LONDON (WAFA)- Oxfam GB today called upon British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair to press the Israeli Government to investigate and prosecute those responsible for allegedly using civilians as human shields in Northern Gaza and do his utmost to help bring an immediate end to all hostilities in the region.
B'Tselem, one of Oxfam's partner organisations in Israel and the Occupied Territories, has investigated and documented claims that on Monday 17 July Israeli soldiers used six civilians, two of them children, as human shields for 12 hours during a gunfight with armed Palestinians in the Beit Hanun in Northern Gaza.
"While the world's eyes are rightly on the growing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, the crisis in Gaza must not be ignored. There can be no excuse for soldiers using civilians as human shields. If these allegations by our partner are verified then this is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. The international community cannot stand on the sidelines while the Geneva Conventions, and civilians, are being so abused in the region. We urge Tony Blair to use full diplomatic efforts to help bring an immediate cessation of all hostilities in the region," said Barbara Stocking, Oxfam's Director.
"B'Tselem demands that the Israel's Judge Advocate General immediately order a Military Police investigation into the matter and prosecute the soldiers responsible for the action," said B'Tselem spokesperson Ronan
