Israel closes 88% of cases of alleged war crimes or abuse without charges
Unresolved investigations include the killing of at least 112 Palestinians queueing for flour in Gaza City in February 2024, Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) said, and an airstrike that killed 45 in an inferno at a tented camp in Rafah in May 2024.
Also unresolved is an inquiry into the killing of 31 Palestinians going to pick up food at a distribution point in Rafah on 1 June.
They were killed after Israeli forces opened fire, witnesses said. Shortly after, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the reports were 'false' but the IDF told the Guardian that the incident was 'still under review'.
Iain Overton and Lucas Tsantzouris, the team at AOAV, said the statistics suggested Israel was seeking to create a 'pattern of impunity' by failing to conclude or find no fault in the vast majority of cases involving 'the most severe or public accusations of wrongdoing by their forces'.
The IDF said it 'conducts examination and investigation processes regarding exceptional incidents that occurred during operational activity, in which there is a suspicion of a violation of the law' in accordance with its obligations under Israeli and international law.
It operates internal systems to conduct examinations and allegations of war crimes, including criminal investigations by the military advocate general's police department and fact-finding assessments (FFA) by a separate team in the general staff.
The relatively short passage of time, in investigatory and legal terms, means other unresolved cases may also result in prosecutions, though the two researchers said IDF inquiries had become 'more opaque and slow-moving' as the number of civilian casualties in Gaza has mounted.
AOAV said it had found reports of 52 cases in English-language media where the Israeli military said it had conducted or would conduct an investigation after allegations of civilian harm or wrongdoing by its forces in Gaza or the West Bank between October 2023 and the end of June 2025. They involve the deaths of 1,303 Palestinians and the wounding of 1,880.
One case resulted in a prison sentence for an Israeli soldier. An IDF reservist received a seven-month jail term in February after he was convicted by a military court of the aggravated abuse of Palestinian security detainees. He had repeatedly attacked bound and blindfolded prisoners with his fists, a baton and his assault rifle at the Sde Teiman detention centre.
Five other cases ended with violations found. In one, an IDF colonel and a major were sacked in April 2024 and three other commanders reprimanded a few days after seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen were killed in an airstrike. The IDF said it was a 'grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification', though the charity said the rapid investigation lacked credibility.
The remaining 46 cases, representing 88% of the total, seven were closed without any finding of fault, AOAV said. A further 39 remain under review or with no outcome reported, including four deadly incidents over the course of last month when Palestinians were killed near or at various food distribution points on the Gaza Strip.
According to the IDF: 'Any report … complaint or allegation that suggests misconduct by IDF forces undergoes an initial examination process, irrespective of its source.' In some instances the evidence is such that a criminal investigation by military police is ordered, while in others an initial investigation takes place.
These are referred to the IDF general staff's FFA mechanism to determine 'whether there is a reasonable suspicion of criminal misconduct'. Critics of the system, such as the Yesh Din human rights group, say FFA investigations can take years and have led to one known prosecution after 664 inquiries relating to previous IDF military operations in Gaza, in 2014, 2018-19 and 2021.
In August 2024, the IDF said the FFA had collected information on 'hundreds of incidents' relating to the war in Gaza alone, while the military advocate general's office had launched 74 criminal investigations.
Of these, 52 related to the deaths and mistreatment of detainees and 13 to the stealing of enemy ammunition, while a minority related to allegations of war crimes in combat situations. Three related to the 'destruction of civilian property without military necessity' and six concerning 'alleged illegal use of force'.
The IDF statistics differ from the investigations tracked by AOAV because the research group used a different methodology. AOAV reviewed episodes where there were reports of an investigation being or having been conducted and also took in incidents on the West Bank as well as Gaza.
