Ref: 15/2009

Date: 15 January  2009

Time: 13:00 GMT 

 

20th Day of Continuous IOF Attacks Across the Gaza Strip:

Gaza City is under unprecedented IOF attack:

Intensive IOF Shelling into Densely Populated Neighborhoods and Civilian Objects, Including Hospitals:

IOF Ground Incursions and Civilians being Subjected to Incendiary Bombs:   

• 75 Palestinians Killed during reporting period, Including 70 Unarmed Civilians, of whom 18 are children:  

• Overall Gaza death toll mounts to 1080, Including 765 Unarmed Civilians and 167 Civilian Police Force members, Who Are Also Classified as Civilians:

• Victims Include 252 Children and 78 Women:

• Victims Also Include 7 Medical Personnel and 3 Palestinian Journalists:

"The Reported death Toll Include 22 Victims from the al-Samouni Family Whose Bodies Were Unearthed Yesterday."

The violent war launched by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) against the population of the Gaza Strip has continued for the twentieth consecutive day. During the reporting period, IOF escalated their ground and air attacks against civilians in densely populated areas across the Gaza Strip. IOF continue to target civilians with total disregard for their lives.

Last night and early this morning, Gaza City, especially Tal al-Hawa in the south of the city,  witnessed the most violent military ground attacks, amidst intensive firing of artillery and incendiary shells as well as violent clashes between IOF and members of the Palestinian resistance. Meanwhile, IOF, protected by warplanes and military vehicles, moved into different parts of the southern Gaza Strip, whilst civilians were continually subjected to artillery shelling and intense air strikes. Gaza civilians continue to pay the horrific cost for this war, and the entire Gaza Strip is now under IOF attack.

All civilian institutions in the Gaza Strip, including the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the International Committee of the Red Cross; medical institutions, civil defense and information institutions, are being targeted by IOF, who are flagrantly continuing to obstruct the work of these institutions, and in doing so are violating  humanitarian law.

With regard to the number of victims during the last 24 hours, all but five of the victims were unarmed victims, including infants. 

Below is a summary of the crimes committed by IOF in the Gaza Strip during the last 24 hours, as documented by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights.

 

Northern Gaza Strip

·   At approximately 12:25 on Wednesday, 14 January 2009, an IOF drone fired a missile near al-Twam turnabout in Jabaliya. A civilians was seriously injured as a result.

·   At approximately 13:05, an IOF drone fired a missile also at the same sime. 'Umar Mohammed al-Muranakh, 17, was seriously injured, and as a result had to have a limb amputated.  

·   At approximately 13:25, IOF continued their artillery shelling near Zaid Ibno Haretha in Beit Lahia. Raja Mohammed Ghaben, 35, was killed in the shelling and six civilians, including three children, were injured, two of them seriously.  

·    At approximately 13:50, an IOF warplane fired a missile at civil car near al-Twam turnabout. A bystander, Seif Addin Mohammed Ibrahim al-Firani, 20, was killed in the attack.

·   At approximately 14:20, IOF artillery shelled a 2-storey house belonging to Salem al-Na'ouq, near al-'Umari Mosque in the center of Jabaliya Town. The house was damaged.  

·   In the same time, IOF fired shells at civilians' houses in al-Shaima'a area north of beit Lahia. Fire broke out in many houses. Whilst the members of the civil defense force were trying to extinguish fire, IOF fired at them. The fire was not extinguished and broke out in other houses.

·    At approximately 14:45, IOF artillery shelled into the center of Jabaliya Town. A shell landed on a 3-storey house belonging to Bashir Abed Rabbo. The house was damaged and three civilians were injured, including Umaima Eyad Abed Rabbo, 5, who was seriously injured by shrapnel in the head.

·   At approximately 15:00, medical personnel unearthed four decomposed bodies belonging to a father and three of his children. The bodies were under the ruins of a house near 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab in al-Atatra area west of Beit Lahia Town. The unearthed bodies were those of:  

1.      Sa'ad Allah Matar Abu Halima. 42,

2.      his sons: Zayed, 10, Abed, 12, and Hamza, 8.

