War on Gaza: Israeli tanks deliberately ran over dozens of Palestinians
Israeli soldiers have been killing Palestinian civilians in Gaza by running them over with tanks and armoured vehicles, a report by the Euro-Med Human Rights monitor states.
According to the report released on Monday, one of those killed was a Palestinian man in Gaza City's Zaytoun neighbourhood on 29 February.
Eyewitnesses told the rights monitor that the man had his hands restrained, was stripped, and that he was alive while he was run over on asphalt.
Other similar incidents have also been carried out by the Israeli army, the rights monitor stated.
On 23 January, an Israeli tank ran over members of the Ghannam family while they were sleeping in a caravan in the Taiba Towers area of Khan Younis.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
The attack resulted in the deaths of the father and his eldest daughter, while the remaining three children and wife were wounded.
The incident was confirmed by the 13-year-old daughter, Amina, who said that her father and older sister were killed when the tanks repeatedly drove over the caravan where the family had been sleeping.
As a result of the attack, Amina experienced extreme pressure in her eyes, almost losing her vision.
Crushing displaced Palestinians
Running over Palestinians with heavy vehicles has been a technique employed by Israeli forces since the start of the war on Gaza on 7 October.
Euro-Med documented bulldozers and tanks crushing displaced Palestinians in their tents in the courtyard of the Kamal Adwan hospital on 16 December.
Images of crushed bodies at the scene clearly show marks consistent with being run over by a large armoured vehicle.
One woman told Euro-Med that she was shocked when a tank suddenly ran over the tent where her family had sought shelter. The family survived the 20 February attack, close to the coast in Khan Younis.
Last week, Ramy Abdu, chairman of the rights group, told MEE he believed hundreds of Palestinians have been run over by Israeli tanks.
Most, he said, were in northern Gaza, in places such as Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun and Zeitoun, as well as along the coastal al-Rasheed road that Palestinians have used to flee.
"The Israeli leaders themselves have adopted a strategy of demonising and dehumanising Palestinians, which means that even burning them alive is allowed and you see even the Israeli soldiers are competing with each other to publish stories on social media about the level of brutality they are willing to inflict on Palestinians,” he said.
In a statement, Euro-Med expressed "deep concern about the ICC Prosecutor’s performance regarding the genocide taking place there".
“The ICC’s last update on the situation in Palestine was posted on 17 November on its official website.
"This raises serious questions and concerns about its independence and integrity, as well as the extent to which it can perform its duties without becoming politicised or impacted by standards of duality and selective justice,” it added.
This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
