Israeli occupation forces have continued their
offensive on the Gaza Strip for the 4th consecutive day, and have
continued the policy of collective punishment in disregard for the
international law and conventions, which ensure protection for civilians in
times of war. Israeli forces have escalated their aerial, ground and sea
attacks throughout the Gaza Strip, causing more civilian casualties and
damaging civilian property. Israeli forces have continued their immoral acts
through targeting houses while their residents are inside, annihilating
complete families. The latest of such
crimes was committed this morning, when Israeli warplanes targeted and
destroyed a house belonging to the Ghannam family in Rafah, while the family
were inside. Similar arracks were
launched against the families of Kaware', Hamad and al-Hajj in the course of
this ongoing offensive. Following each
of such attacks, the Israeli Prime Minister claimed that warplanes missed the
target, in an unacceptable justification, as the these houses were targeted by
Israeli forces although they knew that Palestinian civilians were inside, like
what happened with the Kaware' family as the human shield atop the house was
clearly seen. Israel would not be able
to commit such crimes unless it has support from the United States, which
considers Israel's acts as self defense, while the international community
remain silent. Under the threats of launching a ground operation against the
Gaza Strip, the scenes of the Israeli offensives in 2009 and 2012 were recalled,
as hundreds of civilians living in border area have been forcibly displaced.
From 10:00 on Thursday, 10 July 2014 to 10:00 on Friday, 11 July 2014, 19
Palestinians, including 13 civilians, were killed. The civilian victims
include 2 children and 3 women, and 5 members of one family.
Additionally, 145 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were wounded – this number
includes 42 children and 29 women. Israeli warplanes also targeted and
destroyed 29 houses without prior warnings.
The latest developments since the press release issued by PCHR yesterday
noon have been as follows:
The
Northern Gaza Strip:
Israeli
warplanes launched 45 airstrikes targeting 5 houses, civilians, agricultural
plots, open areas, 2 security sites, a civilian car and members of Palestinian
armed groups. As a result of these attacks, 4 Palestinians, including 2
civilians, were killed and 36 others, including 11 children and 5 women, were
wounded. Two security sites were destroyed and offices of 7 institutions,
including 4 UNRWA ones, were damaged.
The
most significant attacks were as follows:
At approximately 12:15 on Thursday, 10 July
2014, an Israeli drone launched a
missile at a civilian car, in which 3 persons, including a members of a
Palestinian armed group, were traveling near the Civil Defense headquarters in
Jablaya. The three persons were
instantly killed:
1) Mahmoud
Talee' Waloud, 21, a member of an armed group;
2) Hazem
Ibrahim Ba'lousha, 33, civilian; and
3) 'Odai
Rafiq al-Sultan, 21, civilian.
At approximately 15:45, an Israeli warplane
launched a missile at a number of members of an armed group who were traveling
on a motor cart in 'Izbat 'Abed Rabbu area in the east of Jablaya. As a result
one of the, Mohammed Kamal al-Kahlout, 20, was killed, and another one was
seriously wounded.
The houses that were targeted and destroyed
belong to the families of al-Za'anin, Abu Nasser, Abu Rukba, Hamada and
al-Badrasawi.
Gaza
City:
Israeli
warplanes launched 40 airstrikes and ground and sea shelling targeting houses,
security sites, agricultural lands, open areas and motorbikes. As a result of
these attacks, 2 Palestinians, including one civilian, were killed, and 10
others, including 2 children and 2 women, were wounded. Moreover, 5
houses, a site of the Naval Police, Gaza fishing harbor, Ansar security
compound and a monument of the Turkish Marmara Ship were destroyed. In a serious development, Israeli drones
bombarded the 4th floor of al-Wafaa' Rehabilitation Hospital in the
east of Gaza City, and Israeli tanks fired a number of shells near the
hospital, which was heavily damaged.
The
most significant attacks were as follows:
At approximately 15:00 on Thursday, 10 July
2014, Israeli drones launched 2 missiles at 2 motorbikes in al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in the southeast of Gaza City.
As a result, Sami 'Adnan Shaldan, 25, a member of a Palestinian armed
group, was killed, and 2 persons were wounded.
At approximately 03:30 on Friday, 11 July
2014, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at an apartment belong to Anas
Rezeq Saleem Abu al-Kas, 33, a physician, on the first floor of Barcelona
building in Gaza City. Abu al-Kas was
instantly killed and the apartment, the building, a furniture shop and the
office of a charity were heavily damaged.
In the early morning, Israeli gunboats fired
dozens of shells at Gaza coast, and there was an attempt by the Israeli navy to
invade the area, but Palestinian armed groups confronted this attack. For two hours, Israeli gunship fired shells
at the coast. As a result, a house
belong to the Ouda family, Gaza fishing harbor, a container of the naval
police, fishing boats, the monument of victims of the Turkish Marmara Ship and
beach resort were extensively damaged. Palestinian civilians, especially those
who live at the beach, were extremely terrified.
These houses that were targeted and destroyed
belong to the families of Abu al-'Aata, Jundiya, Abu al-Kas, al-Natour and Abu
Leila.
