Reports on the Gaza War of December 2008 and January 2009 that took place between the Israeli Defense Forces and Hamas, also known as Operation Cast Lead
Title: Operation Cast Lead, Gaza Strip, One Year After - Accountability: A Key Challenge for Peace
Organisation: International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
Date: December 2009
This report concerns the situation concerning accountability for human rights abuses committed during Operation Cast Lead. It begins by assessing the human rights violations committed during the conflict by both sides. It continues on to consider the national prospects of justice in Israel and Gaza, and explores avenues for extra-territorial justice. It also evaluates international assessments of human rights violations during the conflict, and concludes with recommendations.
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Title: Targeted Civilians - A PCHR Report on the Israeli Military Offensive Against the Gaza Strip (27 December 2008-18 January 2009)
Organisation: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Date: October 2009
This report is part of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights’ efforts to document all incidents in Operation Cast Lead that constituted clear and flagrant violations of international humanitarian law. It asserts that the Israeli forces committed war crimes by directly targeted civilians and civilian property, and launched indiscriminate attacks against densely populated civilian areas, and that the widespread and apparently systematic nature of these violations indicates that Israel may have committed crimes against humanity. The violations it documents include war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights; wilful killings and other violations of the right to life and personal security; the illegal use of white phosphorous and flechette shells; using civilians as human shields; attacks against medical crews; targeting of journalists and mass media; attacks against educational institutions, attacks against NGOs; arrests, torture and other forms of cruel and degrading treatment; destruction of civilian facilities; and the aggravation of humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip during the offensive.
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Title: Human Rights in Palestine and Other Occupied Arab Territories - Report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict
Organisation: United Nations Human Rights Council
Date: September 2009
This report of the UN Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict, endorsed by the UN General Assembly, documents violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law in the context of the Gaza War by both Israeli Defense Forces and Palestinian militants. It explains the context of the conflict, with particular focus on the events between the ceasefire of 18 June 2008 and the start of Israel’s military operations in late December, and sets out the applicable law. The report proceeds to consider the events which took place in the Gaza Strip from 27 December 2008 to 18 January 2009. It examines the military operations, including attacks on civilians, use of prohibited weapons, and the effect on the human rights of the people of Gaza, as well as internal violence. The report then goes on to examining events in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The impact on Israelis is also considered. The report finally examines accountability and judicial remedies in light of the violations, including universal jurisdiction. The report concludes by setting out a range of recommendations, including submission to the International Criminal Court should other methods fail.
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Title: Through Women’s Eyes - A PCHR Report on the Gender-Specific Impact and Consequences of Operation Cast Lead
Organisation: Palestinians Centre for Human Rights
Date: September 2009
This report deals with the impact on women of serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the course of Operation Cast Lead. It considers the applicable international law. Through the use of female case studies, it sets out how Operation Cast Lead involved the direct targeting of civilians, the direct targeting and destruction of civilian objects, indiscriminate attacks, and insufficient precautions in attack.
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Title: Bearing the Brunt Again: Child Rights Violations During Operation Cast Lead
Organisations: Defence for Children International (Palestine Section) and Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights
Date: September 2009
This report provides a comprehensive overview of child rights violations perpetrated by the Israeli military during Operation Cast Lead including, inter alia, unlawful killing and maiming, the destruction of schools, homes and life-sustaining infrastructure such as water and sanitation networks, the use of children as human shields, and the arbitrary detention of children. Forty-three case studies illustrate the range of violations
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Title: White Flag Deaths - Killings of Palestinians During Operation Cast Lead
Organisation: Human Rights Watch
Date: August 2009
This report documents killings of Gazans conveying civilian status and the subsequent failure to investigate. It is based on field investigations of seven incident sites in Gaza, including ballistic evidence found at the scene, medical records of victims, and lengthy interviews with multiple witnesses. It also sets out the applicable international legal standards. The report makes recommendations to the government of Israel and to UN Member States.
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Title: Rockets from Gaza - Harm to Civilians from Palestinian Armed Groups’ Rocket Attacks
Organisation: Human Rights Watch
Date: August 2009
This report documents attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups since November 2008 that killed three Israeli civilians and seriously injured dozens of others, damaged property and forced residents to leave their homes. It reports how rockets unlawfully struck populated areas up to 40km inside Israel, placing roughly 800,000 Israeli civilians at risk. It also considers civilian deaths and injuries in Gaza from Palestinian rockets when they that fell short of their intended targets in Israel, killing two girls and wounding others in Gaza. It further reports how Palestinian armed groups that launched rockets from densely populated areas unlawfully put Gaza civilians at risk of Israeli counter-strikes. The report finally considers the legal obligations involved in cases of rocket attacks on populated areas, particularly with reference to individual criminal responsibility.
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Title: Israel/Gaza: Operation "Cast Lead": 22 Days of Death and Destruction
Organisation: Amnesty International
Date: July 2009
This report aims to be a thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the conduct of all parties in the conflict. The report documents killings of Palestinian civilians by Israeli forces, the lack of a safe haven in Gaza, and wanton destruction in Gaza. It also examines the conduct of Palestinian armed groups. The relevant international law is then considered in light of the conflict, and the limited enquiries to date are evaluated.