·   At approximately 15:20, an IOF warplane bombarded a crowd of civilians near Baytona Society in al-Twam area west of Jabaliya. Mohammed Sa'id Naser, 23, was killed and other three civilians were injured.

·   At approximately 16:10, also an IOF warplane bombarded a crowd of civilians near Baytona Society in al-Twam area west of Jabaliya. Nine civilians, including three children were injured as a result.

·   At approximately 16:50, medical personnel found the body of Samir Rashid Mohammed Hamad, 46, in ‘Izbat ‘Abed Rabbu. Hamad, who is an employee of the UNRWA, was killed inside his house on 5 January 2009.

·   At approximately 17:00, IOF fired artillery smoke shells at several areas west of Beit Lahia Town, east and west of Jabaliya and al-Sudaneya area. Fire broke out in houses and civilians suffered suffocation. The inhabitants of many of the houses were forced to flee for their lives.  

·   At approximately 20:30, an IOF F-16 bombarded, for the second time within the current week, a house belonging to Ahmed al-Batsh near the Bank of Palestine LTD, in the center of Jabaliya Town.

·   IOF shelled al-Karama area west of Jabaliya, resulting in the death of Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Jahjouh, 26.

·   In the evening hours, medical sources confirmed the death of Zayed Mohammed Jneid, 30, of wounds sustained yesterday when IOF bombarded the building of the Ministry of the Interior in Jabalia Town.

·   At approximately 8:10 on Thursday, 15 January 2009, IOF artillery shelled in the vicinity of the Ministry of Education north of Sheikh Zayed Housing Town. Five civilians were killed as a result. The dead include four members of the al-Rmeilat family, including an elderly woman and three children, one of them a female infant. The dead are:

1.      'Aysha 'Ayad al-Rmeilat, 80,

2.      Sabrin 'Ata Hassan al-Rmeilat, 15,

3.      Bara'a 'Ata Hassan al-Rmeilat, 2,

4.      Arij 'Ata Hassan al-Rmeilat, two months, 

5.      Amal 'Eid Shteiwi, 14.

·   At approximately 9:50, IOF artillery shelled houses in al-Ferta area east of Beit Hanoon Town. Ihab Sabri Akram al-Kafarna, 6, was injured as a result.

·   At approximately 10:40, IOF military vehicles moved towards civilian's houses in al-Ferta area east of Beit Hanoun Town. This was at the same time as IOF were shelling houses in al-Banat street east of Beit Hanoun Town.

·   At approximately 11:00, an IOF drone fired a missile at a chicken farm near al-Kashef Mountain in Jabalia, killing Medhat Fares Hajjaj, 25. Hajjaj lives in Gaza City and was working in the  chicken farm.

·   At approximately 11:05, IOF artillery targeted a group of the al-Na'ouq family members in al-Jurun area east of Jabaliya Town. Four civilians, including a father and two of his sons, were killed:

·   1. Mohammed Mohmmed Salem al-Na'ouq, 72,

·   Abdul Latif Mohammed Mohmmed al-Na'ouq, 55,

·   Samih Mohammed Mohmmed al-Na'ouq, 38, and

·   Mohammed Ahmed Abdulla Saleh, 60.

Also three civilians, including a woman, were injured in the attack. One of the injuries was described as serious.

·   At approximately 11:50, an IOF warplane fired a missile at a group of civilians near Beit Lahia turnabout. Two civilians sustained moderate wounds as a result.

 

  Gaza City

·   At approximately 13:00 on Wednesday, 14 January 2009, an IOF apache helicopter bombarded an apartment on the ninth floor in 'Arous al-Bahr building in the west of al-Naser area in Gaza City. The apartment that belongs to Imad Yousif Abdul Ra'ouf Rajab was completely destroyed.

·   At approximately 16:00, an IOF apache helicopter bombarded an apartment on the ninth floor in building no. 2 in al-Fayrouse apartment buildings in the northwest of Gaza City. The apartment belongs to Nedal al-Bayoumi. 47, whose wife was injured in the bombardment.

·   At approximately 16:00, an IOF apache helicopter bombarded an apartment on the twelfth floor in building no.3 in al-Fayrouse apartment buildings in the northwest of Gaza City. The apartment belongs to Tawfiq Fares Shehada, 57, who was killed in the bombardment.

