Ref: 136/2014
Date: 27 August 2014
Time: 07:00 GMT

11 Palestinians, 5 of Whom Are Civilians, Including 2 Children, Killed and 55 Others, Including 14 Children and 12 Women, Wounded;
Child Dies of Previous Wound;
5 Houses and Mosque Destroyed

Since the Beginning of the Israeli Offensive, 2,168Palestinians, 1,662 of Whom Are Civilians, Including 519 Children and 297 Women, Killed and 10,895 Others, Mostly Civilians, Including 3,306 Children and 2,114 Women, Wounded;
953 Houses Targeted and Destroyed by Israeli Warplanes;
165 Families Attacked in Their Homes and 991 Members of Them Killed;
Thousands of Houses Destroyed Completely or Partially by Israeli Shelling

A few hours before the declaration of a ceasefire between the Israeli and Palestinian sides, and on the last day of the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, which lasted for 51 days, Israeli occupation forces killed 11 Palestinians, 5 of whom are civilians, including 2 children, and wounded 55 others, including 14 children and 12 women. A child died of a previous wound. Additionally, Israeli forces destroyed 5 houses and a mosque.

When the ceasefire entered into forces, hundreds of Palestinian civilians, who had been forcibly displaced from the eastern and northern areas of the Gaza Strip, began to return to their homes. Hundreds of other civilians have remained in humanitarian shelters as their houses were destroyed and no alternatives are available to them, including those whose flats were destroyed in the last three days of the offensive when Israeli warplanes destroyed multi-storey apartment buildings.

The latest developments from 10:00 (07:00 GMT) to 19:00 on Tuesday, 26 August 2014 were as follows:

The Northern Gaza Strip:

Israeli warplanes launched a number of airstrikes targeting an apartment building, a house, agricultural plots and open areas. As a result of these attacks, 3 Palestinians, including 2 civilians, were killed, and 25 others, including 6 children and 3 women, were wounded. Additionally, 2 houses were destroyed, and a number of others have been damaged.

The most significant attacks were as follows:

• At approximately 13:35 on Tuesday, 26 August 2014, an Israeli drone attacked a vehicle of Gaza Electricity Distribution Company in Beit Lahia. Two workers who were traveling in the vehicle were killed: Tamer Midhat Hamad, 24; and Mohammed Abdul Rahman Zaher, 49. The vehicle was also destroyed. The vehicle was clearly marked by the company’s logo and flag. Additionally, 3 bystanders, including a child, were wounded.
• At approximately 14:10, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a 3-storey house belonging to Abdul Rahim Abdul HadiAfana in Tal al-Zatar area in Jabalya. A few minutes later, Israeli warplanes bombarded and destroyed the house. A number of nearby houses were damaged.
• At approximately 15:45, an Israeli drone fired a missile at members of a Palestinian armed group in al-Qaraman Street in Beit Lahia, killing one of them and wounding 2 others.
• At approximately 18:30, an Israeli drone fired 2 missiles at apartment building #67 in Sheikh Zayed town, east of Beit Lahia. The building consists of 5 floors, comprised of 10 flats where 14 families counting 80 people live. A few minutes later, Israeli warplanes bombarded and destroyed the building. A number of nearby buildings and cars were damaged.

Gaza City:

Israeli forces killed 2 members of a Palestinian armed group. A child also died of a previous wound.

The most significant attacks were as follows:

• At approximately 13:40 on Tuesday, 26 August 2014, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at 2 members of a Palestinian armed group who were traveling on a motorcycle in al-Shaaf neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. Both of them were instantly killed.
• At approximately 21:00, medical sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City declared that Lama Khader Yousef al-Nabeeh, 4, died of a wound she had sustained by indiscriminate Israeli shelling of al-Shujaiya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City on 20 August 2014.
• Note: Four Palestinian civilians were killed during the offensive, but their names unintentionally did not appear in our daily updates. These civilians were killed in Gaza City in July 2014, and they were identified as:

1. UssamaZiad Hassan Abu Hain, 34, whose house was shelled on 23 July 2014;
2. Jawaher Suleiman al-Sheikh Khalil, 38, killed on 20 July 2014;
3. AamerYahia Ali Abu al-Ata, 21, killed on 20 July 2014; and
4. MajedSubhi al-Tash, 50, killed on 12 July.

The Central Gaza Strip:

Israeli warplanes have launched 6 airstrikes targeting a house, agricultural plots and open areas. As a result of these attacks, 21 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children and 7 women, were wounded, and a house was destroyed.

