Ref: 05/2009
Date: 06 January 2009
Time: 11:30 GMT
On the 11th Consecutive Day of the Offensive on the Gaza Strip, IOF Expand Ground Operations; the Number of Palestinian Deaths Rises to 599, Including 130 Children, 33 Women and 6 Medical Personnel; and Many Victims Remain Under Debris of Destroyed Buildings
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have continued their war on the Gaza Strip for the 11th consecutive day. Increasing numbers of civilians have been killed or wounded by IOF attacks and more civilian facilities and objects have been destroyed. According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at least 90% of the Palestinian who have been killed in the past 3 days are civilians, many of whom are children. IOF have employed their full-fledged arsenal to attack Palestinian populated areas. Moreover, IOF have continued ground operations in the Gaza Strip, and this morning, they have moved into Palestinian areas in the southern Gaza Strip. According to field information, all areas throughout the Gaza Strip, including even shelters at UNRWA schools, have become under the scope of IOF fire. For the second consecutive day, al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City have been subjected the most violent aggression since 1967; many Palestinian civilians have been killed or wounded, and some of them are still under the debris of their destroyed houses without humanitarian organizations and civil defense and medical crews being able to attend them.
PCHR has closely followed the developments of the IOF offensive on the Gaza Strip. Developments in the past 24 hours include the following:
Northern Gaza strip
· At approximately 12:00 on Monday, 5 January 2009, an IOF warplane fired a missile at a house belonging to Mustafa al-Habeel in ‘Aamer area, southwest of Jabalya. As a result, al-Habeel’s son, 25-year-old Bassem, was killed, and the house was heavily damaged.
· At approximately 13:35 on Monday, an IOF warplane bombarded a house belonging to Musheer ‘Omar al-Habel (al-Masri) in al-Manshiya quarter in Beit Lahia town. The house was completely destroyed.
· At approximately 13:40, an IOF warplane bombarded a 4-syorey apartment building belonging to Rezeq Tantish in the center of Beit Lahia town. The building, which includes an educational center, a bookshop and a number of shops, was destroyed. At the same time, IOF warplanes targeted a house belonging to Tantish’s brother in al-Nuzha Street.
· At approximately 21:30, IOF artillery shelled a 2-storey house belonging to Ramadan ‘Abdul Karim Abu Jarda in Hamad Street in the southwest of Beit Hanouan. As a result, 2 Palestinians were killed:
1. Akram Mohammed Isma’il Abu Jarad, 21; and
2. Sa’id Ahmed Mohammed ‘Edwan, 20.
Additionally, Ma’awia Hashem ‘Edwan, 20, was seriously wounded and the house was heavily damaged.
· At approximately 23:30 on Monday, IOF warplanes launched a series of air strikes against houses in the northern Gaza Strip. The air strike continued until 06:00 on Tuesday, 6 January 2009. A number of houses were destroyed and 4 members of the Saleh family, including a child and a woman; and old woman from the Zumlot family; an old woman and a child from the al-Kurdi family; and another 3 civilians, including a child were killed.
· At approximately 04:00 on Tuesday, IOF warplanes bombarded Jabalya police station. The station was heavily damaged.
· At approximately 04:30 on Tuesday, IOF warplanes bombarded the 3-storey building of the Qur’an and Sunna Society in Jabalya refugee camp. The building was destroyed and a number of nearby houses were heavily damaged.
Gaza City
· At approximately 12:00 on Monday, 5 January 2009, IOF tanks shelled a house belonging to al-Maleh family in the east of al-Tuffah neighborhood. The house was heavily damaged and 2 members of the family were killed:
1. Lubna Fu’ad al-Maleh, 29; and
2. Khadra ‘Abed al-Maleh, 80.
A number of other members of the family were also wounded.
· At approximately 14:00 on Monday, medical sources declared that As’ad Sa’di Hammouda, 74, died of wounds he had sustained on the preceding day, when IOF attacked a consolation house of the Hammouda family in al-Zaytoun neighborhood.
· At approximately 14:15 on Monday, IOF artillery shelled a house belonging to the ‘Allaw family in al-Tuffah neighborhood. As a result, 2 children from the family were wounded:
1. Mo’men Mahmoud Talal ‘Allaw, 11; and
2. Mohammed Mhamoud Talal ‘Allaw, 12.
Their sister, 8-year-old Iman Mahmoud Talal ‘Allaw, was also wounded.
· IOF artillery shelled also a house belonging to al-Sersawi family. As a result, Aaya al-Sersawi, 5, was killed.
· IOF artillery shelled also a house belonging to the Sa’ad family. As a result, Nadia Musbah Sa’ad, 13, was killed and another 4 members of the family were wounded.
· At approximately 15:00 on Monday, IOF artillery shelled a house belonging to the ‘Olaiwa family in al-Judida are in al-Shoja’eya neighborhood. As a result, Amal Zaki ‘Olaiwa, 37, her three children, Muntasser, Hazem and Mo’men, were killed. A 4th child from the family, who had not been identified, was also killed in the attack.
