France, Dec. 11 -- "Palestinian armed groups committed violations of international humanitarian law, war crimes and crimes against humanity during their attacks in southern Israel that started on 7 October, 2023," the human rights watchdog said in a 173-page report.

It said that the mass killing of civilians that day amounted to "the crime against humanity of extermination".

Amnesty also cited the seizure and mistreatment of hostages by Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza, noting that this was done "as part of an explicitly stated plan explained by the leadershipof Hamas and of other Palestinian armed groups".

Hamas's 7 October attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, and 251 people were taken hostage that day, 44 of w...