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Use of human shields by terrorists (view source)

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Among documented noted terror entities<ref>Orde Kittrie, 'Time to Act on Human Shields.' FDD, October 15, 2020. https://www.fdd.org/2020/10/15/time-to-act-on-human-shields/#easy-footnote-bottom-39-111635</ref><ref>Orde Kittrie: "Help NATO by Holding Hamas Accountable for Terrorist War Crimes." May 19, 2021. https://nationalinterest.org/feature/help-nato-holding-hamas-accountable-terrorist-war-crimes-185581</ref> using this method:

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* [[Taliban]] (supported by Pakistan, Qatar and Iran. <ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/panjshir-bombed-pakistani-air-force-drones-smart-bombs-reports-1849570-2021-09-06</ref><ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/29/afghanistan-mess-is-bidens-disaster-and-other-commentary/ The Afghanistan mess is truly Biden’s disaster and ~~other commentary~~] ~~Post~~ Editorial Board, NYPost, August 29, 2021.</ref>) In 2007, <ref>[https://www.nysun.com/foreign/taliban-used-children-as-human-shields/63045/ Taliban Used Children as Human Shields] ~~Associated~~ Press, September 20, 2007.

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* [[Taliban]] (supported by Pakistan, Qatar and Iran. <ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/panjshir-bombed-pakistani-air-force-drones-smart-bombs-reports-1849570-2021-09-06</ref><ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/29/afghanistan-mess-is-bidens-disaster-and-other-commentary/ The Afghanistan mess is truly Biden’s disaster and other commentary] Post Editorial Board, NYPost, August 29, 2021.</ref>) In 2007, <ref>[https://www.nysun.com/foreign/taliban-used-children-as-human-shields/63045/ Taliban Used Children as Human Shields] Associated Press, September 20, 2007.

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KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban fighters carrying machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades used children as human shields during a battle in southern Afghanistan yesterday, forcing American-led coalition soldiers to hold their fire for a time, the coalition said.</ref> in 2009, <ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1177516/Taliban-fighters-use-civilians-human-shields-battle-Pakistan-tears-Swat-Valley-apart.html Taliban fighters use civilians as 'human shields' as battle for Pakistan tears Swat Valley apart] Liz Hazelton for MailOnline 10:40 BST 05 May ~~2009~~ , ~~updated 11~~:08 BST 08 May 2009</ref> in 2010,<ref>'Taliban using human shields, says Afghan army general.' The Guardian, Feb 17, 2010. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/17/taliban-human-shields</ref> in 2015,<ref>[https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/msna573361 Afghanistan fights to retake Kunduz from Taliban fighters] Cassandra Vinograd and Fazul Rahim, MSNBC, Sep 29, 2015.

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KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban fighters carrying machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades used children as human shields during a battle in southern Afghanistan yesterday, forcing American-led coalition soldiers to hold their fire for a time, the coalition said.</ref> in 2009, <ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1177516/Taliban-fighters-use-civilians-human-shields-battle-Pakistan-tears-Swat-Valley-apart.html Taliban fighters use civilians as 'human shields' as battle for Pakistan tears Swat Valley apart] Liz Hazelton for MailOnline 10:40 BST 05 May 2009 , updated 11:08 BST 08 May 2009</ref> in 2010,<ref>'Taliban using human shields, says Afghan army general.' The Guardian, Feb 17, 2010. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/17/taliban-human-shields</ref> in 2015,<ref>[https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/amp/msna573361 Afghanistan fights to retake Kunduz from Taliban fighters] Cassandra Vinograd and Fazul Rahim, MSNBC, Sep 29, 2015.

"Our main problem is that the enemy is using civilians as shields," he said in a televised address...</ref> in 2017, <ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/26/politics/mattis-afghanistan/index.html Mattis target of failed Kabul airport rocket attack, Taliban says] Euan McKirdy, Keith Allen and Ryan Browne, CNN, September 27, 2017.

A statement released by the international coalition in Afghanistan, Resolute Support, accused insurgents of "using civilians as shield and cover."</ref> in 2018,<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46398620 Afghanistan war: US strike in Helmand killed 23 civilians, UN says] BBC News, Nov 30, 2018.

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Nato said the Taliban had been using the building that was hit "as a fighting position", and accused the militants of continuously using ~~civi as~~ human shields.</ref> and in 2019.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49970353.amp Asim Umar: Al-Qaeda's South Asia chief 'killed in Afghanistan'] BBC News, Aug 8, 2019.

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Nato said the Taliban had been using the building that was hit "as a fighting position", and accused the militants of continuously using civi as human shields.</ref> and in 2019.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49970353.amp Asim Umar: Al-Qaeda's South Asia chief 'killed in Afghanistan'] BBC News, Aug 8, 2019.

Both US and Afghan forces often accuse the Taliban of using civilians as shields.</ref><ref>Civilians say Taliban use of human shields shows weakness, cruelty.' Dec. 12, 2018. https://afghanistan.asia-news.com/en_GB/articles/cnmi_st/features/2018/12/12/feature-02</ref>

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* [[ISIS]]<ref>Islamic State use of human shields slows final assault on ISIS . ABC News, Mar 4, 2019. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/islamic-state-human-shields-slows-final-assault-isis/story?id=61456501 ''The final assault on the last Islamic State enclave in Syria has slowed down after the discovery ~~that ISIS was using civilians as human~~ shields.''</ref><ref>'ISIS Using Mosul Civilians as Human Shields Amid Offensive.' Time, Mar 30, 2017.

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* [[ISIS]]<ref>Islamic State use of human shields slows final assault on ISIS . ABC News, Mar 4, 2019. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/islamic-state-human-shields-slows-final-assault-isis/story?id=61456501 ''The final assault on the last Islamic State enclave in Syria has slowed down after the discovery that ISIS was using civilians as human shields.''</ref><ref>'ISIS Using Mosul Civilians as Human Shields Amid Offensive.' Time, Mar 30, 2017.

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https://time.com/4717319/mosul-iraq-offensive-civilians-human-shields/</ref><ref>Suleiman Al-Khalidi, ~~and Nandita~~ Bose, [https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/biden-says-isis-leader-quraishi-killed-syria-raid-2022-02-03/ ISIS leader Quraishi kills himself during Syria raid, U.S. says], ''Reuters'', Feb 3, 2022.

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https://time.com/4717319/mosul-iraq-offensive-civilians-human-shields/</ref><ref>Suleiman Al-Khalidi, and Nandita Bose, [https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/biden-says-isis-leader-quraishi-killed-syria-raid-2022-02-03/ ISIS leader Quraishi kills himself during Syria raid, U.S. says], ''Reuters'', Feb 3, 2022.

As U.S. forces closed in on Quraishi in northwestern Syria overnight, he triggered a blast that also killed members of his own family, including children, according to Biden and U.S. officials.</blockquote></ref>

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* [[Al Qaeda]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=NOWX8oreP6EC&pg=RA1-PT147&lpg=RA1-PT147 Mark Hollingsworth, ~~Sandy~~ Mitchell, 'Saudi Babylon: ~~Torture~~, Corruption and Cover-Up Inside the House of Saud,' Random House, 2010]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=svP1W-wE7VkC&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=human+shields Pakistan Horizon. Volume 63, Issue 1, 2010, p. 104]</ref>

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* [[Al Qaeda]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=NOWX8oreP6EC&pg=RA1-PT147&lpg=RA1-PT147 Mark Hollingsworth, Sandy Mitchell, 'Saudi Babylon: Torture, Corruption and Cover-Up Inside the House of Saud,' Random House, 2010]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=svP1W-wE7VkC&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=human+shields Pakistan Horizon. Volume 63, Issue 1, 2010, p. 104]</ref>

*[[Iran]]'s 'Fatemiyoun' terrorists.<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/10/01/iran-afghan-children-recruited-fight-syria Iran: Afghan Children Recruited to Fight in Syria] HRW, Oct 1, 2017.

Protection Gaps Increase Children’s Vulnerability

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(Beirut) – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has ~~recruited Afghan immigrant~~ children living ~~in Iran to~~ fight ~~in Syria~~, Human Rights Watch said today. Afghan children as young as 14 have fought in the Fatemiyoun division, ~~an exclusively~~ Afghan armed group supported by ~~Iran that~~ fights alongside government forces in the Syrian conflict. Under international law, recruiting children under the age of 15 to participate actively in hostilities is a war crime.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/what-is-the-fatemiyoun-brigade-and-why-does-it-make-the-taliban-nervous/ What Is the Fatemiyoun Brigade and Why Does It Make the Taliban Nervous?] Lila Hassan, PBS, July 20, 2021.

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(Beirut) – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has recruited Afghan immigrant children living in Iran to fight in Syria, Human Rights Watch said today. Afghan children as young as 14 have fought in the Fatemiyoun division, an exclusively Afghan armed group supported by Iran that fights alongside government forces in the Syrian conflict. Under international law, recruiting children under the age of 15 to participate actively in hostilities is a war crime.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/what-is-the-fatemiyoun-brigade-and-why-does-it-make-the-taliban-nervous/ What Is the Fatemiyoun Brigade and Why Does It Make the Taliban Nervous?] Lila Hassan, PBS, July 20, 2021.

FRONTLINE documentary "Leaving Afghanistan." Amid the U.S. withdrawal, Taliban leaders claim Iran is mobilizing its proxy militia the Fatemiyoun for civil war within Afghanistan.

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*[[Houthis]] (Iranian proxy)<ref>[https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2817251/yemeni-govt-says-houthis-are-using-civilians-human-shields#:~:text=The%20Yemeni%20government%20said%20on,east%20of%20the%20capital%20Sanaa. 'Yemeni Govt Says Houthis Are Using Civilians as Human Shields."?'] Asharq Al Awsat, Feb.10.2021

</ref><ref>Michelle Nichols, "[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-un-exclusive/exclusive-u-n-report-on-yemen-says-houthis-used-human-shields-islamic-state-got-cash-idUSKCN10F28B Exclusive: U.N. report on Yemen says Houthis used human shields, Islamic State got cash]", ''Reuters'', Aug 4, 2016.</ref><ref>MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) Tweeted:<blockquote>

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#ICYMI: In BBC Debate, Yemeni Activist Sonia Saleh Accuses Houthis of Using Yemenis as Human Shields; Houthi Official Nasr Al-Din Amer Responds: We Will Use Our Weapons to Strike Saudi Arabia and the Americans.</blockquote>[https://twitter.com/MEMRIReports/status/1513258265932709891 Apr 10, 2022].</ref>

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ICYMI: In BBC Debate, Yemeni Activist Sonia Saleh Accuses Houthis of Using Yemenis as Human Shields; Houthi Official Nasr Al-Din Amer Responds: We Will Use Our Weapons to Strike Saudi Arabia and the Americans.</blockquote>[https://twitter.com/MEMRIReports/status/1513258265932709891 Apr 10, 2022].</ref>

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*[[Hezbollah]]<ref>~~DEBKAfile Exclusive~~: Hizballah sub-contracts Palestinian launch squads, uses Christian villages as human shields.July 19, 2006.

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*[[Hezbollah]]<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060719180552/http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=2926 DEBKAfile Exclusive: Hizballah sub-contracts Palestinian launch squads, uses Christian villages as human shields]. July 19, 2006. </ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060822035411/http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7004343191 Canadian Soldier Says UN Position Used As Cover By Hezbollah]. July 26, 2006. Ryan R. Jones. All Headline News Correspondent.</ref><ref>UNITED NATIONS INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON (UNIFIL) . Naqoura, 20 July 2006

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http://web.archive.org/web/~~20060719180552~~/http://www.~~debka~~.com/~~headline.php?hid=2926<~~/~~ref><ref>~~Canadian Soldier Says UN Position Used As Cover By Hezbollah. July 26, 2006.

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Ryan R. Jones. All Headline News Correspondent. ~~http://web.archive.org/web/20060822035411/http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7004343191~~</ref><ref>UNITED NATIONS INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON (UNIFIL) . Naqoura, 20 July 2006

PRESS RELEASE ... Hezbollah firing was also reported from the immediate vicinity of the UN positions in Naqoura and Maroun Al Ras areas at the time of the incidents.

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[http://web.archive.org/web/20061203030252/http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unifil/pr04.pdf]</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/world/middleeast/israel-says-hezbollah-positions-put-lebanese-at-risk.html Israel Says Hezbollah Positions Put Lebanese at Risk], ~~Isabel~~ Kershner, The New York Times,

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[http://web.archive.org/web/20061203030252/http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unifil/pr04.pdf]</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/world/middleeast/israel-says-hezbollah-positions-put-lebanese-at-risk.html Israel Says Hezbollah Positions Put Lebanese at Risk], Isabel Kershner, The New York Times,

May 12, 2015.

TEL AVIV — Viewed from the air, Muhaybib looks like a typical southern Lebanese village — a cluster of about 90 houses and buildings punctuated by the minaret of a mosque and surrounded by fields.

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But when the Israeli military trains its lens on that hilltop Shiite village close to the border, it sees nine arms depots, five rocket-launching sites, four infantry positions, signs of three underground tunnels, three antitank positions and, in the very center of the village, ~~a Hezbollah command~~ post.

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But when the Israeli military trains its lens on that hilltop Shiite village close to the border, it sees nine arms depots, five rocket-launching sites, four infantry positions, signs of three underground tunnels, three antitank positions and, in the very center of the village, a Hezbollah command post.

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~~As Israel prepares~~ for what it sees as an almost inevitable next battle with Hezbollah, the Shiite Lebanese organization that fought a ~~monthlong war~~ against Israel in 2006, Israeli military officials and experts are warning that the group has done more than significantly build up its firepower since then.

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As Israel prepares for what it sees as an almost inevitable next battle with Hezbollah, the Shiite Lebanese organization that fought a monthlong war against Israel in 2006, Israeli military officials and experts are warning that the group has done more than significantly build up its firepower since then.

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Maps and aerial photography provided to The New York Times by Israeli military officials this week illustrate, they say, that Hezbollah has moved most of its military infrastructure into the Shiite villages of ~~southern Lebanon and~~ around their perimeters. Israel says this amounts to using the civilians as a human shield.

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Maps and aerial photography provided to The New York Times by Israeli military officials this week illustrate, they say, that Hezbollah has moved most of its military infrastructure into the Shiite villages of southern Lebanon and around their perimeters. Israel says this amounts to using the civilians as a human shield.

Without knowing when the next war will break out, or what might precipitate it, the Israelis are blunt about the implications: They will not hesitate to strike at those targets, so southern Lebanon will most likely be the scene of widespread destruction.

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A slide from an Israel Defense Forces presentation that it says illustrates how Hezbollah has moved military facilities into civilian areas.</blockquote></ref><ref>'On the target: Hezbollah's "human defenders" in Lebanon.' Israel Hayom, Jan 6, 2019. ''Hezbollah in Lebanon // Photo: Reuters. An open secret is that Hezbollah stores weapons in civilian buildings in southern Lebanon, thus creating a human shield against activity.''

https://www.israelhayom.co.il/interactive/amp/article/622059</ref><ref>'US Congress Urges UN to Crack Down on Lebanon's Hizbullah.' The Media Line, Nov 25, 2019.

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https://themedialine.org/mideast-daily-news/us-congress-urges-un-to-crack-down-on-lebanons-hizbullah/</ref><ref>Hollie McKay: "28 Hezbollah missile launch sites detected in civilian areas, highlighting its 'human shield' tactic in Lebanon." Fox News - Last ~~Update July~~ 14, 2020.

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https://themedialine.org/mideast-daily-news/us-congress-urges-un-to-crack-down-on-lebanons-hizbullah/</ref><ref>Hollie McKay: "28 Hezbollah missile launch sites detected in civilian areas, highlighting its 'human shield' tactic in Lebanon." Fox News - Last Update July 14, 2020.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/28-new-hezbollah-missile-launch-sites-detected-in-civilians-areas-highlighting-its-human-shield-tactic</ref><ref>Hezbollah - Using Lebanese Citizens as a "Human Shields".

https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/Data/pdf/PDF_human_shields_1.pdf</ref><ref>Hezbollah's Use of Human Shields

https://www.idf.il/en/minisites/hezbollah/hezbollah/hezbollahs-use-of-human-shields/</ref><ref name=hezbollah-july2021>Anna Ahronheim, "[https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/idf-hezbollah-storing-weapons-25-meters-from-a-school-673810 IDF: Hezbollah storing weapons 25 meters from a school]," JPost, July 14, 2021.

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The explosion of a Hezbollah warehouse near a school, should it happen, would be half the size of the Beirut explosion of last year... a possible target belonging ~~to Hezbollah in~~ the southern Lebanese village of Ebba in the Nabatieh Governorate... the terrorist group is storing rockets, military-grade explosives and other weapons in a residential building just 25 m. from a school with 300 students.

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The explosion of a Hezbollah warehouse near a school, should it happen, would be half the size of the Beirut explosion of last year... a possible target belonging to Hezbollah in the southern Lebanese village of Ebba in the Nabatieh Governorate... the terrorist group is storing rockets, military-grade explosives and other weapons in a residential building just 25 m. from a school with 300 students.

*Nir Dvori, Roni Daniel, "[https://www.mako.co.il/news-military/2021_q3/Article-c3560899505aa71027.htm N12 - Watch: The IDF unveils a weapons depot set up near a school yard]", N12, July 14, 2021.

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* ''Tanzim'' (Arab-Palestinian group).<ref name=rb-2002/>

* ''Al-Qassam'' (Arab-Palestinian group).<ref name=hrw2009/>

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* [[Hamas]]<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aidf.il+%22human+shields%22&oq=site%3Aidf.il+%22human+shields%22 idf], [https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Amfa.gov.il+%22human+shields%22 mfa]</ref><ref>[https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/en/?s=Human+shields M. Amit]</ref> Iranian proxy.<ref>[https://jcpa.org/hamas-is-acting-as-an-arm-of-iranian-power/ Hamas is Acting as an Arm of Iranian Power], Dore Gold, JCPA, May 20, 2021</ref><ref name=jcpa-jul132021>[https://jcpa.org/the-hamas-and-islamic-jihad-leadership-and-their-ties-to-iran/ The Hamas and Islamic Jihad Leadership and their Ties to Iran], Evan Brown, ~~Lenny~~ Ben-David, JCPA, July 13, 2021</ref> Pakistani and Iranian trained.<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2021/06/pak-senator-boasts-about-training-hamas-terrorists-says-will-continue-to-do-so-watch-video/</ref>

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* [[Hamas]]<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aidf.il+%22human+shields%22&oq=site%3Aidf.il+%22human+shields%22 idf], [https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Amfa.gov.il+%22human+shields%22 mfa]</ref><ref>[https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/en/?s=Human+shields M. Amit]</ref> Iranian proxy.<ref>[https://jcpa.org/hamas-is-acting-as-an-arm-of-iranian-power/ Hamas is Acting as an Arm of Iranian Power], Dore Gold, JCPA, May 20, 2021</ref><ref name=jcpa-jul132021>[https://jcpa.org/the-hamas-and-islamic-jihad-leadership-and-their-ties-to-iran/ The Hamas and Islamic Jihad Leadership and their Ties to Iran], Evan Brown, Lenny Ben-David, JCPA, July 13, 2021</ref> Pakistani and Iranian trained.<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2021/06/pak-senator-boasts-about-training-hamas-terrorists-says-will-continue-to-do-so-watch-video/</ref>

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*[[Palestinian Islamic Jihad]].<ref name=jcpa-jul132021/><ref>[https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/explosion-at-market-in-gaza-city-injuries-reported-674567 ~~1 killed~~, 10 injured in explosion at Gaza City market] Tzvi Joffre, JPost, July 22, 2021.

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*[[Palestinian Islamic Jihad]].<ref name=jcpa-jul132021/><ref>[https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/explosion-at-market-in-gaza-city-injuries-reported-674567 1 killed, 10 injured in explosion at Gaza City market] Tzvi Joffre, JPost, July 22, 2021.

... after a weapons storage belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist movement at the Al-Zawiya market in Gaza City exploded on Thursday morning... The PIJ seemed to take some form of responsibility on Thursday evening, announcing that it would "rise up to its responsibilities" and follow up with all concerned parties concerning the explosion in the market. The terrorist movement expressed its "full solidarity" with those affected by the explosion.

The injured were transferred to Shifa Hospital in the coastal enclave. The Palestinian killed in the incident was identified by Palestinian media as Atta Saqallah.

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"Instead of responding to UN calls for the reconstruction of Gaza, terrorist organizations continue to manufacture weapons and promote the construction of military sites," added Adraee. "These terrorist organizations store their weapons in the heart of residential neighborhoods and among civilians, exposing them directly to danger."</ref><ref>[https://www.20il.co.il/%D7%A6%D7%94%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%A5-%D7%94%D7%92%D7%93%D7%95%D7%9C-%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%94-%D7%9E%D7%97%D7%A1%D7%9F-%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%A7-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%92/ IDF: The largest explosion in the Gaza Strip - an Islamic Jihad weapons depot], News 20.

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"Instead of responding to UN calls for the reconstruction of Gaza, terrorist organizations continue to manufacture weapons and promote the construction of military sites," added Adraee. "These terrorist organizations store their weapons in the heart of residential neighborhoods and among civilians, exposing them directly to danger."</ref><ref>[https://www.20il.co.il/%D7%A6%D7%94%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%A5-%D7%94%D7%92%D7%93%D7%95%D7%9C-%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%94-%D7%9E%D7%97%D7%A1%D7%9F-%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%A7-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%92/ IDF: The largest explosion in the Gaza Strip - an Islamic Jihad weapons depot], News 20.

Thirteenth of Av 5781 (22/07/2021) .

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==Palestine: 1939==

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Already in 1939, ~~Yusuf Sa~~'~~id Abu Durra~~ (1900 – 1940 - nom de guerre: ~~Abu Abed~~), of [[Mohammed Amin Al-Husseini]] grand Mufti of a Jerusalem's terror gang, used women to escape.<ref>[https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/pls/1939/02/03/01/article/17 The Palestine Post⁩⁩, 3 February 1939]

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Already in 1939, Yusuf Sa'id Abu Durra (1900 – 1940 - nom de guerre: Abu Abed), of [[Mohammed Amin Al-Husseini]] grand Mufti of a Jerusalem's terror gang, used women to escape.<ref>[https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/pls/1939/02/03/01/article/17 The Palestine Post⁩⁩, 3 February 1939]

MUFTI CONDEMNED RY EX-TERRORIST FAKHRI ABDUL HADI'S OPEN LETTER TO MUFTI

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* [[Saddam]]'s [[Iraqi]] loyalists, Islamists 2003-2004. <ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/03/24/sprj.irq.pentagon/index.html Pentagon: Iraqi forces engaged in 'deadly deception']

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Pentagon calls deaths of Syrian civilians 'regrettable'. CNN, Tuesday, March 25, 2003.

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Pentagon calls deaths of Syrian civilians 'regrettable'. CNN, Tuesday, March 25, 2003.

Video.

