Amnesty: Israeli strikes on Gaza buildings 'war crimes'

Israeli air strikes on four high-rise buildings in the final days of this summer's conflict in Gaza amounted to war crimes, Amnesty International says.

Evidence suggested the destruction was "carried out deliberately and with no military justification", a new report by the human rights group found. It called for an independent and impartial investigation to be opened. Israel said the report made unfounded allegations and ignored Hamas' use of the buildings for military purposes. In a statement, the Israeli embassy in London said Amnesty should be investigating the Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli civilians instead. 'No military justification' The 50-day conflict in Gaza between Israel and militant groups led by Hamas left at least 2,189 Palestinians dead, including more than 1,486 civilians, according to the UN, and 11,000 injured. On the Israeli side, 67 soldiers and six civilians were killed, with scores more wounded. During the last four days before a ceasefire came into effect, Israeli warplanes dropped large bombs on four buildings - the 12-storey Zafer 4 Tower, the 16-storey Italian Complex and the 13-storey al-Basha Tower in Gaza City, and the four-storey Municipal Commercial Centre in Rafah. Amnesty acknowledged that in all four cases no-one was killed because the Israeli military took measures to ensure residents left the building before they were destroyed - by telling some in telephone calls to evacuate, and also firing "knock-on-the-roof" warning missiles. But the group said scores of people from nearby buildings were injured and that hundreds were devastated to lose their homes, businesses and belongings. Amnesty said the Israeli authorities had provided no information as to why they destroyed the four buildings, other than the suggestion that one of the destroyed buildings housed a Hamas command centre and "facilities linked to Palestinian militants" in another. "All the evidence we have shows this large-scale destruction was carried out deliberately and with no military justification," said Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa director, Philip Luther. "Both the facts on the ground and statements made by Israeli military spokespeople at the time indicate that the attacks were a collective punishment against the people of Gaza and were designed to destroy their already precarious livelihoods." Mr Luther added that even if the Israeli authorities believed part of a building was being used for military purposes, they had an "obligation to choose means and methods of attack that would minimise harm to civilians and their property".   Courtesy: BBC