International community must condemn double war crime by Hamas – Letter from Israel

Identical letters dated 25 August 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

On the evening of Friday, 22 August 2014, 4-year-old Daniel Tragerman was in his home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz when he was killed by a mortar shell. Daniel and his family had only three seconds to run to a safe room because their kibbutz is located just a few kilometres from Gaza. Daniel's parents had rushed their two youngest children to the bomb shelter and Daniel was running to join them when he was fatally hit by the mortar.

For years, residents in southern Israel have suffered from the unrelenting and indiscriminate barrage of rockets fired by Hamas from Gaza. Israel cannot — and will not — tolerate the targeting of innocent civilians. Israel's leaders have been very clear: we are prepared to take all measures necessary to protect our citizens from Hamas terror. The Israeli Government has a right and a duty to protect its citizens.

The mortar that killed Daniel was placed by Hamas terrorists near the Ja'afer Ali Ibn Talib school in Gaza. The fact that the school is currently serving as a shelter for Palestinians in the neighbourhood of Zaiton is of no concern to Hamas, which uses the Palestinian people as human shields and hides among civilians while targeting innocent Israeli civilians.

The international community must condemn this double war crime. It can no longer remain silent as the citizens of Israel are mercilessly murdered and terrorized.

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter distributed as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Ron Prosor

Ambassador

Permanent Representative