Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., January 16, 2009 Tevet 20, 5769 | | Israel Time: 01:51 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File

Rights groups challenge IDF figures, speak of 'war crimes' By Nir Hasson and Anshel Pfeffer A coalition of human rights organizations warned yesterday at a press conference that the Gaza Strip was on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe. In a letter to the prime minister, defense minister, chief of staff, GOC Southern Command and the attorney general, nine rights groups claimed that after the fighting it would be necessary to start inquiries into what they alleged were war crimes in the Strip. The human rights groups are also demanding that an "escape corridor" is created so civilians can flee the areas of the fighting. Advertisement The rights organizations also presented data showing that the number of those killed in the Gaza Strip exceeded 1,000. More than two-thirds of those killed, the groups claimed, were civilians, and a third of those were children. They also presented data claiming that there are 5,000 wounded as a result of Israel Defense Forces operations, and about 80,000 who have been dislodged from their homes, half of whom are children. IDF data on the number of Palestinians killed in Operation Cast Lead concurs with the figure of 1,000, dead but claims that at most 25 percent are civilians. The head of coordination and liaison activities in the Gaza Strip, Colonel Moshe Levy, said yesterday that the IDF has the names of 900 dead Palestinians, of whom only 150 are civilians. Levy also said that there are 4,000 wounded Palestinians. The senior officer also said that in the case of the shelling of the UNRWA school last week, 21 Palestinians were killed, not 43 as claimed by aid organizations. Levy said that some of the dead were members of Hamas. The human rights groups presented data on six cases in which they say the IDF fired at medical personnel, claiming that 12 were killed and 17 were injured in the fighting so far. They also said that there have been 15 hits on medical facilities, including clinics and medical storage facilities. "The IDF claims on the use of ambulances and medical facilities by Hamas are irresponsible. They lead soldiers in the field to view every ambulance as if it were a tank and not hesitate to target it," said the rights activists. Also, there are reports that the medical system in the Gaza Strip is on the verge of collapse, and approximately 850 chronic patients requiring care are no longer receiving any. The human rights groups also said that at least a quarter of the residents of the Gaza Strip have had no electricity since the start of the fighting, and some of the hospitals have only generators available. Even though the IDF allowed spare parts for generators to be brought in, two days ago it bombed the storage facility where they were being kept. The lack of electricity is also causing disruptions in the water supply and the overflowing of an already poorly maintained sewage system. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Top target An IAF strike in the center of Gaza City kills Hamas Interior Minister Said Siam. Direct hit Olmert to Ban: Gunmen fired at IDF troops from UN Gaza compound.

Read & React Harel & Issacharoff: Egypt's Gaza truce plan is mostly bad for Hamas Responses: 58 Olmert to Ban: Gunmen fired at IDF troops from UN Gaza compound Responses: 61 Gideon Levy: The IDF has no mercy for the children in Gaza nursery schools Responses: 89 IDF kills Hamas interior minister in Gaza airstrike Responses: 35 U.S. may cut $1billion in loan guarantees to Israel over West Bank settlements Responses: 32 More Headlines 01:37 IDF kills Hamas Interior Minister Said Sayyam in Gaza airstrike 00:45 PROFILE / Slain Hamas minister was key figure in '07 Gaza coup 00:16 Livni to set off for Washington for talks on Gaza cease-fire 23:01 UN Chief Ban: May take `few more days` to work out details of Gaza truce 23:34 Boy, 7, seriously hurt as Gaza rockets slam into Be'er Sheva 01:08 Rice cautions Israel over IDF shelling of UN warehouse 12:23 ANALYSIS / Key to Israeli exit from Gaza rests with Egypt, U.S. 22:36 Olmert and Rice put spat over UN vote on Gaza behind them 23:16 IDF battalion commander, two troops lightly wounded in Gaza fighting 23:45 Israel using Holocaust guilt to continue Gaza op, says British Jewish MP 21:46 ANALYSIS / Egypt's Gaza truce plan is mostly bad for Hamas 22:00 Israeli charged with attempting to spy on behalf of Iran 18:22 Israel Navy ships turn back boat carrying Gaza humanitarian aid 15:17 Unsung Israeli hero risks his life to save Gaza children 20:59 WATCH / Obama: We must engage Syria and Iran in Middle East peace efforts 20:01 Livni urges Red Cross to press Hamas for access to Gilad Shalit 17:33 U.S., Israel near deal aimed at halting Gaza arms smuggling 12:00 Israelis receive SMS messages apparently from Hamas warning of `surprises` in Gaza 16:08 U.S. may cut $1b in loan guarantees to Israel over West Bank settlements 14:26 Protesters against Gaza op heckle Israeli ambassador at Holocaust ceremony in Poland 17:57 Ahmadinejad calls on Obama to stop supporting Israel Previous Editions Select Day 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan 12 jan 11 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 05 jan 04 jan 02 jan

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