TORONTO (August 2, 2017) – Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center(FSWC) is demanding the United Nations take immediate action in forcing Hamasto comply with international law and return the bodies of two Israeli nationalsfrom Gaza.

In 2014, IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin were kidnappedand, according to forensic evidence, killed in Gaza. Three years later theirbodies are still unaccounted for and have yet to be returned to their familiesin Israel – an obvious violation of international humanitarian law by the Hamasterror group.

“For three years Hamas has faced no consequences for not complyingwith the law and for violating the religious and humanitarian rights of thesoldiers’ families,” said Avi Benlolo, FSWC President and CEO. “It’s time forthe international community to immediately force Hamas to follow through withtheir legal obligations.”

According to the Geneva Conventions, “As far as militaryconsiderations allow, each Party to the conflict shall facilitate the stepstaken…to protect [the killed] against…ill-treatment.” In June, theInternational Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) released a statement urgingHamas to “comply with their obligations underinternational humanitarian law,” stating that the ICRC “has consistentlyreminded the Hamas authorities, at the highest level, of their legal andhumanitarian obligations.”

FSWCis calling on the UN to join the ICRC in requesting the immediate return ofShaul and Goldin to their families.

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To arrange an interview with Avi Benlolo, please contact:

Atara Cadesky  
Communications Associate  
416.864.9735 x 30 
acadesky@fswc.ca

Avital Borisovsky  
Communications Associate    
416.864.9735 x 29  
aborisovsky@fswc.ca

Follow us on Twitter at @CanadianFSWC for latest news and organization updates.

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Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is a top Jewish human rights foundation in Canada's organized Jewish community. It directly impacts over 100,000 people each year and 500,000+ peripherally. FSWC is committed to countering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles of tolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy and educational programs including workshops, Freedom Day, Spirit of Hope Benefit, Tools for Tolerance and the widely acclaimed Tour for Humanity. FSWC is affiliated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish human rights organization headquartered in Los Angeles which has won two Academy Awards, has built two Museums of Tolerance (with a third being built in Jerusalem) and is an NGO at the United Nations, UNESCO, OAS, OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament. Visit us at www.fswc.ca. 

Canadian Headquarters: Toronto 

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