The IDF said that 'dozens of military police investigations have been opened' and that 'most of these investigations are still ongoing'. The FFA mechanism, meanwhile, had 'completed its review in dozens of cases' and these had transferred to the military advocate general for possible criminal investigation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
20 minutes ago
- The Independent
The Paris office of Israeli airline El Al is vandalized with graffiti
Israeli airline El Al said Thursday that its Paris office was vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti, calling the act a 'deeply disturbing' incident as tensions between France and Israel run high. The graffiti was discovered Thursday morning. El Al said the offices were unoccupied at the time of the incident and no one was harmed. Photos shared on social media showed red spray paint across the glass doors and walls, including the phrase 'El Al genocide airline.' The airline said it was handling the matter with the 'utmost gravity' and working 'in close coordination' with authorities in France and Israel.' El Al added it 'unequivocally condemns all forms of violence, particularly those driven by hatred,' and said its planes 'proudly' display the Israeli flag. Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev condemned the act and blamed the policies of French President Emmanuel Macron. 'Today it's El Al, tomorrow it's Air France,' she wrote on social media. 'When President Macron makes announcements that give gifts to Hamas, this is the result.' The incident comes amid diplomatic friction following Macron's pledge last month to recognize a Palestinian state — a move welcomed by some European allies but strongly opposed by Israel. Israel's Foreign Ministry also condemned what it called an antisemitic attack and urged the French government to ensure the safety of El Al staff and offices and to bring the perpetrators to justice. In May, several Jewish sites across Paris were defaced with green paint, including the Shoah Memorial, three synagogues and a Jewish restaurant. France is home to Western Europe's largest Jewish population, with an estimated 500,000 Jews — approximately 1% of the national population. In recent years, antisemitic incidents have surged, with a sharp increase reported in 2023 after the Oct.7 Hamas attacks in Israel. These include physical assaults, threats, vandalism, and harassment, prompting alarm among Jewish communities and leaders.
Reuters
21 minutes ago
- Reuters
Russia's seven-month budget deficit exceeds annual target
MOSCOW, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Russia's seven-month budget deficit exceeded the target for the entire year by a quarter, Finance Ministry data showed on Thursday, highlighting the strain of financing the war in Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump, who is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days, said this week that the Russian economy "stinks", and that declining energy prices could pressure Putin to halt the war. The data showed that from January to August this year, Russia ran a budget deficit of 4.9 trillion roubles ($61.44 billion), or 2.2% of gross domestic product. Russia targets a deficit of 1.7% of GDP this year, having tripled it in May, citing falling oil prices and Trump's tariff wars as the main reasons. Last month, the deficit was in line with this target. The ministry reported that expenditures from January to July amounted to 25.19 trillion roubles, an increase of 20.8% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, revenues increased by only 2.8% year-on-year to 20.32 trillion roubles. "This is mainly due to the advanced financing of expenses in January of the current year, as well as a decrease in oil and gas revenue inflows," the ministry said, emphasizing that the current figure will not affect the annual target. Russia has been increasing fiscal spending throughout its three and a half years of war in Ukraine to finance the military effort. The Vedomosti business daily cited an unnamed Finance Ministry spokesman this week as saying that the ministry is planning another revision of this year's budget in the autumn. It did not provide any details of the planned revision. The daily also cited Dmitry Gusev, deputy head of the parliament's budget committee, as saying that increased spending was the main reason for the revision. Gusev also mentioned that non-energy revenues were affected by lower investment. The budget's oil and gas revenues - its most important source of cash, slated to account for about 22% of total revenues this year - fell by 27% in July due to lower prices and the strong rouble. Potential new sanctions, flagged by Trump in case Russia does not show any progress towards peace in Ukraine, added pressure on the economy, although the nature of new measures is not yet clear. However, Russia recorded a third consecutive week of deflation on August 6, increasing the possibility of another key rate cut by the central bank in September. A further cut could potentially boost Russia's flagging economic growth. ($1 = 79.7500 roubles)
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Antisemitism reports spiked day after Bob Vylan Glastonbury chants according to charity
