The US State Department has publicly announced that five Israeli military units were found to have committed “gross” human rights violations preceding the conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza on October 7th of the previous year. While four units have taken steps to address and remediate the violations, discussions are ongoing regarding the fifth unit. The US clarified that despite these findings, the sale of weapons to these units remains unaffected.
The revelation comes amidst increasing scrutiny of Israel’s military actions, with reports indicating significant casualties among Palestinians in Gaza, including women and children. The situation in Gaza has deteriorated significantly, with widespread destruction and severe food shortages raising concerns about the potential for famine.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted following an attack by Hamas on October 7th, prompting a military response from Israel. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has recently addressed accusations of Israeli violations of US laws prohibiting military assistance to entities or units implicated in gross human rights violations.
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In a related development, the US received updated information from Israeli authorities regarding a specific Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) unit facing allegations of human rights abuses in the West Bank. Washington is currently assessing whether this unit is making progress towards remediation.
The unit under scrutiny, the Netzah Yehuda battalion, was established in 1999 to accommodate the religious beliefs of ultra-Orthodox Jews and other religious nationalist recruits within the army.