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The Pentagon says Iraqis have engaged in 'deadly deception' by feigning surrender and using human shields. CNN's Jamie McIntyre reports.</ref><ref>[https://nypost.com/2003/03/27/fedayeen-ferrets-dirty-band-dubbed-war-criminals-2/ Fedayeen Ferrets: Dirty Band Dubbed ‘War Criminals ’] ~~Aly~~ Sujo, NYPost, March 27, 2003.

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The Pentagon says Iraqis have engaged in 'deadly deception' by feigning surrender and using human shields. CNN's Jamie McIntyre reports.</ref><ref>[https://nypost.com/2003/03/27/fedayeen-ferrets-dirty-band-dubbed-war-criminals-2/ Fedayeen Ferrets: Dirty Band Dubbed ‘War Criminals ’] Aly Sujo, NYPost, March 27, 2003.

Angry U.S. officials accused the Iraqis yesterday of committing war crimes and using an arsenal of dirty tricks on the battlefield.

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Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld earlier this week accused the Iraqis of “acts of treachery.”

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“They are dressing their forces as liberated civilians and sending soldiers out waving white flags … with the goal of drawing coalition forces into the ambushes,” he said.</ref><ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0411/14/le.01.html CNN.com - Transcripts.

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“They are dressing their forces as liberated civilians and sending soldiers out waving white flags … with the goal of drawing coalition forces into the ambushes,” he said.</ref><ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0411/14/le.01.html CNN.com - Transcripts. CNN LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER]

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CNN LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER]

Interview With Lynne Cheney; Interview With Saeb Erakat.

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*[[Syria]], [[Bashar al-Assad]].<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2012/03/25/syria-local-residents-used-human-shields Syria: Local Residents Used as Human Shields], HRW, Mar 25, 2012.

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Reports of Residents Forced to March in Front of Soldiers in Idlib – Syrian government forces have endangered local residents by forcing them to march in front of the army during recent arrest operations, troop movements, and attacks on towns and villages in ~~northern Syria~~.

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Reports of Residents Forced to March in Front of Soldiers in Idlib – Syrian government forces have endangered local residents by forcing them to march in front of the army during recent arrest operations, troop movements, and attacks on towns and villages in northern Syria.

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Witnesses from the towns of al-Janoudyah, Kafr Nabl, Kafr Rouma, and Ayn Larouz in the Idlib governorate in northern Syria told Human Rights Watch that they saw the army and pro-government armed men, referred to locally ~~as shabeeha~~, ~~force~~ people to march in front of the advancing army during the March 2012 offensive to retake control of areas that had fallen into the hands of the opposition. From the circumstances of these incidents, it was clear to the witnesses that the purpose of this was to protect the army from attack.

+

Witnesses from the towns of al-Janoudyah, Kafr Nabl, Kafr Rouma, and Ayn Larouz in the Idlib governorate in northern Syria told Human Rights Watch that they saw the army and pro-government armed men, referred to locally as shabeeha, force people to march in front of the advancing army during the March 2012 offensive to retake control of areas that had fallen into the hands of the opposition. From the circumstances of these incidents, it was clear to the witnesses that the purpose of this was to protect the army from attack.

“By using civilians as human shields, the Syrian army is showing blatant disregard for their safety,” said Ole Solvang, emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The Syrian army should immediately stop this abhorrent practice.”

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Buses filled with prisoners moved to military targets to be used as human shields against Western airstrikes, British paper reports.

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Thousands ~~of Syrian prisoners~~ have been moved to military targets to be used as human shields against Western air strikes, Britain's Daily Mirror reported Friday.

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Thousands of Syrian prisoners have been moved to military targets to be used as human shields against Western air strikes, Britain's Daily Mirror reported Friday.

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According to the report, ~~Damascus residents~~ said they saw buses filled with inmates being taken from their cells to sites the regime believes could be targets.

+

According to the report, Damascus residents said they saw buses filled with inmates being taken from their cells to sites the regime believes could be targets.

The opposition Syrian National Coalition said: "Assad’s fascist regime is amassing activists and civilians in prisons in military locations that may be targets for foreign forces."</ref>

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4.Erdogan purchased Russia’s S-400 air defense system which, once operational, NATO fears would seriously compromise the alliance’s intelligence sharing and technology — apart from being fully incompatible with NATO systems.

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5.Erdogan invested ~~heavily in~~ promoting his Islamic ~~agenda by~~ supporting anti-Western Islamist extremist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and even ISIS.

+

5.Erdogan invested heavily in promoting his Islamic agenda by supporting anti-Western Islamist extremist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and even ISIS.

6.Erdogan uses Islam as a political tool by building mosques and other Islamic theological institutions. He also sends his imams to teach and preach his brand of religious nationalism in many countries in the Middle East and the Balkans.

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9.Erdogan sent troops to support Libya’s Government of National Accord in an effort to establish a strong foothold in the country, exploiting its oil and gas and threatening the free flow of energy from the Eastern Mediterranean.

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10.Erdogan violated a UN arms ~~embargo while~~ resisting NATO’s peace plans in Libya, ~~including~~ exercising extreme aggression against NATO ally France’s warship enforcing the embargo.

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10.Erdogan violated a UN arms embargo while resisting NATO’s peace plans in Libya, including exercising extreme aggression against NATO ally France’s warship enforcing the embargo.

11.Erdogan blocked a NATO defense plan for the Baltics and Poland and regularly intimidates Greece, a NATO member state, violating the country’s airspace with Turkish military jets.

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13.Last but not least, Erdogan perpetuated the heated conflict with Cyprus over his demand that his puppet — the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus — enjoy equal political power to the Republic of Cyprus, which is four times larger in population and territory and is an EU member state.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.politico.eu/article/mario-draghi-dictator-recep-tayyip-erdogan-sofagate/ Italy’s Draghi slams Erdoğan as a ‘dictator’ after Sofagate] Giorgio Leali, Politico, April 8, 2021.

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Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi slammed Turkish Presiden Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.</ref> fascist<ref>[https://turkeypurge.com/exiled-novelist-asli-erdogan-turkey-has-a-fascist-regime-it-is-not-yet-1940s-germany-but-1930s Exiled novelist Aslı Erdoğan: Turkey has a fascist regime. It is not yet 1940s Germany, but 1930s] ~~TurkeyPurge~~, Aug 6, 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/turkey-turning-into-fascist-dictatorship-meps-told Turkey turning into "fascist dictatorship", MEPs told] Martin Banks, The Parliament Magazine,, Nov 8, 2016

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Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi slammed Turkish Presiden Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.</ref> fascist<ref>[https://turkeypurge.com/exiled-novelist-asli-erdogan-turkey-has-a-fascist-regime-it-is-not-yet-1940s-germany-but-1930s Exiled novelist Aslı Erdoğan: Turkey has a fascist regime. It is not yet 1940s Germany, but 1930s] TurkeyPurge, Aug 6, 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/turkey-turning-into-fascist-dictatorship-meps-told Turkey turning into "fascist dictatorship", MEPs told] Martin Banks, The Parliament Magazine,, Nov 8, 2016

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A leading Turkish opposition parliamentarian says that Turkey has been turned into a "fascist dictatorship" under its President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.</ref><ref>[https://amp2.handelsblatt.com/recep-tayyip-erdogan-birth-of-a-dictator/23540062.html Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Birth of a Dictator] von John Blau, Handelsblatt, Dec 8, 2016.</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/19/jailed-turkish-editor-can-dundar-slams-eu-deal-with-erdogans-fascist-governmentJailed Turkish Editor slams EU deal ~~with Erdogan~~'s ~~fascist government~~], Kareem Shaheen, Guardian, January 19, 2016</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/theworldpost/wp/2018/06/25/erdogan/ Opinion: ~~Turkey~~ takes a big step toward nationalist fascism] Omer Taspinar, Washington Post, June 25, 2018</ref>) [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]], (2020).<ref>[https://redpilledreality.com/turkey-caught-using-children-as-human-shields-at-border-with-greece-as-greece-fights-erdogans-violent-migrant-army/ Turkey Caught Using Children as Human Shields at Border With Greece as Greece Fights Erdogan’s Violent Migrant Army] March 2, 2020.

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A leading Turkish opposition parliamentarian says that Turkey has been turned into a "fascist dictatorship" under its President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.</ref><ref>[https://amp2.handelsblatt.com/recep-tayyip-erdogan-birth-of-a-dictator/23540062.html Recep Tayyip Erdogan: Birth of a Dictator] von John Blau, Handelsblatt, Dec 8, 2016.</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/19/jailed-turkish-editor-can-dundar-slams-eu-deal-with-erdogans-fascist-governmentJailed Turkish Editor slams EU deal with Erdogan's fascist government], Kareem Shaheen, Guardian, January 19, 2016</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/theworldpost/wp/2018/06/25/erdogan/ Opinion: Turkey takes a big step toward nationalist fascism] Omer Taspinar, Washington Post, June 25, 2018</ref>) [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]], (2020).<ref>[https://redpilledreality.com/turkey-caught-using-children-as-human-shields-at-border-with-greece-as-greece-fights-erdogans-violent-migrant-army/ Turkey Caught Using Children as Human Shields at Border With Greece as Greece Fights Erdogan’s Violent Migrant Army] March 2, 2020.

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Turkey has for a number of days now been using a violent migrant army of military age men to attack Greece because they did not support his regime change war in Syria. The Turkish regime ~~has armed these~~ military age men with weapons such as gas canisters and Molotov cocktails to attack Greek police, army, navy, and Greek locals.</ref><ref>[https://www.martenscentre.eu/blog/turkish-bazaar-an-asymmetrical-threat-to-the-eu/ Turkish Bazaar: An asymmetrical threat to the EU] Panos Tasiopoulos, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, March 3, 2020.

+

Turkey has for a number of days now been using a violent migrant army of military age men to attack Greece because they did not support his regime change war in Syria. The Turkish regime has armed these military age men with weapons such as gas canisters and Molotov cocktails to attack Greek police, army, navy, and Greek locals.</ref><ref>[https://www.martenscentre.eu/blog/turkish-bazaar-an-asymmetrical-threat-to-the-eu/ Turkish Bazaar: An asymmetrical threat to the EU] Panos Tasiopoulos, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, March 3, 2020.

... It is not the first time that Turkey is using civilians as human shields and tools of its foreign policy. During the Great War, the Ottoman Empire deported and exterminated a large part of its Christian population. In 1938, the Kemalist Republic followed a similar policy in Alexandretta. In September 1955, the Turkish state was behind the brutal “pogrom” against the Greek-Orthodox population of Istanbul. Two decades later, Turkey invaded the Republic of Cyprus and forced thousands of Cypriots into exile.

−

The same strategy is being used today on the Greek-Turkish border. Greece is facing an ongoing hybrid attack on land, sea and air by a so-called NATO ally. Recently, reports of cyber-attacks towards the Greek government and other sensitive sectors of the Greek state by Turkish hackers were published in the international press. In the first months of 2020, the violation and infringement of Greek airspace – with armed planes flying even over inhabited Greek islands in the Aegean – has reached new records.

+

The same strategy is being used today on the Greek-Turkish border. Greece is facing an ongoing hybrid attack on land, sea and air by a so-called NATO ally. Recently, reports of cyber-attacks towards the Greek government and other sensitive sectors of the Greek state by Turkish hackers were published in the international press. In the first months of 2020, the violation and infringement of Greek airspace – with armed planes flying even over inhabited Greek islands in the Aegean – has reached new records.

−

The recent decision by Erdogan and his authoritarian regime to encourage and push thousands of desperate people towards the north-east Greek sea and land borders comes as a natural continuation to a series of aggressive actions taken against Greece and Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean. These actions include illegal exploration activities in the Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) of Cyprus and the illegal Turkish-Libyan Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that openly violates Greek territorial sovereignty. In addition, reports and footage show that the movement of immigrants -including criminals detained in Turkish prisons- is being implemented with the active participation of the Turkish armed forces, police and the Turkish intelligence services (MIT).

+

The recent decision by Erdogan and his authoritarian regime to encourage and push thousands of desperate people towards the north-east Greek sea and land borders comes as a natural continuation to a series of aggressive actions taken against Greece and Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean. These actions include illegal exploration activities in the Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) of Cyprus and the illegal Turkish-Libyan Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that openly violates Greek territorial sovereignty. In addition, reports and footage show that the movement of immigrants -including criminals detained in Turkish prisons- is being implemented with the active participation of the Turkish armed forces, police and the Turkish intelligence services (MIT).

−

Turkey has become a state “trafficker” that does not recoil from politicising human pain and misery, in order to make political gains. The Greek government’s rightful decision to increase the level of deterrence at its borders and temporarily suspend the asylum applications is the only possible reaction for any state intent on protecting its territory from a well organised hybrid attack.

+

Turkey has become a state “trafficker” that does not recoil from politicising human pain and misery, in order to make political gains. The Greek government’s rightful decision to increase the level of deterrence at its borders and temporarily suspend the asylum applications is the only possible reaction for any state intent on protecting its territory from a well organised hybrid attack.

−

In the last 3 days, there have been over twenty-~~four thousand~~ instances of people illegally attempting to cross into Greek territory. In Evros, less than 200 were successful, in which case the intruders were immediately arrested. On Monday alone, over 1.000 arrivals were recorded on the Greek islands of the Northern Aegean. The situation is tense and a fatal accident could turn the whole situation into something that risks becoming uncontrollable.

+

In the last 3 days, there have been over twenty-four thousand instances of people illegally attempting to cross into Greek territory. In Evros, less than 200 were successful, in which case the intruders were immediately arrested. On Monday alone, over 1.000 arrivals were recorded on the Greek islands of the Northern Aegean. The situation is tense and a fatal accident could turn the whole situation into something that risks becoming uncontrollable.

−

It is more than certain that Erdogan’s regime will use fake-news and propaganda in order to attract public sympathy and portray Greece and Europe as the offenders. ~~Turkey de facto cancelled~~ the EU-Turkey Statement and Action Plan. Those who speak about asylum and international humanitarian law from the comfort of their office thousands of miles away from the Greek border tend to forget the geopolitical realities in the region. We are no longer talking about individuals who are escaping conflict zones. What we see is uncontrollable masses trying to reach Europe in huge numbers under the direct encouragement, guidance and facilitation of an official state actor and its services.</ref>

+

It is more than certain that Erdogan’s regime will use fake-news and propaganda in order to attract public sympathy and portray Greece and Europe as the offenders. Turkey de facto cancelled the EU-Turkey Statement and Action Plan. Those who speak about asylum and international humanitarian law from the comfort of their office thousands of miles away from the Greek border tend to forget the geopolitical realities in the region. We are no longer talking about individuals who are escaping conflict zones. What we see is uncontrollable masses trying to reach Europe in huge numbers under the direct encouragement, guidance and facilitation of an official state actor and its services.</ref>

==Anti-Israel forces==

The use of its civilians (in attacking [[Israel]]i civilians - the double crime<ref>Terry Glavin: 'By using human shields, Hamas doubles down on its war crimes. There is no equivalence between Israel's defensive targeting of Hamas launch sites in Gaza and the rockets targeting Israeli civilians.' May 12, 2021.

−

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/terry-glavin-by-using-human-shields-hamas-doubles-down-on-its-war-crimes</ref>) by anti-Israel Arab-"Palestinians" or [[Hezbollah]] goes back to at least 1982, by [[Arafat]] at [[PLO]].<ref name=uscongress1983>[https://books.google.com/books?id=SvudKjsiDxAC&pg=PA131 United States Policy Toward Lebanon-relief and Rehabilitation... United States Congress. House Committee on Foreign Affairs. 1983, p. 131] ''THE PLO THREAT. Israel has found in Lebanon enough PLO weapons to equip a massive army and to supply untold numbers of terrorist cadres... Arafat boasts of PLO terrorists serving in El Salvador, Angola and... In two ways however, the PLO was different from conventional armies. First, the PLO consciously attacked only civilians and, secondly, the ~~PLO used~~ civilians as human ~~shields to~~ protect itself. Anyone who has been to the small country of Israel knows that there are many military targets to be easily found... Yet, the PLO could only find those “military" targets disguised as kibbutz nurseries, school buses, marketplaces or passenger airplanes. And the second factor that differentiates the PLO terrorist army from conventional armies is its hiding in the midst of civilian centers. ~~Israeli~~ troops uncovered PLO arsenals, emplacements and bases in schools, mosques, and apartment basements. ~~According to Newsweek~~, June 14, Israeli soldiers in one engagement, were attacked ~~by PLO~~ fighters disguised as hospital patients.''</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=LWNmAAAAMAAJ&dq=human+shields 'Current World Leaders,' 1982, p.676] ''PLO Subversion of Lebanon. The terrorists sought and found new bases in Lebanon... ~~The~~ Deliberate Use of Civilians as Shields Since the beginning of its operations against Israel, the PLO has cynically used heavily populated areas — such as refugee camps or inhabited areas in Beirut and other towns in Lebanom — as bases of operation. Aware of Israeli reluctance to harm civilians, it has thus often used the latter as human shields. And indeed, Israel acted with restraint. It elected not to attack targets in the midst of the refugee camps or the towns, but on their peripheries, in order to innocent human lives and ... However, Israel has no choice but to act in self-defense as long as acts of terrorism continue against its people...''</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=9rZKAAAAYAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=As+hostages+ Stephen Karetzky, Peter E. Goldman, "The Media's War Against Israel: The Full Exposé No One Dared Publish." (Steimatzky/Shapolsky, 1986) p.266][https://books.google.com/books?id=9rZKAAAAYAAJ&q=human+shields+civilian+population+plo] ''By training their cameras on the stark rubble and bloody civilian casualties, the television reporters transformed the reality of Israel's most ... and the agony and casualties such attacks cause, and by rarely explaining how the PLO used civilians as shields, the knights of the Electronic Cyclops failed to give viewers a balanced picture of the fighting... responsibility for the carnage, or about the PLO's right to use the Lebanese capital's civilianpopulation as hostages to his political maneuverings.''</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=auxHAAAAYAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=Encamped "World Refugee Survey," 1984, p.112] ''...these organizations had "encamped themselves within civilian population centers in southern Lebanon, using the civilians as human shields and enabling them to launch Katyusha rockets and other weapons against Israeli soldiers and civilians with impunity. Faced with this deliberate provocation and escalation, Israel was forced to respond."''</ref><ref>[https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3490167,00.html Fatah claims: Hamas uses us as a "human shield"] Ali Waked, Ynet, Jan 3, 2008.

+

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/terry-glavin-by-using-human-shields-hamas-doubles-down-on-its-war-crimes</ref>) by anti-Israel Arab-"Palestinians" or [[Hezbollah]] goes back to at least 1982, by [[Arafat]] at [[PLO]].<ref name=uscongress1983>[https://books.google.com/books?id=SvudKjsiDxAC&pg=PA131 United States Policy Toward Lebanon-relief and Rehabilitation... United States Congress. House Committee on Foreign Affairs. 1983, p. 131] ''THE PLO THREAT. Israel has found in Lebanon enough PLO weapons to equip a massive army and to supply untold numbers of terrorist cadres... Arafat boasts of PLO terrorists serving in El Salvador, Angola and... In two ways however, the PLO was different from conventional armies. First, the PLO consciously attacked only civilians and, secondly, the PLO used civilians as human shields to protect itself. Anyone who has been to the small country of Israel knows that there are many military targets to be easily found... Yet, the PLO could only find those “military" targets disguised as kibbutz nurseries, school buses, marketplaces or passenger airplanes. And the second factor that differentiates the PLO terrorist army from conventional armies is its hiding in the midst of civilian centers. Israeli troops uncovered PLO arsenals, emplacements and bases in schools, mosques, and apartment basements. According to Newsweek, June 14, Israeli soldiers in one engagement, were attacked by PLO fighters disguised as hospital patients.''</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=LWNmAAAAMAAJ&dq=human+shields 'Current World Leaders,' 1982, p.676] ''PLO Subversion of Lebanon. The terrorists sought and found new bases in Lebanon... The Deliberate Use of Civilians as Shields Since the beginning of its operations against Israel, the PLO has cynically used heavily populated areas — such as refugee camps or inhabited areas in Beirut and other towns in Lebanom — as bases of operation. Aware of Israeli reluctance to harm civilians, it has thus often used the latter as human shields. And indeed, Israel acted with restraint. It elected not to attack targets in the midst of the refugee camps or the towns, but on their peripheries, in order to innocent human lives and ... However, Israel has no choice but to act in self-defense as long as acts of terrorism continue against its people...''</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=9rZKAAAAYAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=As+hostages+ Stephen Karetzky, Peter E. Goldman, "The Media's War Against Israel: The Full Exposé No One Dared Publish." (Steimatzky/Shapolsky, 1986) p.266][https://books.google.com/books?id=9rZKAAAAYAAJ&q=human+shields+civilian+population+plo] ''By training their cameras on the stark rubble and bloody civilian casualties, the television reporters transformed the reality of Israel's most ... and the agony and casualties such attacks cause, and by rarely explaining how the PLO used civilians as shields, the knights of the Electronic Cyclops failed to give viewers a balanced picture of the fighting... responsibility for the carnage, or about the PLO's right to use the Lebanese capital's civilianpopulation as hostages to his political maneuverings.''</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=auxHAAAAYAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=Encamped "World Refugee Survey," 1984, p.112] ''...these organizations had "encamped themselves within civilian population centers in southern Lebanon, using the civilians as human shields and enabling them to launch Katyusha rockets and other weapons against Israeli soldiers and civilians with impunity. Faced with this deliberate provocation and escalation, Israel was forced to respond."''</ref><ref>[https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3490167,00.html Fatah claims: Hamas uses us as a "human shield"] Ali Waked, Ynet, Jan 3, 2008.

''According to Fatah operatives, Hamas members dispersed their detainees in Gaza at the organization's outposts, leaving them there when IDF attacks began. One of the detainees was killed by IDF gunfire at a Hamas outpost near Khan Yunis. And her three children.''</ref><ref>Steven Carol, "Understanding the Volatile and Dangerous Middle East - A Comprehensive Analysis." (iUniverse) 2019.

