Ref: 69/2021
Date: 21 May 2021
Time: 15:00 GMT
17 Palestinians killed, including two children found under the rubble; 33 wounded, including 8 women and 17 children
Aggression Death Toll: 247 Killed, including 66 Children and 39 Women; 1417 wounded, including 277 women and 412 children
On the 11th day of the Israeli occupation forces’ (IOF) aggression on the Gaza Strip, dozens of intense airstrikes, shelling and bombing attacks were executed by the Israeli warplanes, arterially and gunboats, against dozens of Palestinian civilian houses and facilities. IOF attacks continued until the cease-fire agreement, brokered by Egypt, went into effect at 02:00 on Friday, 21 May 2021.
The initial field examination missions PCHR team conducted showed the devastating destruction caused by IOF attacks this month. PCHR teams will commence immediately in establishing a comprehensive legal documentation of the aggression and its implications on the victims and the Gaza Strip infrastructure.
In follow-up to PCHR’s daily press releases and dissemination of information on IOF attacks on the Gaza Strip, 3 Palestinians were killed, and the bodies of 14 others were retrieved from under the rubble, including the bodies of two children. Additionally, 33 others, including 8 women and 17 children, were wounded. IOF airstrikes targeted 7 houses and several establishments, raising the number of houses attacked by IOF to 169, including multi-floor buildings.
The death toll of IOF aggression on the Gaza Strip since its onset reached: 247 killed, including 66 children and 39 women; 1416 wounded, including 277 women and 412 children.
Herein follows the details of IOF attacks documented on Thursday 20 May 2021, before the cease-fire agreement.
Northern Gaza governorate:
3 Palestinians were killed, 32 others wounded, including 17 children and 7 women. Two houses destroyed; dozens of other houses damaged as well as a company. Infrastructure sustained dramatic destruction.
12:00: Israeli warplanes targeted a group of civilians in Beit Lahia, killing Hesham Shaher Mohammed al-Shurafa (26) and wounding another Palestinians (moderate wounds).
12:30: Israeli warplanes launched two missiles at al-Areiny family home in Tal al-Za’tar, completely destroying the two-floor house.
15:55: Israeli warplanes launched one missile at WAEL Hassan Salim Rajab’s house in Beit Lahia, completely destroying the two-story house.
16:40: Israeli warplanes launched a missile at a white Skoda Citgo car while driving down a sub-street of al-Saftawy neighborhood, western Jabalia. The airstrike killed Maisra Abdul-Shakour Mosbah al-Ar’eer (22) and Omar Ahmed Mohammed Jendya (24) and destroyed the car.
17:00: an artillery munition on Ali Khalil Ali Abu-Jarad’s (69) house in Izbat Beit Hanoun, wounding 6 Palestinians, including the houseowner who was classified in critical state.
Gaza
Israeli airstrikes rendered 3 houses completely destroyed and partially damaged a fourth. Three factories sustained significant damage, as well as several shops. The body of a child (female) was retrieved from under the rubble of her family home, and another child was confirmed dead after he was lost under the rubble of his family home, which was bombed by IOF while the family was inside.
8:00 IOF warplanes launched three missiles at Abdul-qader Abdul-Aziz al-Kojok (76) in Sheikh ‘Ejleen, completely destroying the 4-floor apartment building (600 sqm). The building had 8 apartments and housed 4 families, including 20 children and 4 women.
13:00: IOF warplanes launched two missiles at the northern side of the first floor of al-Raed (1) apartment building at the center of Gaza city, completely destroying the apartment and 4 commercial shops. Also, neighboring houses sustained significant damage.
14:00: Israeli warplanes bombed and completely destroyed Kuhail building in eastern Gaza city. The 4-floor building had 4 commercial stores that were destroyed: al-Badrasawi for Children Clothing; Kuhail Home Appliances; Badri men’s clothing and Jenina Children Clothing.
16:45: Israeli warplanes fired two missiles at Nael Zeyad al-Abed Abu-Ouda in Shati refugee camp, causing significant damages to the 4-floor 270sqm building. The building had 3 apartments and was home to 3 families, including 15 children and 9 women.
On Friday morning, medical crews found the body of 3-year old Meriam Mohammed Ouda al-Telbany under the rubles of her family home, which was bombed by Israeli warplanes on 11 May 2021. The Forensic Medicine Department stated that the child’s body had decomposed.
Also, it was found that 10-year old Yehya Mohammed Sobhi al-Hadidi was killed with his family during the IOF airstrike on Abu-Hatab family home in Shati refugee camp on 15 May 2021. The child was buried with his mother and his three siblings but his name was not documented at al-Shifa Medical Complex.
During PCHR team’s field visit to Palestine Industrial Estates Development & Management Co. Ltd. (PIEDCO) in eastern Gaza, the team documented that 3 other factories -than previously recorded- were destroyed in the area. As such, the total number of factories attacked by IOF artillery reached 12. At the moment this press release was published, fire is raging in the area as IOF hindered the access of the Civil Defense crews.
Central Gaza
12:30: for several hours, IOF intensified the artillery shelling in eastern Central Gaza governorate. Shells fell on several houses (Halawa, Abu-Ayyad, and Hamdan family homes) in eastern Buraij, causing partial damages.
Khan Younis
IOF bombing wounded a Palestinian woman and damaged 3 houses and a gas station
11:30: An artillery munition targeted a gas filling station in al-Satar al-Gharbi area, setting it on fire. The fire was put out after a laborious effort by the Civil Defense Crews as IOF continued to bomb the area.
15:30: IOF drone launched a missile on Mousa Sobhi al-Hindey’s house in Khan Younis. The drone-strike was followed by two missiles by a military aircraft, one detonated and caused extensive damage to the 3-floor house and nearby houses; the other did not detonate. The bombing was preceded by a call from the IOF to one of the residents that ordered them to evacuate the 200sqm house that sheltered a family of 7.
16:00: IOF fired several artillery munitions that hit and destroyed Ghassan Barham Salem al-Jarf’s house, a greenhouse, and Khaled Fayez Ali Arafat’s water well in ‘Abasan al Jadida.
19:05: Israeli warplanes launched a missile on an agricultural land in al-Satar al-Gharbi area wounding a Palestinian woman.
On Friday morning, 21 May 2021, the bodies of 12 Palestinian members of armed-groups arrived to Naser Hospital after their bodies were retrieved from two locations that were bombed by IOF in the past few days.
Rafah
1 house was destroyed in IOF bombing; a pharmacy and a main electrical line were damaged, as well as several other houses and infrastructure.
12:00: IOF artillery fired munitions on eastern Rafah, destroyed a main electrical line and setting agricultural lands on fire.
14:00: Israeli warplanes launched three missiles on Hussein Amir Hussein al-Mughair’s house in al-Shaboura refugee camp, completely destroying the 3-floor house. Four Palestinians sustained wounds in the attack, including a child and a journalist. The house was home to four families (21 persons), and was targeted with two drone-launched missiles two days ago.
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights calls upon the international Criminal Court to open an investigation into the occupation’s crimes during this military aggression, and reiterates its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfil their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances and their obligations under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention. These grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions regarding the guarantee of Palestinian civilians’ right to protection in the oPt.
