הטבח בשוג’איה

There never was a massacre in Shujayia. Shujayia was the site of some of the most intense fighting of the 2014 Gaza War. Only 10% of the houses located in this neighborhood were destroyed or damaged. When IDF troops entered the neighborhood to destroy attack tunnels originating in Shujayia and entering Israeli territory, they were ambushed by Hamas fighters.

The Tunnels in Gaza

Testimony before the UN Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict

Dr. Eado Hecht

Click HERE to view website

“The Map below was published by the Israel Defense Forces.
It shows the rough location of six tunnels originating in the neighborhood of Shujayia – one of them from the local Al-Wafa hospital.“

“Comparing this map to the satellite photograph published by the UN of damaged areas inside Shujayia (below) shows that the damage to the neighborhood is concentrated around the tunnel entrance sites – which is where most of the fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas occurred, especially the ambushes Hamas prepared there following repeated Israeli notification to the population over the three days prior to entering, requesting it move away from the neighborhood to prevent it being caught in the crossfire.“

A satellite photograph above, published by the United Nations of Shujayia after the battle there.

•   604 houses, marked in red, were totally destroyed.
•   236 houses, marked in orange, were severely damaged.
•   46 houses, marked in yellow, were moderately damaged.
•   The total number of destroyed or damaged houses: 886 – (less than 10% of the buildings in Shujayia).

•   Inset photographs (top left corner) are a ‘before’ and ‘after’ comparison of a specific area in which fighting occurred.
•   The yellow line is the border between Israel and Gaza.

As can be clearly seen, the damage is concentrated in specific areas – most of it at the eastern entrances to the built- up area where the IDF units entered the neighborhood to look for tunnels and were ambushed by Hamas forces. In addition to hundreds of camouflaged bombs exploded by Hamas fighters at Israeli troops inside houses and along the streets, Hamas also bombarded this area with mortars. So not all the damage was caused by Israeli fire.

Below, close-up of houses marked in red, totally destroyed, concentrated in a specific area where intense combat between Hamas and the IDF took place:

Below, rocket launch sites in Shujayia,
aerial photographs published by the Israel Defense Forces