[https://books.google.com/books?id=trqzDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT145 Pt145]

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The PLO pioneered the tactic of operating in civilian ~~surroundings during~~ the Israel–PLO War in Lebanon in 1982. Testimony of this exploitation ~~of innocent~~ civilians ~~came from the Lebanese who in effect were the hostages~~, "Palestinian fighters took their guns ~~placed them~~ next to our [Lebanese civilian] homes, next ~~to apartment~~ blocks and hospitals and schools. At their own Ayn Hilweh camp the Palestinians actually put ~~their guns~~ on the roof of the hospitals."</blockquote></ref><ref name=minister>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7YgiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=v6oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4952,3652451&hl=en Viewpoint. Inside Lebanon: A Minister's View. Sumter Daily Item - Jan 29, 1983]

+

The PLO pioneered the tactic of operating in civilian surroundings during the Israel–PLO War in Lebanon in 1982. Testimony of this exploitation of innocent civilians came from the Lebanese who in effect were the hostages, "Palestinian fighters took their guns placed them next to our [Lebanese civilian] homes, next to apartment blocks and hospitals and schools. At their own Ayn Hilweh camp the Palestinians actually put their guns on the roof of the hospitals."</blockquote></ref><ref name=minister>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7YgiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=v6oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4952,3652451&hl=en Viewpoint. Inside Lebanon: A Minister's View. Sumter Daily Item - Jan 29, 1983]

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<blockquote>We saw the PLO headquarters in Sidon, built near the town square, but underground, beneath a large and popular amusement park (complete with ferris wheel and roller coaster), '''hiding beneath the skirts of women. We saw the Moslem hospital which the PLO used as an armament depot, marking their crates of live ammunition with the symbol of the Palestine Red Crescent (the local version of the Red Cross, and whose chairman is the brother of Yassar Arafat'''; most of the tragically inflated statistics on civilian casualties in Lebanon were provided by the Palestine Red Crescent issued without confirmation by the International Red Cross, which has since discovered how it was manipulated and has issued a formal retraction of the civilian casualty statistics). We talked with young men and old men in the streets of Sidon, candidly and happily. They told us how glad they are to have the Israeli army come in, how their freedom has been restored after eight years. '''They called the Israeli army "the army of liberation".''' Nowhere could we find a dissenting opinion.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=rwUJwFkAinsC&pg=PA371 Preachers of Hate: Islam and the War on America] Kenneth R. Timmerman, 2004, p.137.‎

+

<blockquote>We saw the PLO headquarters in Sidon, built near the town square, but underground, beneath a large and popular amusement park (complete with ferris wheel and roller coaster), '''hiding beneath the skirts of women. We saw the Moslem hospital which the PLO used as an armament depot, marking their crates of live ammunition with the symbol of the Palestine Red Crescent (the local version of the Red Cross, and whose chairman is the brother of Yassar Arafat'''; most of the tragically inflated statistics on civilian casualties in Lebanon were provided by the Palestine Red Crescent issued without confirmation by the International Red Cross, which has since discovered how it was manipulated and has issued a formal retraction of the civilian casualty statistics). We talked with young men and old men in the streets of Sidon, candidly and happily. They told us how glad they are to have the Israeli army come in, how their freedom has been restored after eight years. '''They called the Israeli army "the army of liberation".''' Nowhere could we find a dissenting opinion.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=rwUJwFkAinsC&pg=PA371 Preachers of Hate: Islam and the War on America] Kenneth R. Timmerman, 2004, p.137.‎

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(Quoting from Ahlmark, P.'s book) ''Tyranny and the Left: Is Demcracy for Everybody?, p.9:''<blockquote>

+

(Quoting from Ahlmark, P.'s book) ''Tyranny and the Left: Is Demcracy for Everybody?, p.9:''<blockquote>

−

I was in Lebanon at the time ~~Palme made his~~ remark, and the only persecution of Palestinian children ~~in refugee camps was being~~ carried ~~out by Arafat~~'~~s PLO~~ guerrillas, ~~who used the refugees as human shields to~~ forestall Israeli attacks on PLO military positions. Dozens ~~of Palestinian men~~ were arrested and tortured by the PLO as they attempted to flee Beirut that summer

+

I was in Lebanon at the time Palme made his remark, and the only persecution of Palestinian children in refugee camps was being carried out by Arafat's PLO guerrillas, who used the refugees as human shields to forestall Israeli attacks on PLO military positions. Dozens of Palestinian men were arrested and tortured by the PLO as they attempted to flee Beirut that summer

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Dozens of Palestinian men were ~~arrested and~~ tortured by the PLO as they attempted to flee Beirut that summer; I met many of them in a secret Fatah detention."</blockquote></ref>

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Dozens of Palestinian men were arrested and tortured by the PLO as they attempted to flee Beirut that summer; I met many of them in a secret Fatah detention."</blockquote></ref>

Line 272: Line 269:

Most widespread, by Islamic Jihad and [[Hamas]].<ref>Search: [https://www.google.com/search?q=%22human+shields%22+%22terrorists%22+-.tr+-aljazeera+-wikipedia.org+-icrc+-palestine+-btselem+-shovrim+-haaretz+-hrw] https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aidf.il+%22human+shields%22 . https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/site-search?q=Human+shields+</ref>

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<ref>Hamas' Use of Human Shields, Explained. Published on May 18, 2021. The Hamas terror organization manufactures, stores, and launches weapons among civilian areas in Gaza. This is a blatant violation of human rights—both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad use Gazan civilians as human shields to protect their weapons by putting them in the direct line of fire. Following Hamas' relentless rocket attacks since May 10, 2021, Israel has had no choice but to defend itself. In contrast to its enemies, the IDF goes above and beyond international law to warn and protect Gazan civilians while striking terror targets in Gaza. https://youtu.be/_IWrLkTYRO0</ref> Even by own admission.<ref>"Hamas Quietly Admits It Fired Rockets from Civilian Areas." Sep 12, 2014 ~~— Throughout~~ the seven- week conflict, Israel frequently charged that Hamas had been using schools, hospitals, and homes to ~~fire~~ . https://amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/380149</ref><ref>[https://www.facebook.com/TheBuffaloTribune/videos/hamas-leader-yahya-sinwar-admits-that-the-terrorist-group/2895337384055026/?extid=SEO---- "Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar admits that the terrorist group hides in civilian buildings in Gaza."] The Buffalo Tribune, June 7, 2021 [https://www.instagram.com/p/CP1Ul_OAebu/?hl=en]</ref><ref>Hamas admits using civilians as human shields, All Arab News Staff, June 9, 2021.

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<ref>Hamas' Use of Human Shields, Explained. Published on May 18, 2021. The Hamas terror organization manufactures, stores, and launches weapons among civilian areas in Gaza. This is a blatant violation of human rights—both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad use Gazan civilians as human shields to protect their weapons by putting them in the direct line of fire. Following Hamas' relentless rocket attacks since May 10, 2021, Israel has had no choice but to defend itself. In contrast to its enemies, the IDF goes above and beyond international law to warn and protect Gazan civilians while striking terror targets in Gaza. https://youtu.be/_IWrLkTYRO0</ref> Even by own admission.<ref>"Hamas Quietly Admits It Fired Rockets from Civilian Areas." Sep 12, 2014 — Throughout the seven- week conflict, Israel frequently charged that Hamas had been using schools, hospitals, and homes to fire . https://amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/380149</ref><ref>[https://www.facebook.com/TheBuffaloTribune/videos/hamas-leader-yahya-sinwar-admits-that-the-terrorist-group/2895337384055026/?extid=SEO---- "Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar admits that the terrorist group hides in civilian buildings in Gaza."] The Buffalo Tribune, June 7, 2021 [https://www.instagram.com/p/CP1Ul_OAebu/?hl=en]</ref><ref>Hamas admits using civilians as human shields, All Arab News Staff, June 9, 2021.

<blockquote>Israel accuses Hamas of double war crimes for such fighting – firing at Israeli civilians from within civilian population centers.

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Assessing blame for innocent casualties in the offensive launched by Israel into Gaza.

... Palestinians themselves, who now confirm Israel's assertion.

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Here's an excerpt from ~~one Associated~~ Press report:

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Here's an excerpt from one Associated Press report:

Residents of a Gaza neighborhood are confirming Israel's claim that Hamas militants had opened fire from the cover of a U.N. school where hundreds of Palestinians had sought refuge.

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...Two residents say a group of militants had fired their mortars from a street near the school, then fled into a crowd of people in the streets.

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~~And here~~'s another, also from the AP:

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And here's another, also from the AP:

Palestinian residents, speaking on condition of anonymity because of fear of retribution, said several militants ran toward the crowd, trying to use it as cover, when the first Israeli mortar shell missed them.

... Gaza militants used to wear black or khaki uniforms, but since the start of the Israeli offensive have been operating in civilian clothing, blending into crowds, residents say.

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Maybe it's time to re-evaluate which side shows such callous disregard for Palestine's civilians.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=niQegpLe0cEC&pg=PA13211 Congressional Record. Extensions of Remarks, Vol. 160, Pt. 9. Page 13211.] "Israel Has The Right To Defend Itaelf." ... Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania In The House Of Representatives. July 25, 2014. ''Hamas, which was designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.. has a history ~~of using~~ schools, hospitals and civilians areas as staging grounds and launch sites for their attacks against Israel. They have also built a network of tunnels under those locations to facilitate the movement of soldiers and weapons for use against Israel. When Israel responds to these attacks by specifically targeting these missiles launchers, Hamas uses human shields--many times children--as propaganda tools. The civilized world should be horrified at such tactics by Hamas and condemn them absolutely.''</ref><ref name=rb-2002>London: Harper Collins. Bergman, R. (2002). Vehareshut Netuna [Authority Given]. Tel Aviv: Miskal-Yediot Ahronot Books and Chemed Books (Hebrew). [https://books.google.com/books?id=K7ToAAAAIAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%AA%D7%99-%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8 p. 262]

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Maybe it's time to re-evaluate which side shows such callous disregard for Palestine's civilians.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=niQegpLe0cEC&pg=PA13211 Congressional Record. Extensions of Remarks, Vol. 160, Pt. 9. Page 13211.] "Israel Has The Right To Defend Itaelf." ... Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania In The House Of Representatives. July 25, 2014. ''Hamas, which was designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.. has a history of using schools, hospitals and civilians areas as staging grounds and launch sites for their attacks against Israel. They have also built a network of tunnels under those locations to facilitate the movement of soldiers and weapons for use against Israel. When Israel responds to these attacks by specifically targeting these missiles launchers, Hamas uses human shields--many times children--as propaganda tools. The civilized world should be horrified at such tactics by Hamas and condemn them absolutely.''</ref><ref name=rb-2002>London: Harper Collins. Bergman, R. (2002). Vehareshut Netuna [Authority Given]. Tel Aviv: Miskal-Yediot Ahronot Books and Chemed Books (Hebrew). [https://books.google.com/books?id=K7ToAAAAIAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%AA%D7%99-%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%A8 p. 262]

...that they place sabotage labs near schools and kindergartens for camouflage. Salim Hajah, a senior Hamas operative in Samaria who was arrested during Operation Defensive Shield, admitted that he had set up a sabotage laboratory near a school, and laboratory personnel disguised as students carrying bags and books.

Ahmad Mu'arbi, a senior official at Tanzim Bethlehem, told GSS investigators that he had located his sabotage laboratory in the Daheisheh refugee camp, near a kindergarten.

He and his men used to make explosives and carry out experiments.

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In both cases, the children in nearby institutions were in constant danger of being blown up as a result of a work accident.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Terrorism/Pages/Hamas-terrorists-confess-to-using-human-shields.aspx Hamas terrorists confess to using human shields] MFA, Aug 27, 2014. ~~According~~ to terrorists Afif and Ahmed Jarrah, Hamas built an attack tunnel just steps away from a playground in Beit Lahia.</ref><ref>[https://m.ynet.co.il/articles/4973648 UNRWA unveils a Hamas tunnel under a school in Gaza] Elior Levy, Ynet, June 10, 2017.

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In both cases, the children in nearby institutions were in constant danger of being blown up as a result of a work accident.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Terrorism/Pages/Hamas-terrorists-confess-to-using-human-shields.aspx Hamas terrorists confess to using human shields] MFA, Aug 27, 2014. According to terrorists Afif and Ahmed Jarrah, Hamas built an attack tunnel just steps away from a playground in Beit Lahia.</ref><ref>[https://m.ynet.co.il/articles/4973648 UNRWA unveils a Hamas tunnel under a school in Gaza] Elior Levy, Ynet, June 10, 2017.

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''The UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees discovered the tunnel about a week and a half ago, and agreed with Hamas that the part that passes under the school will be destroyed and sealed. It is probably not a tunnel intended to be used to infiltrate Israel.''</ref><ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/unrwa-uncovers-hamas-dug-tunnel-under-school-in-gaza/ UNRWA uncovers Hamas-dug tunnel under school in Gaza]. Palestinian refugee agency condemns Gaza rulers' underground network; Israel's UN envoy: 'Cruelty of Hamas' knows no bounds. ~~By TOI~~ STAFF, 9 June 2017</ref><ref>[https://rotter.net/mobile/viewmobile.php?forum=scoops1&thread=698778 The IDF informs 2 UNRWA schools to evacuate in preparation for the bombing], Rotter, May 17, 2021.

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''The UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees discovered the tunnel about a week and a half ago, and agreed with Hamas that the part that passes under the school will be destroyed and sealed. It is probably not a tunnel intended to be used to infiltrate Israel.''</ref><ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/unrwa-uncovers-hamas-dug-tunnel-under-school-in-gaza/ UNRWA uncovers Hamas-dug tunnel under school in Gaza]. Palestinian refugee agency condemns Gaza rulers' underground network; Israel's UN envoy: 'Cruelty of Hamas' knows no bounds. By TOI STAFF, 9 June 2017</ref><ref>[https://rotter.net/mobile/viewmobile.php?forum=scoops1&thread=698778 The IDF informs 2 UNRWA schools to evacuate in preparation for the bombing], Rotter, May 17, 2021.

The IDF sent a message to UNRWA institutions evacuating al-Burak and al-Aqsa schools

Towards the near bombing.

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In Gaza, this is called a crime because they have become shelters.</ref><ref>[https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/unrwa-finds-attack-tunnel-under-one-of-its-gaza-schools-670262 ~~UNRWA~~ finds attack tunnel under one of its Gaza schools.] ~~By Tovah~~ Lazaroff, June 6, 2021, JPost.com;

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In Gaza, this is called a crime because they have become shelters.</ref><ref>[https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/unrwa-finds-attack-tunnel-under-one-of-its-gaza-schools-670262 UNRWA finds attack tunnel under one of its Gaza schools.] By Tovah Lazaroff, June 6, 2021, JPost.com;

Khaled Abu Toameh: @KhaledAbuToameh UNRWA 'condemns the existence and potential use by Palestinian armed groups of tunnels underneath its schools (in Gaza) in the strongest possible terms It is unacceptable that students and staff be placed at risk in such a way.'

[https://mobile.twitter.com/KhaledAbuToameh/status/1401333927428640775 Jun 5, 2021]</ref><ref>[https://www.kan.org.il/item/?itemid=107439 Exclusive documentation: A Hamas tunnel was exposed at a UNRWA school in Gaza] Gal Berger, Kann News, June 10, 2021.

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Rather, they have spread out, and some are constantly changing locations. Some of the bunkers they are using were linked by tunnels Hamas built in recent years.</blockquote></ref><ref name=intllaw>Laurie R. Blank, ‎Gregory P. Noone, "International Law and Armed Conflict: Fundamental Principles and Contemporary Challenges in the Law of War." (Wolters Kluwer; 2nd edition, September 14, 2018), [https://books.google.com/books?id=fmxuDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA627 p. 627].

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''Cast Lead... Anthony H. Cordesman, The “Gaza War”: A Strategic Analysis 24 (2009) (describing ~~how Hamas~~ used a mosque to store Grad missiles and ~~Qassam rockets~~), http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/090202_gaza_war.pdf; Jeffrey Fleishman, Charges Fly in. Battle Over What Happened in Gaza, L.A. Times, ~~Jan~~. 23, ~~2009~~, ~~at A1~~ (detailing ~~how Hamas~~ used a bunker beneath a hospital as a headquarters).''</ref><ref>"Underground Warfare," Daphné Richemond-Barak, (Oxford University Press, 2018), [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZBBADwAAQBAJ&pg=PA209&#v=onepage&q=Reap&f=false p. 209].

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''Cast Lead... Anthony H. Cordesman, The “Gaza War”: A Strategic Analysis 24 (2009) (describing how Hamas used a mosque to store Grad missiles and Qassam rockets), http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/090202_gaza_war.pdf; Jeffrey Fleishman, Charges Fly in. Battle Over What Happened in Gaza, L.A. Times, Jan. 23, 2009, at A1 (detailing how Hamas used a bunker beneath a hospital as a headquarters).''</ref><ref>"Underground Warfare," Daphné Richemond-Barak, (Oxford University Press, 2018), [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZBBADwAAQBAJ&pg=PA209&#v=onepage&q=Reap&f=false p. 209].

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''UNDERGROUND WARFARE IN URBAN AREAS.

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''UNDERGROUND WARFARE IN URBAN AREAS.

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~~Hamas did~~ not have to dig to reap the benefits of operating underneath the Al-Shifa ~~Hospital in~~ Gaza City.''</ref><ref>"Mabat - a failed Hamas launch towards Israel from the Shifa hospital complex in Gaza ended today with the deaths of 10 Palestinians."

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Hamas did not have to dig to reap the benefits of operating underneath the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.''</ref><ref>"Mabat - a failed Hamas launch towards Israel from the Shifa hospital complex in Gaza ended today with the deaths of 10 Palestinians."

''Attempt to fire a rocket from the Shifa Hospital compound in Gaza ended today with the deaths of at least ten Palestinians, some of them children. Across the Gaza Strip, they tried to celebrate Eid al-Fitr today and Hamas - despite the destruction and suffering - is not ready to contain the fire.''

Article by Yuval King.

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[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkzf5BKW1N0 YouTube] · Kan 11 - The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation</ref><ref>[http://www.kolhazman.co.il/2431 A failed launch caused destruction at Shifa Hospital in Gaza]. Israel Greenfeld, Kol Hazman, Jul 28, 2014.

''An explosion occurred near Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip, the explosion occurred following a failed Hamas firing.''</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/while-israel-held-its-fire-the-militant-group-hamas-did-not/2014/07/15/116fd3d7-3c0f-4413-94a9-2ab16af1445d_story.html While Israel held its fire, the militant group Hamas did not] William Booth, Washington Post, July 15, 2014

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... At the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, crowds gathered to throw shoes and eggs at the Palestinian Authority’s health minister, who represents the crumbling “unity government” in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The minister was turned away before he reached the hospital, which has become a de facto headquarters for Hamas leaders, who can be seen in the hallways and offices...</ref><ref name=idf-confession/><ref>[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/184429 Hamas Captives: Haniyeh Hiding in Hospital]. Arutz Sheva staff, ~~Aug~~ 26, 2014.

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... At the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, crowds gathered to throw shoes and eggs at the Palestinian Authority’s health minister, who represents the crumbling “unity government” in the West Bank city of Ramallah. The minister was turned away before he reached the hospital, which has become a de facto headquarters for Hamas leaders, who can be seen in the hallways and offices...</ref><ref name=idf-confession/><ref>[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/184429 Hamas Captives: Haniyeh Hiding in Hospital]. Arutz Sheva staff, Aug 26, 2014.

''Shin Bet publishes testimony of captured terrorist who says 'everybody knows' that Hamas's leadership is hiding out at Shifa.''

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[Tags: Op. Protective Edge]</ref> <ref>[https://news.walla.co.il/item/2771602 Foreign correspondent: "It's true, Hamas fires rockets from hospitals]"

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[Tags: Op. Protective Edge]</ref> <ref>[https://news.walla.co.il/item/2771602 Foreign correspondent: "It's true, Hamas fires rockets from hospitals]"

''A Finnish journalist covered the fighting from Shifa Hospital in Gaza, when a rocket was launched from a parking lot there.'' Walla! news, August 2, 2014.

''Israel has claimed since the beginning of the operation that the organization is using civilian facilities for military purposes.''

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* Residences/private homes.<ref>[https://news.walla.co.il/item/1884766 Watch: The weapons depot attacked in Gaza, near a residence], Walla! news, Dec 12, 2011 - A video released today by the IDF Spokesman illustrates how the population of Gaza has become a "human shield" for the terrorist activities of the various organizations, headed by Hamas..</ref><ref name=cegielski/><ref>"[https://www.dw.com/en/who-is-hamas/a-57537872 What is Hamas? Who supports Hamas? What you need to know]," ''DW'', May 15, 2021.<blockquote>

Hamas often fires rockets at Israel from within residential areas and operates command posts in apartment blocks. The practice effectively uses civilians as human shields. Hamas has been secretly digging underground tunnels to smuggle arms into the enclave, chiefly from Egypt. The Egyptian government, however, has been clamping down on this activity.</blockquote></ref>

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* Places of worship.<ref>William Booth, Sudarsan ~~Raghavan and~~ Ruth Eglash, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/gaza-residents-scramble-to-make-most-of-five-hour-truce/2014/07/17/e5485fce-0d7e-11e4-8341-b8072b1e7348_story.html Israel launches ground invasion of Gaza]", Washington Post, July 17, 2014.

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* Places of worship.<ref>William Booth, Sudarsan Raghavan and Ruth Eglash, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/gaza-residents-scramble-to-make-most-of-five-hour-truce/2014/07/17/e5485fce-0d7e-11e4-8341-b8072b1e7348_story.html Israel launches ground invasion of Gaza]", Washington Post, July 17, 2014.

During the lull, a group of men at a mosque in northern Gaza said they had returned to clean up the green glass from windows shattered in the previous day’s bombardment. But they could be seen moving small rockets into the mosque.</blockquote></ref><ref name=uscongress1983/><ref name=bbc2006/><ref name=intllaw/>

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Hamas used children to help them dig numerous tunnels into Israel and Egypt, a 2012 paper written for the Journal of Palestine Studies reported.

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The paper, ~~titled Gaza’s~~ Tunnel Phenomenon: The Unintended Dynamics of Israel’s ~~Siege says that little~~ had been done to stop the phenomenon of child labor during the digging of the tunnels by Hamas ~~in Gaza~~.

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The paper, titled Gaza’s Tunnel Phenomenon: The Unintended Dynamics of Israel’s Siege says that little had been done to stop the phenomenon of child labor during the digging of the tunnels by Hamas in Gaza.

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In December 2011, the paper’s ~~author Nicolas~~ Pelham accompanied a police patrol in Gaza and reported that “nothing was done to impede the use of children in the tunnels, where, much as in Victorian coal mines, they are prized for their nimble bodies.”

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In December 2011, the paper’s author Nicolas Pelham accompanied a police patrol in Gaza and reported that “nothing was done to impede the use of children in the tunnels, where, much as in Victorian coal mines, they are prized for their nimble bodies.”

He continued and said that “at least 160 children have been killed in the tunnels, according to Hamas.</blockquote></ref><ref>"[https://www.yediot.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-5238011,00.html This is how Hamas uses children]." Yossi Yehoshua, Yediot Achronot, Apr 22, 2018

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[https://mobile.twitter.com/IsraelNitzan/status/979721030221647872/photo/1 photo]

*(Broadcaster) Ivgeni Zarubinski tweeted:

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<blockquote>The next time that Israel will be accused of harming the "innocent", Do remember this picture of a senior Hamas member, Who arrived today in Gaza, where there are riots, near the fence with Israel, Holding a little child on his hands, using her as a human shield.</blockquote> https://t.co/05X3SRbosd— (@ivgiz) [https://twitter.com/ivgiz/status/979677681473159168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Mar 30, 2018]</ref><ref>[https://www.israelhayom.com/2018/04/25/israeli-group-seeks-icc-action-against-hamas-for-using-children-as-shields/ Israeli group seeks ICC action against Hamas for using children as shields] ~~Yair~~ Altman, Israel Hayom, April 25, 2018, updated May 12, 2019.

