12 January 2009
According to Al Mezan’s careful monitoring, the IOF has killed at least 876 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since the start of its Operation Cast Lead on 27 December 2008. This number includes at least 186 children and 61 women. This number is restricted to those whom Al Mezan has verified and double-checked. Read more about Of Gaza's 876 killed, 186 were children and 61 women
12 January 2009
RAMALLAH (IPS) - “There is no doubt that Israel is using phosphorous bombs over Gaza. Israel is flagrantly violating the Fourth Geneva Convention,” says Raji Sourani, head of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) in Gaza. “This is not the first time we have documented Israel using this kind of prohibited weapon against Gaza’s civilian population,” Sourani told IPS on phone from Gaza. Read more about Israelis rain phosphorous bombs over Gaza
11 January 2009
Today after midnight, IOF expanded its ground invasion in the south of Gaza City. Troops and tanks penetrated the southern Gaza-City neighborhood of Tel al-Hawa and stayed there for hours before withdrawing to the suburbs of al-Zahra town, south to Gaza City. The IOF had dropped thousands of leaflets ordering the residents of Tel al-Hawa to evacuate their homes. Read more about Thousands of Gaza houses destroyed and damaged by Israeli strikes
10 January 2009
Israeli forces continued to systematically target civilians and civilian objects. Air raids and artillery attacks particularly targeted homes. Several families were killed under the rubble of their homes across the Gaza Strip. Read more about Civilians deliberately targeted: 194 of Gaza's 830 killed are children
10 January 2009
UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - As the Israelis try to justify the massive loss of civilian life in Gaza, their arguments and counter-charges continue to be shot down either by the United Nations or by international human rights organizations. Read more about Aid groups dispute Israeli claims in Gaza attacks
9 January 2009
Criticism by international watchdog groups over the increasing death toll in Gaza mounted this week as the first legal actions inside Israel were launched accusing the army of intentionally harming the enclave’s civilian population. The petitions — over attacks on medical personnel and the shelling of United Nations schools in Gaza — follow statements by senior Israeli commanders that they have been using heavy firepower to protect soldiers during their advance on built-up areas. Read more about Criticism of Israel's war crimes mounts
9 January 2009
Israeli operations in Gaza have killed 771 people, most of whom civilian noncombatants. Al Mezan Center has so far verified the killing of 189 children and 58 women; however, it believes the number is higher. The bodies of civilians continue to be found under the rubble of their bombarded houses. Read more about Gaza death toll at 771, including 189 children and 58 women
9 January 2009
Around 7:00am, an Israeli tank fired at our house. We decided to leave, and went to our neighbor, Hussein al-Aydi. A little while later, we heard that the army told people to leave the houses in the area, and we decided to go to another place. We left together with the neighbor’s family. Together, we were 25 persons. Read more about Testimony: Israeli troops open fire on those fleeing shelling
9 January 2009
UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - The devastating Israeli firepower, unleashed largely on Palestinian civilians in Gaza during two weeks of military siege, is the product of advanced US military technology. The US weapons systems used by the Israelis — including F-16 fighter planes, Apache helicopters, tactical missiles and a wide array of munitions — have been provided by Washington mostly as outright military grants. Read more about US weaponry facilitates killings in Gaza
8 January 2009
Since the beginning of Israel’s military attack on the Gaza Strip, there have been lots of bombing and shelling in our area. For a week, we stayed with my sister, who lives between al-Bureij and al-Mahgazi, but then they started bombing there too. The house shook after every bomb. My pregnant wife began to feel sharp pain in her stomach, a result of tension and fear. Read more about Testimony: Nowhere is safe from Israel's bombing