Recent statements from Tehran and Gaza rulers Hamas have given “Iran credit for providing Hamas with its current arsenal as well as technology for the manufacture of weapons”, claims an official comment by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF)’s Strategic Division.
Citing evidence of an increase in arms shipments to Gaza in the immediate aftermath of November’s Operation Pillar of Defence in Gaza, it continued to insist that by making use of sea, land and air routes, “Iran reasserted its role as a key state sponsor of terrorism”.
The Israeli foreign ministry published a series of corroborative statements by Iranian and Hamas leaders to support the claims, including Iranian parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani’s widely-reported comment of November 21, when he went on record to say that Tehran was “proud to defend the people of Palestine and Hamas...and that our assistance to them has been both financial and military”.
Other incendiary remarks included Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal’s confirmation Monday that Iran “had a role in arming” the internationally-designated terrorist organisation. Fellow militants the Palestinian Islamic Jihad similarly expressed gratitude for Iran’s “support” during its resistance to Israel’s “occupation”. Its leader Ramadan Shalah last week claimed “the weapons used by the resistance, the whole world know that they come mostly from Iran or purchased with Iranian funding”, as he further confirmed that the suspected route of arms delivery to Gaza was indeed achieved via Egypt, insisting “that such shipments will continue in the future”.
Meanwhile a report carried out by Human Rights Watch released Monday accused Hamas of committing war crimes by intentionally firing rockets against Israeli civilians during the course of Operation Pillar of Defence. According to IDF figures, of the 1506 rockets fired at Israel during the eight days of hostilities between Hamas and Israel, “at least 875 of the rockets hit Israeli territory and 6 of the rockets struck residential areas killing four Israeli civilians and leaving 38 more wounded”.
The study further concluded that “terrorists deliberately fired tens of thousands of rockets from densely populated areas placing civilians in severe danger”.
According to Human Rights Watch’s Middle East Director Sarah Leah Whitson, "Palestinian armed groups made clear in their statements that harming civilians was their aim”.
"A limited military arsenal that relies on largely indiscriminate rockets does not justify a failure to respect the laws of war, which apply to all sides in a conflict whatever their capabilities," Whitson said. "As the ruling authority in Gaza, Hamas has an obligation to stop the unlawful attacks and punish those responsible."
The findings support Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence through0ut the military operation that Hamas “fire at Israeli civilians, and they hide behind Palestinian civilians. And, by contrast, Israel takes every measure to avoid civilian casualties”.
Defending Israel from international criticism of its policy in Gaza, he further asserted “there is no moral symmetry; there is no moral equivalence, between Israel and the terrorist organizations in Gaza,” continuing to accuse Hamas of “committing a double war crime”.