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<blockquote>The next time that Israel will be accused of harming the "innocent", Do remember this picture of a senior Hamas member, Who arrived today in Gaza, where there are riots, near the fence with Israel, Holding a little child on his hands, using her as a human shield.</blockquote> https://t.co/05X3SRbosd— (@ivgiz) [https://twitter.com/ivgiz/status/979677681473159168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Mar 30, 2018]</ref><ref>[https://www.israelhayom.com/2018/04/25/israeli-group-seeks-icc-action-against-hamas-for-using-children-as-shields/ Israeli group seeks ICC action against Hamas for using children as shields] Yair Altman, Israel Hayom, April 25, 2018, updated May 12, 2019.

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The Shurat Hadin Israel Law Center is seeking International Criminal Court action against Hamas over the terrorist group's use of children as human shields in ~~the riots that~~ have taken place over the past month on the Israel-Gaza Strip border.

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The Shurat Hadin Israel Law Center is seeking International Criminal Court action against Hamas over the terrorist group's use of children as human shields in the riots that have taken place over the past month on the Israel-Gaza Strip border.

The lawsuit is based on a clause in the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC's work, which says that recruiting children under the age of 15 to any militant organization is a war crime.

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The suit names former Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal, current deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri, and moneyman Zahar Jabarin as guilty of war crimes, saying that as all three are nationals of Jordan, which is a signatory to the Rome Statute, they are subject to the court's jurisdiction.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/idf-pilot-suspects-children-in-vicinity-calls-off-airstrike-watch-668343 IDF pilot suspects children in vicinity, calls off airstrike - watch] Tobias Siegal, ~~May~~ 17, 2021</ref>

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The suit names former Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal, current deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri, and moneyman Zahar Jabarin as guilty of war crimes, saying that as all three are nationals of Jordan, which is a signatory to the Rome Statute, they are subject to the court's jurisdiction.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/idf-pilot-suspects-children-in-vicinity-calls-off-airstrike-watch-668343 IDF pilot suspects children in vicinity, calls off airstrike - watch] Tobias Siegal, May 17, 2021</ref>

* Women.<ref name=bbc2006>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6112386.stm Gaza women killed in mosque siege], BBC, Nov 3, 2006.<blockquote>

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Hamas terrorists use ambulances in the Gaza Strip to evacuate injured civilians to hospitals - and use them to escape from IDF forces.

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Terrorist operatives in Gaza who fire at soldiers and launch rockets into Israeli territory during the days of Operation Resilient Cliff, are taking advantage of the ambulance system in the Gaza Strip, which is designed to serve the many civilians injured - all to try and evade IDF forces in the area.</blockquote></ref><ref>Denouncing the Use of Civilians as Human Shields by Hamas and Other Terrorist Organizations in Violation of International Humanitarian Law; and Condemning the Murder of Israeli and Palestinian Children in Israel and the Ongoing and Escalating Violence in that Country: ~~Markup~~ Before the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session on H. Con. Res. 107 and H. Res. 665, July 25, 2014, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ariPAzGVot4C&pg=PA16 p. 16]

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Terrorist operatives in Gaza who fire at soldiers and launch rockets into Israeli territory during the days of Operation Resilient Cliff, are taking advantage of the ambulance system in the Gaza Strip, which is designed to serve the many civilians injured - all to try and evade IDF forces in the area.</blockquote></ref><ref>Denouncing the Use of Civilians as Human Shields by Hamas and Other Terrorist Organizations in Violation of International Humanitarian Law; and Condemning the Murder of Israeli and Palestinian Children in Israel and the Ongoing and Escalating Violence in that Country: Markup Before the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session on H. Con. Res. 107 and H. Res. 665, July 25, 2014, [https://books.google.com/books?id=ariPAzGVot4C&pg=PA16 p. 16]

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There were even published reports earlier this week ~~of Hamas terrorists using ambulances as~~ getaway cars..</blockquote></ref><ref>Yaakov Lappin, [https://www.jpost.com/operation-protective-edge/analysis-fighting-terrorists-who-move-around-in-ambulances-363498 Fighting terrorists who move around in ambulances] JPost, July 20, 2014</ref><ref>J. A. Gross, "[https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-accuses-palestinians-of-using-ambulance-as-shield-for-rock-throwing/ IDF accuses Palestinians of using ambulance as shield for rock throwing]", TOI, Dec 10, 2017.

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There were even published reports earlier this week of Hamas terrorists using ambulances as getaway cars..</blockquote></ref><ref>Yaakov Lappin, [https://www.jpost.com/operation-protective-edge/analysis-fighting-terrorists-who-move-around-in-ambulances-363498 Fighting terrorists who move around in ambulances] JPost, July 20, 2014</ref><ref>J. A. Gross, "[https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-accuses-palestinians-of-using-ambulance-as-shield-for-rock-throwing/ IDF accuses Palestinians of using ambulance as shield for rock throwing]", TOI, Dec 10, 2017.

Photographs released by military show two youths standing behind vehicle as they apparently lob stones at security forces</ref><ref>https://static.timesofisrael.com/www/uploads/2017/12/Using-an-Ambulance-as-a-Shield-2.jpeg</ref><ref>https://static.educalingo.com/img/en/800/human-shield.jpg</ref><ref>Steven Carol, "Understanding the Volatile and Dangerous Middle East - A Comprehensive Analysis." (iUniverse) 2019.

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In a much-noted case, on May 24, 2004, a video tape filmed by Reuters, broadcast on numerous television networks worldwide, showed two ambulances arriving at the site where an exchange of fire took place between the IDF and terrorist operatives during an IDF action in the Gaza Strip. One of the ambulances was clearly marked with a Red Crescent and “UN,” and flying a UN flag...

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During the 2008–09 First Gaza War, ~~Hamas used~~ human shields again...</blockquote>

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During the 2008–09 First Gaza War, Hamas used human shields again...</blockquote>

[https://books.google.com/books?id=trqzDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT146 Pt146]

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A Gaza ambulance driver who described ~~how Hamas operatives~~ tried to force him ~~to use his ambulance to~~....</blockquote >

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A Gaza ambulance driver who described how Hamas operatives tried to force him to use his ambulance to....</blockquote >

[https://books.google.com/books?id=trqzDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT147 pt147]

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During the Israeli retaliation for the incessant rocket fire— ~~Operation Cast~~ Lead— Hamas operatives made several attempts to commandeer the Al-Quds Hospital's (~~located in~~ the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza City) fleet of ambulances to move terrorists, thus copying their tactics from 2004.</blockquote>

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During the Israeli retaliation for the incessant rocket fire— Operation Cast Lead— Hamas operatives made several attempts to commandeer the Al-Quds Hospital's (located in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza City) fleet of ambulances to move terrorists, thus copying their tactics from 2004.</blockquote>

[https://books.google.com/books?id=trqzDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT148 pt148]</ref><ref>[https://www.israelhayom.co.il/opinion/521307 The Red Crescent: When a Rescue Organization Selects Death], Lital Semesh, Israel Hayom, Dec 12, 2017.

The day before yesterday, a violent riot broke out in the Ramallah area, one day chasing another day of riots involving rioters throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at IDF forces.

In a video released by the IDF Spokesman, a Red Crescent ambulance was seen assisting in transporting rioters disguised as wounded to the demonstration area.

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The ambulance dismantled the masked wounded in the area of ~~the~~ riots, as they wrapped themselves in Palestinian flags and joined their brothers in throwing stones at our soldiers.

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The ambulance dismantled the masked wounded in the area of the riots, as they wrapped themselves in Palestinian flags and joined their brothers in throwing stones at our soldiers.

All of this celebration took place under the auspices of an organization that is supposed to save lives and help the wounded, and not help the terrorists to vent their anger at IDF soldiers.

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*[https://books.google.com/books?id=J9M_AQAAIAAJ&q=Hanan+al-Masri+missile+2009 L'Arche, Issues 609-610, 2009, p.45]

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[La journaliste entend ~~les missiles du~~ Hamas, mais elle n'en parle ~~pas~~

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[La journaliste entend les missiles du Hamas, mais elle n'en parle pas

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Hanan Al-~~Masri est~~ la correspondante à Gaza de la chaîne de télévision al-Arabiya Basée à Dubaï. Les studios de la chaîne sont situés à la plein centre de la ville de Gaza. Dans un immeuble...

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Hanan Al-Masri est la correspondante à Gaza de la chaîne de télévision al-Arabiya Basée à Dubaï. Les studios de la chaîne sont situés à la plein centre de la ville de Gaza. Dans un immeuble...

(Elle parle dans son téléphone portable) Est-ce que le missile qui a été tiré d'ici était un Grad? Juste a l'instant. Comme s'il venait

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'''AP staff in Gaza City would witness a rocket launch right beside their office.'''</ref><ref name=cegielski>[https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/reporter-recounts-hamas-ruthless-tactics-during-2014-gaza-war Reporter Recounts Hamas’ Ruthless Tactics During 2014 Gaza War], Yair Rosenberg, Tablet Magazine, Aug 25, 2015.

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''On-the-ground dispatch details how ~~Gaza’s military~~ forces deliberately endangered their own civilians by using them as ‘living shields’''

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''On-the-ground dispatch details how Gaza’s military forces deliberately endangered their own civilians by using them as ‘living shields’''

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... Polish foreign correspondent Wojciech Cegielski reported live from amidst the chaos of the 2014 Gaza war. Today ~~in Haaretz~~, he offers ~~a damning account of~~ how he witnessed Hamas deliberately endanger civilians and journalists during that conflict. “Yes, Israel bombed Palestinian houses in Gaza,” the Polish Radio reporter writes. “But Hamas is also to blame for its cruel and selfish game against its own people.”

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... Polish foreign correspondent Wojciech Cegielski reported live from amidst the chaos of the 2014 Gaza war. Today in Haaretz, he offers a damning account of how he witnessed Hamas deliberately endanger civilians and journalists during that conflict. “Yes, Israel bombed Palestinian houses in Gaza,” the Polish Radio reporter writes. “But Hamas is also to blame for its cruel and selfish game against its own people.”

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While saying that he does not have “hard evidence” beyond his personal experience, Cegielski attests that from “spending a month in the middle of this hell, it was obvious that they [Hamas] were breaking international rules of war and worst of all, were not afraid to use their own citizens as living shields.~~” Cegielski~~ then proceeds to recount two arresting instances of Hamas placing civilians in harm’s way for which he was personally present:

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While saying that he does not have “hard evidence” beyond his personal experience, Cegielski attests that from “spending a month in the middle of this hell, it was obvious that they [Hamas] were breaking international rules of war and worst of all, were not afraid to use their own citizens as living shields.” Cegielski then proceeds to recount two arresting instances of Hamas placing civilians in harm’s way for which he was personally present:

The first incident happened late in the evening. I was in the bathroom when [I] heard a loud rocket noise and my Spanish colleague, a journalist who was renting a flat with me near the Gaza beach, started to scream. He wanted to light a cigarette and came to one of the open windows. The moment he was using his lighter, he saw a fireball in front of his eyes and lost his hearing.

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...ambassador to the United States, Gilad Erdan, gave the most detailed explanation yet of the decision to strike the tower as he met the head of the news agency, Gary Pruitt, at its New York headquarters.... "The unit was developing an electronic jamming system to be used against the Iron Dome defense system," Erdan said, referring to the anti-missile shield that intercepts Hamas rockets...."In contrast, Hamas is a genocidal terrorist organization that has no regard for the press. It purposely places its terror machine in civilian areas, including in offices being used by international media outlets," he said.</ref>

* [[UN]] vehicles.<ref>Matthew Levitt (2008). "Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad." [https://books.google.com/books?id=Min9VpiravsC&pg=PA95 p. 95]

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''Indicted in September 2002, Attalah admitted to using his U.N. vehicle ~~on multiple~~ occasions that summer to transport arms, explosives, and armed PRC activists.''</ref>

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''Indicted in September 2002, Attalah admitted to using his U.N. vehicle on multiple occasions that summer to transport arms, explosives, and armed PRC activists.''</ref>

* Media outlets.<ref>John Oliver Blames Israel for Hamas War Crimes. Emanuel Miller, HR, May 18, 2021''

See, for example, the video below of an Al-Arabiya journalist expressing shock in 2009 that Hamas fired a Grad rocket at Israel from under the building in which she was located. “They launched from under the office,” she exclaims.''

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https://honestreporting.com/john-oliver-blames-israel-for-hamas-war-crimes/</ref><ref>Blinken: Israel provided US secret justification for flattening AP building in Gaza. ~~By Steven~~ Nelson, NY Post May 18, 2021. https://nypost.com/2021/05/18/blinken-israel-gave-us-secret-justification-for-flattening-ap-building-in-gaza/. ''.. Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council under former President Barack Obama, said that the building was long known as an operational center for the Islamic fundamentalist group.

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https://honestreporting.com/john-oliver-blames-israel-for-hamas-war-crimes/</ref><ref>Blinken: Israel provided US secret justification for flattening AP building in Gaza. By Steven Nelson, NY Post May 18, 2021. https://nypost.com/2021/05/18/blinken-israel-gave-us-secret-justification-for-flattening-ap-building-in-gaza/. ''.. Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council under former President Barack Obama, said that the building was long known as an operational center for the Islamic fundamentalist group.

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"I'm sure Hamas offices were in that building [and] that they purposely co-locate operations with civilians" ~~Vietor wrote~~ on Twitter. He added that "I talked to people who worked in the building."''</ref><ref>[https://nypost.com/2015/05/02/un-report-outlines-how-hamas-used-kids-as-human-shields/ UN report outlines how Hamas used kids as human shields] Post Editorial Board, NYPost, May 2, 2015</ref>

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"I'm sure Hamas offices were in that building [and] that they purposely co-locate operations with civilians" Vietor wrote on Twitter. He added that "I talked to people who worked in the building."''</ref><ref>[https://nypost.com/2015/05/02/un-report-outlines-how-hamas-used-kids-as-human-shields/ UN report outlines how Hamas used kids as human shields] Post Editorial Board, NYPost, May 2, 2015</ref>

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Hamas, the terrorist organization that controls the Gaza Strip since it defeated Fatah in elections and expelled its members by killing about 500 of them, between the years 2006 and 2007, learned from Hezbollah how to achieve gains on the conflict against the “Zionist enemy”. Hamas has adopted Hezbollah modus operandi using civilians as “human shields”. Few years ago the IDF published how it looks in the Shiite village of Al-Khiyam in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has placed the weapon depots dozen meters from schools in the crowded center of the village. Over the years, Hamas enjoyed wide assistance of training and consultancy from Hezbollah and applied the same methodology in Gaza. An underground, well concreted City was dug in Gaza, Where Hamas militants were hiding, while a single shelter was not built for the citizens. Gaza villages, as in Southern Lebanon, became military compounds including armories, headquarters, intelligence positions, rocket launching positions, etc. All these were spread throughout the village according to the terrain analysis: observation posts on high positions controlling the roads below, important assets such as command centers and weapons warehouses in the most crowded or sensitive sites such as hospitals, schools and mosques. During an escalation, rockets are being launched from the hidden positions that were dug in advance – within or under homes, schools, mosques and various religious centers. For example, the attached video shows rockets launched last week from the “Al-Noor” school in the Gaza Strip.</blockquote>

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[[NATO]] has documented Hamas’ use of human shields in Gaza.<ref>[https://stratcomcoe.org/publications/hybrid-threats-hamas-use-of-human-shields-in-gaza/~~87 Hybrid~~ Threats: Hamas’ use of human shields in Gaza] StratCom | NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence Riga, Latvia.

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[[NATO]] has documented Hamas’ use of human shields in Gaza.<ref>[https://stratcomcoe.org/publications/hybrid-threats-hamas-use-of-human-shields-in-gaza/87 Hybrid Threats: Hamas’ use of human shields in Gaza] StratCom | NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence Riga, Latvia.

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By: James ~~Pamment Vladimir Sazonov Francesca Granelli Sean Aday Māris Andžāns Una~~ Bērziņa-~~Čerenkova John~~-Paul ~~Gravelines Mils Hills Irene~~ Martinez-~~Sanchez Mariita Mattiisen Holger Molder Yeganeh Morakabati Aurel Sari Gregory Simons Jonathan~~ Terra.

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By: James Pamment Vladimir Sazonov Francesca Granelli Sean Aday Māris Andžāns Una Bērziņa-Čerenkova John-Paul Gravelines Mils Hills Irene Martinez-Sanchez Mariita Mattiisen Holger Molder Yeganeh Morakabati Aurel Sari Gregory Simons Jonathan Terra.

ISBN: 978-9934-564-33-8

Year: 2019.

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Dubbed the 'dead baby strategy.'<ref>[https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2010/01/10/gil-stein-hamas-dead-baby-strategy-reprehensible/ Gil Stein: Hamas ”dead baby strategy” reprehensible], Gil Stein, Santa Cruz Sentinel, published: ~~January~~ 10, 2010, updated: ~~September~~ 11, 2018 <blockquote>

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Dubbed the 'dead baby strategy.'<ref>[https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2010/01/10/gil-stein-hamas-dead-baby-strategy-reprehensible/ Gil Stein: Hamas ”dead baby strategy” reprehensible], Gil Stein, Santa Cruz Sentinel, published: January 10, 2010, updated: September 11, 2018 <blockquote>

We also saw video from the other side. We saw the destruction in Gaza and we also saw how the Hamas weapon of choice was the human shield. In Israeli cities efforts were made to protect civilians. Israel also made efforts to minimize civilian casualties on the other side by dropping over a million leaflets warning people to vacate areas where Hamas activity was taking place. In Gaza it was the opposite.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.jpost.com/opinion/why-do-the-media-keep-encouraging-hamas-violence-557766 Why do the media keep encouraging Hamas violence?] A. Dershowitz, JPost, May 17, 2018.

''Calling this the “dead baby strategy” may seem cruel, because it is cruel. But don’t blame the messenger for accurately describing this tactic.''</ref><ref>[https://www.jns.org/opinion/the-dead-baby-strategy/ The dead-baby strategy]

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While some Jews are ashamed that Israelis are prepared to use lethal force to defend their country, Hamas leaders feel no shame about putting Palestinian children in harm’s way. In their eyes, the goal of destroying the Jewish state is so important that no action is too depraved if it undermines Israel.

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Hamas is correct about the effectiveness of these tactics, which are nothing less than acts of human sacrifice. In the face of such calamity, it’s hard for some seemingly fair-minded observers like ~~the Times’ David~~ Brooks to think clearly about Gaza. The situation is so egregious that they assume that no matter what Hamas does, they’ve come to believe it’s somehow Israel’s responsibility prevent the Palestinians from purposing the deaths of these kids. Rather than analyze the conflict dispassionately, he and others simply damn both sides as extremists...</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/Blogs/Message.aspx/6127 The dead baby strategy: defend terror, not democracy], Tuvia Brodie, ~~INN~~, Aug 11, 2014.

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Hamas is correct about the effectiveness of these tactics, which are nothing less than acts of human sacrifice. In the face of such calamity, it’s hard for some seemingly fair-minded observers like the Times’ David Brooks to think clearly about Gaza. The situation is so egregious that they assume that no matter what Hamas does, they’ve come to believe it’s somehow Israel’s responsibility prevent the Palestinians from purposing the deaths of these kids. Rather than analyze the conflict dispassionately, he and others simply damn both sides as extremists...</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/Blogs/Message.aspx/6127 The dead baby strategy: defend terror, not democracy], Tuvia Brodie, INN, Aug 11, 2014.

... we see how a terror organization uses a ‘dead baby’ strategy. It uses children as human shields. It seeks more, not less, civilian deaths. It does that to enrage the world against Israel.

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It’s a strategy that’s perfectly aligned with how a terror organization thinks. ~~The~~ Daily Telegraph, however, doesn’t understand the difference between a democracy and a terror organization. It doesn’t look at how Hamas deliberately positions civilians, especially women and children, to be killed by attacking Israelis. It doesn’t ask why Hamas won’t let civilians leave targets after Israel notifies those civilians to evacuate because a strike is coming at them. It cares only about one thing: Palestinian children have been killed by Israel-the-democracy...

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It’s a strategy that’s perfectly aligned with how a terror organization thinks. The Daily Telegraph, however, doesn’t understand the difference between a democracy and a terror organization. It doesn’t look at how Hamas deliberately positions civilians, especially women and children, to be killed by attacking Israelis. It doesn’t ask why Hamas won’t let civilians leave targets after Israel notifies those civilians to evacuate because a strike is coming at them. It cares only about one thing: Palestinian children have been killed by Israel-the-democracy...

</blockquote></ref><ref>Chaim Shacham, "[https://amp.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article1977452.html This is a fight Israel did not seek]", ''Miami Herald'', July 28, 2014.<blockquote>

It’s called the “dead baby” tactic and here’s how it works: Hamas carries out outrageous attacks against Israel’s civilian population. In turn, Israel must — like any responsible government — protect its citizens by trying to remove the threat. Hamas, in turn, hides behind its civilian population, hoping that these innocent human shields will bear the brunt of Israel’s effort to defend itself. Last, the inevitable civilian casualties would be spun from outrage and sympathy into renewed political power for Hamas.

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In short, Israel has employed its arsenal to protect civilians, while Hamas has employed its civilians to protect its arsenal.

The population of Gaza is not Israel’s enemy, and it is Israel’s fervent hope that the current efforts to establish a ceasefire will be successful. Moreover, throughout this tragic ordeal, Israel has not lost sight of its ultimate goal, that of living in peace with its neighbors.</blockquote></ref><ref>Amanda Berman, Director of Legal Affairs, "[https://www.sajbd.org/media/the-truth-and-untruth-of-the-matter-amanda-berman-director-of-legal-affairs-the-lawfare-project-writes-for-the-star The Truth and UNtruth of the Matter]", The ''Lawfare Project''. July 1, 2015.

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<blockquote>It would be counterproductive for the Palestinian leadership to invest in civilian protection when its stated goal is ~~to increase~~ and leverage the civilian death ~~toll in~~ Gaza to improperly influence the international narrative against Israel. Those who truly value the lives of Palestinian civilians mustvociferously condemn the “dead baby strategy”. In continuing to rely ~~on Hamas’s~~ hyper-inflated civilian casualty ~~statistics to~~ castigate Israel – as the UN Commission did – the international community is sanctioning this strategy and is therefore complicit in the deaths of innocents.

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<blockquote>It would be counterproductive for the Palestinian leadership to invest in civilian protection when its stated goal is to increase and leverage the civilian death toll in Gaza to improperly influence the international narrative against Israel. Those who truly value the lives of Palestinian civilians mustvociferously condemn the “dead baby strategy”. In continuing to rely on Hamas’s hyper-inflated civilian casualty statistics to castigate Israel – as the UN Commission did – the international community is sanctioning this strategy and is therefore complicit in the deaths of innocents.