· At approximately 15:00 on Monday, IOF artillery shelled a house belonging to al-Harazin family in al-Zaytoun neighborhood. As a result, the house was heavily damaged and 2 members of the family were killed:
1. ‘Alaa’ Matar al-Harazin, 20; and
2. Ahmed Fat’hi al-Harazin, 18.
· At approximately 16:00 on Monday, IOF artillery shelled a house belonging to the Shuhaiber family in al-Zaytoun neighborhood. As a result, Mahrous Shuhaiber, 36, was killed and a number of members of the family were wounded. The house was also heavily damaged.
· At approximately 17:00 on Monday, an IOF sniper positioned on the rooftop of a house in al-Zaytoun neighborhood shot dead Hanadi Bassem Khalifa, 15, when she was praying inside her house.
· At approximately 22:45, IOF warplanes bombarded al-Saraya security compound in the center of Gaza City. A number of buildings were destroyed, a number of nearby buildings were damaged and 10 Palestinian civilians were wounded.
· At approximately 23:30, IOF artillery shelled a house belonging to the Jaddou’ family in al-Zaytoun neighborhood. As a result 3 members of the family were killed:
1. Ghazi ‘Awni Jaddou’, 28;
2. Hashem ‘Awni Jaddou’, 22; and
3. Lutfi ‘Awni Jaddou’, 19.
· At approximately 00:00 on Tuesday, 6 January 2009, an IOF warplane bombarded a flat in al-Sa’ada tower building #4 in Tal al-Hawa neighborhood. As a result, Fayez Hassan was killed, the flat was destroyed and the building was heavily damaged.
· At approximately 01:00 on Tuesday, an IOF warplane fired a missile at 3 Palestinian civilians who were inside an UNRWA school in al-Shati refugee camp. These civilians are from the displaced families who resorted to the school. The three civilians were instantly killed:
1. ‘Abed Sameer al-Sultan, 17;
2. Hussein Mahmoud al-Sultan, 24; and
3. Rawhi Jamal al-Sultan, 26.
· At approximately 05:30 on Tuesday, an IOF warplane fired a missile at an area behind Ibn ‘Omair Mosque in al-Zaytoun neighborhood. As a result, Hussein ‘Arafat, 55, was killed.
· At approximately 06:00 on Tuesday, an IOF warplane bombarded a 4-storey house belonging to al-Dayeh family in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. As a result, the owner, 2 of his children, one of his grandchildren and his daughter-in-law were killed:
1. Fayez Musbah al-Dayeh, 59;
2. Sabreen Fayez al-Dayeh, 24;
3. Eyad Fayez al-Dayeh, 34;
4. Rawda al-Dayeh, 26; and
5. Kawkab al-Dayeh, 4.
The house was destroyed and other members of the family are missing. They are believed to be trapped under the debris.
· Also at approximately 06:00 on Tuesday, IOF bombarded a house belonging to the Hassanain family near Abu Jibba fuel station in al-Zaytoun neighborhood. As a result, ‘Abdul Wahab Ahmed Hassanain, 52, was killed and 12 members of his family were wounded.
Central Gaza Strip
· At approximately 21:50 on Monday, 5 January 2009, IOF fired 3 shells at the central market and Block 4 in the center of al-Boreij refugee camp. As a result, 5 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were killed:
1. Jihad ‘Ali Abu Jebara, 54;
2. Bassel Jihad Abu Jebara, 29;
3. Ussama Jihad Abu Jebara, 21;
4. Ibrahim Rawhi ‘Aqel, 16; and
5. Naji Nidal al-Hamalawi, 16.
Additionally, 16 civilians were wounded and a number of houses were damaged.
· At approximately 22:00 on Monday, an IOF warplane bombarded Deir al-Balah police station and largely destroyed it.
· At approximately 02:40 on Tuesday, 6 January 2009, a group of the Palestinian resistance exchanged fire with an IOF special unit, which was supported by warplanes and gunboats, in the southwest of Deir al-Balah refugee camp. As a result, 10 Palestinians were killed and 10 others were wounded.
· At approximately 10:00 on Tuesday, IOF warplanes bombarded a 2-storey house belonging to Salah ‘Ali al-‘Aaidi, in which 6 people live, in al-Maghazi refugee camp. The house was destroyed and a Palestinian civilian was wounded.
· At approximately 10:10 on Tuesday, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, eats of Gaza Valley, fired 2 artillery shells at Palestinian houses. As a result, Mahmoud ‘Abdullah Abu Sha’ar, 25, and his wife, Fidaa’ Fareed Abu Sha’ar, 20, were killed. Their child, 6-month-old Tamer, was wounded. IOF also bombed some open areas. A number of houses were damaged.
