Israel has violated international law by bombing Gaza: UN special rapporteur

The UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, has told a press conference in Spain that Israel has violated international law with its brutal bombing of the Gaza Strip which has killed more than 24,700 Palestinians. 

“Israel has done a number of things that are largely illegal,” Albanese said at a press conference in Madrid. “International humanitarian law must be respected to protect people not participating in combat: Civilians, prisoners of war, the sick and the wounded," she said.

“This means distinguishing between combatants and civilians, and ensuring that military attacks are proportionate to avoid excessive harm to civilians.

"Instead, what happened was more than 100 days of heavy bombing. In the first two weeks, 6,000 bombs were used weekly, bombs each weighing 2,000 pounds [about a tonne], in very crowded areas," she added.