Amnesty International criticizes Palestinian infighting

Several hundred Palestinians have been killed due to inter-factional infighting in the West Bank and Gaza Strip this year, including a number of civilians.  The human rights group Amnesty International has issued a report accusing both the Hamas and Fateh parties of human rights abuses during the infighting.

According to the report, “They showed a flagrant disregard for the human rights of a civilian population already worn down by decades of Israeli occupation, military campaigns and blockades. These have caused a sharp deterioration in the humanitarian situation of the 1.5 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip.”

 

The report continues, “As armed clashes became more frequent and intensified, Fatah and Hamas gunmen unlawfully killed and maimed captured rivals and hostages. They used indiscriminate and reckless fire in and around residential neighbourhoods.”

 

The Amnesty report accused the Hamas party of mistreating detainees and even torture.  Fateh was accused of engaging in revenge attacks that often ended up targeting civilians.

 

Amnesty International called on both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas to put an end to the lawlessness that has allowed so-called ‘security forces’ to act as armed factional gangs, and to do so with impunity.  The group called on the international community to ensure human rights are upheld in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.