![Hamas-led groups committed ‘numerous war crimes’ on October 7, rights group says](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/gettyimages-1711464579.jpg?c=16x9&q=w_800,c_fill)
Hamas-led groups committed ‘numerous war crimes’ on October 7, rights group says
CNN
Hamas-led armed groups committed “numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity” against civilians during the October 7 attack in southern Israel, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released Wednesday.
Hamas-led armed groups committed “numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity” against civilians during the October 7 attack in southern Israel, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released Wednesday. In a 236-page report titled “‘I Can’t Erase All the Blood from My Mind’: Palestinian Armed Groups’ October 7 Assault on Israel,” the rights watchdog said that the October 7 attack was “directed against a civilian population,” and that “killing civilians and taking hostages were central aims of the planned attack, not an afterthought, a plan gone awry, or isolated acts.” “The Hamas-led assault on October 7 was designed to kill civilians and take as many people as possible hostage,” said Ida Sawyer, crisis and conflict director at HRW. The assault was led by Hamas’ military wing – the Qassam Brigades – but included at least four other Palestinian armed groups, the report said. The report details several dozen cases of serious violations of international humanitarian law by Palestinian armed groups at most civilian attack sites on October 7, when militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and took more than 250 people hostage, according to Israeli authorities. The rights group said it interviewed 144 people, including 94 Israeli and other nationals, who witnessed the October 7 assault, which targeted at least 19 kibbutzim (agricultural communes) and five moshavim (cooperative communities). The cities of Sderot and Ofakim, two music festivals, and a beach party were also targeted, HRW added.