From a legal perspective, the often-referenced proportionality argument fails to support the accusation that Israel committed war crimes. It is Hamas, not Israel, which persistently violates the proportionality principle by intentionally waging indiscriminate attacks on civilian population centers.</blockquote></ref><ref>

[http://www.jij.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/JIJ-Fact-Sheet-1-Hamas-EN-A4-ver-12.pdf Why HAMAS is Bad for Palestinians], Jerusalem Institute of Justice,

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Israel’s enemies are adept at exploiting the deaths of Palestinian infants and innocent civilians alike to slander the Jewish state.

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This crude and morally depraved anti-Israel propaganda was on full display on May 4 when Palestinians, specifically Gaza’s Health Ministry (run by the Hamas terror group) claimed that an Israeli airstrike killed a 14-month-old Palestinian baby girl and her pregnant aunt. In truth, ~~the Islamic~~ Jihad terror group reportedly admitted that one of its rockets had misfired and killed both Palestinian innocents. On May 5, ~~Israel strenuously~~ denied any responsibility for their deaths.</ref><ref>Gerard Max, "[https://www.australianjewishnews.com/israel-gaza-the-digital-conflict/ Israel-Gaza: the digital conflict]", Australian Jewish News, June 4, 2021.

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This crude and morally depraved anti-Israel propaganda was on full display on May 4 when Palestinians, specifically Gaza’s Health Ministry (run by the Hamas terror group) claimed that an Israeli airstrike killed a 14-month-old Palestinian baby girl and her pregnant aunt. In truth, the Islamic Jihad terror group reportedly admitted that one of its rockets had misfired and killed both Palestinian innocents. On May 5, Israel strenuously denied any responsibility for their deaths.</ref><ref>Gerard Max, "[https://www.australianjewishnews.com/israel-gaza-the-digital-conflict/ Israel-Gaza: the digital conflict]", Australian Jewish News, June 4, 2021.

'As the world increasingly questions Israel’s right to exist, the necessity to communicate the fundamental legitimacy of our nationhood is more important than ever'.

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Last week, I thought something I never dreamed I could think: that perhaps I owe former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon an apology. Not that I’ve altered my conviction that he bears direct, personal responsibility for every rocket fired from Gaza over the last nine years, every cross-border tunnel, every soldier killed there, every bit of damage done to Israel’s global standing by the periodic wars with Gaza and even many Palestinian casualties of these wars; all are the bitter fruit of the unilateral “disengagement” from Gaza that he conceived, bulldozed through the Knesset and finally implemented in August 2005. Yet if an apology is owed – and I’m still not sure it is – it’s not despite his responsibility for these evils, but because of it...

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Except for one minor problem: The success of the operation doesn’t matter if the patient dies. And it’s not yet clear Israel can survive the success of Sharon’s operation. It’s not clear it can survive the security consequences – which, for the first time since 1948, have turned Israeli communities within the Green ~~Line into~~ ghost ~~towns –~~ and it’s not clear it can survive the cumulative toll on its international legitimacy that repeated applications of Hamas’ wildly successful “dead baby strategy” are exacting.</ref><ref>Reuven Ben-Shalom, "[https://www.jpost.com/opinion/op-ed-contributors/demilitarizing-gaza-an-international-responsibility-368855 Demilitarizing Gaza – an international responsibility]", JPost, July 24, 2014.

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Except for one minor problem: The success of the operation doesn’t matter if the patient dies. And it’s not yet clear Israel can survive the success of Sharon’s operation. It’s not clear it can survive the security consequences – which, for the first time since 1948, have turned Israeli communities within the Green Line into ghost towns – and it’s not clear it can survive the cumulative toll on its international legitimacy that repeated applications of Hamas’ wildly successful “dead baby strategy” are exacting.</ref><ref>Reuven Ben-Shalom, "[https://www.jpost.com/opinion/op-ed-contributors/demilitarizing-gaza-an-international-responsibility-368855 Demilitarizing Gaza – an international responsibility]", JPost, July 24, 2014.

The movement’s leaders adhere to no morals or ethics. To them, the end of annihilating Israel justifies every means, including sacrificing their own civilians. They understand that this is first and foremost a battle of narratives, so they operate in a way that maximizes their “dead baby strategy.”

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Instead of guns, they use words. Instead of rockets, they use pictures. They have perfected the “dead baby strategy” to inflame public opinion against Israel.

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In particular I am thinking about that ~~British mieskeit who~~ in the midst of Gaza can only find “suffering civilians” but not a single terrorist. The place is crawling with them but ~~this BBC reporter can’t~~ find a ~~single one~~. The Jews are to blame. That is her story.</ref><ref>Mark Silverberg, " [https://marksilverberg.com/unhrc-report-ignores-the-implications-of-the-gaza-war UNHRC Report ignores the implications of the Gaza war]," June 24, 2015.

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In particular I am thinking about that British mieskeit who in the midst of Gaza can only find “suffering civilians” but not a single terrorist. The place is crawling with them but this BBC reporter can’t find a single one. The Jews are to blame. That is her story.</ref><ref>Mark Silverberg, " [https://marksilverberg.com/unhrc-report-ignores-the-implications-of-the-gaza-war UNHRC Report ignores the implications of the Gaza war]," June 24, 2015.

What is not addressed in the Report however is the rationale behind Hamas’s use of human shields and civilian infrastructures as an integral part of its war tactics. Hamas made it clear to Gaza’s civilians that those fleeing the fighting would be considered collaborators (which, in Gaza, is the equivalent of a death sentence) if they didn’t stay put. As Col. Richard Kemp, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan said in May: “The Arab nations came to understand that they will not be able to defeat Israel on the battlefield, and therefore decided to transfer the battlefield to the civilian population. The only change on the Palestinian side was an under-the-radar tactical change, but this change still adheres to their original agenda – the total rejection of the Jewish state. Instead of tank battles in distant deserts, the Palestinians transferred their battles to densely populated areas where the civilians serve as human shields.”

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Report by Indian journalist showing assembly, firing of rocket in Gaza.

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The report by Indian journalist Sreenivasan Jain for Hindi language news channel NDTV went as follows: "It began with a mysterious tent with a blue canopy that bobbed up yesterday (August 4) at 6:30 am in an open patch of land next to our window. We saw three men making a multitude of journeys in and out of the tent, sometimes with wires.

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The report by Indian journalist Sreenivasan Jain for Hindi language news channel NDTV went as follows: "It began with a mysterious tent with a blue canopy that bobbed up yesterday (August 4) at 6:30 am in an open patch of land next to our window. We saw three men making a multitude of journeys in and out of the tent, sometimes with wires.

"An hour later, they emerged, dismantled the tent, changed their clothes and walked away."

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Intimidation and Advocacy Motivate Media’s Cooperation

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The single most compelling reason for the near-unanimity of the media’s cooperation with Hamas is not advocacy, which alone could not create such a consensus, but rather intimidation. Like all systems ~~of omertà this~~ one covers its tracks. Some observers have ~~pointedly asked~~, for example, why ~~the mainstream news~~ media ~~has conveyed so few images~~ of ~~Hamas “militants~~.” ~~The New~~ York ~~Times responded that~~ out of the hundreds of photos from weeks of warfare, ~~their award~~-winning ~~photographer and~~ his crew had provided only two blurry ones. Is this sheer incompetence? Or is it because, as one journalist, just out of ~~Gaza told an~~ Israeli off-the-record: “If we ever dared point our camera at them, they would shoot at us and kill us.” Asked to say that on camera, the journalist “refused and almost ran away.”

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The single most compelling reason for the near-unanimity of the media’s cooperation with Hamas is not advocacy, which alone could not create such a consensus, but rather intimidation. Like all systems of omertà this one covers its tracks. Some observers have pointedly asked, for example, why the mainstream news media has conveyed so few images of Hamas “militants.” The New York Times responded that out of the hundreds of photos from weeks of warfare, their award-winning photographer and his crew had provided only two blurry ones. Is this sheer incompetence? Or is it because, as one journalist, just out of Gaza told an Israeli off-the-record: “If we ever dared point our camera at them, they would shoot at us and kill us.” Asked to say that on camera, the journalist “refused and almost ran away.”

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But in the Twitter age, evidence of cover-up abounds for those who care to look. Several journalists have reported receiving a wave of ~~SMS threats when~~ they ~~even tweet about~~ Hamas using human shields. ~~Accused of~~ being informants or fifth columnists who are lying and fabricating for Israel, these journalists rapidly learn how seriously Hamas considers their trade a weapon of war and their non-compliance a form of treason. The ~~subsequent disappearance of~~ many of those tweets indicates just how far Hamas’ threats reach.

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But in the Twitter age, evidence of cover-up abounds for those who care to look. Several journalists have reported receiving a wave of SMS threats when they even tweet about Hamas using human shields. Accused of being informants or fifth columnists who are lying and fabricating for Israel, these journalists rapidly learn how seriously Hamas considers their trade a weapon of war and their non-compliance a form of treason. The subsequent disappearance of many of those tweets indicates just how far Hamas’ threats reach.

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Occasionally, a really telling piece of evidence appears. Two days after the shelling of Shaati and Shifa, that had “disgraced the world,” an Italian ~~journalist tweeted~~:

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Occasionally, a really telling piece of evidence appears. Two days after the shelling of Shaati and Shifa, that had “disgraced the world,” an Italian journalist tweeted:

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Out of #Gaza far from #Hamas retaliation: misfired rocket killed children y[ester]day in Shati. Witness [proof]: militants rushed and cleared debris.

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Out of #Gaza far from #Hamas retaliation: misfired rocket killed children y[ester]day in Shati. Witness [proof]: militants rushed and cleared debris.

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So, just as Israel ~~had claimed~~, jihadis had killed their own women and children, cleaned the site, and then brought in journalists to blame Israel. It was indeed disgraceful on many counts, none of which concerned Israel. And yet we only know about this, if we do at all, because this one journalist felt himself beyond Hamas’ reach.

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So, just as Israel had claimed, jihadis had killed their own women and children, cleaned the site, and then brought in journalists to blame Israel. It was indeed disgraceful on many counts, none of which concerned Israel. And yet we only know about this, if we do at all, because this one journalist felt himself beyond Hamas’ reach.

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In a dramatic episode, Palestinian-born French journalist Radjaa Abou Dagga found himself summoned to Hamas offices (inside Shifa hospital), alternately accused of working for Abbas or the Israelis, and expelled from Gaza with instructions to work no more. ~~Libération published his account~~, which makes it clear that such intimidation is common. Indeed, a colleague refused him shelter for the night because he, too, had received these threats: “You don’t mess with these people during a war.” Three days later, ~~Libé took down Dagga’s~~ article at his request. With family in Gaza, he clearly did not feel beyond Hamas’ reach.

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In a dramatic episode, Palestinian-born French journalist Radjaa Abou Dagga found himself summoned to Hamas offices (inside Shifa hospital), alternately accused of working for Abbas or the Israelis, and expelled from Gaza with instructions to work no more. Libération published his account, which makes it clear that such intimidation is common. Indeed, a colleague refused him shelter for the night because he, too, had received these threats: “You don’t mess with these people during a war.” Three days later, Libé took down Dagga’s article at his request. With family in Gaza, he clearly did not feel beyond Hamas’ reach.

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If true, why does this terrible tale of civilian victimization and journalistic intimidation go untold? Some answer, because it’s not true: “Hamas does not use human shields,” BBC’s Jeremy ~~Bowen assures us~~. Nor, ~~insists CNN’s~~ Karl Penhaul, do “any of the militant movements and factions here in Gaza,” give journalists “any form of instruction.” For one CNN analyst, it’s “complicated”, but, insists James Fallows, we owe our ~~reporters respect~~. After all, would ~~they all misinform~~ us? Or is their intimidation and cowardice ~~a public secret they~~ won’t admit?

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If true, why does this terrible tale of civilian victimization and journalistic intimidation go untold? Some answer, because it’s not true: “Hamas does not use human shields,” BBC’s Jeremy Bowen assures us. Nor, insists CNN’s Karl Penhaul, do “any of the militant movements and factions here in Gaza,” give journalists “any form of instruction.” For one CNN analyst, it’s “complicated”, but, insists James Fallows, we owe our reporters respect. After all, would they all misinform us? Or is their intimidation and cowardice a public secret they won’t admit?

</blockquote></ref><ref name=tabmag-2014/>

Already in 2009, the fear factor was raised which prevents Arab Palestinians in testifying about it,<ref>The Simon Wiesenthal Center, "[https://www.aish.com/jw/me/92746669.html 2010 Top Ten Anti-Israel Lies]." Aish, May 8, 2010.

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... The Goldstone Report on Israel’s defensive war against Hamas-controlled Gaza, from which 8,000 rockets were fired after Israel’s unilateral withdrawal in 2005, is a biased product of the UN’s misnamed Human Rights Council. The UNHRC is obsessed with false anti-Israel resolutions. It refuses to address grievous human rights abuses in Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and beyond.

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Author of eponymous report asserts Israel did not target civilians.

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As Goldstone aptly explains it, the Report essentially saw dead civilians and, without any further evidence, assumed intentionality, when in fact, the IDF’s track record of attempting to minimize civilian casualties, combined with Hamas’s track record of using civilians as human shields to either deter retaliation or provoke outcry when retaliation kills civilians, should have moved the mission to ~~find unintentionality~~; in this case, according to Goldstone himself, subsequent evidence proved them right and him wrong.</blockquote></ref>

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As Goldstone aptly explains it, the Report essentially saw dead civilians and, without any further evidence, assumed intentionality, when in fact, the IDF’s track record of attempting to minimize civilian casualties, combined with Hamas’s track record of using civilians as human shields to either deter retaliation or provoke outcry when retaliation kills civilians, should have moved the mission to find unintentionality; in this case, according to Goldstone himself, subsequent evidence proved them right and him wrong.</blockquote></ref>

Already in 2008, Hamas openly bragged about the use of women and children as shields.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/tv/hamas-mp-fathi-hammad-we-used-women-and-children-human-shields Hamas MP Fathi Hammad: We Used Women and Children as Human Shields]

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Source: Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas/Gaza). Feb.29. 2008.</ref>

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Source: Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas/Gaza). Feb.29. 2008.</ref>

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Even biased HRW acknowledged it already in 2009.<ref>D. Izenberg, Y. Katz, H. Keinon, "[https://www.jpost.com/Israel/HRW-acknowledges-Palestinians-used-human-shields-in-Cast-Lead HRW acknowledges Palestinians used human shields in Cast Lead]," The Jerusalem Post, August 13, 2009.

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Even biased HRW acknowledged it already in 2009.<ref>D. Izenberg, Y. Katz, H. Keinon, "[https://www.jpost.com/Israel/HRW-acknowledges-Palestinians-used-human-shields-in-Cast-Lead HRW acknowledges Palestinians used human shields in Cast Lead]," The Jerusalem Post, August 13, 2009.

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A Jerusalem-based researcher for Human Rights Watch, Bill Van Esveld, ~~told The~~ Jerusalem ~~Post on~~ Wednesday that there was evidence to indicate that war crimes were committed by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who allegedly used civilians as "human shields" during Operation Cast Lead...</ref>

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A Jerusalem-based researcher for Human Rights Watch, Bill Van Esveld, told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday that there was evidence to indicate that war crimes were committed by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who allegedly used civilians as "human shields" during Operation Cast Lead...</ref>

In 2014 it called on the "Palestinian" people to use the tactic to defend their homes: "We in the Hamas movement call on our people to adopt this procedure."<ref>[https://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Terrorism/Pages/Hamas-again-uses-Gazan-civilians-as-human-shields-July-2014.aspx Hamas again uses Gazan civilians as human shields July 2014], MFA, Jul 11, 2014</ref>

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At the time, a 'manual' by Hamas, instruction on human-shields, was found too.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2014/08/05/hamas-manual-details-civilian-death-plan-israel/ Hamas’ disturbing ‘human shields’ manual] ~~Bob~~ Fredericks,

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At the time, a 'manual' by Hamas, instruction on human-shields, was found too.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2014/08/05/hamas-manual-details-civilian-death-plan-israel/ Hamas’ disturbing ‘human shields’ manual] Bob Fredericks,

August 5, 2014.

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In July, 2021, in a rare rebuke, Arab-Palestinians, [[Fatah]] Palestinian Authority --though themselves terrorists in suits<ref>[https://www.israellycool.com/2021/08/03/pa-and-fatah-accuse-hamas-of-using-human-shields/ PA and Fatah Accuse Hamas of Using Human Shields], David Lange, IC, Aug 3, 2021.

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Grab the popcorn, folks, The PA and Fatah are ~~joining the chorus that is criticizing Hamas~~ for doing what Israel has shown them to be doing for years: human rights abuses, including using their own civilians as human shields...

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Grab the popcorn, folks, The PA and Fatah are joining the chorus that is criticizing Hamas for doing what Israel has shown them to be doing for years: human rights abuses, including using their own civilians as human shields...

Of course, the PA and Fatah are no boy scouts themselves; they are people in glass houses – terrorists in suits to be more precise – who literally throw stones (and Molotov cocktails). Their criticism of Hamas here is to score political points. Nevertheless, it is always a positive development when terrorists organizations turn on each other...</blockquote></ref>-- rights groups condemned Hamas for storing weapons in civilian areas.<ref>[https://www.janglo.net/item/UIJoNJrTl0S Palestinians to Hamas: 'Stop Using Us as Human Shields!'] Janglo, Jul 27, 2021. ''In a rare rebuke, Palestinians and human rights organizations called on Hamas and other Gaza terror groups to stop storing weapons in civilian areas.''</ref>

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As summarised, <ref>[https://www.hadassah.org/story/speak-up-for-israel Speak Up for Israel], Hadassah, May 21, 2021</ref>

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<blockquote>Certain facts are irrefutable. The terrorists are motivated by hatred and aim to wound or kill innocent women, men and children. Israel, by contrast, is motivated by the legal and moral imperative to protect and preserve life, and is always entirely justified in acting in its own self-defense...It is impossible to obtain reliable data on civilian casualties in Gaza. Data that is provided to and reported by the media come from the Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, a U.S.-~~designated Foreign~~ Terrorist Organization. What we do know — what is proven — is that Hamas commits war crimes by using Palestinians as human shields. No place in Gaza is safe from Hamas. Rockets, mortars, rifles and missiles are stored or fired ~~from~~ [https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/press-releases/unrwa-condemns-placement-rockets-second-time-one-its-schools schools], [https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/1620882686-hamas-rocket-fired-from-gaza-hits-apartment-building-in-petah-tikva apartment buildings], [https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/11/how-the-media-makes-the-israel-story/383262/ offices], [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/31/why-hamas-stores-its-weapons-inside-hospitals-mosques-and-schools mosques] ~~and~~ [https://www.timesofisrael.com/finnish-tv-rockets-fired-from-gaza-hospital/ hospitals].</blockquote>

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<blockquote>Certain facts are irrefutable. The terrorists are motivated by hatred and aim to wound or kill innocent women, men and children. Israel, by contrast, is motivated by the legal and moral imperative to protect and preserve life, and is always entirely justified in acting in its own self-defense...It is impossible to obtain reliable data on civilian casualties in Gaza. Data that is provided to and reported by the media come from the Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. What we do know — what is proven — is that Hamas commits war crimes by using Palestinians as human shields. No place in Gaza is safe from Hamas. Rockets, mortars, rifles and missiles are stored or fired from [https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/press-releases/unrwa-condemns-placement-rockets-second-time-one-its-schools schools], [https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/1620882686-hamas-rocket-fired-from-gaza-hits-apartment-building-in-petah-tikva apartment buildings], [https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/11/how-the-media-makes-the-israel-story/383262/ offices], [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/31/why-hamas-stores-its-weapons-inside-hospitals-mosques-and-schools mosques] and [https://www.timesofisrael.com/finnish-tv-rockets-fired-from-gaza-hospital/ hospitals].</blockquote>

A Finnish journalist reported seeing Hamas terrorists launch a rocket at Israel from a Gaza hospital, but later attacked news outlets for using her report as a pro-Israel “propaganda weapon.”<ref name=finnisharabjournalist>Molly Wharton, [https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/reporter-tells-truth-about-rocket-fired-gaza-hospital-complains-when-quoted-pro-israel/ Reporter Tells Truth About Rocket Fired from Gaza Hospital, Complains When Quoted by Pro-Israel Media], The ''National Review'', Aug 4, 2014.<blockquote>

A Finnish journalist reported seeing Hamas terrorists launch a rocket at Israel from a Gaza hospital, but later attacked news outlets for using her report as a pro-Israel “propaganda weapon.”

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Aishi Zidan, a journalist for the daily ~~newspaper Helsinging~~ Sanomat, described the rocket attack in a report, which was uploaded to YouTube on Friday. The ~~blog Legal Insurrection provided~~ a translation of the Finnish report.</blockquote></ref> She is of Arab descent.

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Aishi Zidan, a journalist for the daily newspaper Helsinging Sanomat, described the rocket attack in a report, which was uploaded to YouTube on Friday. The blog Legal Insurrection provided a translation of the Finnish report.</blockquote></ref> She is of Arab descent.

Days after [[Guardian of walls]] op., on May-28-2021, Hamas' head Y. Sinwar, played "hero," challenging Israel to eliminate him while he was careful to surrounded himself with civilians.<ref>[https://www.zman.co.il/224663 Yoni Ben Menachem: Yahya Sanwar Challenges Israel], Zman, May 28, 2021.<blockquote>The Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip emerges from his hiding place and begins to provoke Israel, When he calls on her to try and eliminate him ... He was careful to walk around surrounded by bodyguards and residents of the Gaza Strip who served as his "human shield," assuming that the IDF would not eliminate him when surrounded by civilians.</blockquote></ref>

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Researchers' summary on crimes by Hamas at [[Guardian of walls]]:<ref>"[https://jcpa.org/article/hamas-human-rights-violations-in-the-2021-gaza-war/ Hamas’ Human Rights Violations in the 2021 Gaza War]," Amelia Navins, ~~Lenny~~ Ben-David,

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Researchers' summary on crimes by Hamas at [[Guardian of walls]]:<ref>"[https://jcpa.org/article/hamas-human-rights-violations-in-the-2021-gaza-war/ Hamas’ Human Rights Violations in the 2021 Gaza War]," Amelia Navins, Lenny Ben-David,

JCPA, June 29, 2021.</ref>

*As recognized by international law, Israel has the legal right to employ the force necessary to defend itself. President Biden, on May 16, 2021, “reaffirmed his strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself against rocket attacks from Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza.”

