IDF: Limiting Harm to Civilians

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Operation Cast Lead

IDF Limiting Harm to Civilians
January 14, 2009
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The IDF targets only Hamas and Other Terrorist
Infrastructure in Gaza
Hamas
Israel

• Hamas targets Israeli civilians
• Hamas modus operandi is based on launching its
  attacks from populated areas.
• Weapons and ammunition are stored in houses,
  mosques, hospitals and schools.
• Women and children are used as human shields.
• Hamas continues to attack civilian targets during
  the IDFs daily humanitarian ceasefire.

• The IDF targets military capabilities.
• The IDF strives to avoid harm to civilians and
  non-military sites in the Gaza Strip.
• The IDF protects Israeli civilians including with
  its Homefront Command

VS.
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Hamas Operates from within Concentrations of
Civilians

• Explosives, rockets, ammunition, and weapon
  arsenals are stored in private homes, mosques,
  schools and hospitals.
• Hamas launches attacks in close proximity to
  innocent civilians (in school yards, from
  mosques, etc.)

According to international law the use of
civilians as shields to try to prevent attacks on
military targets is prohibited. The presence of
a protected person may not be used to render
certain points or areas immune from military
operations. Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 28
Rockets fired from civilian neighborhoods
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A sketch by Hamas that details on the deployment
of explosives and Hamas forces in the Al-Attara
neighborhood in the northern Gaza Strip. 
The map was found by IDF paratrooper forces
operating in the northern Gaza Strip. The map
shows that snipers are positioned at the entrance
of the A-Tawil mosque and in the mosques next to
it. It depicts the directions the snipers are
aiming. It also indicates that explosives are
planted in the entrances of civilian homes.
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Firing from Amongst Children and Other Civilians
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Firing from Amongst Children and Other Civilians
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Women Called by Hamas to Deter an Attack
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A Booby-Trapped school Found by IDF Forces on
Jan 11th
In one neighborhood of 150 homes searched by IDF
forces, more than 30 were found to be mined with
explosives.
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Hamas Locates Its Military Infrastructure in
Civilian Neighborhoods

• Presents the IDF with a complex operational
  environment
• Endangers innocent Palestinian civilians

Weapons factory located amongst homes in a
Jabaliya neighborhood, northern Gaza
Factory with lathes used for the production of
Qassam rockets, Dirj, southern Gaza
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Terrorist organizations that hide behind
civilians bear the primary responsibility for
civilian casualties

• Should civilian casualties ensue from an attempt
  to shield combatants or a military objective, the
  ultimate responsibility lies with the belligerent
  placing innocent civilians at risk.
• Dinstein, Conduct of Hostilities under the Law
  of International Armed Conflict

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Various Methods Used by the IDF to Diminish
Civilian Casualties

• Telephone calls are made to Palestinian civilians
  to warn them prior to strikes
• Warning pamphlets are distributed from the air.
• Attacks are pin-pointed, frequently using
  precision munitions and tactics.
• Knock on the Roof - Israel has developed a
  procedure whereby it deploys a small munition to
  frighten away civilians gathered in a building
  prior to destroying the building.
• Attacks are frequently delayed if civilians are
  at risk (e.g. attacks at night, among other
  reasons, to limit harming non-combatants).

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Warning the Population in Advance
Statistics
Number of Leaflets Distributed 28.12.08
300,000 throughout Gaza Strip 29.12.08 80,000
in Rafah 03.01.09 300,000 throughout Gaza
Strip 05.01.09 300,000 in Gaza, Khan Yunis,
Rafah Number of Phone Calls Made 27.12.08
20,000 (answered) throughout the Gaza
Strip 29.12.08 10,000 (answered) in
Rafah Radio Broadcasts 27.12.08
30.12.08 03.01.09 05.01.09
Telephone Calls
27.12.08 The IDF is operating against
organizations and individuals that participate in
terrorist activity targeting the State of Israel.
The IDF will strike and destroy every site or
building in which weapons or smuggling tunnels
are found. Following this announcement, anyone
located in a build containing weapons, or where
there are smuggling tunnels, is there at his/her
own risk and it is his/her responsibility to exit
and evacuate his/her family! You have been
warned!
Radio Broadcasts
03.01.09 Local Residents, For your own safety
you are asked to evacuate your residency at once
and travel to central areas.
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Pinpoint Operations and Precision Striking
The IDF uses Guided Precision Munitions (GPM) to
target terrorist infrastructure and operatives
and minimize collateral damage to the civilian
population
Poster published by Izz a-Din el Qassam Brigades,
detailing members of the organization killed in
Air Force strikes
House of Hamas operative located in the midst of
a densely-populated area
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Distribution of Leaflets Warning the Population
in Advance
Sample Leaflet Distributed in Rafah
Residents of Rafah, The IDF is operating against
organizations and individuals that participate in
terrorist activity targeting the State of Israel.
The IDF will strike and destroy every site or
building in which weapons or smuggling tunnels
are found. Following this announcement, anyone
located in a build containing weapons, or where
there are smuggling tunnels, is there at his/her
own risk and it is his/her responsibility to exit
and evacuate his/her family! You have been
warned! IDF Command.
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International Norms to Limit Collateral Damage
Examples

• Australian Defense Force Manual
• The presence of non-combatants in or around a
  military objective does not change its nature as
  a military objective. Non-combatants in the
  vicinity of a military objective must share the
  danger to which the military objective is exposed.

Belgian Teaching Manual for Soldiers Objects
occupied or used by enemy military forces are
military objectives even if these objects were
civilian at the outset (houses, schools or
churches occupied by the enemy).
Spains Law of Armed Conflict Manual The
principle of proportionalityis based on
recognition of the fact that it is difficult to
limit the effects of modern weapons and methods
of warfare exclusively to military objectives and
that it is likely that they will cause collateral
damage to civilians and civilian objects.