UN envoy suggests IDF's killing of 80-year-old grandmother could be a ‘war crime’
Francesca Albanese has criticized the IDF raid that resulted in the death of an elderly Palestinian woman in the West Bank, who was reportedly targeted while an ambulance was used as a shield. Read Full Article at RT.com
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Israeli forces killed an elderly Palestinian during a raid that utilized a vehicle disguised as an ambulance.
According to UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) may have committed a war crime when they fatally shot an elderly civilian during a raid in the West Bank. On December 19, 80-year-old Halima Abu Leil was shot six times while running errands at the Balata refugee camp near Nablus, an incident labeled "counterterrorism activity" by the IDF. She succumbed to her injuries shortly after.
“When I look at the footage, what emerges prima facie is that there were no precautions taken – within these operations whose legality is debatable – to avoid or spare civilian life. No principle of proportionality because there was wild fire directed at the identified target and ultimately no respect for the principle of distinction,” Albanese stated during an interview with Sky News on Monday.
“So this was a murder in cold blood, and could be a war crime as an extrajudicial killing,” she added.
Sky News obtained CCTV footage that analyzed the shooting incident. The recording revealed that the IDF used a vehicle marked as an ambulance, potentially breaching the Geneva Conventions.
A video captures Israeli special forces using an ambulance as a cover to infiltrate the Balata camp in Nablus. The footage includes the moment they opened fire, resulting in the fatal shooting of 80-year-old Palestinian elder Halima Abu Leil.
Abu Leil’s family expressed their wish for the video to be shared widely, emphasizing her vulnerability. “They could see she is an elderly lady but they shot her six times – in her leg, in her chest,” her daughter recounted, highlighting that Halima was on the ground after the first shot.
Sky’s analysis suggests the IDF may have been targeting suspected armed Palestinian men who had taken cover inside a building when the shooting occurred.
In a statement to Sky News, the Israeli military said, “The IDF is committed to and operates in accordance with international law. The mentioned incident is under review. The review will examine the use of the vehicle shown in the video and the claims of harm to uninvolved individuals during the exchange of fire between the terrorists and our forces.”
The actions taken during this operation, particularly the use of a marked medical vehicle and the killing of Abu Leil, could be classified as war crimes.
Since declaring war on Hamas following the deadly incursion on October 7, 2023, Israeli security forces and settlers have reportedly killed 813 “mostly unarmed” Palestinians in the West Bank, including 15 women and 177 children, as per the UN Office of Human Rights in occupied Palestinian territory.
The office stated to Sky News, “Any deliberate killing by Israeli security forces of Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank who do not pose an imminent threat to life is unlawful under international human rights law and a war crime in the context of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian Territory.”
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
According to UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) may have committed a war crime when they fatally shot an elderly civilian during a raid in the West Bank. On December 19, 80-year-old Halima Abu Leil was shot six times while running errands at the Balata refugee camp near Nablus, an incident labeled "counterterrorism activity" by the IDF. She succumbed to her injuries shortly after.
“When I look at the footage, what emerges prima facie is that there were no precautions taken – within these operations whose legality is debatable – to avoid or spare civilian life. No principle of proportionality because there was wild fire directed at the identified target and ultimately no respect for the principle of distinction,” Albanese stated during an interview with Sky News on Monday.
“So this was a murder in cold blood, and could be a war crime as an extrajudicial killing,” she added.
Sky News obtained CCTV footage that analyzed the shooting incident. The recording revealed that the IDF used a vehicle marked as an ambulance, potentially breaching the Geneva Conventions.
A video captures Israeli special forces using an ambulance as a cover to infiltrate the Balata camp in Nablus. The footage includes the moment they opened fire, resulting in the fatal shooting of 80-year-old Palestinian elder Halima Abu Leil.
Abu Leil’s family expressed their wish for the video to be shared widely, emphasizing her vulnerability. “They could see she is an elderly lady but they shot her six times – in her leg, in her chest,” her daughter recounted, highlighting that Halima was on the ground after the first shot.
Sky’s analysis suggests the IDF may have been targeting suspected armed Palestinian men who had taken cover inside a building when the shooting occurred.
In a statement to Sky News, the Israeli military said, “The IDF is committed to and operates in accordance with international law. The mentioned incident is under review. The review will examine the use of the vehicle shown in the video and the claims of harm to uninvolved individuals during the exchange of fire between the terrorists and our forces.”
The actions taken during this operation, particularly the use of a marked medical vehicle and the killing of Abu Leil, could be classified as war crimes.
Since declaring war on Hamas following the deadly incursion on October 7, 2023, Israeli security forces and settlers have reportedly killed 813 “mostly unarmed” Palestinians in the West Bank, including 15 women and 177 children, as per the UN Office of Human Rights in occupied Palestinian territory.
The office stated to Sky News, “Any deliberate killing by Israeli security forces of Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank who do not pose an imminent threat to life is unlawful under international human rights law and a war crime in the context of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian Territory.”
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
