Israel has targeted dozens of places of worship in the Gaza Strip including mosques and churches in clear violation of international humanitarian law and the laws of war the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said on Thursday.
According to the Geneva-based organization Israeli attacks resulted in the total destruction of 66 mosques and partial damage to 146 others accounting for approximately 20% of all mosques in the Gaza Strip. Additionally three historic churches suffered damage in various areas of the Strip.
Euro-Med Monitor documented dozens of casualties in the Israeli attacks on the mosques including Ahmed Yassin Mosque in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City Salim Abu Muslim Mosque in Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip and Khalid bin Al-Walid Mosque in Khan Yunis.
Approximately twenty Palestinians were killed and numerous others were injured in the Israeli airstrike on the Greek Orthodox church on October 20 which was providing shelter to displaced families the majority of whom were Christians.
According to the Euro-Med Monitor Israel’s targeting of places of worship is a blatant violation of the right to freedom of religion and belief which is guaranteed by international human rights law. Israel is also prohibited from attacking places of worship in accordance with this right.
The Euro-Med Monitor also emphasized that international laws and conventions strictly prohibit targeting places of worship during wars. These attacks according to the human rights organization are part of the growing discourse of religious hatred that is being fueled by the current far-right Israeli government which has given attacks against Palestinians cover for impunity.
Euro-Med called on the United Nations and the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief to assume their responsibilities towards protecting places of worship and holy places in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories and to hold Israel accountable for its indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks against civilians and civilian targets which constitute war crimes.