The most significant attacks were as follows:

• At approximately 18:50 on Tuesday, 26 August 2014, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at an asbestos-roofed house belonging to Amena Ahmed al-Nadi, in which 4 people live. The house was destroyed, and a number of nearby houses were damaged.

Khan Yunis:

Israeli warplanes have launched 12 airstrikes at agricultural plots,houses and a mosque. As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were killedand a 4th civilian was wounded. A house was extensively damaged, and a mosque was destroyed.

The most significant attacks were as follows:

• At approximately 11:00 on Tuesday, 25 August 2014, Israeli tanks positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Khan Yunis fired a number of shells at Abassan and al-Qarara villages.
• At approximately 12:35, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at an agricultural plot in the west of al-Amal neighborhood.
• At approximately 13:00, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at an open area in the west of Khan Yunis.
• At approximately 13:55, an Israeli warplane fired 2 missiles at a tract of land near Omar Bin al-Khattab Mosque in BaniSuhaila village, east of Khan Yunis.
• Also at approximately 13:55, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at an agricultural plot in al-Qarara village, east of Khan Yunis,
• At approximately 14:45, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at Anas Ibn Malek Mosque in Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis.
• At approximately 16:10, Israeli warplanes launched 3 airstrikes on open areas in al-Najjar quarter in Khuzaá village, east of Khan Yunis.
• At approximately 16:30, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a house belonging to Allam Yousef al-Astal, in which 8 people live. A few minutes later, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a nearby tract of land. The land and the house were damaged.
• At approximately 18:40, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a motor cart in Saladin Street in al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis. As a result, 2 Palestinian children were killed: Omar and Mohammed Hussam Ahmed al-Buraim, 16 and 13 respectively. The drone fired another missile at a car in the same area. As a result, Farhan Ahmed Sarsour, 45, and his son Yazid, 19, were wounded. the father died of his wound at approximately 08:00 on Wednesday, 27 August 2014.

Rafah:

Israeli warplanes have launched 8 airstrikes on various areas in Rafah targeting houses and members of Palestinian armed groups. As a result of these attacks, 3 members ofa Palestinian armed group were killed, and 8 civilians, including 2 women and 2 children, were wounded. A house was also destroyed.

The most significant attacks were as follows:

• At approximately 10:20 on Tuesday, 25 August 2014, Israeli forces fired a number of artillery shells at houses and agricultural areas in al-Shouka and al-Nasser villages, east of Rafah.
• From 17:00 to 18:30, Israeli warplanes launched 7 missiles at a house belonging to Nafez Rashad Azzam, a leader of Islamic Jihad, in which 9 people live, in al-Brazil neighborhood in the south of Rafah. The house was completely destroyed and a number of nearby houses were damaged. Additionally, 7 Palestinian civilians, including 2 women and 2 children.
• At approximately 17:30, an Israeli drone fired a missile at 3 members of a Palestinian armed group who were on an agricultural plot near Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in al-Junaina neighborhood in Rafah. The three members were killed, and a civilian bystander was wounded.

PCHR reiterates condemnation, expresses utmost concern for these crimes, and:

1. Calls upon the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to promptly visit the Gaza Strip, to fulfill her responsibilities to stop this barbaric offensive and to closely watch the systematic destruction caused and deliberate targeting of Palestinian civilians and property protected under the international law;
2. Calls upon the UN Human Rights Council to accelerate the formation of the fact-finding mission as decided by the Council in the resolution taken in its special session that was held on 23 July 2014 to investigate violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law in the occupied Palestinian territory without any delay related to bureaucratic restrictions and procedures;
3. Calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their contractual obligations not only to respect the Convention, but also ensure respect for the Convention, and to immediately intervene to stop war crimes committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians, and calls upon the Swiss Government, the depository of the Geneva Conventions, to call for a new conference of the High Contracting Parties as soon as possible;
4. Stresses that holding war criminals accountable is an essential condition for any future settlement, and the international community should confirm that no impunity for war criminals, and the achievement of peace is conditioned by respect for human rights and the international law, and prosecution of war criminals;
5. Calls upon the Palestinian leadership to immediately accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which will provide opportunities to prosecute Israeli war criminals before the Court;
6. Stresses that the Gaza Strip is a disaster area and there is an urgent need to treat the disastrous humanitarian situation resulting from deliberate Israeli attacks on the civilian infrastructure, including electricity, water, hospitals, shelters and houses, forcible displacement of more than 500,000 civilians ad systematic and mass destruction of civilian communities;
7. Calls upon the international community to intervene to stop the policies of collective punishment and left the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip for more than seven years, allowing the freedom of movement and goods, away from artificial improvements which have contributed to institutionalizing and prolonging the closure.