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Book:<ref>Schanzer, Jonathan. [https://books.google.com/books/about/Gaza_Conflict_2021.html?id=6CiczgEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description Gaza Conflict 2021]. United States: Armin Lear Press, ~~Nov~~ 10, 2021.</ref><blockquote>

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Book:<ref>Schanzer, Jonathan. [https://books.google.com/books/about/Gaza_Conflict_2021.html?id=6CiczgEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description Gaza Conflict 2021]. United States: Armin Lear Press, Nov 10, 2021.</ref><blockquote>

The May 2021 conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas generated headlines around the world. However, much of the reporting ignored the history, funding, political dynamics, and other key components of the story. Hamas initiates conflict every few years. But the reporting rarely improves. Social media has only further clouded the picture. Hamas is rarely held responsible for its use of "human shields," blindly firing rockets at civilian areas in Israel, or diverting aid that should benefit the people of Gaza.

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In August 2021, Hamas arrested 20-year-old Mustafa Asfour for criticizing Hamas storing weapons in residential areas in the Gaza Strip.<ref>Khaled Abu Toameh (@KhaledAbuToameh) ~~Tweeted~~:

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In August 2021, Hamas arrested 20-year-old Mustafa Asfour for criticizing Hamas storing weapons in residential areas in the Gaza Strip.<ref>Khaled Abu Toameh (@KhaledAbuToameh) Tweeted:

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Hamas arrests 20-year-old Mustafa Asfour, from Khan Yunis, after he criticized Hamas for storing weapons in residential areas in the Gaza Strip. [https://twitter.com/KhaledAbuToameh/status/1424462364657737728 August 8, 2021].

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Hamas arrests 20-year-old Mustafa Asfour, from Khan Yunis, after he criticized Hamas for storing weapons in residential areas in the Gaza Strip. [https://twitter.com/KhaledAbuToameh/status/1424462364657737728 August 8, 2021].

[https://www.israel365news.com/195802/hamas-arrests-palestinian-for-criticizing-the-policy-of-storing-weapons-in-residential-centers/ Hamas arrests Palestinian for criticizing the policy of storing weapons in residential centers]. Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz, Israel 365 News, Aug 9, 2021.

''Israeli Arab journalist Khaled Abu Toameh tweeted on Sunday that Hamas arrested 20-year-old Mustafa Asfour, from Khan Yunis, after he criticized Hamas for storing weapons in residential areas in the Gaza Strip.''

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Hillel Neuer's tweet - "20-year-old Mustafa Asfour of Gaza did something our Western correspondents rarely do: He risked his life to call out Hamas for using Palestinians as human shields by storing bombs in residential areas. That’s a war crime under the Geneva Conventions that Ken Roth never mentions. " - Trendsmap

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[https://www.trendsmap.com/twitter/tweet/~~1424880984454012930 Aug~~ 10, 2021]

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[https://www.trendsmap.com/twitter/tweet/1424880984454012930 Aug 10, 2021]

Lise Korson (@LiseKorson) Tweeted:

.Mustafa Asfour & other #Gazans

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@KhaledAbuToameh @elliecohanim Where is @RashidaTlaib @AOC @Ilhan @UNWatch I guess only certain Palestinian lives matter to them. [https://twitter.com/YBlachman/status/1424946096086953985?s=20 Aug 10, 2021]</ref>

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[[UN]] --and the like-- (by "default") boring predictable anti-Israel "resolutions" routine are also at fault for the intensification of this practice.<ref name=un-guilty>[https://www.foxnews.com/world/critics-slam-un-for-pointing-fingers-at-israel-in-new-report-while-not-also-condemning-hamas-use-of-human-shields Critics slam UN for pointing fingers at Israel in new report while not also condemning Hamas' use of human shields] ~~Hollie~~ McKay, Fox News, March 19, 2019.

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[[UN]] --and the like-- (by "default") boring predictable anti-Israel "resolutions" routine are also at fault for the intensification of this practice.<ref name=un-guilty>[https://www.foxnews.com/world/critics-slam-un-for-pointing-fingers-at-israel-in-new-report-while-not-also-condemning-hamas-use-of-human-shields Critics slam UN for pointing fingers at Israel in new report while not also condemning Hamas' use of human shields] Hollie McKay, Fox News, March 19, 2019.

“The U.N. report validates the illegal tactics used by Hamas against Israel, and sets a precedent encouraging not only Hamas, but similar groups like Hezbollah, to continue placing civilians in harm’s way,” Natonski said.</ref>

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Report in 2017-2018 on Hezbollah:<ref>[https://www.bostonherald.com/2017/06/30/block-hezbollah-preps-for-new-attacks-with-human-shields/ Block: Hezbollah preps for new attacks with ‘human shields’] ~~Joshua~~ S. Block, Boston Herald, Published: ~~June~~ 30, 2017, Updated: ~~November~~ 17, 2018.</ref>

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Report in 2017-2018 on Hezbollah:<ref>[https://www.bostonherald.com/2017/06/30/block-hezbollah-preps-for-new-attacks-with-human-shields/ Block: Hezbollah preps for new attacks with ‘human shields’] Joshua S. Block, Boston Herald, Published: June 30, 2017, Updated: November 17, 2018.</ref>

Those who follow events in the Middle East are no stranger to the carnage in Syria, but there is another humanitarian crisis in the making you probably haven’t heard much about. Why? Because you will only read it, splashed across international newspapers, when it is too late and everyone acts surprised and outraged that it happened.

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As a result of Hezbollah using civilians as human shields including placing weapons near residential areas,<ref> Assaf Orion, "[https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/hezbollahs-secrets-explode-and-are-covered-again Hezbollah’s Secrets Explode—and Are Covered Up—Again]," Washington Institute, Oct 8, 2020.

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embeds its forces and weapons in populated areas, thereby exposing civilians to safety hazards and turning them into human shields in the event of another war...</ref> the Aug 4, 2020, ~~explosion damaged~~ over half the city and killed at least 218 people.<ref>Guy ~~Davies and~~ Ibtissem Guenfoud, "[https://abcnews.go.com/International/year-beirut-blast-lebanon-suffering-economic-political-crises/story?id=79218459 One year after Beirut blast, Lebanon suffering economic and political crises]", ABC, August 4, 2021</ref> Fearing truth will be revealed about Hezbollah's fault, its thugs attacked protesting investigation on Oct 14, 2021. 6 killed, 32 injured.<ref>Tzvi Joffre, "[https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/beirut-blast-lebanon-court-dismisses-case-vs-judge-probe-to-continue-681974 Beirut blast: 6 killed, 32 injured as Hezbollah protests investigation]," JPost, Oct 14, 2021

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embeds its forces and weapons in populated areas, thereby exposing civilians to safety hazards and turning them into human shields in the event of another war...</ref> the Aug 4, 2020, explosion damaged over half the city and killed at least 218 people.<ref>Guy Davies and Ibtissem Guenfoud, "[https://abcnews.go.com/International/year-beirut-blast-lebanon-suffering-economic-political-crises/story?id=79218459 One year after Beirut blast, Lebanon suffering economic and political crises]", ABC, August 4, 2021</ref> Fearing truth will be revealed about Hezbollah's fault, its thugs attacked protesting investigation on Oct 14, 2021. 6 killed, 32 injured.<ref>Tzvi Joffre, "[https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/beirut-blast-lebanon-court-dismisses-case-vs-judge-probe-to-continue-681974 Beirut blast: 6 killed, 32 injured as Hezbollah protests investigation]," JPost, Oct 14, 2021

Shots were fired as Hezbollah and its allies protested against the judge in charge of the Beirut port blast investigation on Thursday.

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[Army soldiers are seen behind a glass with gun holes, after gunfire erupted in Beirut, Lebanon October 14, 2021.]

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At least six people were killed and 32 wounded as shots were fired during a protest by Hezbollah supporters against Tarek Bitar, the judge investigating the Beirut Port blast, in Beirut on Thursday, ~~as tensions~~ surrounding the ~~case continue~~ to rise.

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At least six people were killed and 32 wounded as shots were fired during a protest by Hezbollah supporters against Tarek Bitar, the judge investigating the Beirut Port blast, in Beirut on Thursday, as tensions surrounding the case continue to rise.

A cautious calm had been reached as of Thursday afternoon, according to Lebanese reports.

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*2009, PBS' statement from a doctor at hospital of Hamas terrorists hiding there, thus reaffirming IDF's revelations already in Dec-2008;

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*2009, J. Fleishman ~~in L~~.A. Times, ~~Jan~~. 23, detailing ~~how Hamas~~ used a bunker beneath a hospital as a headquarters;

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*2009, J. Fleishman in L.A. Times, Jan. 23, detailing how Hamas used a bunker beneath a hospital as a headquarters;

*Oct-13-2009, PA's Mahmoud Abbas: Hamas Leaders Fled to the Sinai in Ambulances during the Israeli Campaign in Gaza;

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*Hamas firing from besides offices of AP journalists; 2017-2021;

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*In 2018 Hamas' ~~Sinwar~~: "We Decided To Turn The Bodies Of Our Women And Children Into A Dam Blocking Arab Collapse;"

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*In 2018 Hamas' Sinwar: "We Decided To Turn The Bodies Of Our Women And Children Into A Dam Blocking Arab Collapse;"

*In 2021 IDF aborting operations as kids were around;

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Experts:<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/may/18/need-marshall-plan-gaza-strip/ The need for a Marshall Plan in the Gaza Strip] Bradley Martin and Dr. Liram Koblentz-Stenzler, ''The Washington Times'', May 18, 2021.</ref>

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~~Hamas has~~ established an orderly paramilitary framework with brigades, battalions, companies, and platoons as well as dedicated units, including intelligence, commando and cyber units. Its arsenal includes thousands of rockets and missiles at their disposal, as well as dozens of kilometers of tunnels often built underneath highly-sensitive areas in the Gaza Strip such as hospitals. Rockets have even been found underneath UNRWA schools...

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Hamas has established an orderly paramilitary framework with brigades, battalions, companies, and platoons as well as dedicated units, including intelligence, commando and cyber units. Its arsenal includes thousands of rockets and missiles at their disposal, as well as dozens of kilometers of tunnels often built underneath highly-sensitive areas in the Gaza Strip such as hospitals. Rockets have even been found underneath UNRWA schools...

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Moral and legal justifications that were developed after World War II for declaring and waging wars (specifically the Hague and Geneva Convention) were meant for sovereign states. They are not appropriate for waging wars fought against terrorist organizations ~~like Hamas~~. This ~~puts Israel at~~ a significant disadvantage to effectively defend itself and its citizens.

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Moral and legal justifications that were developed after World War II for declaring and waging wars (specifically the Hague and Geneva Convention) were meant for sovereign states. They are not appropriate for waging wars fought against terrorist organizations like Hamas. This puts Israel at a significant disadvantage to effectively defend itself and its citizens.

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In the current campaign ~~between Israel and Hamas~~, the front and home front are blurred together. ~~Hamas forces~~ civilians in the Gaza Strip ~~and Israel to~~ be on the front lines. ~~Hamas deliberately~~ uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, since the terrorists are launching rockets and missiles from heavily-populated areas towards Israeli cities. ~~Israel on~~ the other hand, is trying to save innocent lives by always notifying Palestinian civilians in the building that is going to be targeted. The IDF does this by sending leaflets, making phone calls, using “knock on the roof” tactics and more.</blockquote>

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In the current campaign between Israel and Hamas, the front and home front are blurred together. Hamas forces civilians in the Gaza Strip and Israel to be on the front lines. Hamas deliberately uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, since the terrorists are launching rockets and missiles from heavily-populated areas towards Israeli cities. Israel on the other hand, is trying to save innocent lives by always notifying Palestinian civilians in the building that is going to be targeted. The IDF does this by sending leaflets, making phone calls, using “knock on the roof” tactics and more.</blockquote>

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6. Repeat, with each exchange hurting Israel more, and each round of international news coverage further savaging the Jewish State’s international reputation.

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No matter what the Israeli response, the Hamas strategy is win-win. If the Israelis abort a strike to avoid civilian casualties (as they often do), then Hamas is spared the blow; if an Israeli strike causes civilian casualties, Hamas has dead babies to parade before the cameras. And eventually, the bloodletting will get so bad, the pictures so damning, that Israel will stop. Hamas’ endgame goals, at least at this stage of its asymmetrical war, are actually threefold: tie Israel down with constraints on its use of power, delegitimize and demonize it in the eyes of the world, and stir an aggressive “Muslim Street” in the West, ~~where genocidal chants can~~ lead ~~to pogroms against~~ the Jews worldwide.</blockquote>

+

No matter what the Israeli response, the Hamas strategy is win-win. If the Israelis abort a strike to avoid civilian casualties (as they often do), then Hamas is spared the blow; if an Israeli strike causes civilian casualties, Hamas has dead babies to parade before the cameras. And eventually, the bloodletting will get so bad, the pictures so damning, that Israel will stop. Hamas’ endgame goals, at least at this stage of its asymmetrical war, are actually threefold: tie Israel down with constraints on its use of power, delegitimize and demonize it in the eyes of the world, and stir an aggressive “Muslim Street” in the West, where genocidal chants can lead to pogroms against the Jews worldwide.</blockquote>

Despite a pair of pro-Terror radical "activists"

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[one, a former al-Jazeera guy, caught lying already before,<ref>UN researcher reports UN session on Israel that never happened - UN Watch. Feb 22, 2013. ''Nicola Perugini, a UN researcher in the Palestinian territories for UNESCO and UNIFEM...'' https://unwatch.org/al-jazeera-reports-on-un-session-that-never-happened/</ref>

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[one, a former al-Jazeera guy, caught lying already before,<ref>UN researcher reports UN session on Israel that never happened - UN Watch. Feb 22, 2013. ''Nicola Perugini, a UN researcher in the Palestinian territories for UNESCO and UNIFEM...'' https://unwatch.org/al-jazeera-reports-on-un-session-that-never-happened/</ref>

[[File:949 a.jpg]]

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''This is what happened to me: The solid right-wing position I hold today was formed when I was a student of Prof. Niv [Neve] Gordon, an extreme leftist. The discussions with him made me realize that he represents a completely wrong position. B'Tselem is an organization that arouses disgust...''</ref> hugging, shielding [[Arafat]] in the height of 2002 Intifadah massacres,<ref>[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/Blogs/Message.aspx/3036 Murderer of 'Ghandi' Jailed, but Protectors still Free], INN, Sep. 23, 2008.

''Gordon as human shield for murderers''

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[http://web.archive.org/web/20070220202401/http://www.think-israel.org/jan07pix/neve-gordon.jpg], "[http://www.think-israel.org/rosenbluth.nevegordon.html ~~Beyond Chutzpah~~: ~~A Tale of~~ Slander, ~~Plagiarism~~, ~~and Holocaust~~ Revisionism," TI, Dec 2006. By Susan L. Rosenbluth]</ref> lying as if he "doesn't" know who is responsible for the terror massacres,<ref>[https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-1612028,00.html E. Weiss, Ynet, Feb.3.2002] Niv [Neve] Gordon, in the photo with Arafat, tells Ynet: "I do not know who is responsible for the attacks..." Asked if he felt comfortable embracing the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, who is responsible for terrorism in Israel..</ref>

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[http://web.archive.org/web/20070220202401/http://www.think-israel.org/jan07pix/neve-gordon.jpg], "[http://www.think-israel.org/rosenbluth.nevegordon.html Beyond Chutzpah: A Tale of Slander, Plagiarism, and Holocaust Revisionism," TI, Dec 2006. By Susan L. Rosenbluth]</ref> lying as if he "doesn't" know who is responsible for the terror massacres,<ref>[https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-1612028,00.html E. Weiss, Ynet, Feb.3.2002] Niv [Neve] Gordon, in the photo with Arafat, tells Ynet: "I do not know who is responsible for the attacks..." Asked if he felt comfortable embracing the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, who is responsible for terrorism in Israel..</ref>

"Gordon is so anti-Israel that his columns have been published on the neo-Nazi Zundelsite website operated by Ernst Zundel, the Nazi whom Canada recently deported to Germany, and on Islamic fundamentalist pro-terror web sites." He was "arrested for illegally trying to interfere with the Israeli army's anti-terror activities by serving as a human shield for Arafat and the wanted terrorists being hidden in PLO offices."<ref name=hnn>[http://hnn.us/roundup/entries/10631.html Neve Gordon: Is He Anti-Israel?] HNN, Mar 7, 2005.<blockquote>

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~~Gordon was arrested for~~ his illegal interference with IDf anti-terror operations. ~~Prof~~. Alan Dershowitz last ~~year described~~ Gordon thus: "It is my opinion that Neve Gordon has gotten into bed with neo-Nazis, Holocaust justice deniers, and anti-Semites. He is a despicable example of a self-hating Jew and a self-hating Israeli." Officials at Ben Gurion University have long backed Gordon's anti-Israel and Solidarity-with-Terrorists activism</blockquote></ref> "Neve Gordon has gotten into bed with neo-Nazis, Holocaust justice deniers, and anti-Semites. He is a despicable example of a self-hating Jew and a self-hating Israeli."

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Gordon was arrested for his illegal interference with IDf anti-terror operations. Prof. Alan Dershowitz last year described Gordon thus: "It is my opinion that Neve Gordon has gotten into bed with neo-Nazis, Holocaust justice deniers, and anti-Semites. He is a despicable example of a self-hating Jew and a self-hating Israeli." Officials at Ben Gurion University have long backed Gordon's anti-Israel and Solidarity-with-Terrorists activism</blockquote></ref> "Neve Gordon has gotten into bed with neo-Nazis, Holocaust justice deniers, and anti-Semites. He is a despicable example of a self-hating Jew and a self-hating Israeli."

Accused<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/opinion/columnists/the-real-racism-expecting-jews-to-die-meekly "The real racism: Expecting Jews to die meekly"], Martin Sherman, The Jerusalem Post, Oct 28, 2011</ref> of 'racist Judeophobic rhetoric.'<blockquote>Taken from an article by a senior Israeli academic, this excerpt typifies the racist Judeophobic rhetoric that has come to dominate the public discourse on the Israeli- Palestinian conflict.</blockquote>

Accused of inciting anti-Semitism in Arab press by invoking old libels.<ref>Prof. Niv [Neve] Gordon of Ben-Gurion University, wrote an article for the Al Jazeera network ...

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"We strongly reject the destructive views of Gordon, who cynically uses the existing freedom of expression in Israel and at Ben-Gurion University."]

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co-authoring<ref>[http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/~~260022 Anti~~-Israel bigotry: How to Dehumanize Israeli Civilians - Academically], DP, Aug 18, 2020</ref> a "book"<ref name=dp2020/> whereby in reality he identifies with [[Hamas]]<ref>[https://israel-academia-monitor.com/2020/11/19/how-neve-gordon-identifies-with-hamas/ How Neve Gordon Identifies with Hamas] Israel Academia Monitor, Nov 19, 2020</ref> --"book" promoted by two known hateful over-a-decade-propagandists<ref>https://www.theisraelgroup.org/post/anti-israel-editor-nishidani</ref> yet, facts are facts. Both "co-authors" wrote earlier against denouncing Hamas for its routine method of using its people as human shields. Using that pseudo line of which side lost more, (asides from the unreliable figures of so called "civilians" coming from pallywood), they wrote/protested against Amnesty's report: [https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde21/1178/2015/en/] 26 March 2015, Index number: MDE 21/1178/2015: ''During the Gaza/Israel conflict in July and August 2014, Palestinian armed groups fired thousands of rockets and mortars at Israel, in many cases directed towards Israeli civilians and civilian objects, in violation of international law. The conduct of Palestinian armed groups, including firing from residential areas and using indiscriminate munitions that cannot be accurately directed at a military target, also endangered civilians in Gaza.'')

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co-authoring<ref>[http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/260022Anti-Israel bigotry: How to Dehumanize Israeli Civilians - Academically], DP, Aug 18, 2020</ref> a "book"<ref name=dp2020/> whereby in reality he identifies with [[Hamas]]<ref>[https://israel-academia-monitor.com/2020/11/19/how-neve-gordon-identifies-with-hamas/ How Neve Gordon Identifies with Hamas] Israel Academia Monitor, Nov 19, 2020</ref> --"book" promoted by two known hateful over-a-decade-propagandists<ref>https://www.theisraelgroup.org/post/anti-israel-editor-nishidani</ref> yet, facts are facts. Both "co-authors" wrote earlier against denouncing Hamas for its routine method of using its people as human shields. Using that pseudo line of which side lost more, (asides from the unreliable figures of so called "civilians" coming from pallywood), they wrote/protested against Amnesty's report: [https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde21/1178/2015/en/] 26 March 2015, Index number: MDE 21/1178/2015: ''During the Gaza/Israel conflict in July and August 2014, Palestinian armed groups fired thousands of rockets and mortars at Israel, in many cases directed towards Israeli civilians and civilian objects, in violation of international law. The conduct of Palestinian armed groups, including firing from residential areas and using indiscriminate munitions that cannot be accurately directed at a military target, also endangered civilians in Gaza.'')

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It has been pointed out, one might imagine, what would have happened, if Israel would, even once, albeit not go as far as to behave like its Arab Palestinian or Hezbollah side that actively aim at civilians while using its own, but with its mighty weapons just haden't gone to great length ['roof knocking',<ref>Yaakov Katz, "How the IDF invented 'Roof Knocking', the tactic that saves lives in Gaza." Jerusalem Lost, March 25, 2021. ~~https~~://m.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/the-story-of-idfs-innovative-tactic-to-avoid-civilian-casualties-in-gaza-663170</ref> developing precision 'Iron Sting' for precision preventing collateral damage<ref>Seth Frantzman @sfrantzman:

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It has been pointed out, one might imagine, what would have happened, if Israel would, even once, albeit not go as far as to behave like its Arab Palestinian or Hezbollah side that actively aim at civilians while using its own, but with its mighty weapons just haden't gone to great length ['roof knocking',<ref>Yaakov Katz, "How the IDF invented 'Roof Knocking', the tactic that saves lives in Gaza." Jerusalem Lost, March 25, 2021. https://m.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/the-story-of-idfs-innovative-tactic-to-avoid-civilian-casualties-in-gaza-663170</ref> developing precision 'Iron Sting' for precision preventing collateral damage<ref>Seth Frantzman @sfrantzman:

Iron Sting is a 'networked precision fire system' – a mortar munition that employs laser and GPS to engage targets accurately and prevent collateral damage. Trials have been conducted successfully, concluding the system’s development. [https://mobile.twitter.com/sfrantzman/status/1371219951168724993 Mar 14, 2021].

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</ref> various nethods<ref>'How Israel moves Gazan civilians out of the way of attacks on Hamas.' ''Israel uses phone calls and roof-knock munitions to evacuate Gazans ahead of airstrikes. "We select warheads with the necessary lethality to hit those who need to be hit and to reduce the impact on others," Israeli official explains.'' ~~By Reuters and~~ ILH Staff. 05-14-2021. https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/05/14/how-israel-keeps-innocent-gazans-safe-from-iaf-airstrikes/</ref><ref>'More Accurate Better Bombs and Sparing Human Shields.' WSJ, August 10, 2018. ''A key reason for civilian casualties other than faulty intelligence or inaccurate ordnance: The deliberate use of civilians as human shields by terrorist groups.'' https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-accurate-better-bombs-and-sparing-human-shields-1533938542</ref>] to minimize civilians from adversary territories.

