June 30, 2007

Indiscriminate Fire

Palestinian Rocket Attacks on Israel and Israeli Artillery Shelling in the Gaza Strip

Map of Gaza Strip
I. Summary
Palestinian Rocket Attacks
Israeli Artillery Shelling..
Case Studies
Methodology
II. Recommendations
III. International Humanitarian Law..
IV. Background
Palestinian Armed Attacks from Gaza..
V. Palestinian Rocket Attacks since the IDF Withdrawal
Weapon Used and Method of Attack
Civilian Harm...
Deploying Military Objectives in Densely Populated Areas
Palestinian Justifications
Role of Palestinian Security Forces
Legal Conclusions
VI. Israeli Artillery Shelling Since the IDF Withdrawal
Weapon Used and Method of Attack
Civilian Harm...
Strikes Hitting Residential Areas
Other Strikes Harming Civilians
Impact on Palestinian Livelihoods
IDF Justifications
Legal Conclusions
Appendix I. Case Study: The Gaza Beach Incident
Eyewitness Accounts
Analysis
Shrapnel
Artillery Shell Craters
Injuries
Timing..
IDF Explanations
Appendix II. Case Study: Palestinian Rockets Attacks from and IDF Shelling of the Nada Apartments Complex
The Nada Apartments Complex100
Prelude to IDF Artillery Shelling of the Nada Apartments102
Early Afternoon of July 24, 2006104
Afternoon and Evening of July 24, 2006106
Events of Wednesday, July 26, 2006108
Events of Friday, July 28, 2006110
IDF Warnings and Liaison with Palestinian Security Forces111
IDF Explanations114
Appendix III. Locally Made Rockets Entering Israel from Gaza117
Appendix IV. Israeli Artillery Shells Entering Gaza118
Appendix V. Locally Made Rocket and Artillery Casualties119
Appendix VI. Human Rights Watch Letters and IDF Responses120
Acknowledgments143