Study says Israel didn't violate war laws

JERUSALEM, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Israel didn't violate the laws of war and made impressive improvements in its fighting capability in the recent Hamas clash in Gaza, a U.S. study says.

The analysis of the 22-day conflict in Gaza by Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies finds "marked improvements in the readiness and capability" of the Israeli military since the war against Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006.

It said further, that Israel didn't violate the laws of war despite the large number of civilian casualties among the Palestinians, the Jerusalem Post reported.

"(Israel) did deliberately use decisive force to enhance regional deterrence and demonstrate that it had restored its military edge," the report states. "These, however, are legitimate military objectives in spite of their very real humanitarian costs."

Nearly 1,300 Palestinians were reported killed in the operation, including hundreds of civilians, according to Palestinian officials in Gaza.

The analysis finds however that the Israeli military didn't succeed in deterring Hamas from new rocket strikes on Israel or make "definitive changes in the political and military situation in Gaza."