The
Central Gaza Strip:
Israeli
warplanes launched 37 airstrikes targeting houses, agricultural lands, open
areas, sites of armed groups, a motorbike and the office of a charity. As a
result of these attacks, 2 Palestinians were killed, one of whom is a member of
an armed group, but he was in the civilian nature when he was killed. Another civilian died of previous
wounds. Additionally, 49 civilians,
including 18 women and 11 children, were wounded. Nine houses and the
offices of a charity were also destroyed.
The most significant attacks were as follows:
At approximately 18:00 on Thursday, 10 July
2014, an Israeli drone launched a missile at a house belonging to Mohammed 'Ali
Khattab in Heker al-Jame' area in Deir al-Balah. As a result, a child, 'Abdul Rahman Bassam
'Abdul Rahman Khattab, was willed while sleeping in the house.
At approximately 20:00, an Israeli drone
launched a missile at a motorbike in al-Nakheel Street in Deir al-Balah. A member of a Palestinian armed group who was
in plain clothes was riding the motorbike.
He was instantly killed. He was
identified as 'Abdullah Mustafa Abu Mahrouq, 22. A passing civilian was also wounded.
On Friday morning, 11 July 2014, 'Adnan Salem
al-Ashab, 41, died of a wound he had sustained as he was passing near a
security site that was targeted by Israeli warplanes.
The houses that were targeted and destroyed
belong to the families of al-Nouri, al-Serhi, Siam, Abu Khattab, Abu Mizyed,
Abu al-Muzayen, al-Hajj, Suleiman, Abu Ghrabiya.
Khan Yunis:
Israeli
warplanes launched 31 airstrikes targeting houses, agricultural plots and an
agricultural plot in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis. As a result,
19 Palestinian civilians, including a pregnant woman and her baby, were killed
37 others were wounded. Additionally, 12 houses were destroyed.
The
most significant attacks were as follows:
At
approximately 10:50 on Thursday, 10 July 2014, an artillery shell hit the fence
of the roof of a house belonging to Hamad Hassan Abu Jame'. As a result, Hassan 'Eid Abu Jame', 60 and
his son Ismail, 18, were killed, as they were unloading goods from a motor cart
into their house, which is adjacent to the affected house. Additionally, his child, 14-year-old Subhi,
and his daughter, 19-year-old Hiba were wounded.
The
houses that were targeted and destroyed belonging to the families of Kaware',
l-Astal, Hamdan, Abu al-Naja, al-Mubasher and 'Awad.
Rafah
Israeli
warplanes launched 80 airstrikes targeting houses, agricultural lands, open
areas, tunnels at the Egyptian border and training sites of armed groups. Israeli forces also fired dozens of shells
from the ground and the sea at various areas in Rafah. As a result, 8 Palestinians, including 6
civilians, were killed – this number includes a child and 3 women.
Additionally, 45 Palestinians, including 7 children and 15 women, were
wounded. Five houses were also destroyed.
The
most significant attacks were as follows:
At
approximately 04:35 on Friday, 11 July 2014, an Israeli warplane launched a
missile at tunnels near al-Sho'uth area.
As a result, Nour Marwan al-Nijdi, 10, was killed by shrapnel to the
neck, and her brother 'Abdul Rahman, 15, and her mother, Salwa Ahmed al-Nejdi,
49, were wounded.
At
approximately 05:15 also on Friday, Israeli warplanes launched 3 missile
without a prior warning at a house belonging to 'Abdul Raziq Hassan al-Ghannam,
58. As a result, he, his wife, his son,
his daughter and his relative were killed:
1) 'Abdul Raziq Hassan al-Ghannam,
58;
2) Ghalia Deeb al-Ghannam, 57;
3) Mahmoud 'Abdul Raziq al-Ghannam,
28;
4) Wissam 'Abdul Raziq al-Ghannam,
31; and
5) Kifah Shaker al-Ghannam, 33, who
is deaf.
The
owner's son, Hussam, 20, survived the attack although he was wounded. Seven neighbors were also wounded.
At
approximately 06:00 also on Friday, an Israeli drone launched a missile at 2
members of a Palestinian armed group who were on an agricultural plot in
al-Nasser village, northeast of Rafah.
The two members were instantly killed.
They were identified as: Mohammed Moneer 'Aashour, 26; and Ra’ed Hani
Abu Hani, 31.
The
houses that were targeted and destroyed belong to al-Ju'aidi, al-Dabash,
al-Qadhi, Fujo and al-Ghannam.
PCHR reiterates condemnation, expresses
utmost concern for these crimes, and:
1. Warns of deterioration of the
humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip in light of this continuous Israeli
military escalation, threats to expand military operations, and the continued
tightened closure of the Gaza Strip;
2. Calls upon the international
community to act immediately to stop these crimes, and renews the call to the
High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their
obligation under Article 1 of the Convention to ensure that it is respected at
all times, and their responsibilities under Article 146 to pursue perpetrators
of serious violations of the Convention, which are determined in Article 147,
which lists violations of the Convention amounting to war crimes; and
3. Calls for establishing a UN
fact-finding mission to investigate suspected war crimes committed by Israeli
forces against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, and take necessary
steps to prosecute responsible for them.