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</ref> various nethods<ref>'How Israel moves Gazan civilians out of the way of attacks on Hamas.' ''Israel uses phone calls and roof-knock munitions to evacuate Gazans ahead of airstrikes. "We select warheads with the necessary lethality to hit those who need to be hit and to reduce the impact on others," Israeli official explains.'' By Reuters and ILH Staff. 05-14-2021. https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/05/14/how-israel-keeps-innocent-gazans-safe-from-iaf-airstrikes/</ref><ref>'More Accurate Better Bombs and Sparing Human Shields.' WSJ, August 10, 2018. ''A key reason for civilian casualties other than faulty intelligence or inaccurate ordnance: The deliberate use of civilians as human shields by terrorist groups.'' https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-accurate-better-bombs-and-sparing-human-shields-1533938542</ref>] to minimize civilians from adversary territories.

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Hamas has waged a sophisticated, even brilliant propaganda war. “Anyone killed or martyred is to be called a civilian from Gaza or Palestine,” the group told Gazans in a public-service announcement, “before we talk about his status in jihad or his military rank.” Hamas enjoined civilians to use the phrase “innocent civilians” as much as possible when speaking with journalists.

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Hamas launches rockets from the Strip’s most densely populated locales—chiefly Gaza City, Beit Hanoun in the north, and Khan Younis in the south—and tells fighters to fire from sensitive locations ~~like schools~~ [http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Protective-Edge/Hamas-fired-anti-tank-missile-from-UNRWA-school-yard-was-empty-when-IDF-respond-369116], ~~churches~~ [http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2014/August/Gaza-Bishop-Hamas-Used-Church-to-Fire-Rockets-/], ~~mosques~~ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/gaza-residents-scramble-to-make-most-of-five-hour-truce/2014/07/17/e5485fce-0d7e-11e4-8341-b8072b1e7348_story.html], UN buildings [http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/04/un-dragged-conflict-israel-hamas-gaza] ~~and hospitals~~ [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4548760,00.html]. It’s a win-win strategy: If Israel is deterred, Hamas fighters and infrastructure are preserved; if Israel is not, the attendant civilian casualties will be a propaganda coup.

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Hamas launches rockets from the Strip’s most densely populated locales—chiefly Gaza City, Beit Hanoun in the north, and Khan Younis in the south—and tells fighters to fire from sensitive locations like schools [http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Protective-Edge/Hamas-fired-anti-tank-missile-from-UNRWA-school-yard-was-empty-when-IDF-respond-369116], churches [http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2014/August/Gaza-Bishop-Hamas-Used-Church-to-Fire-Rockets-/], mosques [http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/gaza-residents-scramble-to-make-most-of-five-hour-truce/2014/07/17/e5485fce-0d7e-11e4-8341-b8072b1e7348_story.html], UN buildings [http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/04/un-dragged-conflict-israel-hamas-gaza] and hospitals [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4548760,00.html]. It’s a win-win strategy: If Israel is deterred, Hamas fighters and infrastructure are preserved; if Israel is not, the attendant civilian casualties will be a propaganda coup.

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Hamas’s media strategy is exemplified by its use of Gaza City's Shifa hospital. There, in one of the conflict’s worst-kept secrets, the group’s leadership has prosecuted the war from an underground bunker. Reporters were denied entry to the bunker and instead invited to a media center in the hospital courtyard. There, journalists seeking interviews with Hamas officials were obligated ~~to line~~ up [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4556016,00.html], in prime position to snap photos as wounded civilians and combatants (the latter inevitably plain-clothed) were rushed into the building.</blockquote></ref>

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Hamas’s media strategy is exemplified by its use of Gaza City's Shifa hospital. There, in one of the conflict’s worst-kept secrets, the group’s leadership has prosecuted the war from an underground bunker. Reporters were denied entry to the bunker and instead invited to a media center in the hospital courtyard. There, journalists seeking interviews with Hamas officials were obligated to line up [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4556016,00.html], in prime position to snap photos as wounded civilians and combatants (the latter inevitably plain-clothed) were rushed into the building.</blockquote></ref>

Hamas has waged a sophisticated, even brilliant propaganda war. “Anyone killed or martyred is to be called a civilian from Gaza or Palestine,” the group told Gazans in a public-service announcement, “before we talk about his status in jihad or his military rank.” Hamas enjoined civilians to use the phrase “innocent civilians” as much as possible when speaking with journalists.

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Hamas launches rockets from the Strip’s most densely populated locales—chiefly Gaza City, Beit Hanoun in the north, and Khan Younis in the south—and tells fighters to fire from sensitive locations ~~like schools~~, ~~churches~~, ~~mosques~~, UN buildings ~~and hospitals~~. It’s a win-win strategy: If Israel is deterred, Hamas fighters and infrastructure are preserved; if Israel is not, the attendant civilian casualties will be a propaganda coup.

+

Hamas launches rockets from the Strip’s most densely populated locales—chiefly Gaza City, Beit Hanoun in the north, and Khan Younis in the south—and tells fighters to fire from sensitive locations like schools, churches, mosques, UN buildings and hospitals. It’s a win-win strategy: If Israel is deterred, Hamas fighters and infrastructure are preserved; if Israel is not, the attendant civilian casualties will be a propaganda coup.

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Hamas’s media strategy is exemplified by its use of Gaza City's Shifa hospital. There, in one of the conflict’s worst-kept secrets, the group’s leadership has prosecuted the war from an underground bunker. Reporters were denied entry to the bunker and instead invited to a media center in the hospital courtyard. There, journalists seeking interviews with Hamas officials were obligated ~~to line~~ up, in prime position to snap photos as wounded civilians and combatants (the latter inevitably plain-clothed) were rushed into the building.</blockquote>

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Hamas’s media strategy is exemplified by its use of Gaza City's Shifa hospital. There, in one of the conflict’s worst-kept secrets, the group’s leadership has prosecuted the war from an underground bunker. Reporters were denied entry to the bunker and instead invited to a media center in the hospital courtyard. There, journalists seeking interviews with Hamas officials were obligated to line up, in prime position to snap photos as wounded civilians and combatants (the latter inevitably plain-clothed) were rushed into the building.</blockquote>

As Arab-Palestinian long time human rights activist (previously working at Betselem, before it became a total anti-Israel unreliable source of sheer propaganda) asserted:<ref>‘Israel Is Using Missiles to Protect Its People, Hamas Is Using Its People to Protect Its Rockets,’ Says Palestinian Human Rights Activist. Algemeiner, Sharon Wrobel, May 26, 2021.

https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/05/26/israel-is-using-missiles-to-protect-its-people-hamas-is-using-its-people-to-protect-its-rockets-says-palestinian-human-rights-activist/</ref><blockquote>

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“The main difference between Israel and Hamas: Israel is using missiles to protect its people while Hamas is using its people to protect its rockets,” Eid ~~told The~~ Algemeiner. “Hamas does not care where these missiles land.”

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“The main difference between Israel and Hamas: Israel is using missiles to protect its people while Hamas is using its people to protect its rockets,” Eid told The Algemeiner. “Hamas does not care where these missiles land.”

Eid estimates based on his own Palestinian sources in the Gaza Strip that more than 50 Palestinians died because of errant rockets by the Hamas that were targeted towards Israel but which landed in Gaza. According to the Israeli army, about 4,340 rockets were fired by Hamas toward Israel during the 11 days of hostilities, with 640 of them falling within Gaza.</blockquote>

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As in a nutshell, the classic example [May, 2021] described the situation:

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The [[IDF]], attempting to warn about an impending strike, pleading for the Arab man in Gaza to evacuate the building before the bombing because civilians are present. ~~This~~ is the conversation that took place:

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The [[IDF]], attempting to warn about an impending strike, pleading for the Arab man in Gaza to evacuate the building before the bombing because civilians are present. This is the conversation that took place:

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- "I can’t get all of the people out I need at least two hours to get them out," the Palestinian says.

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- "I can’t get all of the people out I need at least two hours to get them out," the Palestinian says.

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- "Listen, we are going to bomb the building," the member of the IDF replies.

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- "Listen, we are going to bomb the building," the member of the IDF replies.

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- "You want to bomb? Bomb whatever you want," the man responds.

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- "You want to bomb? Bomb whatever you want," the man responds.

- "No, brother, we need to do everything we can so you don’t die,” the IDF member says.

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- "We want to die," the Palestinian answers.

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- "We want to die," the Palestinian answers.

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- "But you have a responsibility for children’s lives," the Israeli pushes back.

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- "But you have a responsibility for children’s lives," the Israeli pushes back.

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- "If the children need to die then they’ll die," the Palestinian counters.

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- "If the children need to die then they’ll die," the Palestinian counters.

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- "God forbid, God forbid, what do you want, to die?!" the soldier asks.

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- "God forbid, God forbid, what do you want, to die?!" the soldier asks.

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- "This is how we reveal your cruelty," the man responds.Sky News Arabic video showing a conversation between a Gaza Palestinian and an IDF soldier.<ref>"Social Media Video Shows Gaza Palestinian Telling IDF Soldier ‘If the Children Need to Die, Then They’ll Die’". Algemeiner.com. May 19, 2021. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/05/19/social-media-video-shows-gaza-palestinian-telling-idf-soldier-if-the-children-need-to-die-then-theyll-die/</ref><ref>'Shocking' Phone Call Between IDF and Gazan Reveals 'Entire Conflict in a Nutshell'. Leah ~~Barkoukis~~ | @~~LeahBarkoukis~~ | May 19, 2021

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- "This is how we reveal your cruelty," the man responds.Sky News Arabic video showing a conversation between a Gaza Palestinian and an IDF soldier.<ref>"Social Media Video Shows Gaza Palestinian Telling IDF Soldier ‘If the Children Need to Die, Then They’ll Die’". Algemeiner.com. May 19, 2021. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/05/19/social-media-video-shows-gaza-palestinian-telling-idf-soldier-if-the-children-need-to-die-then-theyll-die/</ref><ref>'Shocking' Phone Call Between IDF and Gazan Reveals 'Entire Conflict in a Nutshell'. Leah Barkoukis | @LeahBarkoukis | May 19, 2021

A short but “shocking” phone call between the Israeli Defense Forces and a Palestinian in Gaza reveals “the entire conflict in a nutshell,”

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https://townhall.com/tipsheet//leahbarkoukis/2021/05/19/shocking-phone-call-between-idf-and-gazan-reveals-entire-conflict-in-a-nutshell-n2589676</ref><ref>Hank Berrien, "Shock Video: IDF Warns Gazan Man To Evacuate Children Before Bombing. He Responds: ‘If The Children Need To Die Then ~~They’ll Die’~~". May 19, 2021. DailyWire.com

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https://townhall.com/tipsheet//leahbarkoukis/2021/05/19/shocking-phone-call-between-idf-and-gazan-reveals-entire-conflict-in-a-nutshell-n2589676</ref><ref>Hank Berrien, "Shock Video: IDF Warns Gazan Man To Evacuate Children Before Bombing. He Responds: ‘If The Children Need To Die Then They’ll Die’". May 19, 2021. DailyWire.com

''Before strikes on buildings in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces call residents of those buildings to give them a chance to evacuate and preserve their lives. A new video shows the IDF pleading with a Gazan man on the other end of the line to evacuate a targeted building, saying he had a responsibility for children’s lives. The man responded, “If the children need to die then they’ll die.” In the video, aired by Sky News (below), the Gazan man initially tries to stall for time, saying, “I can’t get all of the people out; I need at least two hours to get them out.” '' https://www.dailywire.com/news/shock-video-idf-warns-gazan-man-to-evacuate-children-before-bombing-he-responds-if-the-children-need-to-die-then-theyll-die</ref><ref>

יוסף חדאד - Yoseph Haddad (@YosephHaddad) Tweeted:

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*Hamas was condemned for its use of human shields by the [[EU]] in July-2014;<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/operation-protective-edge/eu-calls-on-hamas-to-disarm-condemns-use-of-civilians-as-shields-368509 EU calls on Hamas to disarm, condemns use of civilians as shields] ~~Herb~~ Keinon. JPost, July 22, 2014</ref> by the (routinely anti-Israel) [[HRW]] in Aug, 2009;<ref name=hrw2009>[https://www.hrw.org/report/2009/08/06/rockets-gaza/harm-civilians-palestinian-armed-groups-rocket-attacks Harm to Civilians from Palestinian Armed Groups’ Rocket Attacks], HRW, August 6, 2009.

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*Hamas was condemned for its use of human shields by the [[EU]] in July-2014;<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/operation-protective-edge/eu-calls-on-hamas-to-disarm-condemns-use-of-civilians-as-shields-368509 EU calls on Hamas to disarm, condemns use of civilians as shields] Herb Keinon. JPost, July 22, 2014</ref> by the (routinely anti-Israel) [[HRW]] in Aug, 2009;<ref name=hrw2009>[https://www.hrw.org/report/2009/08/06/rockets-gaza/harm-civilians-palestinian-armed-groups-rocket-attacks Harm to Civilians from Palestinian Armed Groups’ Rocket Attacks], HRW, August 6, 2009.

This 31-page report documents attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups since November 2008 that killed three Israeli civilians and seriously injured dozens of others, damaged property and forced residents to leave their homes. The rockets unlawfully struck populated areas up to 40 kilometers inside Israel, placing roughly 800,000 Israeli civilians at risk. Rockets that fell short of their intended targets in Israel killed two girls and wounded others in Gaza during this period. Palestinian armed groups that launched rockets from densely populated areas also unlawfully put Gaza civilians at risk of Israeli counterstrikes...

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While Hamas has at times significantly decreased the level of rocket fire from Gaza, including by pressuring other armed groups to stop unauthorized attacks, it has taken no apparent action to prosecute or otherwise hold accountable Hamas forces or other Palestinian armed groups for launching unlawful rocket attacks against Israeli civilian areas.

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The rockets fired by Hamas and other armed groups are primarily locally made “Qassam” rockets, with a range of 16 kilometers. A smaller number are Soviet-designed “Grad” rockets, with a 21-kilometer range. The rockets have hit Israeli cities and towns close to the 1949 armistice line between Gaza and Israel, primarily Sderot; in 2008, rockets also struck Ashkelon and Netivot. Since late December 2008, some longer-range rockets have struck as far as 40 kilometers inside Israel, including, for the first time, the cities of Beer Sheva and Ashdod.

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The rockets fired by Hamas and other armed groups are primarily locally made “Qassam” rockets, with a range of 16 kilometers. A smaller number are Soviet-designed “Grad” rockets, with a 21-kilometer range. The rockets have hit Israeli cities and towns close to the 1949 armistice line between Gaza and Israel, primarily Sderot; in 2008, rockets also struck Ashkelon and Netivot. Since late December 2008, some longer-range rockets have struck as far as 40 kilometers inside Israel, including, for the first time, the cities of Beer Sheva and Ashdod.

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None of these rockets can be reliably aimed. Under international humanitarian law applicable to the fighting between Palestinian armed groups and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), such weapons are inherently indiscriminate when directed towards densely populated areas. The absence of Israeli military forces in the areas struck by the rockets, as well as statements from the leaders of Hamas and other armed groups, indicate that many of these attacks are deliberately intended to strike Israeli civilians and civilian structures. Individuals who willfully authorize or carry out deliberate or indiscriminate attacks against civilians are committing war crimes.

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None of these rockets can be reliably aimed. Under international humanitarian law applicable to the fighting between Palestinian armed groups and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), such weapons are inherently indiscriminate when directed towards densely populated areas. The absence of Israeli military forces in the areas struck by the rockets, as well as statements from the leaders of Hamas and other armed groups, indicate that many of these attacks are deliberately intended to strike Israeli civilians and civilian structures. Individuals who willfully authorize or carry out deliberate or indiscriminate attacks against civilians are committing war crimes.

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The rocket attacks have caused civilian casualties and property damage. Civilian structures damaged in recent attacks include a kindergarten, a synagogue and private homes. An Israeli early warning siren system, which gives civilians roughly 10 to 45 seconds to find cover in prepared shelters, depending on their distance from the launch site in Gaza, has undoubtedly limited the number of civilian casualties. However, the repeated attacks have, over months and even years, taken a psychological toll on the population in areas close to Gaza. The laws of war prohibit attacks the primary purpose of which is to spread terror among the civilian population. Because of the rocket attacks, thousands of people have moved away from frequently targeted areas such as Sderot municipality.

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The rocket attacks have caused civilian casualties and property damage. Civilian structures damaged in recent attacks include a kindergarten, a synagogue and private homes. An Israeli early warning siren system, which gives civilians roughly 10 to 45 seconds to find cover in prepared shelters, depending on their distance from the launch site in Gaza, has undoubtedly limited the number of civilian casualties. However, the repeated attacks have, over months and even years, taken a psychological toll on the population in areas close to Gaza. The laws of war prohibit attacks the primary purpose of which is to spread terror among the civilian population. Because of the rocket attacks, thousands of people have moved away from frequently targeted areas such as Sderot municipality.

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'''The rocket attacks have also placed civilians in Gaza at risk'''. The unpredictable nature of the crude rockets has meant that rockets have struck areas not only inside Israel but also inside Gaza; on December 26 a rocket hit a house in Beit Lahiya, killing two Palestinian girls, ages 5 and 12. In addition, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups have frequently violated the laws of war by firing rockets from within populated areas. In doing so, they failed to take all feasible precautions to avoid placing military targets within densely populated areas, such as by removing civilians under their control from the vicinity of military targets, and protecting civilians from the danger resulting from military operations...

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'''The rocket attacks have also placed civilians in Gaza at risk'''. The unpredictable nature of the crude rockets has meant that rockets have struck areas not only inside Israel but also inside Gaza; on December 26 a rocket hit a house in Beit Lahiya, killing two Palestinian girls, ages 5 and 12. In addition, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups have frequently violated the laws of war by firing rockets from within populated areas. In doing so, they failed to take all feasible precautions to avoid placing military targets within densely populated areas, such as by removing civilians under their control from the vicinity of military targets, and protecting civilians from the danger resulting from military operations...

Cease conducting attacks from locations near populated areas in Gaza in violation of international humanitarian law requiring all feasible precautions to protect civilians from the effects of attacks, and avoid locating military objectives in densely populated areas...

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This report concerns rocket attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on civilian population centers in Israel since November 2008. ..

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This report concerns rocket attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on civilian population centers in Israel since November 2008. ..

'''Firing Rockets from Populated Areas'''

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Numerous Palestinians in Gaza told Human Rights Watch that during the course of Israel’s aerial campaign and subsequent invasion of Gaza in late December and early January, members of Palestinian armed groups redeployed from more open and outlying regions – many of which were either controlled by Israeli ground forces or “covered” by armed aerial drones, helicopters, and fighter aircraft – into '''densely populated urban areas'''. The International Crisis Group quoted an Islamic Jihad fighter as saying, “the most important thing is achieving our military goals,” among which was to continue firing rockets in defiance of the stated Israeli aim to end the rocket attacks. He told the Crisis Group, “We stay away from the houses if we can, but that’s often impossible.”

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Numerous Palestinians in Gaza told Human Rights Watch that during the course of Israel’s aerial campaign and subsequent invasion of Gaza in late December and early January, members of Palestinian armed groups redeployed from more open and outlying regions – many of which were either controlled by Israeli ground forces or “covered” by armed aerial drones, helicopters, and fighter aircraft – into '''densely populated urban areas'''. The International Crisis Group quoted an Islamic Jihad fighter as saying, “the most important thing is achieving our military goals,” among which was to continue firing rockets in defiance of the stated Israeli aim to end the rocket attacks. He told the Crisis Group, “We stay away from the houses if we can, but that’s often impossible.”

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While fighting in urban areas is not prohibited under the laws of war, parties to a conflict are obligated to adopt measures to minimize the risk to the civilian population. ~~During~~ the recent fighting and at other times, Palestinian armed groups have placed fellow Palestinians at grave risk of Israeli counter-attacks by firing rockets from within or near populated areas. In doing so, they violate the laws of war by failing to take all feasible precautions to avoid placing military targets within or near densely populated areas, to remove civilians under their control from the vicinity of military targets, and to protect civilians from the danger resulting from military operations.

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While fighting in urban areas is not prohibited under the laws of war, parties to a conflict are obligated to adopt measures to minimize the risk to the civilian population. During the recent fighting and at other times, Palestinian armed groups have placed fellow Palestinians at grave risk of Israeli counter-attacks by firing rockets from within or near populated areas. In doing so, they violate the laws of war by failing to take all feasible precautions to avoid placing military targets within or near densely populated areas, to remove civilians under their control from the vicinity of military targets, and to protect civilians from the danger resulting from military operations.

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In most of the following cases, Human Rights Watch researchers found that armed groups endangered civilians by firing rockets from populated areas.

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In most of the following cases, Human Rights Watch researchers found that armed groups endangered civilians by firing rockets from populated areas.

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In one case, a resident in northern Gaza City told Human Rights Watch that he and others had been on the roof of his building watching Israeli bombing raids on the first day of the Israeli assault. He said that around 5 p.m. “[w]e saw Hamas come and put up rocket launchers and fire. We could tell they were Grads by the sound, which is louder and deeper than that of Qassams.” According to the witness, the rockets were fired in a populated neighborhood near a well-known landmark, the al-Andalus tower. The witness specified, “they fired from between a medium-sized cow shed and some houses. There were maybe 60 meters between the cow shed and the houses.” It is not clear if the houses were inhabited at the time. In any case, ten minutes later, the witness said, “there was a retaliatory strike by an F-16 [fighter-bomber], a really big explosion.”

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In one case, a resident in northern Gaza City told Human Rights Watch that he and others had been on the roof of his building watching Israeli bombing raids on the first day of the Israeli assault. He said that around 5 p.m. “[w]e saw Hamas come and put up rocket launchers and fire. We could tell they were Grads by the sound, which is louder and deeper than that of Qassams.” According to the witness, the rockets were fired in a populated neighborhood near a well-known landmark, the al-Andalus tower. The witness specified, “they fired from between a medium-sized cow shed and some houses. There were maybe 60 meters between the cow shed and the houses.” It is not clear if the houses were inhabited at the time. In any case, ten minutes later, the witness said, “there was a retaliatory strike by an F-16 [fighter-bomber], a really big explosion.”

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The witness also said that, in a second incident on January 1, residents of the area shouted at Hamas fighters to prevent them from entering a garden immediately next to the building he lived in, apparently with the intention to use it to fire rockets. “I had already left [the area] but my neighbor, the grocery store owner, was watching and he called me to come back,” the witness said. “The Hamas guys had already cut the wires of the gate to break in. All the people got together and shouted at them to leave, told them the rockets were going to backfire on us. After that we came back every day to the garden for a few hours to prevent them from firing from it.” Hamas did not return to the area, according to the witness.

