ICHR Condemns Mask Attacks on Citizens in Gaza and Calls for Strengthening the Rule of Law Amid the Collapse of the Justice System

The Independent Commission for Human Rights ( ICHR) expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation of the severe violations committed by masked groups in the Gaza Strip against citizens under the pretext of their involvement in attacks on private property, aid convoys, or other alleged crimes during the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza.

The ICHR has documented several incidents involving attacks by masked individuals who, in some cases, declared through video recordings or eyewitness testimonies their affiliation with security entities in Gaza. These attacks included physical assaults and shooting citizens in the legs.

These violations occur amid continuous Israeli aggression aimed at obliterating the essential components of life in Gaza. This includes the systematic destruction of the justice infrastructure, such as courts, police stations, and prisons, along with targeting civilian police personnel. This consists of the assassination of Major General Mahmoud Salah, Director-General of Police in Gaza, and Major General Hossam Shahwan, a member of the Police Leadership Council, on January 2, 2025. This situation has led to the absence of justice and security, leaving citizens vulnerable to internal crimes that exacerbate their suffering.

The ICHR warns that these internal violations, amid devastating Israeli aggression, represent a dangerous development that undermines the rule of law, threatens social cohesion, fosters an environment conducive to individual revenge, chaos, and "vigilante justice," and deepens the humanitarian crisis. Such developments divert focus from the ongoing crimes committed by the Israeli occupation.

Despite the complexities of the security situation in Gaza, the ICHR underscores the importance of respecting human dignity and the requirements of justice, including adhering to standards for dealing with suspects through legally and judicially competent authorities. The ICHR rejects any justification for these attacks on citizens and calls for the following:

1.    International Community: Pressure the Israeli government to cease its ongoing aggression against the justice sector in Gaza, which has created an environment conducive to internal crimes.

2.    Accountability for Israel “the occupying power: The ICHR urges the relevant UN bodies and third-party states to the Geneva Conventions to condemn Israel’s deliberate targeting of law enforcement agencies in Gaza. It also calls for measures to prevent Israel from continuing such actions, which constitute war crimes.

3.    Gaza Actors: Refrain from repeating attacks on citizens by masked groups and ensure that Israeli crimes are not met with internal crimes that violate human rights.
4.    Promoting Social Peace: Safeguard social cohesion and focus on addressing crimes by the occupation rather than creating a chaotic environment that weakens the internal community.

5.    Protecting Citizens: Adopt legitimate measures to ensure the protection of citizens' lives and property, including collaboration with community committees, reconciliation committees, and civil society institutions.

6.    Rule of Law and Human Rights: The ICHR emphasizes that confronting Israeli aggression and bolstering citizen resilience require strengthening the rule of law and protecting rights and freedoms—not undermining them. It calls for