US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that the images of the Israeli army arresting dozens of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip while they were almost naked are “extremely disturbing,” according to what Anadolu Agency reported, Tuesday, December 12, 2023.

The American official added in a press conference on Monday: “We found these images very disturbing, and we are seeking more information, whether about the nature of the images or the reason for their publication.”

Miller also said: “We have always been clear with Israel about the need for full compliance with international humanitarian law, and this requires protecting civilians, and treating detained individuals in a humane and dignified manner.”

On Thursday, December 7, the Hebrew Broadcasting Corporation published pictures and a video clip of dozens of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip being taken, almost naked, in cold weather, to Israeli detention centers.

The Palestinians appear in the pictures and video clip sitting on a street in their underwear in a shocking scene, surrounded by a number of Israeli soldiers.

On Friday, the Hamas movement denounced the Israeli army’s arrest of displaced civilians in Gaza, stripping them of their clothes, and photographing them, stressing that this was “the work of mercenaries and terrorist militias devoid of all values, customs and laws.”

The use of white phosphorus in the Gaza Strip

On the other hand, Miller said that the United States is concerned about reports of the use of white phosphorus bombs by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.

He also stated that these bombs could be used for military purposes, but everything must be done to minimize harm to civilians.

He pointed out that when the United States provides materials such as white phosphorus to another army, it does so with the expectation that it will be used for legitimate purposes, and in full compliance with humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict.

Source: Agencies