57 Palestinians killed, 121 injured, tens of houses destroyed and agricultural lands leveled as a result to IOF continued offensive on the Gaza Strip

>Reference: 72-2006
>
>Date: 1 July 2006
>
>Press release
>
>57 Palestinians killed, 121 injured, tens of houses destroyed and
>agricultural lands leveled as a result to IOF continued offensive on the
>Gaza Strip.
>
>
>The IOF have continued their excessive offensive against Palestinian
>civilians and property in the Gaza Strip. The total number of deaths since
>the beginning of the IOF incursion into the Strip has reached 57, while the
>number of injuries stands at 121, including 31 children. Further, 103 houses
>have been damaged, 14 of which were totally destroyed. 265 dunums of
>agricultural lands have been leveled. In addition, 33 patients who
>underwent medical treatment in Egypt are struck inside the building of Refah
>Terminal. 5 patients were sent back to Egyptian hospitals due to the
>deterioration of their health conditions, while an elderly man, Fahmi
>Dawood, 70, and a 16-year-old child, Mohammed Shorrab died due to the
>closure of the terminal. Further, 939 evacuated Palestinians are now staying
>in two UNRWA schools which are being used as shelters while 190 families
>have approached these schools to receive food supplies, since the IOF have
>maintained the tight siege on Al Shouka area, in eastern Rafah, cutting all
>humanitarian supplies from the area.
>
>
>
>On July 10 and 9, the IOF opened Nahal Aouz crossing for short times, and
>allowed the entry of limited amounts of fuel and food. Al Mezan sees that by
>this action the current crisis will not end but is expected to continue for
>a long time.
>
>
>
>The IOF have continued targeting electricity networks and transformers which
>have caused people living in multistory buildings to evacuate their homes as
>there is no electricity to operate elevators and water pumps.
>
>Further, electricity in Rafah has been cut for 3 consecutive days now as the
>IOF have prohibited personnel of the electricity company from repairing the
>main electricity transformer, located near Gaza International Airport, which
>is being occupied as a military surveillance point by the IOF.
>
>
>
>The IOF have used excessive and disproportionate force against Palestinians
>in the Gaza Strip. On July 10, at approximately 1:20pm, an Israeli jet fired
>a rocket at group of youth in eastern Al Faraheen area in Abasan Al Kabeera,
>eastern Khan Younis. Ra'ed Mosa Abu Salah, 24, and Mohammed khalifa were
>killed as a result.
>
>Further, at approximately 3:10am, an Israeli helicopter fired a rocket on a
>car passing Al Tawfiq mosque in Al Shijayia neighborhood, killing Mitwali Al
>Arqan, 27 and injuring two others.
>
>At approximately 10:00am, an Israeli scouting jet fired a rocket towards a
>group of civilians in Al Shijayia neighborhood. Two persons were reported
>injured.
>
>
>
>On July 9 at approximately 3:40 pm, an Israeli scouting jet fired a rocket
>at a car in Rafah killing Bilal Rabba, 18, and injuring two others who were
>in the car. 8 passersby were also injured:
>
>
>
>1. Mohammed Fo'ad Abu Harb, 28, shrapnel wounds in different parts of
>the body.
>2. Mohammed Suheil Badawi, 28, shrapnel wounds in the leg.
>3. Rami Sulaiman Rabba', 22, shrapnel wounds in the left leg.
>4. Abdullah Sulaiman Rabba', 15, shrapnel wounds in the left leg.
>5. Halil Abd Al Fattah Abu Sneima, 24, shrapnel wounds in the chest and
>abdomen.
>6. Adeeb Ouda Irmilat, 26, shrapnel wounds in the right leg.
>7. Saleh Omar Al Eid, 30, shrapnel wounds in the right leg.
>8. Mohammed Issam Abu Taha, 14, shrapnel wounds in the right leg.
>
>
>
>According to medical reports, three of the injured sustained critical
>injuries.
>
>
>
>Al Mezan condemns the war crimes perpetrated by the IOF, and their policies
>of collective punishment. Al Mezan emphasizes that the deliberate killing of
>civilians, shelling of civilians premises, the leveling of agricultural
>land, the destruction of vital establishments, and the tight closure imposed
>on the Gaza Strip constitute a grave breach of International Humanitarian
>law, particularly the 4th Geneva Convention Relative to the protection of
>Civilian Persons in Times of War, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
>the International Covenant on Political and Civil Rights, an the Convention
>on the Rights of the Child.
>
>
>
>Al Mezan calls upon the international community, particularly the high
>contracting parties of the 4th Geneva Conventions to fulfill their moral and
>legal obligations under international humanitarian law, provide protection
>to the Palestinians and lift the siege imposed on the Gaza strip. The Center
>affirms that the continuation of the silence of the international community
>encourages the continuation of the IOF aggressive measures.
>
>
>
>
>
>End
>