Ref: 79/2014
Date: 10 July 2014
Time 11:00 GMT
In the past 24 hours, Israeli forces have escalated their offensive on the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes have increasingly targeted houses, civilian-populated areas and civilian facilities. The Israeli tanks have fired dozens of shells at Palestinian communities located near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, and Israeli gunboats have fired dozens of shells along the Gaza Strip coast. As a form of collective punishment, in violation of the international humanitarian law, dozens of Palestinian civilians have received phone calls from the Israeli military ordering them to leave their areas and head to the centers of towns, which may lead to more suffering of Palestinian civilians. In a very serious development, last night, Israeli warplanes targeted and destroyed a number of houses while their residents were inside, without any prior warnings, which increased casualties among Palestinian civilians.
From 10:00 on Wednesday, 09 July 2014, to 10 on Thursday, 10 July 2014, 47 Palestinians, including 43 civilians, were killed. The civilian victims include 16 children and 10 women, and 8 members of one family. Additionally, 214 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were wounded – this number includes 58 children and 29 women. Israeli warplanes also targeted and destroyed 41 houses without prior warnings.
The latest developments since the press release issued by PCHR yesterday noon have been as follows:
The Northern Gaza Strip:
Israeli warplanes launched 111 airstrikes using 120 missiles targeting 15 houses, civilians, agricultural plots and open areas. As a result of these attacks, 9 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children and 2 women, were killed and 51 others, including 4 paramedics, were wounded.
The most significant attacks were as follows:
At approximately 11:55 on Wednesday, 09 July 2014, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a number of Palestinian civilians who were near their house. As a result, Sahar Hassan al-Masri, 35; her child Mohammed Ibrahim al-Masri, 15; her child Aseel, 16; and her nephew Amjad Zaher Hamdan, 24, were killed. Another 2 civilians were also wounded.
At approximately 18:55 on the same day, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a number of Palestinian civilians who were in their farm in Zimmu Street in Beit Hanoun. As a result, 3 civilians were killed: Hani Saleh Hamad, 58, his son Ibrahim, 19, and his daughter Asmaa’, 26, were killed.
At approximately 20:15 on Wednesday, Israeli warplanes bombarded an agricultural plot in Gaza Old Street. As a result, a house belonging to Mohammed Yousef al-Mautawaq was damaged, and his child Yasmin, 3, was killed.
At approximately 21:15, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at an agricultural plot belonging to the Murtaja family to the east of Quliabu Hill. As a result, a house belonging to Jameel Abu Ghazal was heavy damaged, his child Abdullah, 4, was killed, and his other child Mohammed, 7, was seriously wounded.
The houses that were targeted and destroyed by Israeli warplanes belong to the families of al-Kurdi, ‘Aabed, Abu ‘Awad, al-Ghandour, Shalayel, Mansour, ‘Afana, Rajab, al-Kahlout, Abui Ehmaidan, Nasser, Shihada, al-Shanbari and Ghalia.
Gaza City:
Israeli warplanes launched 46 airstrikes using 54 missiles targeting houses, security sites, agricultural lands, open areas and a press vehicle. As a result of these attacks, 10 Palestinians, including 6 civilians, were killed – the civilian victims include 3 children, one woman and a driver of a press vehicle. Additionally, 70 Palestinians, including 20 children and 9 women, were wounded. Moreover, 14 houses and 2 security sites were destroyed.
The most significant attacks were as follows:
At approximately 11:30 on Wednesday, 09 July 2014, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a house belonging to Mustafa Jamal Malaka, 30, near the car market in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the southeast of Gaza City. The house was completely destroyed and Hana’ Mohammed Fu’ad Malaka, 28, and her child Mohammed Mustafa Malaka, 2, were killed. The owners was seriously wounded, and his children, Khaled, 5, and Safa’, 6, were moderately wounded.
At approximately 12:10 also on Wednesday, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a number of Palestinian civilians in al-Nazzaz Street in al-Shuja’iya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. As a result, 2 children were killed: Eyad Salem ‘Oraif, 12, and his brother Mohammed, 10.
At approximately 14:10, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at an open are near Bahloul gas station in the east of Gaza City. As a result, a passing Palestinian civilian, Hatem Mohammed Sa’id Abu Salem, 26, was killed.
At approximately 22:35 on the same day, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a car marked with “TV,” which was traveling in al-Remal neighborhood in the center of Gaza City. As a result, Hamed Abdullah Mohammed Shihab, 33, a driver of Media 24, was killed, and another 3 civilians were wounded, including an old man and a child.
At approximately 07:30 on Thursday, 10 July 2014, Israeli warplanes targeted a car, in which 3 members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) were traveling, in al-Nafaq Street. As a result the three members were all killed: Baha’ Mohammed Zakaria Abu al-Lail, 38; ‘Aamer Sa’id Salama al-Fayoumi, 39; and Salem Hassan Qandil, 31.
