mass civilian casualties and must be investigated as war crimes. Testimonies from eyewitness and survivors highlighted, again and again, how Israeli attacks decimated Palestinian families, causing such destruction that surviving relatives have little but rubble to remember their loved ones by,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As an Australian of Palestinian descent, the last week has been overwhelming. My family and I have watched innocent civilians including hundreds of children constantly bombed, the targeting of medical personnel and hospitals, Gaza being destroyed and over one million of our people being forcibly displaced with nowhere safe to go. At least 50 families have been wiped from the Civil Registry in Gaza. We collectively feel like it\u2019s a second Nakba.<\/p>\nMohamed Duar, Occupied Palestinian Territories \/ Israel Spokesperson, Amnesty International Australia <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Cutting off of food, water, electricity, and fuel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On 9 October Israel\u2019s Minister of Defence declared that Gaza would be cut off from all water, food, electricity and fuel. This constitutes collective punishment of a civilian population,<\/a> which is a war crime. Amnesty reiterates that Palestinian civilians are not responsible for the crimes of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. Israel must not, under international law, make them suffer for acts they cannot control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 12 October, Gaza\u2019s only power plant ran out of fuel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The blackout has plunged the Gaza strip into darkness, limiting communications, access to essential services and clean water and leaving Gaza\u2019s already depleted hospitals without vital medical equipment. This has happened at a time when medics are struggling to treat thousands wounded in Israeli attacks. The blackout is endangering the lives of patients, including those in intensive care and newborn babies on life support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The blackout has plunged the Gaza strip into darkness, limiting communications, access to essential services and clean water and leaving Gaza\u2019s already depleted hospitals without vital medical equipment. This has happened at a time when medics are struggling to treat thousands wounded in Israeli attacks. The blackout is endangering the lives of patients, including those in intensive care and newborn babies on life support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evacuation orders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On 13 October <\/a>the Israeli Army gave just 24 hours notice to evacuate the more than one million residents in the north of Gaza. The order sowed panic among the population and left thousands of internally displaced Palestinian sleeping on the streets, not knowing where to flee to or where they can find safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The roads in northern Gaza have been severely damaged by Israeli strikes. There is no public transportation available, and fuel is scarce due to the blockade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Everyone is running for their life, it\u2019s beyond horror. Children crying and in terror.<\/p>\nGaza resident<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Amnesty\u2019s Digital Evidence Lab verified that Israeli forces targeted a civilian convoy fleeing northern Gaza<\/a>. When ambulances arrived on the scene they were attacked. Over 70 people were killed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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They [Israeli army] must tell me how we can evacuate hospitals with ICU patients and all the wounded in the recent attacks, it is nonsense, it\u2019s impossible<\/p>\nA humanitarian worker in Gaza<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

White phosphorous<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Amnesty\u2019s Citizen Evidence Lab<\/a> has verified the use of white phosphorus by the Israeli Defence Force in densely populated civilian areas of Gaza. White phosphorus burns at extremely high temperatures when exposed to air and continues to burn inside flesh. It causes horrific pain and injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Amnesty's Crisis Evidence Lab has verified that Israeli military units striking Gaza are equipped with white phosphorus artillery rounds. We are investigating what appears to be the use of white phosphorus in Gaza, including in a strike near a hotel on the beach in Gaza City.<\/p>— Amnesty International (@amnesty) October 13, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>