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Title: Precisely Wrong - Gaza Civilians Killed by Israeli Drone-Launched Missiles
Organisation: Human Rights Watch
Date: June 2009
This report details six incidents resulting in 29 civilian deaths, among them eight children. Human Rights Watch found that Israeli forces failed to take all feasible precautions to verify that these targets were combatants, as required by the laws of war, or that they failed to distinguish between combatants and civilians. Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups have reported a total of 42 drone attacks that killed civilians, 87 in all, during the fighting in December 2008 and January 2009. The report is based on field research in Gaza, where Human Rights Watch researchers interviewed victims and witnesses, examined attack sites, collected missile debris for testing, and reviewed medical records. It also sets out the relevant international legal standards, and makes recommendations to the government of Israel.
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Title: War Crimes Against Children - A PCHR Investigation into Palestinian Children Killed by Israeli Forces in the Gaza Strip, 27 December 2008-18 January 2009
Organisation: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Date: May 2009
This report deals with the plight of children caught up in Operation Cast Lead. It sets out the pattern of child killings in the Gaza Strip since 2000, child protection under international law and international humanitarian law, and civilian deaths generally in Operation Cast Lead. It also reports on numerous case studies on the subjects of the precautions necessary in attack, the principle of distinction and indiscriminate attacks. It further documents child injuries sustained as well as the psychological impact of the offensive on children.
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Title: Report of the Independent Fact Finding Committee on Gaza: No Safe Place
Organisation: League of Arab States
Date: April 2009
This report is based on the findings of the fact finding committee set up by the Arab League of States to investigate Operation Cast Lead. It contains a description and analysis of the events, a legal assessment and possible remedies, and recommendations. It focuses on international crimes committed in this context, mainly considering war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The report finds that both the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Palestinian militants committed war crimes and that the IDF committed crimes against humanity, but ultimately rejects the notion that the IDF’s actions constituted genocide due to lack of the requisite specific intent. It does, however, assert that individual soldiers could possibly be prosecuted for the crime of genocide.
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Title: Under Cover of War - Hamas Political Violence in Gaza
Organisation: Human Rights Watch
Date: April 2009
This report looks at unlawful violence against political rival in Gaza during and in the aftermath of the Gaza War. It documents a pattern of arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, maimings by shooting, and extrajudicial executions by alleged members of Hamas security forces, based on interviews with victims and witnesses in Gaza and case reports by Palestinian human rights groups. The report examines the relevant legal standards and makes recommendations.
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Title: The Use of Palestinian as Human Shields by the Israeli Occupation Forces
Organisation: Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights
Date: April 2009
This report sets out several case studies on the use of Palestinian civilians as human shields by the Israeli forces during Operation Cast Lead, based on field investigations and witness statements. It argues that the Israeli forces continue to systematically use Palestinian civilians as human shields, in breach of international humanitarian law, international human rights law and Israeli domestic law, tantamount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
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Title: Rain of Fire - Israel’s Unlawful Use of White Phosphorous in Gaza
Organisation: Human Rights Watch
Date: March 2009
This 71-page report provides witness accounts of the devastating effects that white phosphorus munitions had on civilians and civilian property in Gaza. Human Rights Watch researchers in Gaza immediately after hostilities ended found spent shells, canister liners, and dozens of burnt felt wedges containing white phosphorus on city streets, apartment roofs, residential courtyards, and at a United Nations school. The report also presents ballistics evidence, photographs, and satellite imagery, as well as documents from the Israeli military and government.
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Title: Israel/OPT: Fuelling Conflict: Foreign Arms Supplies to Israel/Gaza
Organisation: Amnesty International
Date: February 2009
This report, based on the findings of Amnesty International researchers visiting Gaza and southern Israel during and after the Gaza War, concerns the supply and use of arms in the Gaza War and makes tentative findings concerning war crimes. It documents the misuse of conventional arms by Israeli forces, as well as the unlawful use of indiscriminate rockets by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. It also looks at the arms supply to Israel and to Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.
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Title: Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories: The Conflict in Gaza: A Briefing on Applicable Law, Investigations and Accountability
Organisation: Amnesty International
Date: January 2009
This document sets out the international humanitarian law (including law of occupation and rules governing the conduct of hostilities), international human rights law, and international criminal law relevant to the Gaza War. It considers international investigations into the conflict, as well as accountability in terms of justice, truth and reparation.
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Title: Cast Lead Offensive in Numbers - Statistical Report on Persons Killed and Property Damaged or Destroyed in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli Occupation Forces during Operation Cast Lead (27 December-18 January 2009)
Organisation: Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights
Date: 2009
This report is based on evidence collected by the Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights and other Palestinian and international organisation during and after Operation Cast Lead. The evidence gathered is set out in tables and analysed. It is asserted that this evidence clearly demonstrates that many of the attacks by Israeli forces qualify as grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention and were carried out in a systematic and deliberate manner, rendering them war crimes and crimes against humanity according to international law.
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