The houses that were destroyed belong to the families of Malaka, Abu al-‘Ata, Dalloul, al-Bitar, al-Sha’af, al-Jarousha, Esleem, al-Ramlawi, Jundiya, Dababesh, Zaqqout, al-Habeel, Eshtaiwi and al-Ashram.
The Central Gaza Strip:
Israeli warplanes launched 30 airstrikes using 33 missiles targeting houses, agricultural lands, open areas and police stations. As a result of these attacks, 7 Palestinian civilians, including 2 women and 2 children, were killed, and 25 civilians, including 7 women and 9 children, were wounded. Nine houses were also destroyed.
The most significant attacks were as follows:
At approximately 10:20 on Wednesday, 09 July 2014, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at an agricultural plot in al-Mughraqa village. As a result, Naifa Mohammed Zaher Farajallah, 82, was killed as she was passing by the area.
At approximately 10:30 on the same day, an Israeli drone targeted a number of Palestinian civilians who were near their houses in al-Nussairat refugee camp. As a result, ‘Abdul Nasser Saleem Abu Kwaik, 54, and his son Khaled, 30, were killed, and his wife and daughter were wounded.
At approximately 15:00 on the same day, Israeli warplanes bombarded a 170-square-meter, 2-storey house belonging to ‘Awadh Hussein al-Nawasra in al-Maghazi refugee camp. As a result, 4 members of the family (2 children and a couple) were killed:
At approximately 23:40 also on Wednesday, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a house belonging to Ra’ed Mohammed Abu Shalat, 35, in al-Sawarha area in the west of al-Nussairat refugee camp. As a result, Abu Shalat was killed and his wife and five children were wounded, 2 of whom were in serious conditions.
At approximately 02:00 on Thursday, 10 July 2014, Israeli warplanes launched 3 missiles at a site of Palestinian armed groups. As a result, Ra’ed ‘Olayan al-Zawaw’a, 27, was killed by shrapnel to the head, when he was in the family’s council near the site.
The houses that were targeted and destroyed belong to the families of Abu Nar, Abu Jalal, Noufal, Abu Dalal, Abu Shalt, Abu Shareb, Abu ‘Eisha, Abu Murshid and al-Nawasra.
Khan Yunis:
Israeli warplanes launched 57 airstrikes targeting 12 houses, a beach resort and an agricultural plot in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis. As a result, 19 Palestinian civilians, including a pregnant woman and her baby, were killed 37 others were wounded. Additionally, 12 houses were destroyed.
The most significant attacks were as follows:
At approximately 12:40 on Wednesday, 09 July 2014, Amal Youseg ‘Abdul Ghafour (al-‘Abadla), 33, and her baby Ranin, 1, were killed when Israeli warplanes targeted a house opposite to their house in al-Qarara village, east of Khan Yunis.
At approximately 23:00 on the same day, 9 Palestinian civilians were killed while they were in a beach coffee shop watching a match of the Football World Cup as Israeli warplanes bombarded the coffee shop. The victims were identified as: Ibrahim and Mohammed Kahlil Qannan, 24 and 26; Suleiman and Ahmed Saleem Mousa al-Astal, 17 and 18; Mousa Mohammed Taher al-Astal, 15; Mohammed Ihsan Farawana, 18; and Hamdi, Ibrahim and Saleem Sawali, 20, 28 and 23.
At approximately 02:00 on Thursday, 10 July 2014, Mahmoud Lutfi al-Hajj, 57, his wife Bassema ‘Abdul Qader Mohammed al-Hajj, 48, and 6 of their children – Omar, 20; Sa’ad, 17; Tariq, 18; Asmaa’, 22; Najlaa’, 29; and Fatema, 12 – were killed as Israeli warplanes targeted and destroyed their house in Khan Yunis refugee camp.
The houses that were targeted and destroyed belong to the families of al-Madani, ‘Abdul Ghafour, Abu Daqqa, Fares, Abu Salah, Salama, Tabash, al-Yazouri, al-Agha, al-Hajj and al-Farra.
Rafah:
Israeli warplanes launched 47 airstrikes targeting houses, agricultural plots, open areas, tunnels at the Egyptian border and training sites of Palestinian armed groups in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. Israeli ground and naval forces also fired dozens of shells at various areas in the city. As a result of these attacks, 2 Palestinian civilians (a child and an old woman) were killed and 30 others, including 17 children and 6 women, were wounded. Additionally, 5 houses belonging to the families of Abu Nuqaira, Matar, Abu Obaid, Zu’rob and Fahajan were destroyed.
At approximately 20:20 on Wednesday, 09 July 2014, Miriam ‘Atiya al-‘Arja, 9, and Silmiya Hassan al-‘Arja, 60, were killed when an Israeli warplane launched a missile at an agricultural plot adjacent to their house.
PCHR reiterates condemnation, expresses utmost concern for these crimes, and:
