Use of 500lb bomb by Israel to attack Gaza cafe a war crime? Here's what experts say

In the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the Israeli military reportedly used a 500lb (230kg) bomb to attack a target in a crowded beachfront cafe in Gaza on Monday. The US-made bomb is a powerful weapon that generates a massive blast wave and scatters shrapnel over a large area.

The popular seafront cafe, Al-Baqa Cafe, is often crowded by activists, journalists, and local residents. The use of such a munition by Israel despite the known presence of many unprotected civilians could amount to war crime in international law, reported The Guardian, citing experts.

Experts have identified the fragments from the blast as part of the US-made MK-82 general purpose 230kg bomb, that has been extensively used by Washington in its several bombing campaigns in recent decades. They further said that the attack despite the known presence of many unprotected civilians was almost certainly unlawful and may constitute a war crime, reported the media outlet.

An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson after the attack said “prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians using aerial surveillance," and the attack was under review.

Attacks that cause “incidental loss of civilian life” that is “excessive or disproportionate to the military advantage", is forbidden by the International Humanitarian Law.

The bombing at the cafe, one of the few businesses to continue operating during the war was a place for people looking for internet connection and charging their phones.

Videos shared on social media platforms showed disfigured bodies soaked in blood and injured being rushed to hospitals wrapped in blankets.

"Without a warning, all of a sudden, a warplane hit the place, shaking it like an earthquake,” said one of the eyewitnesses of the attack present at the cafe to the Associated Press.

After the attack, the Israeli military said in a statement that the strike targeted Hamas operatives, but it did not identify them.