·   At approximately 17:00, IOF artillery shelled vacant land near a house belonging to Mohamed Kamel Mqat in al-Zarqa district in al-Tufah neighborhood northeast of Gaza City. A child, Samir Mohammed Kamel Mqat, 17, was killed.  

·   In the same time, an IOF drone fired a missile at two children; Humam Mohammed al-Khudari, 17, and Sameh Mohammed Abu 'Aser, 17, whilst walking near their houses in al-Nazzaz Street east of al-Shaja'eya neighborhood. The two children were killed.  

·   At approximately 18:00, an IOF apache helicopter bombarded an apartment on the eleventh floor in building no. 1 in al-Maqousi apartment buildings northwest of Gaza City. The apartment belongs to Khalil al-'Abed Jaber, 63, who was killed with his wife, Shadia Ahmed Hassan, 50.

·   At approximately 18:10, an IOF apache helicopter bombarded an apartment on the seventh floor in building no. 10 in al-Maqousi apartment buildings northwest of Gaza City. The apartment belongs to Jamal Taha who was injured. The apartment was set alight and other apartments on the seventh and eighth floors were also set on fire.  

·   At approximately 19:00, an IOF apache helicopter bombarded the headquarters of the civil defense force near al-Maqousi apartment buildings in al-Naser district. The bombardment resulted in the injury of six civilians who work in the headquarters.

·   At approximately 20:00, an IOF F-16 bombarded al-Yarmouq public market behind al-Yarmouq playground in al-Yarmouq neighborhood in the center of Gaza City. No casualties were reported.

·   At approximately 21:00, an IOF drone bombarded a house belonging to Izz Addin Wahid Mousa, 48, near al-Sabra pharmacy south of Gaza City. The bombardment killed all the members of the Mousa family; who are the owner, his wife Maysara Afif Mousa, 48, and his children; Wahid Izz Addi Mousa, 28, Ahmed Izz Addi Mousa, 27, Mohammed Izz Addi Mousa, 22, and Nour Izz Addi Mousa, 15. The Mousa family were sitting in their salon at the time of the attack.  

·   At approzimately 22:45, an IOF drone fired a missile at a UNRWA car in Tal al-Hawa district southwest of Gaza City, when the driver; an employee of UNRWA, was trying to drive the car. The driver sustained moderate wounds and was taken to hospital for treatment, while the car was heavily damaged.

·   At approximately 22:15, an IOF drone bombarded a civil car near Barcelona Forum in Tal al-Hawa district. Three civilians were killed in the attack: Riyad al-Ra'I, 22, Walid al-Za'about, 32, and Mazen al-Safash, 32.

·   Medical personnel found the body of Hassan al-Sha'er, 25, in al-Shaja'eya neighborhood. Al-Sha'er lives in Rafah City and is a member of the Palestinian resistance.

·   In the evening hours, medical personnel and civil defense crews, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross, unearthed 22 bodies from the al-Samouni family. IOF F-16 planes bombarded the houses of the al-Samouni family whilst they were inside their homes on 4 January 2009 in al-Zaytoun district east of Gaza City. Thus, the total number of victims from al-Samouni family rose to 27, including 12 children, several of whom are infants. The victims also included six women, including five sisters. PCHR has the full names of the victims.  

·   At night, IOF artillery fired shells at houses east of al-Shaja'eya neighborhood. Three palstinian civilians, including a child, were killed: Mazen Hassan Hasaneya, 23, Mohammed Khalil Bhar, 12, and Mohammed Shehada Ahmed, 45.

·   At approximately 01:00 on Thursday, 15 January 2009, an IOF drone targeted a group of the members of the Palestinian resistance near al-Bashir Mosque in al-Sha'af neighborhood east of Gaza City. A number of the targeted persons were injured. When a number of the locals rushed to rescue the wounded, IOF warplanes targeted them again. Seven civilians, including a child and two brothers, were killed as a result:

1.      Ayman Mohammed 'Amara, 27,

2.      Mohammed Wajeeh al-Refa'I, 25,

3.      Fayez Sha'aban al-Bahtiti, 42,

4.      Ahmed Fayez al-Bahtiti, 19,

5.      Sa'eb Fayez al-Bahtiti, 17,

6.      Suheil Yousif al-Safadi, 20,

7.      Ahmed Ata al-Ketnani, 20.

·   At approximately 1:30, IOF artillery targeted a house belonging to Ala'a Addin al-'Amassi in the center of al-Tufah neighborhood. Al-'Amassi's child, Jihad Ala'a Addin al-'Amassi, 14, was killed in the attack.

