In a damning revelation, the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has accused the Israeli army of engaging in a “systematic” campaign of property theft and looting during its military operations in the Gaza Strip. The organization alleges that Israeli soldiers, deployed in the region since October in response to the cross-border offensive by Hamas on October 7, are not only involved in lethal military actions but also in immoral activities targeting Palestinian civilians.
According to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor’s statement released on Friday, Israeli soldiers are actively participating in and witnessing the “deliberate theft of assets and money” belonging to Palestinian civilians. The stolen items reportedly include computers, gold, and cash, indicating a troubling pattern of looting amid the ongoing military operations.
Citing numerous reports and testimonies, the human rights group argues that these actions are part of a broader “systematic strategy” employed by the Israeli army. The operations involve raiding homes, storming residential areas, and conducting arbitrary arrests of civilians. Preliminary estimates mentioned in the release suggest that the Israeli army may have looted possessions worth tens of millions of dollars, raising serious concerns about the ethical conduct of the military during the conflict.
One testimony comes from Thabet Salim, a 40-year-old Palestinian, who claims that he and his two sons were taken into custody by the Israeli army from their house in the Zaytoun neighborhood. Salim alleges that during the incursion, soldiers pilfered all the gold and cash present in the house, amounting to over $10,000. Similar accounts of forced entry, violence, and theft have been reported by other Palestinian civilians, painting a disturbing picture of the situation on the ground.
The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has called for a “comprehensive and impartial international investigation” into these grave allegations of property theft and looting. The organization emphasizes the urgent need for accountability and justice, urging the international community to take immediate measures to ensure Israel is held responsible for its actions in the Gaza Strip.
As the crisis unfolds, these revelations add another layer to the complex dynamics of the conflict, demanding international attention and intervention to address the reported human rights violations in the region.
