PCHR: Two thirds of Gaza dead were civilians

Date: 13 / 03 / 2009  Time:  12:02
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

Two thirds of the 1,434 Palestinians killed in the recent Israeli terrorist war on the Gaza Strip were unarmed civilians, a leading human rights group confirmed Thursday.

According to investigations carried out by the Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that the dead included 960 civilians, 239 police officers, and 235 fighters.

“The excessively disproportionate civilian death toll” is in itself evidence to warrant an investigation into whether Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the offensive between 27 December and 18 January, PCHR said in a statement.

The report found that 288 children and 121 women were killed. The majority of the 239 police officers were killed in air strikes carried out on the first day of the attacks at a graduation ceremony.

Figures from the Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that a total of 5,303 Palestinians were injured in the assault, including 1,606 children and 828 women.

The Health Ministry, however, reports a slightly higher death toll of 1,455, (versus the 1,434 PCHR calculated) which takes into account those who have died of their wounds since a ceasefire was declared on 18 January. This figure has been reported by Ma’an.

The disproportionate civilian toll, PCHR said, “and Israel’s conduct of hostilities – including, inter alia, indiscriminate attacks, willful killing, the extensive destruction of property, target selection, the lack of precautions taken in attack, the excessive use of force, and the use of weapons such as white phosphorous in civilian areas – demand effective judicial redress.”

The report concluded: “Many of the cases documented by PCHR constitute grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, and war crimes. The widespread and apparently systematic violations of customary IHL witnessed in the Gaza Strip may also amount to a crime against humanity.”