IOF Declare Intentions to Commit further Violations of International Law in Gaza under International Silence
Al Mezan: 2,142 Killed; 516 Children and 295 Women since 7 July
12PM Gaza Time
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) escalated its attacks on civilian structures in the Gaza Strip. The IOF announced its intention to target civilian objects in Gaza in response to any attacks emanating from near them. The 24-hour reporting period saw a serious increase in IOF attacks on houses, tall buildings, and the Rafah Crossing, which cannot be justified.
The number of Palestinian civilians returning to shelters designated for internally displaced people (IDPs); especially in UN schools, continued to increase, with the shelters getting more and more crowded every day. There is about 450,000 IDPs in the Gaza Strip now. The humanitarian conditions for the general population, and especially for displaced people, are still difficult in Gaza under the prolonged blackouts and shortages in water supplies. Food availability is decreasing as agricultural land and poultry and livestock farms are either targeted or inaccessible.
Reports about thousands of tons having been dropped on the Gaza Strip, with unidentified munitions that could cause harm to the environment and food security are of concern.
The verification indicates that as of 12 pm today, Monday 25 August 2014, at least 2,142 Palestinians have been killed by the IOF since 7 July 2014. Of them 516 are children and 295 women. It should be noted that the number of children has increased since yesterday following the versification of the dates of birth of a group of teenagers, who were verified as under 18s. These figures also do include seven casualties who were buried without being identified in Rafah. According to Al Mezan's investigations 1,646 (i.e. 76.9%) of the victims are civilians. At least 990 people; including 324 children and 211 women, were killed inside their houses; and two other disabled women were killed in an attack on a rehabilitation NGO's office. Another 231 people were killed in the vicinity of their houses; including in situations where they were trying to flee from their homes as a result of IOF attacks.
Moreover, at least 10,755 people were injured during the same period according to the Ministry of Health; including 3,265 were children and 2,091 women. At least, 10,589 houses were destroyed or damaged during this period; of which 2,715 were destroyed completely. The IOF directly and deliberately attacked 1,036 of the total number of damaged houses. As of today, IOF attacks have destroyed or damaged 92 schools, 157 mosques, 8 hospitals; 6 of which are out of service, 44 NGO offices, 50 fishing boats, and 239 vehicles.
North Gaza district:
During the 24-hour reporting period between 12pm on Sunday 24 August 2014 and 12 pm today, Monday 25 August 2014, the IOF fired about 56 missiles on various areas across the North Gaza district. Some of these attacks targeted agricultural land that belongs to the families of Al Shawa, Al Batsh, Al Basyouni, Hamada, Al Da'our, Al Tayyib, and Al Tabatibi. One attack targeted steel workshop in Jabalia. Several other attacks targeted empty areas. Ten of these attacks targeted houses; destroying all ten of them. The houses are owned by:
- Mohammed Abdel Fattah Shehadeh; a five-story house in Jabalia;
- Radwan Ali Radwan; a two-story house in Beit Lahiya;
- Ramadan Mousa Shabat; a three-story house in Beit Hanoun;
- Mousa Mohammed Hamada; a two-story house in Jabalia refugee camp;
- Omar Ahmed Al Borsh; a three story house in Jabalia;
- Sa'eed Abdallah Al Nedr; a three-story house in Jabalia;
- Radad Ahmed Tamboura; a two-story house in Beit Lahiya;
- Ra'fat Yousef Salman; a two-story house in Beit Lahiya;
The bombardment of these targets damaged about 20 other houses and injured 62 people, including 20 children and 18 women. A mosque, a metal workshop and a vehicle were also destroyed. Some of these incidents are described below.
At approximately 1:37 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, an IOF drone fired at least one missile at a motorcycle that was driving near the Al Atatra crossroads in the town of Beit Lahiya; killing its driver Mohammed Ibrahim Al Louqa, 21, and injuring another young man critically.
At approximately 4:15 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, an IOF drone fired at least one missile at the house of Issam Mustafa Joudeh, which is located in Tel Al Za'tar neighborhood in Jabalia. Issam's wife, Rawia Ibrahim Mohammed-Joudeh, 43, and children Tasneem, 14; Raghad, 12; Mohammed, 8; and Osama, 6; were killed. His son, Tha'ir, 13; was also critically injured and had his left leg amputated. Issam informed Al Mezan that his family were attacked as they were sitting in their garden. He was inside the house when the explosion occurred. When he went to the garden, he saw the bodies of his wife and children laid on the ground in their blood. Issam cannot understand why the IOF attacked his house; an attack that also damaged three neighboring houses and his own car. Only his daughter, Rahaf, 11, survived the attack as she was at the local grocery near their house when the attack occurred. She is in trauma.
