22nd Day of Continuous IOF Attacks on the Gaza Strip

January 17, 2009

Ref: 17/2009

Date: 17 January 2009

Time: 12:15 GMT

22^nd Day of Continuous IOF Attacks on the Gaza Strip

· 54 Palestinians killed by IOF during the reporting period:

· Victims include 43 unarmed civilians, 17 of them children:

· IOF continue to bombard civilian houses and UN schools:

· Gaza death toll mounts to 1,184, Including 844 Civilians:

· Victims include 281 Children and 85 Women:

· IOF continue to use incendiary bombs across the Gaza Strip:

· IOF continue to destroy houses and agricultural Land, and force civilians to flee their homes:

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have continued their war on the Gaza Strip for the twenty second consecutive day. The civilian death toll has continued to rise, in spite of political efforts to end the IOF war and amidst massive international protests against the war.

IOF have continued to attack UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) shelters, as well as medical, civil defense and media crews. They have also continued to use incendiary bombs, which are believed to contain white phosphorous. These bombs have caused horrific second and third degree burns to civilians, and doctors have been forced to carry out amputations on some victims.

IOF claim that they target only Hamas and other militants. However, PCHR is investigating the facts on the ground, and its ongoing investigations indicate that at least 85% of the Palestinians who have been killed in this war are civilians, and 36% of them are women and children, including substantial numbers of infants and elderly people.

During the reporting period, IOF troops in the al-Fukhari area of the Governorate of Khan Yunis fired at a civilian vehicle in which a man and his two sons were traveling. The three civilians were wounded. IOF prevented medical crews from reaching the three civilians for sixteen hours. When they were finally able to evacuate the victims, both of the sons had died. One of them had bled to death.

This is a summary of the crimes committed by IOF in the Gaza Strip during the last 24 hours.

Northern Gaza Strip

· At approximately 12:50 on Friday, 16 January 2009, the IOF artillery shelled Palestinian houses in Banat Street in the southeast of Beit Hanoun town. A Palestinian civilian was seriously wounded and his leg was subsequently amputated.

· At approximately 13:30, the IOF artillery shelled al-Sudaniya area, west of Jabaliya town. As a result, Mazen Fares al-Sharbassi, 20, a resistance activist, was killed.

· At approximately 14:00, the IOF artillery shelled al-Twam area, west of Jabaliya town. As a result, ‘Aadel Sabri Abu al-‘Oun, 27, a resistance activist, was killed.

· Also at approximately 14:00, medical sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City confirmed that Hmaid al-Sawarka, 30, died of wounds sustained when IOF shelled the east of Beit Hanoun earlier the same morning.

· At approximately 14:45, the IOF artillery targeted a number of Palestinian civilians in al-Shaimaa’ area in the north of Beit Lahia. A Palestinian civilian was seriously wounded.

· At approximately 15:00, medical sources at Shifa Hospital confirmed that ‘Omar Mahmoud al-Marnakh, 18, had died of wounds sustained earlier the same day when IOF shelled al-Twam area, west of Jabalya.

· Also at approximately 15:00, an IOF drone fired a missile at a number of Palestinian civilians in Abu Ghunaim area in the southwest of Beit Lahia. Three Palestinians (an elderly woman and two children) were killed:

1. Zakiya ‘Abdul Hai Abu ‘Eita, 60;

2. Anwar Salman Rushdi Abu ‘Eita, 6;

3. Malak Salam ‘Abdul Hai Abu ‘Eita, 1.5.

Another 6 members of the family were wounded. One of them is in a serious condition.

· Also at approximately 15:00, medical sources at Kamal ‘Edwan Hospital reported that Rajab Mahmoud ‘Elwan, 25, from Jabaliya died of wounds sustained by IOF shelling.

· At approximately 16:10, IOF opened fire at houses in al-Hatabiya area in the north of Beit Lahia. A Palestinian civilian was seriously wounded.

