According to Human Rights Watch, one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights, Palestinian armed groups in Gaza violated the laws of war during the November 2012 Israeli Defense Forces “Operation Pillar of Defense” by launching hundreds of rockets toward population centers in Israel.
About 1,500 rockets were fired at Israel between November 14 and 21, the Israel Defense Forces reported. At least 800 struck Israel, including 60 that hit populated areas.
The rocket attacks, including the first from Gaza to strike the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem areas, killed three Israeli civilians, wounded at least 38, several seriously, and destroyed civilian property.
Rockets that fell short of their intended targets in Israel apparently killed at least two Palestinians in Gaza and wounded others, the Human Rights Watch report said.
“Palestinian armed groups made clear in their statements that harming civilians was their aim,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at the organization.
“There is simply no legal justification for launching rockets at populated areas,” she added.
As an example of the intentional targeting of civilians, the report listed several occasions in which rockets hit Israeli civilian targets, including one Grad rocket that took the lives of three people in the town of Kiryat Malachi, south of Tel Aviv.
Human Rights Watch also brought testimonies of civilians affected by the rockets.