Reuters Investigation: Israel's Devastating New Weapon in Gaza

New Weapon Deployed in Gaza

• 🚀 Reuters investigation reveals Israel widely deployed a new weapon in Gaza between August and October: repurposed M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) packed with 1 to 3 tons of explosives.
• 💥 These vehicle-based bombs, detonated in Gaza City, unleashed blasts with explosive power comparable to a 2,000 lb air-delivered bomb, according to military experts.

Destruction and Legal Questions

• 🏗️ The use of these low-tech, high-explosive weapons, alongside other military actions, resulted in widespread destruction, rendering parts of neighborhoods uninhabitable.
• ⚖️ Two experts in the rules of war raised questions about whether Israel's tactics complied with international law, particularly concerning proportionality and the mitigation of harm to civilians and infrastructure.
• 🎯 Israel's military stated it respects the rules of war and takes extensive measures to minimize civilian harm, while Hamas described the tactic as a war crime and collective punishment.

Reuters' Documentation Process

• 🔍 Reuters built a detailed picture of the weapon's impact through field reporting, satellite imagery analysis, expert assessments, and interviews.
• 🛰️ Satellite imagery compared before and after the deployment showed the devastation, with Reuters counting 650 destroyed buildings in Gaza City over a six-week period.
• 📹 Field reporting documented the remains of APCs amidst rubble, providing physical evidence of the weapon's use and destructive force.

Expert Analysis and International Law

• 💣 Military experts confirmed that damage and debris at detonation sites were consistent with explosive-laden APCs detonating in residential areas.
• ⚖️ Humanitarian law experts expressed concern that the wide area impact of these weapons could make upholding the principle of proportionality difficult.
• 🏢 Israel's military stated targets were reviewed and weapons chosen to achieve military objectives while minimizing collateral damage, but did not provide evidence that civilian buildings were used for military advantage.
• 🌍 The UN human rights office highlighted destruction aimed at making parts of Gaza uninhabitable, a claim Israel denies, stating its actions are not aimed at population displacement.