Ref: 52/2023
Date: 11 May 2023
Time: 11:30 GMT
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continue their widescale aggression on the Gaza Strip, which began at dawn on Tuesday, 09 May 2023. After the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) issued its press release, IOF warplanes conducted dozens of airstrikes on residential houses, agricultural lands, sites of the Palestinian armed groups, and others. As a result, 12 Palestinians, including 2 children, were killed, and 45 others, including 11 children and 11 women, were wounded while two houses and an apartment were destroyed after directly targeting them by IOF. Thus, the death toll during the Israeli aggression has risen to 25, including 13 civilians: 6 children and 4 women, while 63 injuries were reported, including 15 children and 15 women.
PCHR is still investigating certain incidents as preliminary investigations indicate casualties fell after homemade rockets had fallen in three incidents, during which 3 civilians, including 2 children, were killed and 26 others were wounded, including 7 children and 5 women.
The Israeli aggression continues upon a decision from Israel’s top military and political echelons with non-stop statements supporting the aggression and threatening to expand it, including the statement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said it is quite possible to expand Gaza operation and violent strikes against the Gaza Strip. Moreover, the Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, stated that they are ready for further rounds, while the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eli Cohen, said that Israel has full support of the United States and European countries, and that the Israeli government will respond to whoever intends to harm Israel. All of this proves that the international community’s silence policy encourages Israel to carry on with its aggression.
The following are the most significant developments:
On 09 May 2023, Wael Muhammad Sabri al-Agha (34), and Saed Jawad ‘Abd Farwana (28), members of the Palestinian armed groups, were killed, and two other Palestinians were injured in an Israeli airstrike on a civilian car in al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Yunis.
On 10 May 2023, the bombing escalated against agricultural lands, sites of Palestinian armed groups, and houses. As a result, 7 Palestinians were killed, including 3 civilians: 2 were children. PCHR is still investigating the nature of the missile that killed them and injured 36 others, including 8 women and 10 children.
The two Palestinians killed and identified as Muhammad Yousef Abu Ta’ima (23) and ‘Alaa Maher Abu Ta’ima (28), who were members of the Palestinian armed groups, were killed in an airstrike that targeted them in an agricultural field in ‘Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Yunis.
Meanwhile, Ayman Karam Saidam (26) and ‘Alam Al-Dein Sameer ‘Abdul-‘Aziz (23), who were members of the Palestinian armed groups, were killed, and 2 others were wounded as a result of an Israeli airstrike on an agricultural land in Al-Shokah village, east of Rafah. In addition, 8 Palestinians, including 3 children and 3 women, were wounded in an airstrike on an agricultural land near residential houses in Al-Salam neighborhood, south of Rafah.
Also, Ahmed Mohammed al-Shebaki (50) was killed and his wife Yusra Othman al-Shebaki (50) was seriously injured after a missile fell on their house in Qleibo area in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip. PCHR is still investigating the incident, as initial information raises suspicion that it might be a homemade missile.
Moreover, Yazan Jawdat ‘Eliyan (16) and Layan Belal Mohammed Modawikh (8) were killed and 12 others, including 2 children and 2 women, were injured after a missile fell on a 5-storey house on al-Sahaba Street in Gaza City. PCHR is still investigating the incident, as initial information raises suspicion that it might be a homemade missile.
In addition, 13 Palestinians were injured, including 2 women and 5 children; one seriously injured, after a missile fell on a house in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip. PCHR is still investigating the incident, as initial information raises suspicion that it might be a homemade missile.
Meanwhile, IOF warplanes launched at least 2 missiles at a 3-storey house in al-Qarara area, northeast of Khan Yunis. As a result, the house was destroyed and 4 families of 20, including children and women, were displaced. It should be noted that one of the area residents received a call to evacuate the nearby houses.
Moreover, IOF warplanes launched 2 missiles at a 3-sotrey house of 3 residential apartments in Beit Lahia, completely destroying it and rendering 4 families of 16, including 4 women and 8 children, homeless. It is worth noting that the house’s owner received a call from IOF only 40 minutes before targeting the house telling him to evacuate.
Also, IOF warplanes targeted and destroyed an old uninhabited house in Bani Suhalia area.
It is worth noting that IOF announced that they have bombarded 147 targets in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the military offensive.