I just had to write one of the most horrible press releases I ever wrote. Israeli forces are commiting a massacre in Jenin refugee camp.
The whole day I have received horrible stories, eye-witness accounts, lists of names of persons killed, affidavits, telephone calls, and faxes.
What is happening in Jenin are not only war crimes being committed, or crimes against humanity, but it may potentially violate the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
More than 150 Israeli tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery, backed by F-16 fighter jets, continue to attack Jenin refugee camp, home to 15,000 Palestinian refugees, living on one square kilometer.
Since April 3, Israeli forces have shelled the refugee camp, with various heavy weaponry, including missiles, artillery, and other heavy ammunition. Water and electricity networks have been destroyed. Food and medicine supplies are prevented from reaching the refugee camp. Dozens of residents have been killed and injured. Many bodies are left under the rubble of demolished shelters and in the streets and alleyways of the camp.
Various official medical sources and eye-witnesses have told us that the number of casualties and wounded, including women, children and the aged, is increasing at a frightening rate. Each hour tens of casualties and wounded civilians are reported. Ambulances and medical personnel are not allowed access to the refugee camp and are prevented from evacuating the dead and the wounded.
Medical sources have confirmed that for the past four days no corpse or wounded has reached any hospital or medical center in Jenin. Paramedics have been unable to provide any medical aid, as they are prevented by the Israeli forces by force.
Since last night until this moment, tens of Israeli tanks and seven Israeli attack helicopters have continued to shell the refugee camp with heavy artillery and missiles. In the past 16 hours, more than two hundred missiles and artillery shells have been fired on the refugee camp, killing at least 50 residents.
More than 100 residents have been killed in the past three days. We are still failing to document the exact exact number of those killed, injured, and missing. Bodies are left in the alleyways and tens of injured have been left bleeding without any medical aid.
We received calls that confirm that throughout yesterday and day, the smell of dead bodies is spreading across the refugee camp. Each minute an injured dies due to the lack of medical attention. We got confirmed that, since the past 24 hours, the refugee camp has run out of key supplies, including water, food and medical supplies.
People from the refugee camp have stated that despite calls they have been forced to drink waste water. Quite apart from the food and water crisis, medical sources, including Jenin hospital, confirmed that the camp suffers a health crisis. The director of the hospital stated that the capacity of Jenin hospital has been crippled due to the destruction of a number of its services and the continuation of Israeli shelling.
Tens of Israeli bulldozers are randomly demolishing refugee shelters to make room for Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers to the camp.
