A senior Hamas leader has refused to admit that civilians were targeted during the group’s 7 October attack on Israel, despite overwhelming evidence from videos and eye-witnesses.
“Women, children and civilians were exempt” from Hamas’ attacks, claimed Moussa Abu Marzouk in a BBC interview.
It comes as the United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres said the Gaza Strip was becoming “a graveyard for children.”
Mr Guterres said the protection of civilians “must be paramount” in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants but said clear violations of international humanitarian law were being committed.
“Ground operations by the Israel Defense Forces and continued bombardment are hitting civilians, hospitals, refugee camps, mosques, churches and UN facilities including shelters,” Mr Guterres said.
“At the same time, Hamas and other militants use civilians as human shields and continue to launch rockets indiscriminately towards Israel.”
It comes as the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza says the Palestinian death toll from the ongoing war with Israel has surpassed 10,000.
The figures released on Monday mark a grim milestone in what has quickly become the deadliest round of fighting since Israel’s establishment 75 years ago.