· At approximately 11:00, an IOF warplane bombarded a 4-storey house belonging to Jaber ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Musleh, in which 4 families counting 25 people live, in Block 4 in al-Boreij refugee camp. The house was destroyed and 5 Palestinian civilians were wounded. A number of neighboring houses were also heavily damaged.
Khan Yunis
· At approximately 14:10 on Monday, 5 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded an open are in ‘Abassn village, east of Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported.
· On Monday evening, medical sources declared that Ahmed Mohammed Abu Hatab, 24, from Khan Yunis refugee camp, died of his wound at an Egyptian hospital. Abu Hatab was wounded on Tuesday, 30 December 2009, when IOF warplanes bombarded al-Qarara police station, north of Khan Yunis.
· At approximately 20:00 on Monday, IOF warplanes bombarded the vicinity of al-Nour Mosque in ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis. A number of nearby houses were heavily damaged, but no casualties were reported.
· At approximately 00:15 on Tuesday, 6 January 2009, an IOF warplane bombarded the west of Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported. At the same time, IOF gunboats fired dozens of shells at al-Mawasi area in the west of Khan Yunis and al-Matahen area to the north of the town. IOF tanks positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel shelled areas in Khuza’a and ‘Abassan villages, east of Khan Yunis. As a result of these attacks, 7 Palestinian civilians, including 6 women, were wounded.
· At approximately 05:00 on Tuesday, IOF heavy military vehicles started to move into the east of al-Qarara and ‘Abassan village under cover of intense artillery shelling. A house belonging to Ahmed Sarhan in al-Qarara village, and a house belonging to Ghassan al-Jurof in ‘Abassan village were destroyed.
· At approximately 07:30 on Tuesday, an IOF drone fired a missile at a crowd of Palestinian civilians in al-Zanna area in the east of Khan Yunis. As a result, ‘Alaa’ Abu ‘Aassi, 22, was seriously wounded and his limbs were cut.
· At approximately 09:00 on Tuesday, IOF warplanes bombarded a 2-storey house belonging to the Radwan family in ‘Abassan village. The house and a number of neighboring houses were heavily damaged.
· At approximately 09:10 on Tuesday, an IOF drone fired a missile at a 2-storey house belonging to Ussama Tabash, a member of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas, in ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis. Ten minutes later, IOF warplanes bombarded and destroyed the house. A number of neighboring houses were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
· At approximately 09:20 on Tuesday, an IOF drone fired a missile at a 2-storey house belonging to the Abu ‘Ouda family in al-Amal neighborhood in the west of Khan Yunis. Ten minutes later, IOF warplanes bombarded and destroyed the house. Two neighboring houses were also destroyed and another of other houses were damaged. Additionally, 5 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children a woman and a cameraman of al-Aqsa Television – ‘Alaa’ al-Hindi, were wounded.
· At approximately 12:10 on Tuesday, medical sources in Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis declared that Marwan Hassan Qudaih, 5, died of his wound. The child and his sister, 11-year-old Lama, were wounded less than an hour earlier when an IOF artillery shell landed near their house in ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis.
In the past 24 hours, 29 Palestinian civilians, including 13 children and 6 women, have been wounded in Khan Yunis as a result of attacks by IOF.
Rafah
· At approximately 13:45 on Monday, 5 January 2009, the body of 4-month-old Fat’hiya Ayman al-Debari, was brought to Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital. She was killed as a result of IOF artillery shelling of houses in al-Shouka village, east of Rafah.
· At approximately 18:00 on Monday, IOF tanks fired dozens of shells at the vicinity of Gaza International Airport and Rafah International Crossing Point. At the same time, IOF gunboats bombarded al-Mawasi and the Swedish Village in the west of Rafah. IOF bombarded these areas again at 02:00 on the following day.
· At approximately 18:30 on Monday, IOF warplanes bombarded Taha Hussein Street in the north of Rafah.
· At approximately 18:45, IOF warplanes bombarded al-Nasser Street, north of Rafah, which links ‘Omar Ben al-Khattab Street in the west with Salah al-Din Street in the east, for the second time.
· At approximately 21:50 on Monday, IOF warplanes bombarded a car maintenance workshop belonging to Ahmed Khalil Baroud in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah.
· at approximately 23:30 on Monday, IOF warplanes bombarded open areas in the west of Rafah.
· At approximately 05:30 on Tuesday, 6 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded the building of civil defense in the center of Rafah. The building was bombarded again an hour later.
· At the same time, IOF warplanes bombarded the border area between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, south of Rafah. The bombardment continued sporadically until 07:00.
· At approximately 06:00 on Tuesday, IOF warplanes bombarded a house belonging to Anwar Isma’il Abu Hilal near Salah al-Din Gate in the south of Rafah.
· At approximately 07:55 on Tuesday, IOF warplanes bombarded a house belonging to Na’el ‘Atiya Abu ‘Obaid, a member of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, in Yebna refugee camp.
In the past 24 hours, 11 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and 3 women, have been wounded in Rafah as a result of attacks by IOF.
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).