· At approximately 17:00, an IOF warplane dropped a bomb on a house belonging to Dr. ‘Izziddin Mohammed Abu al-‘Eish in ‘Izbat ‘Abed Rabbu area in the east of Jabalya. As a result, 4 members of the family (3 sisters and their cousin) were killed:

1. Mayar ‘Izziddin Abu al-‘Eish, 15;

2. Bissan ‘Izziddin Abu al-‘Eish, 21;

3. Aaya ‘Izziddin Abu al-‘Eish, 14;

4. Nour Shihab Abu al-‘Eish, 12.

Another 3 members of the family were also wounded:

1. Shada ‘Izziddin Abu al-‘Eish, 18;

2. Nasser Mohammed Abu al-‘Eish, 52; and

3. Ghaidaa’ ‘Ata Abu al-‘Eish, 12.

· At approximately 19:15, an IOF helicopter gunship fired 4 missiles at a house belonging to Mohammed ‘Ali Jom’a, 54, in which 45 people live, near Abu Sharekh Square in Jabaliya. The house was destroyed and 6 members of the family, including two children and two women, were injured.

· At approximately 22:00, medical sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City confirmed that Jaleel Jamal Abu Jarad, 24, from Beit Lahia, had died of wounds he had sustained earlier the same day.

· At approximately 23:20, the IOF artillery shelled al-Karama area, west of Jabalya. Mohammed ‘Oqailan, 25, was killed.

· At approximately 01:40 on Saturday, 17 January 2009, an IOF warplane fired a missile at Taha Mosque in al-Twam area, west of Jabaliya. The mosque was destroyed.

· At approximately 04:30, IOF shelled houses in Beit Lahia with incendiary bombs. The shelling continued until 08:00. As a result, fire broke out in at least 10 houses and 15 Palestinian civilians were wounded.

· At approximately 05:00, IOF tanks shelled al-Karama apartment buildings, southwest of Jabalya. As a result, 3 Palestinian resistance activists were killed:

1. ‘Abdul Rahman Haitham Zumlot, 22;

2. Mos’ab Mohammed Abu al-‘Amrain, 22;

3. Mohammed Ziad Abu ‘Abdu, 24.

· At approximately 05:30, an IOF warplane bombarded a water well of the Municipality of Beit Hanoun in Abu Ghazala quarter in the east of Beit Hanoun. As a result, one and a half year old Aseel Muneer al-Kafarna, was killed whilst inside her family house, which is located near the well.

· At approximately 06:30, IOF shelled Beit Lahia UNRWA School, where at least 320 families had taken shelter after they had fled their homes. IOF fired artillery and incendiary bombs at the school. As a result, fire broke out in a number of classroom and two children were killed:

1. Mohammed Hamad Shihda al-Ashqar, 4;

2. Bilal Hamad Shihda al-Ashqar, 5.

Another 36 civilians were also wounded, including the mother of the two dead children, 24-year-old Nojoud Sha’ban al-Ashqar, whose hand and leg were severed. In addition, fire broke out in a number of nearby houses.

Gaza City

· At approximately 15:00 on Friday, 16 January 2009, an IOF warplane fired a missile at two Palestinian civilians, including a child, who were near their houses in al-Mahatta Street in al-Tuffah neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. The two civilians were killed:

1. ‘Ali Kamal al-Barrawi, 15;

2. Ahmed Mansour Hassouna, 21.

· At approximately 17:00, the IOF artillery fired at a number of Palestinians, including a resistance activist, in the east of al-Zaytoun neighborhood. As a result, a civilian and a resistance activist were killed:

1. Hashem Rabah al-Hatu, 45, a civilian;

2. Nasser al-Saifi, 38, a resistance activist.

· At approximately 18:30, an IOF warplane fired a missile at a member of the Palestinian resistance, 31-year-old Bilal Tayseer Mousa. He was instantly killed.

· At approximately 19:00, an IOF warplane fired a missile at a tent set up to welcome visitors who wanted to console a local family in mourning. The tent had been erected by the Bannar family in al-Mentar Street in al-Shoja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. The IOF missile killed 10 Palestinian civilians, including a child:

1. Mohammed Yasser al-Qerem, 22;

2. Shadi al-‘Abed Bannar, 24;

3. Ahmed al-‘Abed Bannar, 18;

4. ‘Abed ‘Ali al-‘Abed Bannar; 48;

5. Fayez ‘Ali al-‘Abed Bannar, 35;

6. Ahraf Rebhi Bannar, 35;

7. ‘Alaa’ Sa’id Mowadded, 37;

8. Suhbi Mohammed Mowadded, 38;

9. Mos’ab Mohammed Mowadded, 16;

10. Fayez Sa’id Shamali, 50.

Another 7 civilians, including a child, were wounded.

