February 27, 2011
Israeli Airforce Intensifies Attacks on Gaza and Bombs Civilian Targets
Israeli Airforce Intensifies Attacks on Gaza and Bombs Civilian Targets

Ref: 9/2011 

 

In the past 72 hours, the Gaza Strip witnessed
numerous aerial attacks carried out by the Israeli airforce against civilian
objects in different areas of the Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported, but
heavy losses of civilian property were reported and panic was created among the
civilian population.

 

According to investigations conducted by the
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 03:30 on 26
February 2011, an Israeli F-16 “Fighting Falcon” fighter jets fired a
missile at a house owned by Imad Addin Abdul Hadi Aqel in al-Bureij refugee
camp, across from Salah al-Din Street. The structure, which was composed of two
rooms, was completely destroyed. In addition, heavy damages were caused to
eight houses, a mosque and a chicken farm.

 

At approximately 15:30 of the same day, an
Israeli fighter jet fired two missiles at two residential houses owned by Ahmed
Eid Sulaiman Abu Shareb and his brother Hatem in the east of al-Bureij refugee
camp, 700 meters from the border with Israel. The two houses were entirely
destroyed and damage was caused to a neighboring house and to a sheep farm.
Ahmed Abu Shareb told the PCHR fieldworker that he was in his house when, at
approximately 15:00 on 26 February, he received a phone call from someone who
identified himself as a member of the Israeli Defense Forces. This person
ordered Abu Shareb to leave his one-storey cement house which, he said, would
be bombed by aircraft. Abu Shareb evacuated the 12 individuals living in his
house and in the asbestos house adjacent to his, which is owned by his brother.
He also asked the neighbors to evacuate their home. The caller ensured that the
house was evacuated in a follow-up phone call; the bombing took place just a
few minutes after the second call.

 

In the morning hours of Thursday, 24 February
2011, Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a vacant plot of land in al-Shoka
village, east of Rafah. An asbestos house inhabited by six individuals and
owned by Hassan Mahmoud Hamad was fully destroyed while a one-storey cement
house housing seven individuals and owned by Ashraf Hassan Abu Rezeq was
partially damaged. Hamad testified to a PCHR fieldworker that his son Jihad,
17, received a phone call from someone identifying himself as a member of the
Israeli Intelligence Service. The caller asked Jihad to evacuate the house
because the area would be bombed. The house was evacuated within five minutes;
then bombardment took place.

 

In addition, the Israeli air force implemented
several air raids on the morning of Thursday, 24 February 2011, targeting a
building composed of stores and offices in Nuseirat refugee camp and a metal
workshop in al-Zawaydah in the central Gaza Strip. The two establishments were
fully destroyed and heavy damage was caused to neighboring establishments.
Israeli military jets also bombed a farm in al-Satr al-Gharbi area, north of
Khan Younis. One room was entirely destroyed and a neighboring house was
heavily damaged. On the evening of Thursday, 24 February, IOF warplanes bombed
a civilian car in al-Barazil neighborhood, south of Rafah, causing the vehicle
to be set on fire.

 

PCHR strongly condemns war crimes committed by
the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians and their property
and considers these crimes to constitute reprisals and collective punishment
imposed on Palestinians in violation of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva
Convention of 1949 relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of
war.

 

PCHR notes that the failure of the
international community and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention of 1949 to take effective actions aimed at ending Israeli war crimes
supports and encourages Israel and its military to commit more war crimes
against Palestinian civilians and their property. The legal protection provided by the United
States to Israel, intentional non-implementation of International Humanitarian
Law and the conspiracy of silence practiced by the European States vis-à-vis
crimes committed against Palestinian civilians make Israel a State above the
law. Moreover such irresponsible inaction encourages Israel, without
limitation, to continue committing crimes against Palestinian civilians.
Accordingly, PCHR reminds the High Contracting Parties of the following:

 

  1. Their obligations set forth in Article 1
    of the Fourth Geneva Convention to respect the Convention and to ensure
    its respect in all circumstances.
  2. Their obligations, as set forth in Article
    146 of the Convention, to prosecute those accused of committing grave
    violations of the Convention. It should be noted that these violations
    constitute war crimes in accordance with Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva
    Convention and in accordance with Additional Protocol I to the Geneva
    Conventions.