15 Palestinians were killed by zionist ‘israeli’ forces during a dawn prayer at a mosque

A recent report by the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has uncovered a deadly incident involving the Israeli military, resulting in the deaths of more than 15 Palestinians and causing injuries to several others, including women, children, and the elderly. This occurred during an air strike on a mosque in Gaza City at dawn prayers.

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor has conducted an investigation into the Israeli airstrike on Al-Hassan Mosque located in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City during the early morning hours of November 16, 2023. The findings reveal an absence of any military targets or armed individuals within the mosque or its vicinity at the time of the incident.

An investigation has revealed that on Wednesday, November 16, 2023, at around 4:45 am, Israeli aircraft launched an unannounced strike on the Al-Hassan Mosque located in the Al-Sanafur district of the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City. The assault was executed with one or two large, high-explosive bombs coinciding with the commencement of dawn prayers by worshippers.

An Israeli airstrike obliterated one of the area’s largest mosques almost instantly, causing it to collapse onto those inside. The structure was largely reduced to rubble, with only its entrance and two flanking minarets left standing. The assault led to the tragic deaths of all individuals inside, with the majority of the bodies found in fragments.

The strike not only led to casualties and injuries of varying severity in a neighboring house but also inflicted significant damage on surrounding infrastructure. Several nearby buildings, including automobile repair garages, carpentry workshops, and vehicle washing facilities, were destroyed. Residential structures and facilities in the vicinity of the mosque also sustained damage in the air raid.

Euro-Med Monitor has initiated an in-depth investigation into the recent military strike by utilizing its established investigative procedures. This process commenced with the gathering of initial information pertinent to the incident. Specialized field teams were deployed to the location of the attack to meticulously document both human and material losses. Furthermore, efforts were made to confirm that there was no military presence or armed activities occurring in the vicinity at the time the attack took place.

A field team has carried out in-depth personal interviews with survivors and eyewitnesses, gathering crucial testimonies from six local residents as well as family members of victims who have stayed in the neighborhood despite widespread displacement following the attack on the mosque. In addition, the team has meticulously documented the names of those who were killed or injured in the incident.

Euro-Med Monitor’s investigative team conducted a comprehensive analysis, which included on-site inspections, survivor and witness testimonies, and a thorough examination of video footage and photographs capturing the post-attack devastation. The analysis was further supported by satellite imagery, which highlighted the extensive destruction inflicted on the site both before and after the air strike.

Ezz Al-Din Maher Kraim, an 18-year-old local and son of a victim from the tragic event, shared his harrowing experience with the Euro-Med Monitor team. He described the aftermath of the Israeli bombing on the mosque, stating, “Upon entering, we could find no one intact; all were reduced to pieces, leaving absolutely no trace of those present inside prior to the attack.”

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor has confirmed the identities of 10 victims from the recent incident, which include a young girl, a woman, and eight men, two of whom were elderly. Efforts are ongoing to identify the remaining victims, as some bodies have yet to be recognized due to severe fragmentation or are still trapped beneath the debris.

The recent Israeli assault on a mosque has been criticized for lacking any apparent justification rooted in military necessity, prompting concerns over adherence to international regulations. The Israeli Defense Forces have yet to provide an explanation or rationale for the operation, leading to widespread condemnation from various quarters. This incident is being viewed as a clear breach of key international humanitarian law principles, such as the rules of distinction and proportionality, as well as the obligation to take precautions—principles that the state of Israel is mandated to observe consistently.

This assault represents a series of apparent war crimes perpetrated by the Israeli military against civilians shielded under international humanitarian law, as well as against a place of worship designated as a civilian object protected by the same legal standards.

The incident, which resulted in civilian casualties and injuries, constitutes a crime against humanity, as it took place amid an extensive and methodical military operation by Israel against Gaza’s civilian populace over the past year. Additionally, this attack may be considered an act of genocide, as it forms part of Israel’s continuous efforts since October 7, 2023, to dismantle the Palestinian community in Gaza.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has renewed its appeal to the international community, urging it to meet its legal obligations to halt the ongoing genocide in Gaza through all possible avenues. The organization emphasized that preventing and addressing such crimes are binding international legal duties for all nations, with no exceptions. It stressed the importance of this obligation in guaranteeing the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from all Palestinian lands, including Gaza, and the dismantling of Israeli military installations, barriers, and checkpoints.

Additionally, Euro-Med Monitor has called on the International Criminal Court to thoroughly investigate all alleged crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, specifically highlighting the Hassan Mosque incident along with numerous other reported massacres by the Israeli military in the region. The organization advocates for a broadened scope of investigations to identify individual culpability and urges the expedited issuance of arrest warrants for all those deemed responsible.