Amnesty: Israel, Hamas committed war crimes in Gaza assault

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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israel and Hamas committed war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian law during Israel's assault on Gaza in November 2012, Amnesty International said Thursday.

In the London-based rights group's annual report, released Thursday, Amnesty said the Israeli air force carried out bomb and missile strikes on residential areas, including strikes that were "disproportionate and caused heavy civilian casualties."

It said that in most cases, Israel did not present evidence that these specific sites had been used for military purposes, while the Israeli navy launched "indiscriminate attacks" on populated coastal sites.

The group also said the military wing of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups fired rockets and other weapons into Israel, killing civilians and damaging civilian property.

It also said armed groups were responsible for the deaths of at least two Palestinians after rockets fell short of their targets in Israel.

The report accused Hamas as well as the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority of abuses including arbitrary arrests of political opponents and torture in Palestinian prisons.



Hamas denies

A Hamas spokesman dismissed the report as unfair. more

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