Uphold human rights of Israelis, Palestinians, says Amnesty International

KATHMANDU: Amnesty International has called on the international community to take all necessary measures to ensure that the human rights of Palestinians and Israelis are fully protected, and to guarantee justice and reparation for victims.

Issuing a statement on Thursday, Amnesty International also asked the Israeli authorities and Palestinian armed groups to strictly abide by international humanitarian law: foremost by ensuring humanity in the conduct of hostilities, taking necessary precautions to minimize harm to civilians and civilian objects, and refraining from unlawful attacks and from imposing collective punishment on civilians.  It has also called on all Palestinian armed groups in Gaza to release all civilian hostages unconditionally and immediately. 

The international human rights organization said that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups flagrantly violated international law and displayed a chilling disregard for human life by carrying out cruel and brutal crimes including mass summary killings, hostage-taking, and launching indiscriminate rocket attacks into Israel. “With evidence still emerging of the horrors that unfolded in southern Israel, Amnesty International will continue its investigations in order to determine the full range of crimes under international law,” it added in the statement.

More than 1,200 people – mostly civilians, including children – have been killed, and 2,400 have been injured since the attacks began in the early morning of October 7. “In Gaza at least 1,200 people, including children, have been killed by Israeli military retaliation. The recently intensified blockade which completely disconnected water, electricity, food and fuel supplies is exacerbating the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” it said, adding: “Israel’s blockade amounts to collective punishment which is also a war crime.”

In one of the most egregious incidents at the Nova Music festival, at least 260 civilians were killed, while others are still missing, Amnesty International said in the statement. “Massacring civilians is a war crime and there can be no justification for these reprehensible attacks. We verified chilling videos which show armed men shooting at civilians and dragging people away as hostages,” it added.

At least 150 hostages have been taken into Gaza, including some children and foreign nationals, according to Israeli officials.

“The abduction of civilians is prohibited by international law and hostage-taking is a war crime. All civilians held hostage must be released immediately, unconditionally, and unharmed,” the statement added.