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On three separate occasions, on 16 July, 22 July and on 29 July, UNRWA announced that rockets had been found in their schools. UNRWA denounced the groups responsible for "flagrant violations of the neutrality of its premises". All of these schools were vacant at the time when rockets were discovered; no rockets were found in any shelters which were shelled. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that "Hamas chooses where these battles are conducted and, despite Israel’s best efforts to prevent civilian casualties, Hamas is ultimately responsible for the tragic loss of civilian life. Specifically in the case of UN facilities, it is important to note the repeated abuse of UN facilities by Hamas, namely with at least three cases of munitions storage within such facilities."〔(Gaza crisis: a closer look at Israeli strikes on UNRWA schools ), Raya Jalabi, Tom McCarthy, Nadja Popovich, 8 August 2014, ''The Guardian''〕 The attacks were condemned by members of the UN (UNRWA's parent organization) and other governments, such as the U.S., have expressed "extreme concern" over the safety of Palestinian civilians who "are not safe in UN-designated shelters."〔 The Rafah shelling in particular was widely criticized, with Ban-Ki Moon calling it a "moral outrage and a criminal act" and US State Department calling it "appalling" and "disgraceful". UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that both Hamas militants and Israel might have committed war crimes. A Human Rights Watch investigation into three of the incidents concluded that Israel committed war crimes because two of the shellings "did not appear to target a military objective or were otherwise indiscriminate", while the third Rafah shelling was "unlawfully disproportionate". On April 27, 2015, the United Nations released an inquiry which concluded that Israel was responsible for the deaths of at least 44 Palestinians who died in the shelling and 227 were injured. ==Background== Since the 2005 Israeli disengagement from Gaza, Palestinian militant groups in Gaza have launched rockets into Israel as part of the Gaza–Israel conflict. Gaza militants operate in civilian areas, draw return fire to civilian structures, and on some level benefit in the diplomatic arena from the rising casualties.〔 Through the years, Israel has accused Hamas of launching rockets from schools, residential buildings, mosques and hospitals. Hamas is accused of using civilians as a human shield.〔(''Israel Says That Hamas Uses Civilian Shields, Reviving Debate'' ). ANNE BARNARD and JODI RUDOREN, New York Times, 23 July 2014〕 Israel says it takes precautions to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage, making use if a variety of operational measures, including advance warnings and selective application of military force.〔〔(Israel, Gaza and Humanitarian Law: Efforts to Limit Civilian Casualties ), JCPA〕 Following the current conflict, U.S. military, General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that Israel went to "extraordinary lengths" to limit civilian casualties and collateral damage during its operation and that the Pentagon had sent a team to see what lessons could be learned from the operation.〔(Israel tried to limit civilian casualties in Gaza: U.S. military chief ), reuters, Nov 6, 2014〕 While a study into a Legal and operational assessment of Israel's targeting practices, found that Israeli targeting practices and positions on the application of the law of armed conflict (LOAC) are broadly within the mainstream of contemporary state practice, and their approach to targeting is consistent with the law and, in many cases, worthy of emulation.〔(A Legal and Operational Assessment of Israel’s Targeting Practices ); By Michael Schmitt, Professor of International Law and Director of the Stockton Center for the Study of International Law at the U.S. Naval War College And John Merriam, a U.S. Army Judge Advocate currently serving as Associate Director of the Stockton Center.〕 Example of advance warnings include phone messages and dropping leaflets, or by using the technique of roof knocking to warn citizens to evacuate their homes. However, this can also have the effect of worsening the humanitarian situation. International critics have said Israel's actions were disproportionate to Palestinian rocket attacks and that led to 2,220 Palestinians being killed in the war, of whom a vast majority were civilians according to figures given by UN.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title='Fire at every person': Israeli soldiers reveal they were ordered to shoot to kill in Gaza combat zones – even if targets may have been civilians )〕 A report by B'Tselem criticized Israel for bombing homes, which it says led to 606 people getting killed in 70 examined attacks.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Israeli rights group questions legality of targeting Gaza homes in war )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Israel's Gaza house bombing policy illegal, human rights group says )〕 Breaking the Silence said they collected testimonies from over 60 unnamed soldiers to a report which criticized Israel's rules of engagement.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Israeli soldiers cast doubt on legality of Gaza military tactics )〕 Alistair Dawber wrote in ''The Independent'' that the "service personnel paint a picture that runs counter to official Israeli military claims that the surgical operation – which became a full-blown conflict after three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and murdered in the occupied West Bank - took great care to avoid civilian casualties and that Gaza's already fragile infrastructure was not unnecessarily targetted". The Israeli military said they were "committed to properly investigating all credible claims raised via media, NGOs, and official complaints concerning IDF conduct during operation Protective Edge, in as serious a manner as possible" and that they had done so before and that the group had offered no proof.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Israeli soldiers cast doubt on legality of Gaza military tactics )〕 ''The Independent'' saw a letter where Breaking the Silence had contacted the Israeli military and requested a meeting with its chief of staff.〔 Israel has had an strained relationship with the United Nations. During the 2008–09 Gaza War, Israel shelled several UN schools. Among them were the Boys School in Beit Lahiya,〔(''UN school attacked; civilians left to bleed to death'' ). Al Mezan Center For Human Rights, 17 January 2009〕〔(''Gaza crisis: key maps and timeline'' ). BBC, 18 January 2009〕 the Asma Elementary School in Gaza City,〔(''Gaza's day of carnage - 40 dead as Israelis bomb two UN schools'' ). Chris McGreal and Hazem Balousha, The Guardian, 7 January 2009,〕 the al-Fakhura school in Jabalia〔 and a school in Khan Younis,〔(''IDF: Mortars fired from bombed school'' ). Ynet, 6 January 2009〕 which were run by the United Nations and were shelters for displaced persons.〔(Israel OK's Gaza "Humanitarian Corridor" ) ''CBS News''〕 In one incident of a shelling on a UN warehouse also being used as a shelter, white phosphorus was used.〔〔 In 2014, Gaza–Israel conflict, over 5,000 homes have been destroyed and 30,000 other damaged by the IDF. A total of 460,000 Palestinians have been displaced due to these factors, since the beginning of the current conflict. A projected 200,000 Palestinian civilians (10% of Gaza's population) have sought shelter in the schools, since they do not have alternative options. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「2014 Israeli shelling of UNRWA Gaza shelters」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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