·   At approximately 3:00, IOF artillery targeted a house belonging to Farid Sha'aban near al-Rahma Mosque in al-Sabra district south of Gaza City. Sha'aban's two sons; Ahmed Farid Sha'aban, 22, and Belala Farid Sha'aban, 20, were killed in the attack.

·   At approximately 4:00, an IOF drone targeted Maher Khaled al-Beik, 45, whilst on his way to check his house near the headquarters of the civil defense force in Tal al-Hawa district south of Gaza City. Al-Beik, who headed to his house after hearing it was attacked, was killed in the attack.

·   At approximately 4:00, an IOF drone targeted Ahmed Ayoub al-Bital, 27, near the Islamic Compound in al-Sabra district. Al-Bital who is a member of the Palestinian resistance lives in Shheibar Street in al-Sabra district.

·   At approximately 5:00, medical sources at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City confirmed the death of Mohammed al-Sayed 'Akkila, 8, of wounds sustained five days ago when IOF bombarded the headquarters of the al-Jarih Society in al-Naser district, where 'Akkila lives.

·   At approximately 7:00, an IOF drone targeted Haneya Abdul Hafez Abdul 'Al, 25, whilst walking near the Islamic Compound in al-Sabra district. Abdul 'Al was killed.  

·   At approximately 7:15, IOF targeted a group of civilians near the Islamic Compound in al-Sabra district. The targeted civilians were fleeing their houses in al-Sabra district after being attacked. IOF targeting of the civilians resulted in the killing of four civilians:

1.      Zuheir Abdul Hamid al-'Aloul, 46,

2.      Mohammed Zuheir al-'Aloul, 28,

3.      Ahmed Zuheir al-'Aloul, 19,

4.      'A'ed Fa'eq Abu 'Asi, 27.

·   At approximately 8:00, an IOF drone fired a missile at two members of the Dughmush family. The two civilians were killed:

1.      Maher Hashem Dughmush, 51, and

2.      Munther Ghaleb Dughmush, 37.

 

·   At approximately 9:15, an IOF apache helicopter bombarded the office of the Holy Quran Radio on the tenth floor in Palestine building in al-Remal neighborhood in the center of Gaza City.

·   In the same time, an IOF apache bombarded a deserted apartment on the fifteenth floor in al-Walid building in al-Remal neighborhood in the center of Gaza City.

·    At approximately 10:00, IOF artillery targeted a house belonging to 'Adel al-Jadba in al-Tufah neighborhood northeast of Gaza City. Three of al-Jadba's children and a fourth civilian were killed: Asma'a 'Adel al-Jadba, 15, Shaima'a 'Adel al-Jadba, 12, Abdul 'Athim 'Adel al-Jadba, 27, and Khader Abdul Ghaffar al-Jadba, 45.

 

Also the shelling killed a fifth civilian, Diab Rajab Mqat, 50, who sustained wounds whilst in his house in the vicinity of the targeted house.

 

·   At approximately 10:00, IOF targeted a group of civilians fleeing their houses in al-Sabra district. Hamdan Jalal Dughmush, 18, was killed as a result.

·   At approximately 10:15, an IOF tank shelled the headquarters of UNRWA in Tal al-Hawa district in Gaza City. The shelling caused heavy damages to the meeting halls in the headquarters. In addition, a number of UNRWA vehicles parked in the courtyard were severely damaged.

·    At approximately 11:00, an IOF drone targeted a group of the members of the Palestinian resistance near the Islamic Compound in al-Sabra district. As a result, Mohammed Faraj Dughmush, 33, who is a member of the Palestinian resistance, was killed.

