Israeli Military Committing ‘War Crimes’ in Gaza with US Weaponry: Amnesty
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israeli forces in Gaza are committing war crimes against Palestinian people using “US-made munitions,” according to Paul O’Brien, the executive director of Amnesty International USA.
Research by the global rights group shows that war crimes are being committed in the Palestinian territory by Israeli forces, O’Brien said in a post on social media. He added that the US must stop sending weapons to Israel.
O’Brien also thanked 37 members of the US Congress who voted against the Israel arms bill that will provide $26.38bn in military aid to Israeli forces.
The US military aid package, reports say, will restock missiles for Israel’s Iron Dome and David’s Sling defense systems, boost depleted military supplies amid Israel’s war on Gaza, and provide some $3.5bn for “advanced weapons systems,” among other provisions.
Four people have been killed in a recent Israeli bombing near a school in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Israeli forces also fired artillery shells at the Zeitoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.
The north Gaza areas of Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoon, and east of Jabalia have come under sustained Israeli artillery shelling, according to Al Jazeera. The attacks follow a warning on Tuesday evening by Avichay Adraee, an Israeli army spokesperson, for Palestinian residents to immediately evacuate designated areas of Beit Lahiya, which he described as a “dangerous combat zone.” He warned that the Israeli army “will use extreme force” against Palestinian infrastructure in the region.
The Reuters news agency is reporting that the US Senate has backed a $95bn foreign aid package providing security assistance for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan.
Democrats and Republicans backed the legislation by 79 to 18, far more than the majority needed for passage through the 100-member Senate and for the bill to be sent to the White House for President Joe Biden to sign into law.
The largest share of the package provides $61bn for Ukraine, followed by $26bn for Israel, while $8.12bn is earmarked to “counter communist China” in the Asia Pacific.
At least 34,183 Palestinians have been killed and 77,143 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7.
