Israeli human rights group says state committing war crimes in Gaza

JERUSALEM

An Israeli human rights group accused Israel of committing "war crimes" in the Gaza Strip on Saturday and demanded that the international community intervene.

"The international community must step in immediately and use its leverage to force Israel to change its policy, before it claims even more victims," B'Tselem said in a statement.

It said that since 2014, Israel "has not wreaked this level of destruction on the blockaded Gaza Strip," in reference to ongoing attacks on Gaza.

The group reiterated that Gaza is experiencing a humanitarian crisis because of a 14-year Israeli blockade imposed on the 2 million residents in Gaza.

Since Monday, the Israeli army has killed 145 Palestinians, including 41 children and 23 women, and caused injuries to 1,100 people in raids on Gaza.

Seventeen Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers as Palestinians staged protests against Israeli violations in occupied East Jerusalem and attacks on Gaza.

Since April 13, clashes erupted across the occupied territories because of Israeli attacks and restrictions on Palestinians in East Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa Mosque and an Israeli court’s decision to evict 12 Palestinian families from their homes in favor of Israeli settlers.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara