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Executive SummaryOn 8 July 2014, Israel initiated a military offensive in the Gaza Strip. Although accountsvary, most estimates put the number of residents of Gaza killed in the 50-day armedconflict at over 2,100, of whom at least 70% were civilians, including over 500 children.Over 11,000 were wounded and over 100,000 made homeless. According to Israeliofficial accounts, 73 Israelis were killed: 67 soldiers and 6 civilians, including one childand one migrant worker. 469 soldiers and 255 civilians were wounded.Questions arose regarding violations of international human rights and humanitarianlaw in the course of the conflict. In July 2014, following discussions with Al MezanCenter for Human Rights, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-Israel)commissioned a fact-finding mission (hereafter ‘FFM’) to Gaza, whose aim wasto gather evidence and draw preliminary conclusions regarding types, causes andpatterns of injuries and attacks; attacks on medical teams and facilities; evacuation;impact of the conflict on the healthcare system; and longer-term issues includingrehabilitation of the wounded, mental health, public health and displacement.PHR-Israel recruited 8 independent international medical experts, unaffiliated withIsraeli or Palestinian parties involved in the conflict: four with special expertise in thefields of forensic medicine and pathology; and four experts in emergency medicine,public health, paediatrics and paediatric intensive care, and health and human rights.The FFM made three visits to the Gaza Strip between 19 August and 12 November2014. Access and meetings were facilitated by PHR-Israel in partnership with localPalestinian non-governmental organisations: the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights,the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) and the Palestinian Centerfor Human Rights in Gaza (PCHR).8