Israel-Gaza war: In the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Israel reportedly used a 230 kg bomb during an airstrike on Gaza. According to The Guardian, the weapon—known for its powerful blast wave and widespread shrapnel effect, was used in an attack targeting a crowded beachfront cafe in Gaza on Monday.
According to the ordnance experts, who examined the photos clicked by The Guardian, from the blast site, (specifically the ruins of the al-Baqa cafe), identified the weapon as part of an MK-82 general-purpose bomb. The al-Baqa cafe is one of the popular gathering place for young people and families in Gaza city. It was founded around 40 years ago and had become a local landmark. A large crater at the scene was cited by investigators as further evidence of the bomb’s size and destructive force.
‘A war crime’
Several international law experts have raised serious concerns about the legality of the airstrike. They alleged that the use of such a powerful bomb in the known presence of civilians, including children, women and elderly people, was unlawful and a war crime.
What Geneva Conventions’ international law says
Under international law, particularly the Geneva Conventions, armed forces are prohibited from carrying out attacks that are expected to cause “incidental loss of civilian life,” reports The Guardian.
Israel-Gaza War Updates
According to the Associated Press, the airstrikes and shootings killed 94 Palestinians in Gaza overnight, including 45 who were attempting to get much-needed humanitarian aid.
It added that dozens of people were killed in airstrikes that pounded the Strip on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, including 15 people killed in strikes that hit tents in the sprawling Muwasi zone, where many displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza has passed 57,000, including 223 missing people who have been declared dead, since the war began on October 7, 2023.
(With inputs from AP)
