B'Tselem demands that perpetrators of war crimes in Gaza be tried

The Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem today calls on the Palestinian leadership of Hamas in the Gaza Strip to investigate all war crimes that may have been committed during the clashes in the Gaza Strip, and to bring all suspects to criminal trial.

In addition, B'Tselem warns against illegal attacks on people or institutions affiliated with Hamas in the West Bank , whether through acts of revenge by individuals or groups identified with Fatah, or in the course of arbitrary arrests by the Palestinian Authority. We are already seeing worrying signs of such attacks in the last few days, and the security forces of the Palestinian Authority bear the responsibility to prevent them.

B'Tselem's call follows last week's events in the Gaza Strip, during which individuals affiliated with both Fatah and Hamas were documented as having committed flagrant violations of customary international humanitarian law. These included summary executions, in some cases of civilians who did not take part in the hostilities, severe abuse, and launching deliberate attacks on hospitals. These acts constitute war crimes under international law and impose personal criminal responsibility on those involved in their commission.

B'Tselem also reminds the Israeli government, which has effective control in the West Bank, that it bears overarching responsibility for the human rights of all people in the West Bank, including for acts committed by agencies operating with Israel 's agreement, including the Palestinian Authority.