The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) carried out new attacks on Gaza today, killing two in a ground incursion and destroying one house and one tire store in air strikes. According to the Al Mezan’s investigations, at approximately 11pm Monday 30 October 2006, IOF fighter jets fired a missile at a house in Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis. IOF had called Muhammad Abu Hayeh, who leased the house and lived with his family in it, fifteen minutes prior to the strike and told him to evacuate the house. The house was completely destroyed and several neighboring homes were also damaged. Read more about Two Palestinians killed in Khan Younis incursion
At dawn today the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) started a large incursion in the north Gaza town of Beit Hanoun. So far, six Palestinians have been killed and 20 wounded. The incursion is still underway and Al Mezan has detected serious violations by IOF. According to Al Mezan’s investigations, at approximately 1am Wednesday 1 November 2006, IOF special forces sneaked into the town and took positions on the roofs of several houses in As Sikka neighborhood. Other troops took positions in other neighborhoods under the cover of helicopters. Read more about Six killed in large-scale military operations in north Gaza
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continue to target Palestinians and their property in the Gaza Strip. In the past three days IOF’s attacks resulted in the killing of three, injury of five and destruction of one home, four cars and one textile factory around the Strip. Al Mezan views that the international silence towards these violations, and many other violations of human rights in OPT, has encouraged Israel to continue and escalate them. Thus, the Centre calls on the international community, especially the High Contracting Parties to the Convention, to act with the view to bring to an immediate end the IOF’s breaches and provide effective protection to Palestinian civilians in OPT. Read more about Israeli forces kill three Palestinians, injure five and destroy property
Calling to the international community to get mobilised and bring the Israeli occupation to an end, Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights has launched an international campaign to demonstrate that the Gaza Strip remains under Israeli effective control despite its claims otherwise. The campaign comes one year after the completion of the Israeli Unilateral Disengagement from Gaza in September 2005. It aims to bring about more effective international public and government involvement in the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) in an effort to repair the consequences of prolonged infringements of international law. Read more about Gaza Still Occupied
The escalating security unrest in the Gaza strip has resulted in the killing of two more citizens, and the injuring of nine others, as well as an attack on Rafah district’s electricity company. According to Al Mezan field sources, on 18 September at approximately 21:30, an armed family feud erupted in Al Shaja’ia neighborhood of Gaza city, resulting in the killing of Faiz Ahmed Al Ne’izi, 50, and Hamdi Ali Al Ne’izi, 55, and the injury of five others. On the same day at approximately 20:30, armed clashes broke out between two families in the area around Al Nada towers in northern Gaza. Six Palestinians were reported injured as a result. Read more about Al-Mezan concerned about security situation in Gaza
As a specialized human rights organization located in the Gaza Strip, we write to express our deep concern over the situation of Rafah Terminal on the Gaza Strip-Egypt border. On 15 November 2005, an agreement was reached comprising two documents which reflected commitments on behalf of the Government of Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, with regards to issues of movement and access, as well as principles for the working of Rafah Terminal. The aim of this agreement was to facilitate the movement of people and goods within the Palestinian territories and “to promote peaceful economic development and improve the humanitarian situation on the ground”. Read more about Urgent letter to the EU regarding Rafah Crossing
According to Al Mezan field sources, on 28 August at approximately 5:50am an Israeli fighter jet fired a rocket at a group of members of the executive forces of the Palestinian Ministry of Interior, while gathering at the end of Al Mansoura Street in Al Shaja’ia. The shelling resulted in the killing of four members of these forces: Mahmoud Hamdi Jondia, 20, Mohammed Mostafa, 20, Khaled Kamal Al Ijla, 22, Ibrahim Sadeq Hellis, 20. Further, seven Palestinians, including five children were injured as a result of the constant arbitrary firing by the IOF in the area. Read more about Six Palestinians killed in escalating IOF offensive on Gaza Strip
The IOF policy of systematically destroying residential homes in the Gaza Strip continues unabated; two homes were destroyed yesterday and scores of adjacent houses severely damaged. 18 homes have now been targeted in this way since the IOF began informing Palestinians by telephone of the imminent shelling of their homes. According to Al Mezan field sources, on 14 August at approximately 11:20pm, IOF war planes fired a rocket at the two-storey house of Mohammed Joda Ma’rouf, in Jabalia town. The house was completely destroyed and 4 adjacent houses badly damaged. Read more about The systematic destruction of Palestinian homes
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
The IOF aggression against Palestinian civilians and their property has once again increased, resulting in 12 civilians killed, 55 injured, scores of houses destroyed and agricultural lands leveled after IOF forces penetrated eastern areas of Al Shaja’ia neighborhood of Gaza City and the borders of Jabalia town. In addition, the IOF have continued shelling houses and residential buildings, in particular Al Awda and Al Nada towers in western Beit Hanoun, and houses in eastern Khan Younis, which has resulted in the killing of a child and the injury of three other civilians. Read more about 12 Palestinians killed and 58 injured in escalating IOF offensive in Gaza