By Halimah Olamide
The Human Rights Watch, an international watchdog on human rights on Saturday condemned Hamas killing of civilians in the ongoing Israel-Palestine war.
The organization said entering Southern Israel to kill civilians is totally unacceptable.
A statement obtained from the website of the group Saturday morning said armed groups fired rockets at Israel’s towns killings hundreds.
“Early Saturday morning, members of armed groups from Gaza, primarily the military wing of Hamas, crossed into southern Israel.
“After overcoming Israeli soldiers on the border, they massacred Israeli civilians. Some gunmen attacked an outdoor, all-night dance party and sprayed partygoers with gunfire, leaving at least 260 dead according to the BBC. “
The group said Others invaded homes in towns near the border with Gaza, killing some family members and taking others hostage. Social media videos showed men kidnapping families – men, women, children, older people – and parading them through the streets of Gaza.
“According to media reports, more than a hundred bodies were recovered from the farming community of Be’eri, where survivors have told reporters that Hamas gunmen set fire to homes to drive families out of locked shelters.
“As cover for the attack, armed groups fired thousands of rockets at Israeli towns and cities, damaging homes and killing and injuring civilians.
The military wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad say they are now holding 130 Israeli hostages. Yesterday, in a recorded message, Hamas’ armed wing threatened to execute hostages – this would be a flagrant war crime.
“Searing images of grief and trauma have circulated widely on social media: of an Israeli woman, surrounded by gunmen, clutching her baby and toddler in her arms as fighters kidnapped her and reportedly took her into Gaza; of another mother who lost her grip on her 13-year old daughter and the girl, who has autism, was reportedly kidnapped to Gaza with her grandmother.”
More details later….