Rights Group: Gaza Mosque Bombed by Israel Had No Military Presence

IQNA – An investigation conducted by a rights group reveals that a mosque that was targeted by Israeli forces during dawn prayers in November had no military presence at the time of the attack.

An air strike targeted Al-Hassan Mosque in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City, at approximately 4:45 am, on November 16, 2023. Israeli aircraft dropped one or two high-explosive bombs without prior warning, resulting in the deaths of over 15 Palestinians and injuring many others.

The mosque, the largest in the area, was demolished within seconds, killing all worshippers present. Most of the bodies were reduced to fragments, according to Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor.

"No evidence was found of any military targets, such as objects or armed individuals, inside the mosque or in its surrounding area at the time of the attack," said the monitor in a report on Thursday.

In addition to the fatalities inside the mosque, nearby homes and structures, including garages and carpentry shops, sustained significant damage, leading to further casualties, including women, children, and the elderly. Eyewitnesses described a scene of utter devastation, with many bodies unrecognizable due to the force of the blast.

Ezz Al-Din Maher Kraim, an 18-year-old resident and son of one of the victims, shared his harrowing experience with Euro-Med Monitor: "When we entered the mosque after the Israeli bombing, we found no trace of anyone who was inside at the time. All of them were torn into pieces, there was no sign of anyone."

The investigation has so far confirmed the identities of 10 victims killed in the blast, including a young girl, a woman, and eight men, two of whom were elderly.

Many victims remain unidentifiable due to the condition of their remains or because they are still trapped beneath the rubble.

The Israeli military has not provided any justification for the attack, Euro-Med stated, emphasizing that it "constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law principles, including distinction, proportionality, and the obligation to take precautions" to protect civilians.

"This crime, which directly targeted civilians with death and injury, also amounts to a crime against humanity due to its occurrence within the context of a widespread and systematic military campaign carried out by Israel against Gaza's civilian population for over a year," Euro-Med said.

"Furthermore, this massacre qualifies as an act of genocide, part of Israel's ongoing campaign since 7 October 2023 to destroy the Palestinian population in Gaza," the rights monitor added.

In response to these findings, Euro-Med has called on the international community to uphold its legal obligations by taking immediate action to halt the ongoing genocide in Gaza, stressing that preventing and punishing such atrocities is a legal duty for all states.

The organization also urged the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all Palestinian territories, including Gaza, and the dismantling of military installations, barriers, and checkpoints.

Euro-Med further called on the International Criminal Court to investigate the crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, including the massacre at Al-Hassan Mosque, as well as the many other attacks carried out by Israeli forces since its war on Gaza began.

The rights monitor also demanded an expansion of investigations into individual accountability, calling for the swift issuance of arrest warrants for those responsible.

In its latest toll, Gaza’s health ministry reported that at least 45,129 Palestinians have been killed and 107,338 others wounded during more than 14 months of Israeli aggression on the territory. The UN human rights office has confirmed the figures are reliable, noting that the majority of the dead are women and children.

Source: Agencies