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The witness also said that, in a second incident on January 1, residents of the area shouted at Hamas fighters to prevent them from entering a garden immediately next to the building he lived in, apparently with the intention to use it to fire rockets. “I had already left [the area] but my neighbor, the grocery store owner, was watching and he called me to come back,” the witness said. “The Hamas guys had already cut the wires of the gate to break in. All the people got together and shouted at them to leave, told them the rockets were going to backfire on us. After that we came back every day to the garden for a few hours to prevent them from firing from it.” Hamas did not return to the area, according to the witness.

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Human Rights Watch researchers did not find any cases where Hamas or other armed groups forced civilians to remain in areas in close proximity to rocket launching sites.

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Human Rights Watch researchers did not find any cases where Hamas or other armed groups forced civilians to remain in areas in close proximity to rocket launching sites.

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Human Rights Watch was unable to determine the locations from which militants fired rockets in Tel el-Hawa, or if they fired from locations very close to civilians when other firing positions were available. The lawyer who was badly injured by a Palestinian rocket on December 24 (see above) said he was unsure where fighters fired rockets in his neighborhood: “Not from rooftops, but that doesn’t make much difference when the IDF responds with an F-16 or heavy artillery.~~” In~~ the months before the Israeli attack, he said, “we heard strange sounds coming just after the dawn prayers. We knew it was rockets being fired, but we never expected this [the rocket that fell on his home]. And this morning [April 10], we heard the same sounds again. We were all talking about it at lunch.” He added, “I do not deny the right of occupied people to resist, but I think that the means should be reevaluated.”

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Human Rights Watch was unable to determine the locations from which militants fired rockets in Tel el-Hawa, or if they fired from locations very close to civilians when other firing positions were available. The lawyer who was badly injured by a Palestinian rocket on December 24 (see above) said he was unsure where fighters fired rockets in his neighborhood: “Not from rooftops, but that doesn’t make much difference when the IDF responds with an F-16 or heavy artillery.” In the months before the Israeli attack, he said, “we heard strange sounds coming just after the dawn prayers. We knew it was rockets being fired, but we never expected this [the rocket that fell on his home]. And this morning [April 10], we heard the same sounds again. We were all talking about it at lunch.” He added, “I do not deny the right of occupied people to resist, but I think that the means should be reevaluated.”

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Two residents of the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood in the southern part of Gaza City separately told Human Rights Watch that they could hear repeated rocket firings from the neighborhood during the Israeli operation, but could not identify the precise location of the launch sites. One said he heard “several” rockets being fired between December 27, when Israel launched its initial air strikes, and January 4, 2009, when he left the area for security reasons. The other resident remained in Tel al-Hawa throughout the period of heavy fighting and said he had heard “many” launches. The second man said neighbors had told him of a case in which fighters reportedly fired a rocket from within the courtyard of a building. Neither knew of rockets being launched from inhabited buildings or areas nearby, or whether Hamas made efforts to remove the buildings’ residents before firing rockets.

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Two residents of the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood in the southern part of Gaza City separately told Human Rights Watch that they could hear repeated rocket firings from the neighborhood during the Israeli operation, but could not identify the precise location of the launch sites. One said he heard “several” rockets being fired between December 27, when Israel launched its initial air strikes, and January 4, 2009, when he left the area for security reasons. The other resident remained in Tel al-Hawa throughout the period of heavy fighting and said he had heard “many” launches. The second man said neighbors had told him of a case in which fighters reportedly fired a rocket from within the courtyard of a building. Neither knew of rockets being launched from inhabited buildings or areas nearby, or whether Hamas made efforts to remove the buildings’ residents before firing rockets.

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The doctor whose home in Shajai’ya had been damaged by a rocket (see above) said that neighbors told him they saw the rocket being launched from an open agricultural area about 250 meters southwest of his home. “It was fired by a timer. Right after that there was a[n IDF] drone over us for 10 minutes – I’m sure it saw the damage to my house.” In another case, the doctor said, militants had fired a rocket much closer to the row of houses along his street. He said that a week before Israel began major military operations, an IDF helicopter fired a missile in response to a rocket firing “just 50 meters from here, inside the compound of the Palestinian power authority.” He indicated a wall directly across the street from his home. The Palestinian fighters “fired from inside the walls of the compound. Then the helicopter fired back,” shooting a missile into the main building in the compound. By using the compound of the power authority for military purposes, the Palestinian forces were making the normally civilian structure a lawful military target and may have been placing the residents of nearby homes at unnecessary risk.

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The doctor whose home in Shajai’ya had been damaged by a rocket (see above) said that neighbors told him they saw the rocket being launched from an open agricultural area about 250 meters southwest of his home. “It was fired by a timer. Right after that there was a[n IDF] drone over us for 10 minutes – I’m sure it saw the damage to my house.” In another case, the doctor said, militants had fired a rocket much closer to the row of houses along his street. He said that a week before Israel began major military operations, an IDF helicopter fired a missile in response to a rocket firing “just 50 meters from here, inside the compound of the Palestinian power authority.” He indicated a wall directly across the street from his home. The Palestinian fighters “fired from inside the walls of the compound. Then the helicopter fired back,” shooting a missile into the main building in the compound. By using the compound of the power authority for military purposes, the Palestinian forces were making the normally civilian structure a lawful military target and may have been placing the residents of nearby homes at unnecessary risk.

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According to the doctor, residents of the area felt endangered and angered by the militants’ use of their area as a launching site. Two weeks before the rocket hit his home, he said, “another rocket fell short, but the people where the rocket landed didn’t know the name of the person responsible, and I think they were too afraid to ask.” He and his neighbors “went to the political leaders in the area and complained, and later they gave me money to repair the windows, though not the damage inside the house.~~” The~~ authorities made no promises to stop the rocket fire, he added.

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According to the doctor, residents of the area felt endangered and angered by the militants’ use of their area as a launching site. Two weeks before the rocket hit his home, he said, “another rocket fell short, but the people where the rocket landed didn’t know the name of the person responsible, and I think they were too afraid to ask.” He and his neighbors “went to the political leaders in the area and complained, and later they gave me money to repair the windows, though not the damage inside the house.” The authorities made no promises to stop the rocket fire, he added.

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As noted, parties to a conflict violate the laws of war when they fail to take all feasible precautions to avoid placing forces, weapons, and ammunition within or near densely populated areas. Deliberately using civilians to deter attacks on military targets amounts to “human shielding,” which is a war crime In the preceding cases, Human Rights Watch either could not determine or the evidence did not indicate that militants launched rockets from areas close to civilians with the intention of deterring Israeli forces from counter-attacking. The International Crisis Group interviewed three Hamas fighters in January who said they “often fired [rockets] in close proximity to homes and from alleys, hoping that nearby civilians would deter Israel from ~~responding”~~ -- indicating the intent to use civilians as shields. The Crisis Group’s report and the staff who conducted the interviews did not provide further details or specific cases of shielding. The Crisis Group reported that after the conflict, some Gaza residents unsuccessfully “urged a government investigation of, and accountability for, fighters who endangered civilians” by firing from populated areas...</ref> by [[Amnesty International]] in March-2015;<ref>[https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde21/1178/2015/en/ STATE OF PALESTINE: UNLAWFUL AND DEADLY: ROCKET AND MORTAR ATTACKS BY PALESTINIAN ARMED GROUPS DURING THE 2014 GAZA/ISRAEL CONFLICT]

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As noted, parties to a conflict violate the laws of war when they fail to take all feasible precautions to avoid placing forces, weapons, and ammunition within or near densely populated areas. Deliberately using civilians to deter attacks on military targets amounts to “human shielding,” which is a war crime In the preceding cases, Human Rights Watch either could not determine or the evidence did not indicate that militants launched rockets from areas close to civilians with the intention of deterring Israeli forces from counter-attacking. The International Crisis Group interviewed three Hamas fighters in January who said they “often fired [rockets] in close proximity to homes and from alleys, hoping that nearby civilians would deter Israel from responding” -- indicating the intent to use civilians as shields. The Crisis Group’s report and the staff who conducted the interviews did not provide further details or specific cases of shielding. The Crisis Group reported that after the conflict, some Gaza residents unsuccessfully “urged a government investigation of, and accountability for, fighters who endangered civilians” by firing from populated areas...</ref> by [[Amnesty International]] in March-2015;<ref>[https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde21/1178/2015/en/ STATE OF PALESTINE: UNLAWFUL AND DEADLY: ROCKET AND MORTAR ATTACKS BY PALESTINIAN ARMED GROUPS DURING THE 2014 GAZA/ISRAEL CONFLICT]

26 March 2015, Index number: MDE 21/1178/2015.<blockquote>

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During the Gaza/Israel conflict in July and August 2014, Palestinian armed groups fired thousands of rockets and mortars at Israel, in many cases directed towards Israeli civilians and civilian objects, in violation of international law. The conduct of Palestinian armed groups, including firing from residential areas and using indiscriminate munitions that cannot be accurately directed at a military target, also endangered civilians in Gaza.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://m.dailykos.com/stories/1378747 Hamas guilty of war crimes - Amnesty International] DK, Apr 19, 2015</ref> (a body which is rather obsessed with anti-Israelism), in April-2018 by the EU,<ref>[https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/172755-180420-eu-condemns-hamas-for-using-civilians-as-human-shields EU Condemns Hamas For Using Civilians As Human Shields], i24 News, Apr 20, 2018</ref> and by the [[UN]] in June-2018.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-praises-un-condemnation-of-terrorists-use-of-human-shields/amp/ Israel praises UN condemnation of terrorists’ use of human shields]. TOI Staff ~~and AP~~, June 27, 2018.

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During the Gaza/Israel conflict in July and August 2014, Palestinian armed groups fired thousands of rockets and mortars at Israel, in many cases directed towards Israeli civilians and civilian objects, in violation of international law. The conduct of Palestinian armed groups, including firing from residential areas and using indiscriminate munitions that cannot be accurately directed at a military target, also endangered civilians in Gaza.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://m.dailykos.com/stories/1378747 Hamas guilty of war crimes - Amnesty International] DK, Apr 19, 2015</ref> (a body which is rather obsessed with anti-Israelism), in April-2018 by the EU,<ref>[https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/172755-180420-eu-condemns-hamas-for-using-civilians-as-human-shields EU Condemns Hamas For Using Civilians As Human Shields], i24 News, Apr 20, 2018</ref> and by the [[UN]] in June-2018.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-praises-un-condemnation-of-terrorists-use-of-human-shields/amp/ Israel praises UN condemnation of terrorists’ use of human shields]. TOI Staff and AP, June 27, 2018.

''Envoy Danny Danon calls update to counter-terrorism strategy an 'important step in our activities to change the rules of the game at the UN'.''

</ref><ref>[https://www.jns.org/un-general-assembly-condemns-terrorists-use-of-citizens-as-human-shields/ UN General Assembly condemns terrorists' use of citizens as 'human shields'], JNS,

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Referring to Hamas disavowals of responsibility for the acts of other terrorist groups operating in the Gaza Strip, the president echoed the Israeli position: “When they sign onto a ceasefire they’re claiming to speak for all the Palestinian factions. And if they don’t have control of them, and just moments after a ceasefire is signed you have Israeli soldiers being killed and captured, then it’s hard for the Israelis to feel confident that a ceasefire can actually be honored.”

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Obama mentioned again his concern over the Palestinian death toll, but he ~~stressed~~ “Israel’s right to defend itself, and it’s got to be able to get at those rockets and those tunnel networks.

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Obama mentioned again his concern over the Palestinian death toll, but he stressed “Israel’s right to defend itself, and it’s got to be able to get at those rockets and those tunnel networks.

“On the other hand, because of the incredibly irresponsible actions on the part of Hamas to oftentimes house these rocket launchers right in the middle of civilian neighborhoods, we end up seeing people who had nothing to do with these rockets ending up being hurt.”...</ref> by [[UK]] in 2015;<ref>[https://hansard.parliament.uk/debates/GetDebateAsText/15061517000022 Stance of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Hamas]. Feb 12, 2015.

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Furthermore, the United States and the 28-member European Union, which consider Hamas as a terrorist group, have specifically condemned Hamas use of civilians as human shields.

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On July 17, the United Nations Agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, known by its acronym UNRWA, announced that it had discovered 20 Hamas rockets hidden in a U.N. school in Gaza. A few days later, UNRWA announced a similar finding at another U.N. school.</blockquote></ref> in 2017 at a Hamas-dug tunnel under school;<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/unrwa-uncovers-hamas-dug-tunnel-under-school-in-gaza/ UNRWA uncovers Hamas-dug tunnel under school in Gaza] TOI, staff, 9 Jun 9, 2017.

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On July 17, the United Nations Agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, known by its acronym UNRWA, announced that it had discovered 20 Hamas rockets hidden in a U.N. school in Gaza. A few days later, UNRWA announced a similar finding at another U.N. school.</blockquote></ref> in 2017 at a Hamas-dug tunnel under school;<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/unrwa-uncovers-hamas-dug-tunnel-under-school-in-gaza/ UNRWA uncovers Hamas-dug tunnel under school in Gaza] TOI, staff, 9 Jun 9, 2017.

Palestinian refugee agency condemns Gaza rulers’ underground network; Israel’s UN envoy: ‘Cruelty of Hamas’ knows no bounds.

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European aid commissioner says, "When you kill innocents, it is not resistance. It is terrorism."

... "At this time we have to also recall the overwhelming responsibility of Hamas," said Michel, according to AFP. "I intentionally say this here: Hamas is a terrorist movement and it has to be denounced as such." Reuters quoted Michel as criticizing Hamas for its use of civilians as "human shields" and for fighting in populated areas.</ref> by [[Canada]]'s PM Harper (2014);<ref>[https://nationalpost.com/news/world/israel-middle-east/stephen-harper-accuses-hamas-of-using-human-shields-urges-world-leaders-to-side-with-israel Stephen Harper accuses Hamas of using human shields, urges world leaders to side with Israel] The Canadian Press, (National Post) Jul 13, 2014.

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''Harper says there is evidence that Hamas, listed by Canada as a terrorist organization, is using human shields in its attempts to stave off the Israeli offensive.''</ref> by [[Nobel]] laureate E. Wiesel (2014);<ref>Steve ~~Almasy and Josh~~ Levs,

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''Harper says there is evidence that Hamas, listed by Canada as a terrorist organization, is using human shields in its attempts to stave off the Israeli offensive.''</ref> by [[Nobel]] laureate E. Wiesel (2014);<ref>Steve Almasy and Josh Levs,

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[https://www.cnn.com/2014/08/03/world/meast/elie-wiesel-hamas-ad/index.html Nobel laureate Wiesel: Hamas must stop using children as human shields], CNN, Aug 3, 2014.<blockquote>(CNN) — Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel writes in a new ad campaign that the crisis in Gaza and Israel is a battle between “those who celebrate life and those who champion death.”</blockquote></ref> by the ''Wiesenthal Center'' (including in 2018);<ref>[https://www.wiesenthal.com/about/news/simon-wiesenthal-center-to-10.html Simon Wiesenthal Center to Media: Reject Images of Palestinian Children Dressed as Concentration Camp Victims] ~~June 7~~, ~~2018~~.

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[https://www.cnn.com/2014/08/03/world/meast/elie-wiesel-hamas-ad/index.html Nobel laureate Wiesel: Hamas must stop using children as human shields], CNN, Aug 3, 2014.<blockquote>(CNN) — Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel writes in a new ad campaign that the crisis in Gaza and Israel is a battle between “those who celebrate life and those who champion death.”</blockquote></ref> by the ''Wiesenthal Center'' (including in 2018);<ref>[https://www.wiesenthal.com/about/news/simon-wiesenthal-center-to-10.html Simon Wiesenthal Center to Media: Reject Images of Palestinian Children Dressed as Concentration Camp Victims] June 7, 2018.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading Jewish Human Rights NGO devoted to the memory of the six million Jewish victims murdered in the Nazi Holocaust, denounced Hamas’ intention to dress up Friday’s Gaza border-riot participants as concentration camp victims.

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“We urge major international media outlets to reject this macabre and ~~hideous ploy~~ to defame the memory of the victims murdered in the Nazi genocide,~~” said~~ Rabbis Marvin Hier, founder and dean and Abraham Cooper, associate dean and global social action head.

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“We urge major international media outlets to reject this macabre and hideous ploy to defame the memory of the victims murdered in the Nazi genocide,” said Rabbis Marvin Hier, founder and dean and Abraham Cooper, associate dean and global social action head.

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“The European Union, led by Germany, should vehemently protest this latest serial abuse of Palestinian children by Hamas terrorists attempting to attract attention to their weekly riot,~~” Hier~~ and Cooper added.

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“The European Union, led by Germany, should vehemently protest this latest serial abuse of Palestinian children by Hamas terrorists attempting to attract attention to their weekly riot,” Hier and Cooper added.

“As for Hamas, by dressing up kids as Nazi victims, proves the only god this terrorist organization worships is Moloch, the pagan god of child sacrifice, for whom children’s lives are worthless.

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When will NGOs and U.N. agencies devoted to protecting children finally raise their voices in protests against Hamas’ barbaric tactics, including the use of civilians, children nonetheless, as human shields and cannon fodder for their endless terrorist campaigns? When will the nations like Japan, ~~who~~ supplied beautiful kites for Palestinian children, protest the use of these kites to set fires in Israeli nature preserves and fields?~~” Hier~~ and Cooper concluded.</blockquote></ref> by the Australian Labor party in July-2014;<ref>[https://www.billshorten.com.au/the-conflict-in-israel-and-the-palestinian-territories The Conflict in Israel and the Palestinian Territories], Bill Shorten, July 31, 2014.

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When will NGOs and U.N. agencies devoted to protecting children finally raise their voices in protests against Hamas’ barbaric tactics, including the use of civilians, children nonetheless, as human shields and cannon fodder for their endless terrorist campaigns? When will the nations like Japan, who supplied beautiful kites for Palestinian children, protest the use of these kites to set fires in Israeli nature preserves and fields?” Hier and Cooper concluded.</blockquote></ref> by the Australian Labor party in July-2014;<ref>[https://www.billshorten.com.au/the-conflict-in-israel-and-the-palestinian-territories The Conflict in Israel and the Palestinian Territories], Bill Shorten, July 31, 2014.

Labor is appalled by the recent shelling of a UN school in a Gaza refugee camp, and attacks on similar facilities.

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“The dogs of Hezbollah are firing from the center of the Druze heartland,” a villager said in the video.</ref> near Druze houses, in a rare courageous act against the terror group that has its grip on [[Lebanon]] via terror, Druze villagers from the southern Lebanese Druze village of Chouya, on August 6, 2021, fought the Hezbollah<ref name=toi>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/lebanese-druze-halt-hezbollah-rocket-launcher-convoy-after-attack-on-israel/ Lebanese Druze confront, detain Hezbollah rocket crew after it fires at Israel], Emanuel Fabian, TOI, Aug 6, 2021.

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''Angry villagers in Chouya accuse terror group of endangering lives by firing from near civilian areas; Lebanon army arrives, confiscates launcher, arrests 4 suspects.''</ref><ref name=jns/> for firing from near their houses in order to draw fire from Israeli defenders, using the population as [[Human shields by terrorists|human shields]].<ref name=toi/><ref>[https://hamodia.com/2021/08/08/lebanese-druze-detain-hezbollah-terrorists-fired-rockets-israel/ Lebanese Druze Detain Hezbollah Terrorists Who Fired Rockets at Israel] Yoni Weiss, Hamodia, August 8, 2021.

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''Angry villagers in Chouya accuse terror group of endangering lives by firing from near civilian areas; Lebanon army arrives, confiscates launcher, arrests 4 suspects.''</ref><ref name=jns/> for firing from near their houses in order to draw fire from Israeli defenders, using the population as [[Human shields by terrorists|human shields]].<ref name=toi/><ref>[https://hamodia.com/2021/08/08/lebanese-druze-detain-hezbollah-terrorists-fired-rockets-israel/ Lebanese Druze Detain Hezbollah Terrorists Who Fired Rockets at Israel] Yoni Weiss, Hamodia, August 8, 2021.

Locals accused Hezbollah of launching rockets at Israel from their village and endangering their lives by firing at Israel from civilian areas.</ref><ref>Mike Fainzilber (@MFainzilber) Tweeted:

Lebanese stopping a rocket launcher belonging to the Iranian Hezbollah, which was preparing to launch rockets towards Israeli territory from the vicinity of their homes. People objecting to being used as human shields in a proxy war waged by and for the Iranian regime.

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Hamashumanshields.jpg|[https://sderotmedia.com/hamas-used-kids-as-human-shields/2510/ Hamas uses kids as human shields]

Hanan El Masr's reaction to Hamas firing a rocket from under her News Outlets office building.jpg|[https://youtu.be/YqrMqbLEYvU Broadcaster, live, reacts to Hamas rocket just fired from below]

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Human shields women children.jpg|[https://www.memri.org/tv/hamas-mp-fathi-hammad-we-used-women-and-children-human-~~shields Hamas~~' Hamnad: "We used women and children as human shields"][https://palwatch.org/page/1089 Hamas explains use of human shields: "We desire death as you desire life."][https://youtu.be/RTu-AUE9ycs clip)]

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Human shields women children.jpg|[https://www.memri.org/tv/hamas-mp-fathi-hammad-we-used-women-and-children-human-shields Hamas' Hamnad: "We used women and children as human shields"][https://palwatch.org/page/1089 Hamas explains use of human shields: "We desire death as you desire life."][https://youtu.be/RTu-AUE9ycs clip)]

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Hamas-Leader-Human-Shields.jpg|[https://www.memri.org/tv/hamas-leader-yahya-sinwar-our-people-took-off-their-uniforms-and-joined-the-marces Hamas' ~~Sinwar~~: "We Decided To Turn The Bodies Of Our Women And Children Into A Dam Blocking Arab Collapse"]

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Hamas-Leader-Human-Shields.jpg|[https://www.memri.org/tv/hamas-leader-yahya-sinwar-our-people-took-off-their-uniforms-and-joined-the-marces Hamas' Sinwar: "We Decided To Turn The Bodies Of Our Women And Children Into A Dam Blocking Arab Collapse"]

Itic-humanshield2.jpg|[https://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Terrorism/Pages/Hamas-again-uses-Gazan-civilians-as-human-shields-July-2014.aspx Sami Abu Zuhri calls on the Palestinian people to use the tactic to defend their homes: "We in the Hamas movement call on our people to adopt this procedure."]

Itic-humanshield.jpg|[https://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Terrorism/Pages/Hamas-again-uses-Gazan-civilians-as-human-shields-July-2014.aspx Announcement from the ("Palestinian") ministry of the interior to the residents of the Gaza Strip, telling them not to pay attention to IDF announcements about vacating their homes'.]

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Israel5-1.png|[https://hannity.com/media-room/listen-palestinian-tells-israeli-soldier-if-children-need-to-die-then-theyll-die/ "Palestinian" Tells Israeli Soldier ‘If Children Need to Die, Then They’ll Die’ (during op. 'Guardian of Walls' May/21)]

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