Why is Israel punishing innocent Palestinians for a terrorist

[lapucelle]

49. That's on Hamas. It's part of their playbook.

Human shield (law)

Human shields are legally protected persons—either protected civilians or prisoners of war—who are either coerced or volunteer to deter attacks by occupying the space between a belligerent and a legitimate military target. The use of human shields is forbidden by Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions. It is also a specific intent war crime as codified in the Rome Statute, which was adopted in 1998. The language of the Rome Statute prohibits "utilizing the presence of a civilian or other protected person to render certain points, areas, or military forces immune from military operation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_shield_(law)#cite_note-33

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Hamas’ use of human shields in Gaza

Hamas is an Islamist militant group based in the Gaza Strip, which has been designated by the US, the EU andother countries as a terrorist group. Hamas has been using human shields in conflicts with Israel since 2007.

Although the definition of human shields is not consistent among states and inter-governmental organisations,the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) states the war crime of using human shields encompasses “utilizing the presence of a civilian or other protected person to render certain points, areas, or military forces
immune from military operations.”

Hamas relies on the Israeli government’s aim to minimise collateral damage, and is also aware of the West's sensitivity towards civilian casualties. Hamas’ use of human shields is therefore likely aimed at minimising their own vulnerabilities by limiting the Israeli Defense Forces’ (IDF) freedom of action.

It is also aimed at gaining diplomatic and public opinion-related leverage, by presenting Israel and the IDF as an aggressor that indiscriminately strikes civilians.

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Hamas’ most common uses of human shields include:

- Firing rockets, artillery, and mortars from or in proximity to heavily populated civilian areas, often from or near facilities which should be protected according to the Geneva Convention (e.g. schools, hospitals,
or mosques).

- Locating military or security-related infrastructures such as HQs, bases, armouries, access routes, lathes, or defensive positions within or in proximity to civilian areas.

-Protecting terrorists’ houses and military facilities, or rescuing terrorists who were besieged or
warned by the IDF.

-Combating the IDF from or in proximity to residential and commercial areas, including using civilians for intelligence gathering missions.

https://stratcomcoe.org/cuploads/pfiles/hamas_human_shields.pdf

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The CNN report you linked to merely states what the Shebab Agency is claiming. CNN did not confirm the information.

Why might that be important?

Shehab News Agency (Arabic: وكالة شهاب للأنباء ), is a Palestinian news agency affiliated with Hamas. It was established in January 2007 in Gaza. Its part of the al-Aqsa Media Network. Its website is blocked by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Facebook blocked its accounts in 2021

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shehab_News_Agency