·   At approximately 11:00, IOF snipers positioned on high buildings in al-Tufah neighborhood in northeast Gaza City shot dead Karim Musbah Mohammed Abu Sido, 16, whilst he was walking in Yafa Street in al-Tufah neighborhood.

·   At approximately 11:15, Gaza Information Center, located on the seventh floor in al-Shorooq building in al-Remal neighborhood in the center of Gaza City and that includes offices for Abu Dhabi space channel; Sky News and Box News, was intensely shelled. The shelling caused heavy damages to the building and resulted in the injury of Ayman al-Ruzzi, 33, who is the director of Abu Dhabi channel office, and Mohammed al-Susi, 38, who is a photographer for Abu Dhabi channel.

·    At approximately 11:30, IOF military vehicles, positioned in Tal al-Hawa district south of Gaza City, intensely fired artillery shells and incinerating shells at the medical compound of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS). The medical compound includes PRCS administrative offices, the al-Nour Town building, the 5-storey al-Quds Hospital, the ambulances building and the medicine stores. The shelling set the compound alight. Fire was still burning when this press release was published, and the crews of the civil defense force were unable to reach the place and extinguish the fire.

·   At approximately 11:45, IOF fired incinerating bombs at the main headquarters of UNRWA in the center of Gaza City. Fire broke out in the headquarters as a result.   

 

Central Gaza Strip

·   At approximately 14:00 on Wednesday, 14 January 2009, medical sources announced the death of Ramzi Rawhi 'Awad, 25, who sustained wounds three hours earlier in the vicinity of the power station north of al-Nuseirat. 'Awad is a member of the Palestinian resistance.

·   At approximately 15:40, an IOF drone fired a missile at houses in al-Mughraqa area. A child, Mahmoud Khader Abu Kamil, 13, was killed in the attack and another civilian was injured, whilst standing near a house in the area.

·   At approximately 19:00, IOF artillery shelled houses in block 1 in al-Bureij Refugee Camp. IOF also fired suffocating bombs at the area. Shells landed on houses causing damage. Also 15 civilians, including three children and five women, suffered suffocation as a result of the shelling.

·     At approximately 5:30 on Thursday, 15 January 2009, IOF shelled smoke bombs at houses in al-Nuseirat Refugee Camp. One of the houses was alight and other houses were damaged. In addition, five civilians, including two children and a woman, were injured in the attack.

·   At approximately 7:00, an IOF F-16 fired two missiles at a piece of land belonging to the al-Musader family southeast of al-Maghazi. The bombardment heavily damaged neighboring houses.

·   At approximately 7:00, IOF artillery fired smoke bombs at houses in al-Bassa area northwest of Deir al-Balah. Four female civilians suffered suffocation as a result.

 

Khan Yunis:

·   At approximately 18:00 on Wednesday, 14 January 2009, supported by tanks and military vehicles and under very intensive artillery and incinerating shells, IOF moved into al-Fukhari area southeast of Khan Younis. IOF started from Sofa crossing vicinity, and launched a similar incursion in the same time towards Rafah. IOF raided several houses and forced dozens of civilians to leave their houses. IOF fired artillery shells into the area all the night. Also IOF F-16 jet planes fired several missiles at open agricultural land in the area.

·   At approximately 18:30, IOF jet planes bombarded a house belonging to Khalid al-Najjar, a member of the Izz Addin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas), in Khuza'a village east of Khan Younis. The house that had been targeted earlier sustained further damages.

·   At approximately 18:40, an IOF drone fired two missiles at a child and a young man who were driving bicycles in street no. 5 in al-Qarara area. The child, Izz Addin 'Adel Khalid al-Farra, 13, was killed, while his cousin , Abdul Ghani Mahmoud Khalid al-Farra, 18, sustained serious injuries. The relatives of the victims stated they were on their way to shop to buy some staffs for their families.

·   At approximately 20:20, IOF warplanes bombarded with two missiles Asda'a Information Town west of Khan Younis. Damages were caused to the targeted place.

·   At approximately 22:40, IOF warplanes fired several missiles at a site belonging to the Izz Addin al-Qassam Brigades in Ghizan al-Najjar areas, south of Khan Younis. The bombardment of the site continued sporadically until midnight. The reported site was subject to several bombardments earlier.

