Civilians and civilian structures must be spared – but the death of civilians during a conflict does not necessarily constitute a war crime.
Warring parties can launch attacks deemed proportionate on military targets even while knowing that civilians could also be hit.
A crime is committed when an attack is deliberately carried out against civilians, or if the scale of the damage to civilians is excessive compared to the military advantage.
The International Criminal Court is the only independent international legal authority that carries out investigations into genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, but Israel is not a member.
AFPTV images from Wednesday’s strike on the camp showed extensive damage and rescuers clawing through rubble to extract blood-stained casualties.
The large death toll from the strikes has drawn a chorus of international condemnation, with Bolivia severing diplomatic ties with Israel in protest.
Jordan recalled its ambassador to Israel “to condemn the Israeli war that is killing innocent people in Gaza”.
UN chief Antonio Guterres is “appalled over the escalating violence in Gaza, including the killing of Palestinians, including women and children in Israeli air strikes in residential areas of the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp”, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday.
Source: CNA
