A prejudiced US State Department’s annual human rights report likened Hamas and Palstenian Authority violations to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) turning a blind eye to the killings of over 34,000 innocent and unarmed civilians in Gaza. Ironically, the report issued on Monday cited several reported rights violations committed in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza in 2023 by parties including the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, before and after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks, not singlling out Israel as prime violator. Hamas, in its attack on Oct. 7 had killed around 1,200 Israelis, and in turn Israeli forces have so far killed 34,000 civilians in air attacks and bombing besides dismantling health system in Tel Aviv’s occupied and besieged West Bank and Gaza. The Israeli assaults are continuing with the alleged backing of the US who vetoed several ceasefire resolutions in the United Nations Security Council and allowed Israel to continue its offensive by approving additional aid package for Tel Aviv. And US officials declined to say whether they would halt US aid to elements of Israel’s military over alleged abuses.

Israel’s war on Hamas has also plunged the Middle East into heightened instability and violence. The Washington Post, in its news story mentioned US report as describing “the resulting conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has had a significant negative impact on the status of human rights in Israel. The report also cited “credible” reports of “unlawful killings” by both Hamas and the Israeli government. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Oct. 7 attacks, which killed about 1,200 people, and the subsequent death of civilians during Israel’s military response in Gaza “have also raised deeply troubling human rights concerns.” But Blinken stopped short of announcing a decision the Israeli government has suggested could be imminent to suspend US security aid to elements of the Israeli military because of alleged human rights abuses. While the Biden administration has declined to say whether it plans to bar aid to any unit under the Leahy Laws, Israeli officials have issued preemptive protests in recent days to such a move.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan