Ref: 10/2009
Date: 11 January 2009
Time: 12:45 GMT
Israel Uses Internationally Prohibited Weapons
16th Day of Continuous IOF Attacks cross the Gaza Strip:
39 Palestinians Killed, Including 10 Children and 6 Women;
The Total Number of Victims Mounts to 852, Including 203 Children, 58 Women and 165 Civil Police Officers
As the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continue their indiscriminate attacks in the Gaza Strip for the 16th consecutive day, the number of Palestinian civilian deaths continues to rise amidst massive destruction of buildings and property. IOF have employed their full-fledged arsenal to bombard Palestinian residential areas. In the past 24 hours, IOF have expanded their ground operation. They have moved forwards towards Palestinian towns, villages and residential areas, causing more civilian deaths and property destruction. IOF have used incinerating bombs in the areas into which they moved. According to residents of these areas, they have never been subjected to shelling by such kind of shells, which are like inflaming objects that explode and disperse shrapnel. They release white smoke that causes suffocation and fainting.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, since the beginning of their ground operations in the Gaza Strip, IOF have seized a number of houses detaining their residents under inhuman conditions. Palestinian civilians in these houses have been denied access to food and water, and they have been even used by IOF as human shields during armed clashes with Palestinian resistance groups. PCHR is deeply concerned over the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip, and reiterates its call for the international community to immediately act to stop the bloodshed of the Palestinian civilian population.
This is a summary of the crimes committed by IOF in the Gaza Strip during the last 24 hours.
Northern Gaza Strip
· At approximately 14:05 on Saturday, 10 January 2009, as a result of the indiscriminate gunfire by IOF troops that had moved into al-Salatin area, west of Beit Lahia town Wissam Ibrahim Nabhan, 65, was killed by a gunshot to the chest when he was inside his house.
· Also at approximately 14:05 on Saturday, medical sources declared that Nriman Ahmed ‘Abdul Karim Abu ‘Ouda, 18, died of wounds she had sustained two days earlier. She was wounded by a gunshot toe the chest when she was inside her houses in al-Amal neighborhood in Beir Hanoun town.
· At approximately 16:20, an IOF drone fired a missile at houses near al-Barrawi fuel station in Beit Lahia. Two Palestinian women were seriously wounded and one of each was cut: Wafaa; al-Masri, 40, who is pregnant in the 9th month; and Ghada al-Masri, 24.
· At approximately 16:45 on Saturday, an IOF drone fired a missile at al-Sultan apartment building in Martyr Saleh Dardouna Street in Jabalya town. When residents of the building attempted to get out of it, the IOD drone fired another missile that landed near the gate of the building. As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were killed:
1. Shadi Fat’hi Junaid, 27;
2. ‘Ali Kamal al-Nudor, 12; and
3. ‘Aamel Kamal al-Nudor, 15.
· At approximately 18:00 on Saturday, an IOF drone fired a missile that landed in front of a house belonging to Nafez Mohammed al-Hilu, killing 2 of his children: Amina, 18; and Mohammed, 22. Another 3 members of the family were also wounded.
· IOF fired artillery shells at 2 resistance activists in al-Salatin area, west of Beit Lahia. The two activists were killed: ‘Omar Jom’a, 19; and Ahmed Ibrahim Jom’a, 24. Additionally, ‘Abdul Hakim Khader al-Sultan, 51, was killed while he was inside his house in the area.
· At approximately 18:45, IOF warplanes bombarded a park near Sheikh Zayed Square in the center of Beit Lahia. The park and neighboring houses were heavily damaged.
· At approximately 19:20, an IOF drone fired a missile at a number of Palestinian civilians who were sitting near their houses in al-Khirab area in Beit Lahia town. Three civilians were killed:
1. ‘Abdul Mo’ti Rateb Salman, 20;
2. Rami Jamal Salman, 24; and
3. Sami ‘Omar Salman, 25.
· At approximately 22:00, IOF warplanes bombarded a house belonging to Waheed Ahmed, in which 2 families counting 14 people, in the center of Jabalya refugee camp. The house was destroyed.
· At approximately 02:00 on Sunday, 11 January 2009, an IOF drone fired a missile at al-Karama apartment buildings. The missile landed near houses in the area. When Palestinian civilians got out of their houses, the IOD drone fired another missile at the area. As a result, 4 Palestinian civilians, including a man, his wife and their son, were killed:
1. ‘Alaa’ Fat’hi Bashir, 40;
2. Lamia Hassan Bashir, 40;
3. Suhaib ‘Alaa’ Bashir, 18; and
4. Jameela Hassan Ziada, 75.
· As a result of indiscriminate IOF aerial bombardment, Ibrahim ‘Aayesh Suleiman, 25, was killed when he was near al-Karama apartment buildings.
· At approximately 03:00 on Sunday, IOF artillery shelled the house of Mohammed Khalaf in the west of Jabalya town. Two Palestinian civilians were killed: Ibrahim Mohammed Khalaf, 35; and Bilal Yahia Khalaf, 19. Soon after the family had evacuated the house, IOF bulldozers demolished it.
· At approximately 04:20 on Sunday, IOF warplanes bombarded a site of the Security and Protection Service in Beit Lahia. The site was destroyed. A missile landed on a nearby police station, but did not explode. It damaged the building of the Municipality of Beit Lahia and a number of neighboring houses.
· At approximately 04:30 on Sunday, IOF warplanes bombarded a 4-storey house belonging to Mohammed Abu Saqer, in which 4 families counting 26 people live, near al-Qassam Mosque in Beit Lahia. The house was destroyed and a number of neighboring houses were damaged.
· At approximately 09:30, IOF warplanes attacked a number of Palestinian civilians who were near their houses in al-Ghoboun area in Beit Lahia. As a result, 5 children, including 2 sisters, were killed:
1. Haitham Yasser Ma’rouf, 12;
2. Fatima Mohammed Rushdi Ma’rouf, 16;
3. Khawla Ahmed Ramadan Ghaben, 16;
4. Sahar Ahmed Ramadan Ghaben, 14; and
5. Jihane Yasser Ma’rouf, 16.
· At approximately 11:50 on Sunday, an IOF artillery shell hit a house belonging to Bahaa’ Khaled ‘Aabed, 25. He was killed ad his sister, 20-year-old Shahida, was wounded.
Gaza City
· At approximately 15:00 on Saturday, 10 January 2009, an IOF drone fired a missile at a uninhabited flat on the 9th floor in al-Mukhabarat apartment building #2 in al-Sudaniya area, northwest of Gaza City.
· At approximately 17:15 on Saturday, IOF warplanes attacked 2 activists of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas near Sheikh Radwan Bridge in the north of Gaza City. The two activists were killed: Ahmed Subhi Ahel, 21; and Younis Mohammed Hamad, 19.
· At approximately 18:00 on Saturday, Du’aa Hisham al-‘Ashi, 22, was killed while inside her house in Sheikh Radwan neighborhoos when IOF warplanes bombarded the area.
· In the evening, medical sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City declared that Nader Ibrahim Qaddoura, 15, died of wounds he had sustained in the context of the ongoing IOF offensive on the Gaza Strip.
· At approximately 22:30 on Saturday, Sami Basheer Sa’ad, 25, ad ‘Aahed Kamel Bannar, 25, were killed while they were near their houses in al-Shoja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, when an IOF warplane bombarded the area.
· At approximately 23:00 on Saturday, an IOF warplane bombarded Palestine Academy for Security Education in al-Nasser neighborhood in he north of Gaza City. The building was destroyed.
· At approximately 23:30 on Saturday, an IOF warplane fired a missile at Rami Mohammed Sa’id Abu al-‘Ata, 27, a resistance activist, when he was in al-Shoja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. Tariq Ibrahim Abu Tabeekh rushed to rescue him. Immediately, the warplane fired another missile at both of them killing them.
· At approximately 00:15 on Sunday, 11 January 2009, IOF artillery shelled the house of Tal’at Hammouda in Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in the south of Gaza City. Two of Hammouda’s children were killed: Fares, 1.5; and Mohammed, 22.
· At approximately 01:40 on Sunday, an IOF drone fired a missile at a shop of mobile phones belonging to Khamis Zakaria al-Dan in al-Nasser neighborhood in the north of Gaza City. The shop was destroyed.
· At approximately 02:00 Sunday, fierce fighting erupted between Palestinian resistance activists and IOF in Sheikh ‘Ejlin neighborhood in the south of Gaza City. The fighting continued for a few hours, during which time 11 Palestinians were killed:
o Mohammed Mansour Sa’da, 21;
o ‘Abdul Rahman Tawfiq al-Kashef, 21;
o Ibrahim Yousef Hamdan, 18;
o ‘Abdullah ‘Arafat Shamallakh, 37;
o ‘Ali Isaac Shamallakh, 23;
o ‘Essam Isaac Shamallakh, 22;
o Mahmoud Ahmed Shamallakh, 21;
o Muhannad Mazen al-Naji, 21;
o Mohammed Khalil al-Tatar, 28;
o Ramzi Rafe’ Abu Ghanima, 23; and
o ‘Ata al-Dahdouh, 19.
· At approximately 05:15 on Sunday, IOF warplanes bombarded a 4-storey house belonging to Mohammed Mahmoud ‘Awadallah, in which 50 people live, in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. The house was destroyed.
· At approximately 06:00 on Sunday, IOF fired an artillery shell at a house belonging to the al-Jalab family in Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in the south of Gaza City. As a result, Mahmoud Taher al-Jalab, 70, was killed.
Central Gaza Strip
· At approximately 12:30 on Saturday, 10 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded al-Safa Mosque in al-Boreij refugee camp. The mosque was partially destroyed. Shrapnel hit a neighboring house belonging to Mohammed al-‘Askari and wounded his wife, Hiba, 28, and his children, 6-year-old Ayman and 8-year-old Mos’ab.
· Also at approximately 12:30 on Saturday, IOF warplanes bombarded a tract of agricultural land belonging to the al-Musaddar family to the south of al-Maghazi refugee camp. As a result, a well wad destroyed.
· At approximately 12:45 on Sunday, an IOF drone fired a missile at a 3-storey house belonging to Ibrahim Mohammed Hamad, in which 2 families counting 8 people live, in al-Boreij refugee camp. The house was damaged and 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded.
· At approximately 12:50 on Saturday, IOF fired 3 artillery shells at al-Nawi apartment building in al-Nussairat refugee camp. As a result, ‘Izziddin ‘Ali al-Bursh, 16, was killed, and his brother Mujahed, 12, was wounded, when they were inside their flat. The building was heavily damaged.
· At approximately 14:00 on Saturday, an IOF warplane fired a missile at Hassan Mohammed Harb, 24, a resistance activist, in al-Sikka Street in al-Boreij refugee camp. He was instantly killed.
· Also at approximately 14:00 on Saturday, an IOF drone fired a missile at a house belonging to Muneer Yousef Dwaik. The house was damaged and 2 civilians, including a woman, were wounded.
· At approximately 21:30, an IOF warplane bombarded al-Mufti land in the west of al-Nussairat refugee camp. As a result, Fatima Mohammed Ahmed Tubail, 85, was killed while she was inside her house and another 2 civilians, including a woman, were wounded.
· At approximately 23:30 on Saturday, IOF warplanes bombarded a 2-storey house belonging to ‘Abdul Rahim Shaker al-Khatib, 55, in which 5 people live, in al-Nussairat refugee camp. As a result, 10 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and 4 women, were wounded. The house and 3 neighboring ones were destroyed and a number of others were damaged.
· At approximately 00:00 on Sunday, 11 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded a 3-storey house belonging to the heirs of Farhoud Younis Abu Khubbaiza in al-Nussairat refugee camp. The house and 2 neighboring ones were destroyed and a number of others were damaged.
· At approximately 14:40, IOF warplanes bombarded a 2-storey house belonging to Mohammed Hussein Shaheen in al-Maghazi refugee camp. The house was destroyed and 2 neighboring ones were damaged. Three Palestinian civilians were also wounded.
Khan Yunis:
· At approximately 13:00 on Saturday, 10 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded an open area in al-Satar al-Gharbi area in the north of Khan Yunis. They bombarded the same area again at approximately 16:00. No casualties were reported.
· At approximately 22:00 on Saturday, an IOF drone fired a missile at a 3-storey house belonging to Ibrahim Baraka in Bani Suhaila village, east of Khan Yunis. Ten minutes later, an IOF warplane bombarded and destroyed the house. A number of neighboring houses were damaged. It is worth noting that IOF warplanes had bombarded a workshop belonging to Baraka on 27 December 2008.
· Also at approximately 22:00 on Sunday, an IOF drone fired a missile at a house belonging to Mahdi Kaware’ in the east of Khan Yunis. Ten minutes later, an IOF warplane bombarded and destroyed the house. A number of neighboring houses were damaged.
· Also at approximately 22:00 on Saturday, IOF trooped positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired artillery shells at houses in the east of Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. According to residents of the area, they have never been subjected to shelling by such kind of shells, which are like inflaming objects that explode and disperse shrapnel. They release white smoke that causes suffocation and fainting. One of these shells hit a house belonging to Ahmed Qudaih. As a result, his niece, 41-year-old Hanan Fat’hi Qudaih al-Najjar, was killed and 3 of her children and another 10 members of the family were wounded. The woman and her children resorted to her uncle’s house thinking that it was safer that her house, which is located in al-Najjar quarter near the border. Several shells hit houses in the area causing suffocation, spasms and burns to at least 100 civilians. Fire also broke out in at least 15 houses. A number of members of medical and civil defense crews suffered from suffocation.
· At approximately 05:00 on Sunday, 11 January 2009, IOF moved into al-Najjar and Abu Tu’aima quarters in the east of Khuza’a village under cover of artillery shelling. They also fired shells that release inflaming shrapnel.
· At approximately 06:00 on Sunday, an IOF drone fired a missile at a number of Palestinian resistance activists in Khuza’a village. An activist, Nour Mohammed ‘Ameesh, 24, was killed, and 4 others were wounded.
· At approximately 09:00 on Sunday, 10 Palestinian civilians, mostly women and children, were admitted into hospitals in Khan Yunis. They suffered from difficulties in breathing and pains in the eyes, and they had a smell of burnt phosphor. According to a number of civilians whose houses were hit by such bombs, smoke with disgusting smell is released from them causing suffocation. A number of people also fainted. The shells also burnt a number of houses. Ameen Isma’il Subeh, 40, sustained burns to his right hand when one of such shells hit his house.
· At 10:17 on Sunday, an IOF warplane bombarded an open area near al-Ameen Mosque in al-Satar al-Gharbi area in Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported.
Rafah
· At approximately 13:00 on Saturday, 10 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded a site of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas in ‘Oraiba area in the northwest of Rafah. IOF warplanes bombarded the site again at approximately 16:00.
· At approximately 15:00 on Saturday, an IOF drone fired a missile at Taha Hussein Street in Kherbat al-‘Adas area in the northeast of Rafah. As a result, Ahmed Jom’a al-Sha’er, 23, a member of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas, was killed when he was walking in the street.
· At approximately 16:50 on Saturday, IOF warplanes bombarded the border strip between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, south of Rafah.
· At approximately 17:00, IOF warplanes bombarded the road leading to Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in al-Junaina neighborhood in Rafah. The bombardment made a crater into the road and damaged the hospital and neighboring houses.
· At approximately 19:50 on Saturday, IOF warplanes bombarded agricultural areas in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah.
· At approximately 20:20 on Saturday, IOF helicopter gunships fired 2 missiles at agricultural area near Salah al-Din Street, east of Rafah.
· At approximately 20:50 on Saturday, IOF warplanes bombarded a house belonging to Sami Mohammed Shallouf, a member of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas, in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah. The house was destroyed and a number of neighboring ones were damaged. Two Palestinian civilians were also wounded.
· At approximately 20:55 on Saturday, IOF warplanes bombarded agricultural areas in Kherbat al-‘Adas area in the northeast of Rafah.
· At approximately 21:00 on Saturday, IOG warplanes bombarded a house belonging to Ahmed Mohammed al-Sha’er, in which 4 families counting 12 people live, in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah. The house was destroyed.
· At approximately 00:30 on Sunday, 11 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded agricultural areas in Taha Hussein Street in the northwest of Rafah. They bombarded the same areas again less than half an hour later.
· At approximately 03:00 on Sunday, IOF warplanes bombarded the building of Dar al-Fadila Association for Orphans, which included a school, a college, a computer center and a mosque, in Taha Hussein Street in Kherbat al-‘Adas area in the northeast of Rafah. The building was destroyed.
· At approximately 03:20 on Sunday, IOF warplanes bombarded a 3-storey house belonging to Mahmoud Hamas Qishta, in which 4 families live, near Salah al-Din Gate on the Egyptian border south of Rafah. The house and a neighboring one were destroyed, and a number of others were damaged.
· At approximately 07:00 on Sunday, IOF warplanes bombarded agricultural areas in Taha Hussein Street in Kherbat al-‘Adas area in the northeast of Rafah.
In light of the crimes committed by IOF against the Palestinian civilian population and civilian objects in the Gaza Strip, PCHR:
1.Condemns these crimes, which are part of a series of continuous crimes committed by IOF in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) with total disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians, considering them a form of collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population in violation of article 33 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.
2.Holds Israel responsible for the lives of Palestinian civilians in all circumstances. Under the international law, the existence of armed resistance does not in any case justify the use of such excessive force disproportionately and indiscriminately.
3.Warns that the lives of Palestinian civilians are endangered in light of threats vowed by Israeli political and military officials to expand military operations against the population of the Gaza Strip.
4.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).
5.Calls upon international and Israeli human rights organizations to activate their role and raise their voices against war crimes committed by IOF against the unarmed Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip.
6.Calls upon the United Nations and the Human Rights Council to establish inquiry commissions to investigate crimes committed by IOF against Palestinian civilians.
7.Calls particularly for investigating the use of internationally prohibited weapons by IOF against the Palestinian civilian population.
