“The Israeli army committed a clear violation of the laws of war when it killed 12 Palestinians, including women and children, in an air strike on a Gaza home last month”

“The Israeli army committed a clear violation of the laws of war when it killed 12 Palestinians, including women and children, in an air strike on a Gaza home last month”, Human Rights Watch (HRW) charged on Friday.

The raid, which was carried out during what “Israel” called “Pillar of Defense” operation, was on the home of Al- Dallu family.

According to HRW report, Mohammad Al-Dallu, a member of the Hamas police force, was killed along with nine members of his family and two of the neighbours.

HRW said in its report that “even if Dallu was a legitimate military target under the laws of war for he was a low-ranking officer, the likelihood that the attack on a civilian home would have killed large number of civilians made it unlawfully disproportionate”.

The strike drew international condemnation, with many observers shocked by the deaths of children.

In its statement on Friday, HRW said the Israeli occupation forces dropped a "large aerial bomb" on the three-story home.  "Israel needs to explain why it bombed this house filled with civilians," said Fred Abrahams, a special adviser at HRW who conducted research in Gaza. "Anyone who violated the law should be appropriately punished", he added.