Half of Israeli Jews say Israel should not obey international law in Gaza

 The poll's findings were released on Sunday by the Institute for National Security Studies

Israeli soldiers during a military operation inside a building in the Gaza Strip (AFP)

By Imran Mulla

Published date: 18 August 2024 20:25 BST | Last update: 6 hours 56 mins ago

A new poll has revealed that 47% of Israeli Jews believe Israel should not obey international law and moral values during the course of the current war in Gaza.

The poll's findings were released on Sunday by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).

 The same poll suggested a majority of Israelis believe the prison officials accused of sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee should not face criminal charges and just be disciplined by the army.

Late last month, nine Israeli soldiers were arrested for the alleged rape of a Palestinian detained in Sde Teiman, a facility in southern Israel's Negev desert.

The incident created a backlash in Israel, with a far-right mob, that included an MP and minister, storming the detention centre and a military court in protest against the arrests.

Five of those detained were released to house arrest on Tuesday, pending a potential decision by the army to file indictments.

Israeli forces have killed at least 40,005 Palestinians in the besieged enclave since 7 October, according to the Palestinian health ministry. 

More than 92,401 others have been wounded, while an estimated 10,000 people are missing, likely to be dead and buried under rubble.

On 7 October, a Hamas-led surprise attack on southern Israel killed around 1,200 Israelis. More than 250 others were taken captive back to the Gaza Strip. 

Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, Israeli forces have also killed at least 632 Palestinians since the war began, according to the health ministry. That figure includes 147 children and nine women. 

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