Ref: 65/2010

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) launched several air
strikes on the Gaza Strip within in the past 48 hours. One of the strikes was carried out against
‘Isa al-Batran, “a member of Hamas,” from al-Boreij refugee camp in
the central Gaza Strip. In addition, sixteen Palestinian policemen, two women
and a child were wounded when an air strike targeted the presidential runway in
Gaza City.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian
Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 23:30 on Friday, 30 July 2010,
Israeli warplanes fired two missiles on an area used for expired security
vehicles on the runway, which is located near the presidential compound in the
west of Gaza City. The attack wounded
sixteen policemen who were on the presidential runway and the compound (Muntada)
as well as two women and a child who were passing by the area. The attack also
caused damages to neighboring homes and buildings, terrifying the residents of
the area. Those wounded were transferred to al-Shifa hospital, where medical
sources described their wounds as light.

Simultaneously, Israeli warplanes fired a missile on the
tunnels area at the Palestinian-Egyptian borders, to the east of Rafah
International Crossing Point. No casualties were reported.

At approximately 00:30 on Saturday 31 July 2010, Israeli warplanes
fired a missile at a tract of land surrounded by tinplates. In the area at the
time of the attack was ‘Isa Abdul Hadi al-Batran, 40, a member of the Izziddin al-Qassam
Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas). The
land is located in Abu Jebba area in
al-Nusseirat refugee camp, to the west of Salah el-Deen street in the Central
Gaza Strip. Mr. al-Batran was killed as a result of the attack, which
also destroyed residential structures and a car in the area.

It should be noted that Mr. al-Batran was subjected to
several assassination attempts, the latest of which occurring during the latest
Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, which killed his wife and five children:

1) Manal Hassan Ali al-Batran “al-Sha’rawi”, 32;

2) Ezz el-Deen, 3;

3) Belal, 6;

4) Iman, 11;

5) Ihsan, 14; and

6) Islam 14.

At approximately 02:40 on Sunday, 01 August 2010, Israeli warplanes
fired a missile at a farm in the eastern outskirts of  ‘Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis. The missile left a large crater in the area,
but there were no injuries.

Approximately ten minutes later, Israeli warplanes fired a
missile on a tunnel site at the Palestinian-Egyptian border, opposite Yebna
refugee camp south of Rafah. No casualties were reported.

PCHR reiterates its condemnation of such crimes, and:

1) Confirms that these crimes are part of a series of the
Israeli war crimes committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT),
which reflect IOF’s disregard for the lives of Palestinians; and

2) Therefore, calls upon the international community to
promptly act to stop such crimes and reiterates it call upon the High Contracting
Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article
1 of the Convention to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all
circumstances; in addition to their obligations under Article 146 to search for
and prosecute those who are responsible for perpetrating grave breaches of the
Convention, which are considered as war crimes under Article 147 of the Fourth
Geneva Convention and the Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, to ensure
the right to protection of Palestinian civilians in the OPT.