Strikes near Gaza hospitals using MK-84 bomb indicate war crime: Study
3 Min Read
The MK-84 bomb has a blast radius capable of killing people within 360 meters and damaging buildings up to 800 meters away.
-
Palestinians gather at the edge of a crater after an Israeli airstrike in an area where displaced people are sheltering in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Friday, June 21, 2024. (AP)
A new study by Harvard University has revealed that "Israel" used US-made Mark-84 (MK-84) bombs "dangerously close" to hospitals in Gaza during the 40 days following October 7, 2023.
The research, conducted by the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health and Human Rights, found that the bombs were detonated within 800 meters of 83% of the hospitals studied, pointing out to violations of international humanitarian law.
The study, published in the journal PLOS Global Public Health, examined satellite imagery to analyze craters left by the bombings. It focused on 36 hospitals in Gaza, revealing that explosions occurred as close as 14 meters to some facilities.
More than 100 MK-84 bombs were dropped in the area, with 38 of them landing within 800 meters of hospitals in the designated "evacuation zone" for Palestinian civilians.
According to research conducted by Harvard University:
— Gaza Updates 🇵🇸 (@Gaza_Updates114) October 23, 2024
💢 Israel’s use of MK-84 bombs in Gaza may constitute evidence of violations of international humanitarian law
➡️ The study found that during the 40-day period following October 7, 2023, Israel deployed US-made bombs, 1/2👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/Vv8ZiCfFvQ
The MK-84 bomb has a blast radius capable of killing people within 360 meters and damaging buildings up to 800 meters away.
Researchers pointed out that tens of thousands of civilians were using the hospitals as shelters during the period under investigation, making the bombings particularly devastating.
Read more: US-made munition used in Israeli airstrikes on Nabatieh
MK-84 used extensively across Gaza
Dennis Kunichoff, a data and research analyst at the FXB Center, told Turkey-based Anadolu that many countries have signed agreements not to use such powerful weapons in densely populated areas due to the severe destruction they cause.
However, "Israel" is not among those countries, and the study found that MK-84 bombs were used extensively across Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
When asked about the potential use of the study's findings in ongoing cases against "Israel" at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), Kunichoff said, "We hope the findings will serve as evidence that hospitals were not protected as required by international humanitarian law."
He added that the FXB Center plans to conduct further studies on the bombings in Gaza.
Read more: UN rights chief warns 'Israel' against war crimes in Gaza
"Israel" is currently facing a genocide case at the ICJ for its actions in Gaza, with international scrutiny increasing over the use of military force in civilian areas and violations of international law.
International pressure on "Israel" to cease its actions in Gaza has intensified, with a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire being largely ignored.
