The Israeli military used a 500-pound US-made MK-82 bomb to strike the Al-Baqa seaside cafe in western Gaza City on Monday, killing at least 24 people including war correspondent Ismail Abu Hattab, a housewife, and a four-year-old child. No prior warning was given before the attack.
The cafe, popular among journalists, rights activists, and local residents, was crowded at the time. While the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that aerial surveillance was used to minimize civilian casualties, Human Rights Watch stated the strike was almost certainly illegal under international humanitarian law. Gerry Simpson said, “The use of such a powerful weapon in a crowded civilian area is an unlawful, disproportionate or indiscriminate attack and should be investigated as a war crime.”
The IDF said the incident is under review. Under the Geneva Convention, attacks causing unprecedented civilian deaths are prohibited.