Antisemitism reports spiked day after Bob Vylan Glastonbury chants according to charity Sentiment towards Israel is influencing and driving contemporary anti-Jewish discourse, the Community Security Trust (CST) said. (Image: PA Wire/PA Images) Reports of antisemitic incidents in the UK spiked a day after punk duo Bob Vylan's controversial performance at Glastonbury, according to a charity which described how communities are facing "extreme levels of Jew-hatred". Sentiment towards Israel is influencing and driving contemporary anti-Jewish discourse, the Community Security Trust (CST) said. The organisation, which monitors antisemitism in the UK, said there were a total of 1,521 antisemitic incidents across the UK in the first half of this year. This is the second-highest total ever reported to the organisation in the first six months of any year but is down by a quarter from the record high of 2,019 incidents recorded between January and June last year. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said antisemitic incidents and crimes "remain shamefully and persistently high". There were at least 200 incidents every month in the first half of 2025, with the highest daily total at 26 incidents reported on June 29. This was a day after a performance by punk duo Bob Vylan at the world-renowned Glastonbury music festival in Somerset. During the set, which was livestreamed on BBC, rapper Bobby Vylan chanted "Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)". The CST said the incidents reported to the charity involved anti-Jewish responses to events at Glastonbury as well as to the CST's subsequent statement on X which had branded the chants "utterly chilling". Avon and Somerset Police said last month that inquiries were continuing in relation to the comments made onstage during Bob Vylan's performance. The second-worst day for what the CST described as "anti-Jewish hate" was May 17 when 19 incidents were recorded – coming a day after Israel announced an expansion of its military operation in Gaza. The CST said: "Both of these cases illustrate how sentiment and rhetoric towards Israel and Zionism influence, shape and drive contemporary anti-Jewish discourse, online and offline, often around totemic events that grab mainstream public attention." Just over half (51%) of all incidents in the first half of this year "referenced or were linked to Israel, Palestine, the Hamas terror attack (of October 7, 2023) or the subsequent outbreak of conflict", the CST said. This was a similar proportion to the same period last year, and up from 16% in the first six months of 2023, reflecting a rise in "anti-Jewish hate in the UK when Israel is at war", the CST said. Mark Gardner, the organisation's chief executive, said the statistics demonstrated "extreme levels of Jew-hatred, committed in the name of anti-Israel activism". June saw the highest number of incidents, with 326 being recorded following heightening tensions in Gaza. A total of 76 violent anti-Jewish assaults were recorded by the charity in the first six months of 2025, including three categorised as "extreme violence" that resulted in either grievous bodily harm or a threat to life. The CST added that 84 cases of damage and desecration of Jewish property were recorded, as well as 21 incidents of mass-produced antisemitic literature and 1,236 incidents of verbal or written abuse. The trust said 572 online incidents were reported to them in the first half of the year, accounting for 38% of the total and down 12% from the same period last year. Giving examples of the range of incidents reported, Mr Gardner, said: "It involves racial hatred, yelled at Jewish schoolchildren, scrawled on synagogue walls and thrown at anyone who is Jewish, or suspected of being Jewish. "In such difficult times, CST is proud to give strength to British Jews when they most need it. "We thank those politicians and police officers who have supported our community, especially when Jew-hatred is effectively sanctioned in so many spaces that falsely claim to oppose all forms of racism." There were 774 antisemitic incidents recorded by the CST in Greater London, a drop of 26% over the same timeframe in 2024, and 194 cases in Greater Manchester, a decrease of 28% compared to the previous year. Outside these cities, the police areas with the highest number of reports were West Yorkshire with 73, Hertfordshire with 52, Scotland with 36, Sussex with 32 and West Midlands with 39. Northern Ireland had nine reports while Suffolk was the only mainland police region not to record a single incident, the trust said. Ms Cooper said antisemitism "has a profoundly damaging impact both on the individuals affected and the wider Jewish community", and vowed the Government "remains steadfast in its commitment to root out the poison of antisemitism wherever it is found". The Government's independent adviser on antisemitism, Lord Mann, said the latest data shows "that antisemitism continues to impact the British Jewish community at an unprecedented level". Article continues below He added: "Antisemitism must be recognised by everyone as anti-Jewish racism and there must be a no tolerance approach to it across civil society at all levels."
