Gaza City: The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor on Monday expressed deep concern over the sharp increase in civilian casualties resulting from Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. The organization highlighted that entire families, including women and children, are being killed at alarming rates, as the international community remains inactive in addressing the nearly 19-month-long conflict.
According to Jordan News Agency, the Monitor issued a statement emphasizing the contradiction between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public denials and the ongoing military actions. Despite Netanyahu’s assurances that civilians are not being targeted, military aircraft continue to conduct airstrikes that disproportionately affect women and children in Gaza. These actions, described as horrific crimes by the Monitor, are seen as part of a systematic policy that contravenes international laws and norms.
The statement detailed that between April 20 and April 26, Israeli forces killed 345 Palestinians and injured 770 others. Field data revealed that at least 94% of the victims were civilians, with children (51%), women (16%), and the elderly (8%) constituting 75% of the fatalities. This surge in civilian casualties appears to coincide with Netanyahu’s misleading statements, which the Monitor claims aim to deceive international public opinion and obscure the reality of Israeli actions.
Furthermore, the Monitor noted that the targeting of makeshift shelters and partially destroyed homes using heavy missiles or suicide drones, without any justified military necessity, indicates a deliberate strategy to inflict maximum civilian harm and generate widespread fear. Such conduct is explicitly prohibited under international law, the statement asserted.