Israeli forces showed “callous indifference” to the fate of Palestinian civilians in attacking houses full of families in Gaza, Amnesty International declares today in a damning new report.

The human rights body’s report, Families under the Rubble: Israeli attacks on inhabited homes, provides detailed analysis of eight attacks on family homes that killed at least 104 civilians, including 62 children.

In the deadliest single attack of Israel’s Operation Protective Edge, 36 members of four families, including 18 children, died when their homes in the three-storey al-Dali building in the city of Khan Younis were completely destroyed on July 29.

At least 21 people were injured, including four children, several of them severely.

An earlier attack on July 20 completely levelled the Abu Jame’ family home in Abu Safa, east of Khan Younis, killing 25 members of the family — 19 children, five women and one man.

A member of the al-Qassam Brigades who was in the vicinity of the house at the time was also killed.

Amnesty points out that, under international law, missile attacks should have been cancelled or postponed as soon as it was evident that numerous civilians were present in the houses.

In all cases researched by Amnesty, no prior warning was given to residents of the homes to be attacked.

Israel has failed to acknowledge the attacks detailed in the report and has not responded to Amnesty requests for explanations.

While Amnesty’s own research has identified a possible military target in some of the attacks, this does not absolve the Israeli authorities from responsibility to minimise harm to civilians.

Amnesty International Middle East and North Africa Director Philip Luther said: “The onus is on Israeli officials to explain why they chose to deliberately flatten entire homes full of civilians.”

He accused Israel’s armed forces of having “brazenly flouted the laws of war by carrying out a series of attacks on civilian homes, displaying callous indifference to the carnage caused.”

Mr Luther concludes: “What is crucial now is that there is accountability for any violations of international humanitarian law that have been committed.

“The Israeli authorities must provide answers.”