The Israeli army has suspended soldiers who taunted and laughed at detained Palestinians and smoked water pipes. Video It attracted millions of views on social media.
As global opposition to Israel’s war on Gaza grows stronger, a video showing questionable behavior by soldiers in Gaza is one of several to emerge in recent days.
The video shows at least seven Palestinians sitting blindfolded in a room in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Jenin as soldiers laugh and eat snacks.
“I’ve never thought of Genin like this, what can I say?” A soldier says to the camera as he smokes a hookah. “Show them what I’ve got.”
The camera then cuts to the Palestinian prisoners sitting on the ground.
The area, which has been occupied by Israel for 16 years, has received the full force of Israel’s military might since October 7, when Palestinian militants fled across the border in a spate of violence that killed 1,200 Israelis. Gaza’s health ministry says the death toll in Gaza this week has surpassed 19,000.
“The behavior of the soldiers in the videos is deplorable and completely contrary to the values of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces),” an Israeli military spokesman told The Associated Press. After a disciplinary hearing, the reserve duty soldiers were suspended until further notice, the spokesman said on condition of anonymity.
Developments:
∎ The UN Security Council was scheduled to vote on Tuesday on a resolution calling for a ceasefire to allow unimpeded humanitarian aid. Talks were underway for a version that would circumvent the US veto of the pro-Arab resolution. A similar resolution was vetoed two weeks ago.
∎ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had planned to meet the families of the 15 hostages in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. Families of many hostages are urging the government to resume talks with Hamas.
The UN delayed the vote on the ceasefire resolution.Austin pushes Israel to ‘protect’ Gazans
Hamas: US ‘partner in these crimes’
The escalation of Israel’s “punitive” bombing and ground offensive in Gaza constitutes war crimes and is fueled by US support, making the US “a partner in these crimes”, Hamas leaders said in a statement on Tuesday. The statement said the attacks would not deter Palestinians from demanding the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The United States and most of the world support a two-state solution that provides a homeland for the Palestinians. But the US has also firmly supported Israel’s right to crush Hamas and helped arm it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel retain security control over Gaza after the war. The two-state solution has little support among Israel’s majority Jewish population.
Contributed by: Associated Press
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