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Human rights group accused of anti-Israel bias confirms Hamas guilty of war crimes

Human Rights Watch report documents dozens of major war crimes and human rights abuses by Hamas and other Gaza terror groups during October 7th invasion.

By World Israel News Staff

A human rights group accused of ignoring antisemitism and maintaining an anti-Israel bias has accused Hamas and other Gaza terror groups of multiple “serious violations” of international law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.

On Wednesday, the New York-based Human Rights Watch organization released a 236-page report entitled “‘I Can’t Erase All the Blood from My Mind’: Palestinian Armed Groups’ October 7 Assault on Israel,” documenting dozens of cases of human rights violations and war crimes committed during the October 7th invasion of southwestern Israel.

“Palestinian fighters committed summary killings, hostage-taking and other war crimes, and the crimes against humanity of murder and wrongful imprisonment,”the report said.

The report found that not only Hamas – in particular the organization’s Qassam Brigades – but also terrorists from at least four other organizations, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad – were guilty of human rights violations during the invasion.

The human rights violations detailed in the report include the war crimes and crimes against humanity of murder, hostage-taking, and other serious offenses.

“Human Rights Watch research found that the Hamas-led assault on October 7 was designed to kill civilians and take as many people as possible hostage,” said Ida Sawyer, crisis and conflict director at Human Rights Watch. “The October 7 atrocities should spur a global call to action for an end to all abuses against civilians in Israel and Palestine.”

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The report was based on the testimony of 144 people, gathered by Human Rights Watch officials from October 2023 through June 2024.

The individuals who testified included 94 eyewitnesses to the October 7th massacres, relatives of murdered victims, first responders, and medical experts.

The HRW team also analyzed over 280 photographs and videos from the invasion and subsequent massacres.

Human Rights Watch has in the past been accused of not only an anti-Israel bias, but also of ignoring antisemitism, drawing criticism from the Anti-Defamation League.

Professor Gerald Steinberg, president of NGO Monitor, called Wednesday’s report “cynical tokenism” and an attempt to conceal the HRW’s anti-Israel bias.

“This is an obvious example of HRW’s cynical tokenism and political manipulation using the facade of human rights. No one needs HRW to tell us about atrocities that were broadcast live more than 9 months ago. This publication adds nothing of substance – instead it exploits the tragedies of the victims and hostages to score a few cheap points through blatantly false “balance” with gullible donors, board members, and supporters.”