At approximately 12:05 am on Monday 25 August 2014, IOF aircraft fired several missiles at the Omar Ibn Abdel Azeez mosque, which is located in the town of Beit Hanoun. the mosque was completely destroyed and four people were injured in this attack.
At approximately 12:10 am on Monday 25 August 2014, IOF aircraft fired two missile at the house of Radwan Ali Radwan, which is located in the center of Jabalia town. The house was destroyed completely and six people were injured; including three women and a child. Al Mezan's investigations indicate that an IOF drone had fired a missile at the house few minutes prior to the attack with heavy missiles. Three neighboring houses were damaged due to this attack.
Also at approximately 12:10 am on Monday 25 August 2014, IOF aircraft fired two missile at the house of Mousa Mohammed Hamada, which is located in Block 10 in Jabalia refugee camp. The two-story house was completely destroyed and 15 people were injured; including two children and four women. A journalist for Al Aqsa Space Channel was among the injured as he was filming the bombardment of the house. Al Mezan's investigations indicate that an IOF drone had fired a missile at the house few minutes prior to the attack with heavy missiles. People in ten neighboring houses were injured, as the targeted house is located in a dense part of the refugee camp where houses are smaller and very close to each other.
Also at approximately 7:30 am on Monday 25 August 2014, an IOF drone fired a missile at a women: Farhana Ibrahim Al Attar, 48, as she was in her house in the Al Atatra neighborhood in Beit Lahiya town. She was killed instantly. The victim has been staying in a UN shelter in Jabalia refugee camp, but she visits her house daily to put water and food for poultry she keeps in her house. The IOF attack killed her when she was in the house to feel the birds.
Also at approximately 10:40 am on Monday 25 August 2014, IOF aircraft fired two missile at the house of Radad Ahmed Tamboura, 36, which is located in the town of Beit Lahiya. The two-story house was completely destroyed. Radad was killed and a number of his family members are believed ti have been killed, too. Efforts to recover their bodies from under the rubble of the house were still on-going when this press release was published. Another nine people from the family and the neighbors were also injured, including three children and two women. The IOF fired heavy missiles at this house without any warning, destroying it over its residents. Five neighboring houses were damaged due to the attack.
Also at approximately 11:45 am on Monday 25 August 2014, an IOF drone fired a missile at a 25-year-old man: Osama Mohammed Shbeer, as she was near his house, which had been destroyed a few days earlier by the IOF. Osama was killed instantly and a 22-year-old man, Osama Hamdi Al Shalfouh, was critically injured and died from his wounds few hours later.
Gaza City district:
In Gaza City, IOF aircraft launched about 30 airstrikes targeting open areas, houses, and cars. Two houses were completely destroyed, and three others were severely damaged. Another other houses were partially damaged. Three people were killed in these airstrikes; two of whom are civilians. at least, others were injured, including three children and one woman. One mosque was also destroyed completely.
At around 12:30 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, IOF aircraft fired one missile at a car near the Palestine Stadium west of Gaza City. The driver, Mohammed Tal'at Al Ghoul, 35, was killed in the attack. Five others, including a woman, were also injured.
At approximately 1 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, IOF aircraft fired two missiles at the house of the heirs of Faisal Mustafa Abed Al Hadi. The house is located in the west of the Al Nasser neighborhood in Gaza City. The five-story house, which built on an area of 300 square meters and inhabited by eight families of 60 people, was completely destroyed.
At approximately 11:30 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, an Israeli jet fighter fired two missiles at a house which belonged to Mohammed Tal'at Al Ghoul, 35, which is located in the Al Nasser neighborhood, west of Gaza City. The house was completely destroyed in the airstrike. The house owner was killed in his own car when an Israeli warplane targeted it near Palestine Stadium on the same day.
At around 11:30 pmon Monday 24 August 2014, IOF aircraft fired one missile at a group of civilians near the Al ‘Aailat Bakery on Al Nasser Street west of Gaza City. Two persons were killed as a result of the attack; Yihya Mu'een Abu Dhaqn, 25, and Yaseen Ibrahim Al Beltaji, 23.
At approximately, 2:00 am, on Monday 25 August 2014, IOF aircraft fired three missiles at Ali Ibn Abi-Talib Mosque, which is located in the Al Zeitoon neighborhood, east of Gaza City. The mosque was completely destroyed.
Middle Gaza district:
In the middle of Gaza district, IOF warplanes attacked several areas, launching at least 15 airstrikes on fields and open areas. At least 21 people were injured including 10 children and 9 women during the reporting period.
At approximately 1:30 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, medical sources at the Al Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al Balah town announced that two dead bodies were admitted at the hospital after they were recovered from under the rubble of a house which was destroyed in an IOF attack. The house belonged to Osama Abo Samra; located in Deir Al Balah town. The two persons were identified as Adam Khattab, 26, and Mohammed Al Attar, 30.
