The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli Occupation Forces’ (IOF) ongoing commission of unjustifiable killings and indiscriminate bombings in the Gaza Strip, in addition to the continued closure of Gaza’s crossings and the use of starvation as a weapon of war. This indicates Israel’s insistence on continuing its genocide against the Palestinians.

This escalation comes after Israel declared its unliteral renunciation of the ceasefire agreement and amid its escalating threats to resume their widescale military aggression on the Gaza Strip

In their latest crimes, IOF killed 6 Palestinians, including media and humanitarian relief professionals, in a drone strike targeting them in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip.

According to PCHR’s field documentation, at around 12:00 on Saturday, 15 March 2025, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a group of humanitarian aid workers inside al-Kheir displacement camp established by al-Kheir Charity in northern al-‘Atatrah area, northwest of Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip. While attempting to escape in a vehicle, the Israeli drone fired another missile, killing 6, including 3 of the charity staff members and 3 media professionals working for the same charity. Their bodies were burnt and turned into pieces while 10 others were wounded, including 2 in critical condition.

Those killed were identified as Mahmoud Khaled Mesbah al-Basous (20), a freelance drone photographer working for Anadolu News Agency; Belal Mohammed Khalil Abu Matter (35), working in montage; Mohammed Wasfi Hassan al-Ghafir (26); Hazem Mohammed Isma’il Ghareeb (35); Belal Hussam Sha’ban ‘Akilah (28), all working in al-Kheir Charity; and Mahmoud Yehia Rushdi al-Sarraji (24), a photographer whose brother, Rushdi, a journalist, had been killed in a previous Israeli airstrike. It should be noted that the two brothers were the sons of Gaza Mayor.

One of al-Kheir Chairty staff members stated that the staff targeted by IOF was inaugurating al-Kheir displacement camp, which has been established to shelter hundreds of displaced people, whose houses had been destroyed in Beit Lahia.

This crime indicates a surge in IOF’s killings over the past few days in the Gaza Strip and their recurrent breaches of the ceasefire agreement.

Moreover, in recent days, our field researchers have documented 6 airstrikes that have claimed the lives of 8 civilians, including 3 children, a young man, a fisherman and 3 brothers.  The incidents were as follows:

At around 17:00 on Friday, 14 March 2025, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Sudaniyah Shore, west of Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip, fired a shell at a rowing boat manned by a fisherman namely Mohammed Riyadh Siam (22). As a result, shrapnel hit different parts of his body and killed him while he was fishing only 200 meters offshore.

At around 17:50 on Thursday, 13 March 2025, an Israeli drone dropped two bombs at a tent sheltering Karim ‘Azzam Mahmoud Nuseir, in Buret al-Amal neighborhood, northeastern Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip. As a result, his 3-year-old child, Seraj, was killed with shrapnel that hit different parts of his body. Also, the child’s mother, Dina Suhail Nuseir (25), was injured with shrapnel in her head and her condition was reported critical. She was then admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at the Indonesian Hospital in Jabalia. The child’s father said that he had to set up the tent in that area which is more than 1000 meters away from the border with Israel after his house had been destroyed by the IOF.

Later that evening, an Israeli drone indiscriminately opened fire at al-Shuja’iyah neighborhood, eastern Gaza City, killing 3-year-old Amjad Hazem ‘Abed. It should be noted that the child’s father was killed months ago during the Israeli military aggression on the Gaza Strip.

At around 17:20 on Tuesday, 11 March 2025, IOF stationed along the border fence in Kusufim area, between Al-Qarara and east of Wadi Al-Salqa village, east of Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, opened fire at houses in Wadi al-Salqa village. As a result, 13-year-old Hala ‘Azmi Mohammed Abu Haddaf was injured with a bullet in her chest while she was on her way to buy some supplies for Suhour, a pre-dawn meal before fasting in Ramadan. Hala’s father took her in donkey-drawn cart and then a nearby SUV drove them to an ambulance that transported them to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, where doctors announced her death.

At around 17:30 on Monday, 10 March 2025, an Israeli quadcopter fired a missile at a group of people in front of their houses in al-Shawkah village, eastern Rafah City. As a result, Najjad Nahed Soliman Abu Sneimah (18) was killed.

At around 14:20 on the same day, an Israeli drone targeted a group of people in northeastern al-Bureij in the central Gaza Strip. As a result, 3 brothers were killed: Mahmoud, Mohammed and Ahmed ‘Abdullah Mahmoud Ahmed. People tried to pull the three brothers from the area, but the Israeli drones fired more missiles, forcing them to retreat more than once. Four hours later, the bodies of the three brothers could be evacuated to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah.

More shooting incidents were documented by our researchers in Rafah, Khan Younis and northern Gaza Strip in recent days. These recurrent incidents have injured many, including children and women, forcing hundreds to evacuate to areas that are way further from the IOF-imposed buffer zone.

Since the ceasefire was declared on 19 January 2025, IOF’s killings and airstrikes have not stopped across the Gaza Strip. As a result, more than 155 Palestinians have been killed so far, and hundred others have been injured. This undoubtedly proves the Israeli genocide continues by maintaining the same situation imposed since 07 October, including returning to kill civilians even during the ceasefire.

All these crimes come at a time IOF uses starvation as a weapon of war as part of their broader genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The consequences of the complete closure of Gaza’s crossings and blocking goods and essential supplies from entering the Gaza Strip since 02 March 2025 started to unfold. Many bakeries have been forced to shut down while water supply and transportation have been disrupted amid depletion of essential supplies from markets alongside blocking entry of civil defense equipment, medicines, and resources for rebuilding hospitals and infrastructure. This clearly indicates further deterioration of the already catastrophic humanitarian conditions endured by 2.3 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, as part of IOF’s deliberate policy to destroy all means of life and survival and turn the Strip into an unlivable place. These actions are part of a complex process consisting of a series of crimes, reflecting the nature and essence of the crime of genocide.

In light of this tragedy unfolding, PCHR calls upon the international community to scale up efforts to ensure a lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and halt the ongoing military assault on the West Bank, including protecting civilians and alleviating the devastating impact of the genocide committed against them

PCHR also urges the international community to adhere to the provisions of international criminal law and principles of global justice and take decisive action to hold Israel, its leaders and those responsible for committing grave international crimes against the Palestinian people accountable and to bring them to justice before international and national courts. PCHR warns that Inaction in this regard encourages impunity and undermines the rule of law worldwide.