Hamas is an internationally designated Palestinian terrorist organization that controls Gaza, whose explicitly stated mission is the murder of Jews, “obliteration” of Israel, and its replacement with a Taliban-like theocracy.
Since it seized control of Gaza in a violent coup in 2007, it has launched over 18,000 mortars and rockets into Israeli communities, and forced Israel to mount three major military operations to protect its citizens: Cast Lead (Dec. 2008-to Jan. 2009); Pillar of Defense (Nov. 2012); and Protective Edge (July 8 to August 6, 2014).
Hamas systematically committed war crimes in these actions, as evidenced by its tactics during Protective Edge.
Hamas rockets indiscriminately targeted Israel’s population and civilian centers, a war crime according to the Geneva Conventions and the International Criminal Court.
• Hamas indiscriminately fired over 4,465 rockets at Israel’s heartland, including densely populated cities such as Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and their civilian structures, during Protective Edge. Over 70% of Israeli citizens were in rocket range.
• Even Palestinian officials acknowledged Hamas’ rockets were war crimes. “Each and every missile against Israel constitutes a crime against humanity whether it hits or misses, because it is directed at civilian targets.” –Palestinian Envoy to the Human Rights Council, July 9, 2014.
• Hamas “made clear in their statements that harming civilians was their aim. There is simply no legal justification for launching rockets at populated areas.” –Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East Director, Human Rights Watch, Nov. 2012
• The EU “strongly condemns the indiscriminate firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas and militant groups in the Gaza Strip, directly harming civilians. These are criminal and unjustifiable acts.”
Hamas kidnapped Israelis to use them as hostages, a war crime according to the Geneva Conventions and the International Criminal Court.
• On June 12, 2014, Hamas operatives kidnapped three Israeli teens as they were returning home from school. Their bodies were found 18 days later.
• In 2006, Hamas operatives kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit and held him hostage for over five years until he was released in a prisoner exchange in 2011.
• Hamas built 32 cross-border underground tunnels to infiltrate Israel and kidnap Israelis. Rooms, handcuffs and tranquillizers were prepared for the Israeli victims.
• Hamas used Palestinian civilian centers for military purposes, a war crime according to the Geneva Conventions.
• Hamas placed its military arsenal and tunnel entrances in Gaza’s schools, homes, residential neighborhoods, hospitals, and mosques, as occurred with UNRWA schools, Al-Shifah and Al-Wafa hospitals, and Islamic University of Gaza.
• Hamas booby-trapped thousands of homes and fired 597 rockets from civilian centers, including 260 from schools, 160 from religious sites, 127 from cemeteries, and over 50 from hospitals.
Hamas used Palestinians as human shields, a war crime according to Article 51(7) of the 1977 Protocols to the Geneva Convention.
• Hamas urged Gaza residents to act as human shields.
• Hamas urged residents to ignore Israel’s warnings to move to safer areas because of imminent attacks. In some cases, Hamas operatives violently attacked residents who sought safer areas.
• "The Israeli army sends warnings to people [Gazans] to evacuate buildings before an attack…Hamas's strict policy, though, was not to allow us to evacuate…Hamas's official Al-Quds TV regularly issued warnings to Gazans not to evacuate their homes. Hamas militants would block the exits to the places residents were asked to evacuate." –Gaza Medical Aid Worker, September, 19 2014
Hamas conducted extrajudicial executions of alleged Palestinian collaborators with Israel.
• Hamas murdered at least 48 suspected collaborators during the 2014 war, accusing them of being spies and executing them publicly, without trial. Hamas has dragged the executed bodies of past suspected collaborators through the streets of Gaza as a warning to others.
• Hamas enlisted children to participate in hostilities, a war crime according to the Geneva Conventions and the International Criminal Court.
• Hamas admitted to using child labor to construct cross-border tunnels. According to Hamas officials, at least 160 children were killed while building the terror tunnels.