The Israel Defense Forces began aerial bombardments on Gaza December 27, 2008, with the stated aim of suppressing Hamas rocket fire against Israel, and launched a ground offensive eight days later. In light of reports of heavy civilian casualties and alleged laws of war violations, Human Rights Watch responded by sending a senior researcher and senior military analyst to join staff already in Jerusalem to investigate. Israeli authorities prevented the team from entering Gaza during the fighting, but they entered through Egypt on January 21, three days after major military operations stopped.

Human Rights Watch spent two weeks on the ground, and sent a second two-week research mission into Gaza, again via Egypt, in early April.

Results of the ongoing investigation are published on this page >>

Inside Story - Collateral damage?