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Operation Cast Lead IDF: Limiting Harm to Civilians

This report highlights how IDF targets Hamas and other terrorist infrastructure while striving to minimize harm to civilians. It explains the challenges of Hamas operating from civilian areas and the various methods used by the IDF to diminish civilian casualties.

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Operation Cast Lead IDF: Limiting Harm to Civilians

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  1. T M - S I S HE ILITARY TRATEGIC NFORMATION ECTION Operation “Cast Lead” IDF: Limiting Harm to Civilians January 14, 2009

  2. The IDFtargetsonlyHamas and Other Terrorist Infrastructure in Gaza • Hamas targets Israeli civilians • Hamas’ modus operandi is based on launching its attacks from populated areas. • Weapons and ammunition are stored in houses, mosques, hospitals and schools. • Women and children are used as human shields. • Hamas continues to attack civilian targets during the IDF’s daily humanitarian ceasefire. Hamas Israel • The IDF targets military capabilities. • The IDF strives to avoid harm to civilians and non-military sites in the Gaza Strip. • The IDF protects Israeli civilians including with its Homefront Command VS.

  3. Hamas Operates from within Concentrations of Civilians • Explosives, rockets, ammunition, and weapon arsenals are stored in private homes, mosques, schools and hospitals. • Hamas launches attacks in close proximity to innocent civilians (in school yards, from mosques, etc.) According to international law: the use of civilians as shields to try to prevent attacks on military targets is prohibited. “The presence of a protected person may not be used to render certain points or areas immune from military operations.” Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 28 Rockets fired from civilian neighborhoods

  4. A sketch by Hamas that details on the deployment of explosives and Hamas forces in the Al-Attara neighborhood in the northern Gaza Strip.  The map was found by IDF paratrooper forces operating in the northern Gaza Strip. The map shows that snipers are positioned at the entrance of the A-Tawil mosque and in the mosques next to it. It depicts the directions the snipers are aiming. It also indicates that explosives are planted in the entrances of civilian homes.

  5. Firing from Amongst Children and Other Civilians

  6. Firing from Amongst Children and Other Civilians

  7. Women Called by Hamas to Deter an Attack

  8. A Booby-Trapped school – Found by IDF Forces on Jan 11th In one neighborhood of 150 homes searched by IDF forces, more than 30 were found to be mined with explosives.

  9. Hamas Locates Its Military Infrastructure in Civilian Neighborhoods • Presents the IDF with a complex operational environment • Endangers innocent Palestinian civilians Weapons factory located amongst homes in a Jabaliya neighborhood, northern Gaza Factory with lathes used for the production of Qassam rockets, Dirj, southern Gaza

  10. “Should civilian casualties ensue from an attempt to shield combatants or a military objective, the ultimate responsibility lies with the belligerent placing innocent civilians at risk.” • Dinstein, ‘Conduct of Hostilities under the Law of International Armed Conflict’ Terrorist organizations that hide behind civilians bear the primary responsibility for civilian casualties

  11. Various Methods Used by the IDF to Diminish Civilian Casualties • Telephone calls are made to Palestinian civilians to warn them prior to strikes • Warning pamphlets are distributed from the air. • Attacks are pin-pointed, frequently using precision munitions and tactics. • “Knock on the Roof” - Israel has developed a procedure whereby it deploys a small munition to frighten away civilians gathered in a building prior to destroying the building. • Attacks are frequently delayed if civilians are at risk (e.g. attacks at night, among other reasons, to limit harming non-combatants).

  12. Warning the Population in Advance Statistics Number of Leaflets Distributed: 28.12.08 – 300,000 throughout Gaza Strip 29.12.08 – 80,000 in Rafah 03.01.09 – 300,000 throughout Gaza Strip 05.01.09 – 300,000 in Gaza, Khan Yunis, Rafah Number of Phone Calls Made: 27.12.08 – 20,000 (answered) throughout the Gaza Strip 29.12.08 – 10,000 (answered) in Rafah Radio Broadcasts: 27.12.08 – 30.12.08 03.01.09 – 05.01.09 Telephone Calls 27.12.08 The IDF is operating against organizations and individuals that participate in terrorist activity targeting the State of Israel. The IDF will strike and destroy every site or building in which weapons or smuggling tunnels are found. Following this announcement, anyone located in a build containing weapons, or where there are smuggling tunnels, is there at his/her own risk and it is his/her responsibility to exit and evacuate his/her family! You have been warned! Radio Broadcasts 03.01.09 Local Residents, For your own safety you are asked to evacuate your residency at once and travel to central areas.

  13. Pinpoint Operations and Precision Striking The IDF uses Guided Precision Munitions (GPM) to target terrorist infrastructure and operatives and minimize collateral damage to the civilian population Poster published by Izz a-Din el Qassam Brigades, detailing members of the organization killed in Air Force strikes House of Hamas operative located in the midst of a densely-populated area

  14. Distribution of Leaflets Warning the Population in Advance Sample Leaflet Distributed in Rafah Residents of Rafah, The IDF is operating against organizations and individuals that participate in terrorist activity targeting the State of Israel. The IDF will strike and destroy every site or building in which weapons or smuggling tunnels are found. Following this announcement, anyone located in a build containing weapons, or where there are smuggling tunnels, is there at his/her own risk and it is his/her responsibility to exit and evacuate his/her family! You have been warned! IDF Command.

  15. International Norms to Limit Collateral Damage – Examples • Australian Defense Force Manual: • The presence of non-combatants in or around a military objective does not change its nature as a military objective. Non-combatants in the vicinity of a military objective must share the danger to which the military objective is exposed. • Belgian Teaching Manual for Soldiers: • Objects occupied or used by enemy military forces are military objectives even if these objects were civilian at the outset (houses, schools or churches occupied by the enemy). • Spain’s Law of Armed Conflict Manual: • The principle of proportionality…is based on recognition of the fact that it is difficult to limit the effects of modern weapons and methods of warfare exclusively to military objectives and that it is likely that they will cause collateral damage to civilians and civilian objects.

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