· In the evening, medical crews found the bodies of two Palestinian resistance activists in Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in the south of Gaza City. They were killed during an IOF incursion into the area. They were identified as:

1. Mohammed Nawaf Na’im, 24;

2. ‘Abdullah Nawaf Na’im, 19.

· At approximately 08:15 on Saturday, 17 January 2009, an IOF warplane fired a missile at a number of Palestinian resistance activists in al-Nafaq Street in the east of Gaza City. One of them, Ahmed ‘Abdul Hai al-Safadi, 24, from al-Daraj neighborhood, was killed.

Central Gaza Strip

At approximately 13:00 on Friday, 16 January 2009, IOF troops positioned near a house belonging to ‘Awad Qudsi al-Wehaidi in al-Mughraqa village fired at two elderly men who were coming out of the house where they had been sheltering. One of them, 80-year-old Nassar ‘Abdul Muhdi Mutawe’, was killed, and the other, 69-year-old Musallam Mohammed Mutawe’, 69, was wounded.
At approximately 14:00, the IOF fired artillery shells at houses in Block 7 in al-Boreij refugee camp. As a result, 8-year-old Muhannad ‘Aamer al-Judaili, was killed. His two brothers, ‘Abdul Hadi, 15, and Khalil, 16, and their grandmother, Mudallala, 85, were also wounded when an artillery shell hit the house. The shelling continued sporadically until the morning of 17 January, during which time 15 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were wounded, and a number of houses and a mosque were heavily damaged.
At approximately 15:00, IOF troops positioned at al-Shuhada intersection, south of Gaza City, fired at Laurence Sue, an Italian journalist, who was traveling in a car with a translator. The car was damaged.
At approximately 15:30, IOF fired smoke bombs, believed to contain white phosphorous, at a house in al-Birka area in the southwest of Deir al-Balah. Six Palestinian civilians, including two children, sustained burns, and a number of houses were damaged.
At approximately 17:00, an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at a house belonging to ‘Eissa ‘Abdul Hadi al-Batran, 37, in al-Boreij refugee camp. As a result, al-Batran’s wife, 30-year-old Manal, and their five children were killed. The children were:

1- Islam, 15;

2- Iman, 10;

3- Ihsan, 10;

4- Bilal, 7;

5- ‘Izziddin, 3,

The house and a number of neighboring houses were damaged, and one civilian was also wounded.

At approximately 17:30, an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at a house belonging to Eyad al-Tayeb, 31. The house was heavily damaged, but no casualties were reported.
At approximately 22:30, IOF warplanes bombarded open land belonging to the Abu Meddain clan near Salah al-Din Street. Abu ‘Aassi fuel station and areas of agricultural land were damaged.
At approximately 18:30, IOF troops positioned at al-Shuhada intersection fired at an ambulance that was on its way to evacuate a corpse from the area. Another ambulance had been fired at by IOF in the same area half an hour earlier.
At approximately 02:00 on Saturday, 17 January 2009, IOF heavy military vehicles moved into al-Zahraa’ town and al-Mghraqa village, northwest of al-Nusseirat refugee camp. They opened fire indiscriminately. As a result, Mohammed ‘Abdullah Abu ‘Otaiwi, 15, was killed and a woman was wounded. A number of houses and two mosques were also heavily damaged.
Also at approximately 02:00, IOF military vehicles opened fire at an ambulance that was on its way to evacuate wounded Palestinians from al-Mughraqa village. The vehicle was damage, but the medical crew survived the attack.

Khan Yunis

· At approximately 16:10 on Friday, 6 January 2009, an IOF drone fired a missile at a motorcycle in al-Fukhari area in the southeast of Khan Yunis. Hussam Mohammed ‘Ali Abu Daqqa, 26, who was riding the motorcycle, was killed, and 3 passing civilians were wounded.

