The Shurat Hadin-Israel Law Center, on behalf of Israeli farmers and tens of thousands of individuals worldwide, filed a war crimes complaint against Hamas over the terror group’s use of incendiary kites and rockets against Israelis.
According to the Jerusalem Post, the complaint argues that the International Criminal Court (ICC) should launch a probe into the extensive damage to agricultural land caused by the fiery kites that Hamas has launched into Israel.
“Hamas transported civilians to the border for the purpose of burning 10,000 tires and throwing gasoline bombs, as well as openly issued propaganda videos advising civilians that the purpose of burning tires was to mask the movements of its armed militants, who had been directed to murder Israeli civilians,” the complaint argues.
The complaint specifically names Hamas leaders Khaled Mashal, Saleh al-Nouri and Zaher Jabarin as people who should be charged with war crimes, pointing out that they are Jordanian citizens, and Jordan is one of the countries represented on the ICC. They also argued that property damage and intent to murder civilians follows ICC precedent.
“For many months, Israeli farmers have endured thousands of destructive arson attacks and rocket fire from Gaza, while the world stood by in silence,” Shurat Hadin director Nitsana Darshan-Leitner said. “Amazingly, Hamas, which has orchestrated this campaign of terror… accuses Israel and the IDF of utilizing excessive force. We are demanding the ICC put an end to this hypocrisy and diligently investigate these Palestinian war crimes. “
Michael Uziyahi, an Israeli mother in the Eshkol region, said at an August 19 event at Stephen S. Wise Temple that over the past few months, balloons that were once the “symbol of hope and childhood and celebration and happiness, became the symbol of hell, the symbol of fear.” Another Israeli mother, Yedidya Harush from the Halutza region, told attendees that her daughter has come to fear balloons, stating when she saw a man selling balloons, “Balloon is bad, balloon explodes, balloon can kill us.”
“It is not easy for us,” Harush said. “We have been going through a rough time, but we are strong. Our spirit is so strong that even when we cry, even we go through tough times, we know we are going to stay and grow.”
In June, the United Nations rejected the United States’ effort to condemn Hamas for violence at the Israel-Gaza border.
