There has been a significant rise in the number of artillery shells fired by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) into Gaza, which remains tense, a United Nations spokesman reported today. With at least 1,050 shells fired in the last week, the UN remains “remain very concerned about the threat this poses to civilians and civilian infrastructure,” Ahmad Fawzi told reporters in New York. The IDF shelling of the northern Gaza strip continues to bring more fatalities and increased internal displacement, he said. In the latest round of violence a 24-year old woman and a 14-year old boy were killed east of Beit Lahiya by an artillery shell. Four other people were reported injured. Read more about UN reports increase in Israeli shells fired into Gaza
PCHR is dismayed by the position of the European Union (EU) monitors at Rafah International Crossing Point (Rafah Crossing) on the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. This position falls in line with the Israeli position of imposing collective punishment on the civilian of the Gaza Strip by preventing travel in and out of the Strip. The Centre is worried that their role could lead to an escalation of violations of the rights of Palestinian civilians, especially their right to movement and travel in and out of the Gaza Strip. Read more about EU Monitors at Rafah Contribute to the Strangulation and Deprivation of Gaza
In another war crime of disproportionate use of lethal force, IOF have killed 8 Palestinians, including 6 unarmed civilians (one of them a child), and injured 20 others (5 of them children) in land and aerial bombardment. The bombardment accompanied a land attack on El-Shoka community that started during pre-dawn hours. PCHR’s fieldworker reported that most of the victims were torn and charred. The Centre is very concerned over this Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) escalation, which is part of an open aggression on the Gaza Strip that started at the end of June. Read more about IOF Kill 8 Palestinians in Rafah, including a Child, and Injure 20 Others
During a special session on 6 July this year, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution (A/HRC/S-1/3), expressing deep concern at the breaches by Israel, the Occupying Power, of international humanitarian law and human rights law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and decided to dispatch a fact finding mission.In the weeks following the adoption of the resolution, Israeli breaches of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory have continued unabated, exacting a massive toll on the Palestinian civilian population. Since the beginning of Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip on 27 June 2006, 159 Palestinians have been killed, including 31 children. Read more about Human rights orgs. call for fact-finding mission to Gaza
PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 13:40 on Tuesday, 1 August 2006, IOF stationed to the east of the northern district of the Gaza Strip fired several artillery shells at the Nada Buildings area, west of Beit Hanoun. One of the shells fell near building no. 8. Shrapnel from the shell killed the child Aref Ahmad Abu Qeida (14). The child was in his grandfather’s house near building no. 8. Three other civilians were injured, including a woman from Rafah who was visiting relatives in the area. This woman, Mervat Fayez Abu Sharikh (24), was pronounced dead one hour after reaching a hospital. Read more about Woman and Child Killed by IOF Bombardment in Beit Hanoun
15-year-old Somaia Okal ignored her sister Maria as she asked her to leave the swing for her, while their mother Asma, 30, played with her 8-month-old infant Shahd, in Jabalia, north of Gaza. This Wednesday, an Israeli shell hit their house and put an end to the laughing and chatter of the innocent Maria and Shahd. The mother was also killed, and Somaia critically wounded in the head; the 5-year-old, Amani, was wounded in the foot. Samir Okal, 35, a father of seven, did not expect that the Israeli tanks will hit his house as he lives in the “serene” neighbourhood of Abd Rabbu, which enjoys a reputation for “safety.” Read more about Mother and Two Children Killed in Israeli Attack on Gaza
A statement by over eighty Canadian health professionals, including a number of prominent medical advocates for human rights and peace, expresses deep concern over the silence of the Canadian Government and the Canadian media about the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. The group is calling on the Canadian government and the media to truthfully recognize and report the humanitarian situation and to respond with compassion and effective help. The statement calls on the Canadian government to immediately restore aid to the Palestinian government to ensure that water, food, medicine and the necessities of life are immediately available and accessible in Gaza. Read more about Statement of Concern for the Public Health Situation in Gaza
IOF have practiced the policy of informing Palestinians by phone of their intention to destroy houses shortly before the actual destruction of houses takes place since 23 July 2006. Since that day, IOF have destroyed 10 houses using this method. In all cases, Israel has not provided any evidence that could justify the destruction of those houses. Since the beginning of the current Palestinian Intifada, IOF have destroyed thousands of Palestinian houses. Read more about Appeal to Israeli Attorney General's Office: "Prior Warning" Policy Doesn't Justify Destroying Homes
On Saturday evening, 29 July 2006, IOF extra-judicially killed a member of the al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, and a civilian who accompanied him. In the meantime, IOF have continued their wide scale offensive on the Gaza Strip for the fifth consecutive week, committing more crimes against Palestinian civilian and property. At approximately 08:30 on Saturday, 29 July 2006, an IOF undercover unit moved into Sheikh Musallam quarter in the old town of Nablus. IOF soldiers immediately opened fire from a close range from pistols equipped with silencers at two young men, who were sitting near a carpentry workshop. Read more about Extrajudicial execution: Israeli special forces kill two Palestinians in Nablus
Twenty-two Palestinians were killed in the last 36 hours in the Gaza Strip (including a three-year-old girl). Wednesday (26 July) saw the highest daily death toll since 28 June - the start of what the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have code-named ‘Operation Summer Rains’. Since the last Situation Report (18 July), there have been a significant number of Palestinian casualties - 50 dead and more than 230 injured - from IDF incursions, shellings and Israel Air Force (IAF) air strikes. Of the 150 Palestinians that have been killed since 28 June, approximately one-quarter of have been reported as children (31). At least 541 Palestinians have been injured. Read more about OCHA: 22 Palestinians killed in Gaza in past 36 hours