 

Rafah

·   At approximately 12:00 on Wednesday, 14 January 2009, IOF F-16 jet planes bombarded agricultural land near Salah Addin Street east of Rafah.

·   At approximately 12:30, IOF gunboats bombarded ex-settlements west of Tal al-Sultan area west of Rafah City.

·   between approximately 14:00 and 18:00, IOF warplanes sporadically bombarded the border strip between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, in the vicinity of Zu'arub turnabout and Yebna Refugee Camp. The bombardment caused light damages to houses in the vicinity, that had been evacuated earlier.

·   At approximately 17:00, under intensive shelling, IOF moved into al-Shoka village east of Rafah. IOF still in the village up to the publication of this press release.

The shelling in the area resulted in the killing of four civilians, including three members of the Palestinian resistance, in al-Naser village, one kilo meter south of al-Shoka village. The dead are:

1.      Yousif Mustafa al-Kurdi, 21, who is a member of the Palestinian resistance,

2.      Fares Mohammed 'Abdin, 33, who is a member of the Palestinian resistance,

3.      'Uthman Abu Sneima, 23, who is a member of the Palestinian resistance, and

4.      Ahmed Mohammed al-Balbisi, 42.

·   Due to the indiscriminate shelling, nine civilian, including three children and two women, arrived wounded at Abu Yousif al-Najjar Hospital.

·   At approximately 00:35 on Thursday, 15 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded al-Abrar Mosque near the central market in al-Shaboura Refugee Camp. The bombardment resulted in the destruction of the targeted mosque and a number of neighboring houses and shops.

·   At approximately 07:30, an IOF drone bombarded Yebna Refugee Camp in Rafah. The bombardment resulted in the killing of Shehda Fathi al-Kurd, 30, who is a member of the Palestinian resistance.

·   At approximately 08:00, the body of Abdullah Abdul Majid Ma'amar, 22, from al-Naser village north of Rafah, arrived at hospital. Ma'amar was killed yesterday in the indiscriminate shelling in al-Naser village.

·   At approximately 05:30, an IOF F-16 fired a missile at a house belonging to Ibrahim Awdet Allah Abdel 'Al in al-Salam district in Rafah City. The house that is inhabited by a family of seven members was completely destroyed.

·   In the same time, an IOF apache helicopter bombarded a 3-storey houses belonging to Salem 'Awwad al'Sha'er. The house which is inhabited by three families of fourteen members was partially damaged. 

 

In light of its concerns over IOF continued escalations against the Palestinian civilian population and civilian objects in the Gaza Strip, and over the rising death toll, PCHR:

1.   Calls for an immediate halt to the IOF offensive against the population of the Gaza Strip.

2.   Calls for an immediate halt to all IOF measures of collective punishment being imposed on the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip, especially the total siege and closure of the Gaza Strip, and demands safe movement for both persons and goods into and out of the Gaza Strip.

3.   Reiterates that crimes committed by IOF are clear evidence not only for the excessive and disproportionate use of force, but also of acts of retaliation against Palestinian civilians. 

4.   Holds Israel responsible for the lives of Palestinian civilians. Under international law, the existence of armed resistance does not in any case justify the use of such excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force.

5.   Warns that the lives of Palestinian civilians are in danger in light of threats vowed by Israeli political and military officials to expand military operations against the population of the Gaza Strip.

6.   Calls upon the international community to immediately intervene to stop such crimes, and calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention, Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, to fulfill their obligation under article 1 of the Convention to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances, as well as their obligation under article 146 to search for and prosecute those who are responsible for perpetrating grave breaches of the Convention, as such breaches constitute war crimes according to article 147 of the Convention and the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I). 

7.   Calls upon international and Israeli human rights organizations to raise their voices against war crimes being committed by IOF against the unarmed Palestinian civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

8.   Calls for the establishment of an independent inquiry commissions to investigate crimes committed by IOF against Palestinian civilians, including IOF use of internationally prohibited weapons. 

9.   Calls for the prosecution of all political and military officials who are found responsible for committing war crimes against Palestinian civilians.