At approximately 5 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, an IOF drone fired one missile at the house of Nabil Al Najdi, 45, in the Al Bureji refugee camp. A family comprised of 10 members lived in the house which was partially damaged.
At approximately 7:15 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, an IOF drone fired one missile at a house belonging to Zaki Hlayiel, 32, in Al Bureij refugee camp. Six families of 40 members lived in the house which was severely damaged in the attack.
At approximately 1 am on Monday 25 August 2014, IOF aircraft fired one missile at house belonging to Hamdan Karaja, 54, located in the Al Nusseirat refugee camp. Three families of 20 members lived in the three-story house, which was damaged.
At approximately 1:30 am on Monday 25 August 2014, IOF aircraft bombarded the of Sa'eed Abo Own, 52, in the Al Bureij refugee camp. Two families of four members lived in the house which was completely destroyed.
Khan Younis district:
In Khan Younis district the IOF launched 44 airstrikes on various areas during the reporting period, mostly on open fields and houses. These attacks injured ten persons, including two children. Eleven houses were also completely destroyed after the IOF directly bombarded them, which caused severe damages to neighboring houses and shops. One NGO office was also bombarded and destroyed completely.
At approximately 2:10 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, IOF aircraft launched several airstrikes targeting seven residential houses which belong to the Abu Ma'rouf extended family, and a house which belongs to Barbakh family in Khan Younis city. The targeted houses were completely destroyed together with four adjacent houses. Another 15 other houses were damaged. Ten people were injured in these attacks, including two children.
At approximately 4:15 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, IOF aircraft bombarded the house of Hamdi Al Sha'er. Three families comprised of 22 members lived in the two-story house, located in the Al Sha'er area in Khan Younis city. The house was completely destroyed in the Israeli attack, and several neighboring houses were damaged.
At approximately 4:20 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, IOF aircraft bombarded the house of Hassan Idrees Fasfous. Three families comprised of 22 members lived in the three-story house located in the Al Sha'er area in Khan Younis city. Shortly afterwards, Israeli jet fighters targeted an open land next to the house. Both the house and the land were severely damaged.
At approximately 4:20 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, IOF aircraft bombarded the house of Amin Abdul Ghafour. Seven families comprised of 55 members lived in the five-story house located in the center of Khan Younis city. The house was then bombarded again with a heavy missile from an IOF aircraft and destroyed completely. In addition, a neighboring house belonging to Mohammed Al Lahham was destroyed.
At approximately 7:20 pm on Sunday 24 August 2014, IOF aircraft bombarded the offices of the Al Rahma Charity, which is comprised of five stories and is located on Al Zeini Street, in the center of Khan Younis city. The building was leveled to the ground, and several neighboring houses were severely damaged.
At approximately 8:55, on Sunday 24 August 2014, IOF aircraft bombarded the house which of Ahmad Abu Daqqa in the Al Fukhari area, southeast of in Khan Younis. The house was completely destroyed in the attack.
Rafah district:
The IOF launched 12 airstrikes on Rafah district during the reporting period. IOF artillery intermittently fired shells in the eastern parts of the town; including the passengers hall inside the Rafah Crossing; injuring two border police members. The airstrikes also targeted empty areas and fields, and the border area between Gaza and Egypt. Medical sources announced the death of a member of an armed group after he succumbed to his injuries in Rafah.
At approximately 12:15 am on Monday 25 August 2014, IOF bombarded the Rafah Crossing in the southeast of Rafah. As a result of the attack, some of the crossing facilities were partially damaged including the arrivals halls. Two border security members who work at the crossing were moderately injured.
At around 7 am on Monday 25 August 2014, medical sources at Gaza European Hospital in Khan Younis announced the death of Nedal Badawi, 24, who succumbed to his earlier injures while walking in in the Kherbet Al Adas in Rafah on Saturday, 23 August 2014.
Al Mezan condemns IOF's attacks on civilians and civilian targets in the Gaza Strip. Attacks on protected civilians and civilian objects that fail to comply with the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL) represent grave breaches of IHL, which amount to war crimes. These violations must be credibly and promptly investigated and prosecuted. The international community has an obligation to condemn these violations and make swift, effective interventions to bring them to a halt.
Al Mezan condemns the IOF attacks on a large apartment buildings, a shopping center, and the Rafah Crossing, which indicate a serious escalation of IOF attacks, carried out under false pretexts that cannot be verified. The IOF must prove that these structures were used for military purposes. If so, the attacks must be proportionate and effective warning must be given to civilians; neither of which was given appropriately.
Al Mezan deplores the failure of international community to ensure the protection of the civilian population and the civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, which have been devastated due to thousands of IOF unlawful military attacks that did not respect the basic principles of IHL. International community must provide the civilian population in the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid and ensure free and timely passage of materials and personnel needed to re-establish the basic needs for human life; including power, water, sanitation and the health sector.
END
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario