Ros Atkins on... Israel's war in Gaza and proportionality

BBC Verify asked experts, in the UK and elsewhere, if Israel’s actions in Gaza have been proportionate.

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The operation was launched after Hamas rampaged through villages, military posts and a music festival in Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. The United Nations' (UN) human rights body would later conclude that Hamas had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the time that "like every country, Israel has an inherent right to defend itself". He argues his country's military operation in Gaza is a "just war" with the goals of destroying Hamas and bringing home all the hostages.

In January 2024, he said that "Israel's commitment to international law is unwavering". That commitment is coming under ever-increasing scrutiny.

Leading human rights organisations and some countries accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing and acts of genocide. Netanyahu denies this and has strongly criticised such allegations.