· At approximately 17:10, an IOF drone fired a missile at a motorcycle in Bani Suhaila village. Ra’fat Khalil Hamdan Abu al-‘Ola, 47, who was riding the motorcycle, was killed. The al-Quds Brigades of Islamic Jihad stated that Abu al-‘Ola was one of their members.

· At approximately 17:30, two Palestinian civilians were wounded in Ma’an village, east of Khan Yunis, when IOF troops that had moved into al-Fukhari area opened fire indiscriminately.

· At approximately 18:30, IOF warplanes bombarded open area in al-Fukhari area. No casualties were reported. IOF troops positioned in the area then fired at a civilian vehicle, in which a man and his two sons were traveling. The three civilians were wounded. The man sent several appeals through the media to be evacuated with his sons, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) received information that three members of the Shurrab family were wounded in the area, and began efforts to coordinate evacuation with IOF. By midnight, contact with the man was severed as the battery of his mobile phone ran flat. At approximately, 10:30 the following morning, Saturday, 17 January, an ambulance was finally allowed into the area. The medical crew found Mohammed Shurrab seriously wounded. His two sons, Kassab Mohammed Shurrab, 28, and Ibrahim Mohammed Shurrab, 18, were both dead. One of the sons had bled to death.

At approximately 20:05, IOF warplanes bombarded Asdaa’ media town, west of Khan Yunis. As a result, a bulldozer inside the town was destroyed. Less than an hour later, IOF warplanes bombarded the town again causing more damage.

At approximately 22:00, IOF warplanes bombarded an open area near al-Ameen Mosque in al-Satar al-Gharbi area. The mosque was damaged, but no casualties were reported.

At approximately 22:05, IOF warplanes bombarded an open area in the west of Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported.

At approximately 23:05, IOF warplanes bombarded a greenhouse in al-Satar al-Gharbi. The greenhouse was destroyed, but no casualties were reported.

At approximately 03:30 on Saturday, 17 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded a deserted building, which used to serve as a sewing workshop, in the center of Khan Yunis. The place, which had been already bombarded, was extensively damaged. In addition, two neighboring 2-storey houses belonging to Ahmed Isma’il Fares and Zakaria Abu Mo’ammar were destroyed.

Over night, IOF tanks gunboats sporadically shelled Palestinian areas in Khan Yunis. They also fired incendiary and smoke bombs. No casualties were reported.

Rafah

· At approximately 13:00 on Friday, 16 January 2009, IOF warplanes targeted a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance in Um al-Nasser village, north of Rafah, killing one of them, 21-year-old Hammouda Zayed Thabet.

· At approximately 15:30, an IOF warplane bombarded agricultural areas in Kherbat al-‘Adas area in the north of Rafah. A Palestinian child was wounded. On the previous day, 13 Palestinian civilians had been wounded by IOF shelling.

· At approximately 16:30, IOF gunboats shelled al-Mawasi area and open areas in the west of Rafah.

· At approximately 21:00, IOF warplanes bombarded the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, causing more destruction and terrifying civilians. At this press release was being published the air strikes were continuing.

· At approximately 01:05 on Saturday, 17 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded a 2-storey house belonging to Ahmed ‘Ali Abu al-A’inain, in which 40 people from 10 families live, in al-Junaina neighborhood. A supermarket and two flats on the ground floor were burnt, and a man and his wife were wounded.

· At approximately 11:20, medical crews found the bodies of two Palestinian civilians in al-Nasser village, north of Rafah. The two civilians were killed when the IOF shelled a house belonging to one of them. They were identified as: ‘Atiya Talab Abu al-Hussain, 45,and Anwar Saleh Abu Tailakh, 20.

In light of IOF attacks against the Palestinian civilian population and civilian objects in the Gaza Strip, and due to the number of Palestinian IOF victims, PCHR:

Calls for a lasting ceasefire to protect Palestinian civilians and their property.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
Calls for the prosecution of all political and military officials who are found responsible for committing war crimes against Palestinian civilians.