By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East
GAZA CITY, Gaza – On January 3, Israel ground troops began an offensive into Gaza. The Israeli army said the assault is intended to take control of territory from where Hamas fires its rockets.
Major Avital Leibovitch, a military spokeswoman, said, “The objective of this stage is to destroy the terrorist infrastructure of the Hamas in the area of operation, while taking control of some of rocket launching area used by the Hamas, in order to greatly reduce the quantity of rockets fired at Israel and Israeli civilians.”
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the ground campaign against Hamas “will not be easy or short, but we are determined”. He added, “Our aim is to force Hamas to stop its hostile activities against Israel and Israelis from Gaza, and to bring about a significant change in the situation in the southern part of Israel.”
The incursion followed a day of artillery barrages aimed at clearing the way for the 10,000 Israeli troops who had massed on the border. Apparently, the artillery shells were intended to detonate Hamas explosive devices and mines planted along the border area and reduce the risk to IDF ground troops.
Following the incursion, Hamas remained defiant. Hamas spokesman, Ismail Radwan, said, “Your incursion into Gaza will not be a walk in the park and Gaza will become your cemetery God willing.” Additionally, Hamas said it broadcasted a Hebrew message on Israeli military radio frequencies: “Be prepared for a unique surprise, you will be either killed or kidnapped and will suffer mental illness from the horrors we will show you.”
As the ground offensive began, the air strikes continued. Palestinian health officials report that 13 Palestinians were killed during a raid on a mosque in Beit Lahiya. According to the Associated Press, it is not immediately clear why the mosque was hit. However, when explaining earlier raids on mosques, Israel stated that the mosques were being used as weapons caches.
In addition to continued Israeli air strikes, rocket fire from Gaza was also unabated. On January 3, at least 29 rockets were fired into Israel; damaging four houses and “slightly injuring” three people. One rocket hit on a house in the southern city of Ashkelon, causing nearby houses to catch on fire.
As Israel began its ground incursion, Human Rights Watch (HRW) expressed concerns regarding the heightened need to protect civilian life because of likely combat in densely populated urban areas. HRW called on both sides to strictly abide by the laws of war, specifically the taking of all feasible measures to avoid civilian causalities.
There are reports that Israel made at least two attempts to limit civilian causalities during the ground offensive. First, the IDF dropped leaflets over Gaza City and the border areas, which urged Palestinians to flee their homes. The warning stated, “For your own safety, you are required to leave the area immediately.”
Also, prior to firing artillery shells in Beit Lahiya, a resident reported that Israeli army called and told them to leave the house within 15 minutes. Despite the warning, two residents were killed and five were wounded when an artillery shell hit their home.
Not only did HRW call for increased precaution but only called for increased accountability for past violations of the laws of war. According to HRW, the IDF reported that there have been no investigations into unlawful deaths from the March 2008 Gaza operations, called Operation Warm Winter. Also, Hamas has done nothing to hold those firing rockets into civilian areas accountable.
For more information, please see:
Al Jazeera – Israel Begins Gaza Ground Offensive – 4 January 2009
BBC – Israeli Troops Enter Gaza Strip – 4 January 2009
Ha’aretz – Barak: Gaza Invasion Won’t Be Short, and Won’t Be Easy – 4 January 2009
AFP – Israeli Army Takes War Against Hamas into Gaza – 3 January 2009
Associate Press – Israeli Ground Forces Enter Gaza in Escalation – 3 January 2009
Guardian – Israeli Ground Forces Cross Border into Gaza – 3 January 2009
Human Rights Watch – Israel: Gaza Ground Offensive Raises Laws of War Concerns – 3 January 2009
Jerusalem Post – “Gaza Will Become Graveyard for Troops” – 3 January 2009
New York Times – Israel Troops Launch Attack on Gaza – 3 January 2009
The Telegraph – Israeli Tanks Roll into Gaza to Halt Hamas Rocket Attacks – 3 January 2009 ml
The Times – Israeli Tanks Roll into Gaza to Crush Hamas – 3 January 2009
