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
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
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
This week, 41 Palestinians, 23 of whom were civilians, including 9 children, 3 women and two disabled persons, were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip. Nine of these civilians from 3 families were killed in 3 separate attacks. 151 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 24 children, two women, two journalists and two paramedics, were wounded by the IOF gunfire. IOF launched a series of air strikes on a number of houses in the Gaza Strip. Six houses were destroyed and dozens of others were severely damaged, and IOF threatened and warned Palestinian civilians by phone to destroy their houses if they helped Palestinian resistance activists. Read more about Weekly Report on Human Rights Violations
On 23 July 2006, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) started to implement a new policy of warning civilians shortly before bombarding their houses, giving them a notice of no more than one hour. IOF consider these warnings a justification to carry out the bombardments. This policy is a development of a practice perpetrated by IOF several times during attacks on several towns in the Gaza Strip. During these attacks, IOF warned town residents, through leaflets dropped by planes, against staying in their homes located in areas where IOF were conducting military operations. Read more about Prior warning does not justify targeting civilian property
After an investigation conducted by its Legal Unit, PCHR concluded that Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) murdered three members of the Hajjaj family by targeting their house on 8 July 2006. PCHR’s preliminary investigation into that incident included field visits to the attack site, eyewitness accounts, examining shrapnel and rocket remains in the house, and examining official documents such as medical reports and pictures of the dead and wounded. Read more about IOF Involvement in the Murder of 3 Members of Hajjaj Family, 8 July 2006
The Centre is extremely concerned over the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) operation that started this morning in the Shejaeya Quarter, east of Gaza City. IOF bombardment and land attacks have thus far led to the death of 11 Palestinians, including a three-year old girl, and the injury of 45 others, including seven children. In addition, two journalists from Palestine television were injured covering the events. IOF bulldozers continue their razing and destruction of agricultural lands and other civilian property in the area. Read more about 11 Palestinians Killed, Including Child, and 45 Injured in Gaza
Today, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed five Palestinian civilians, including two children and an elderly woman, in two separate attacks on Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. Fourteen other civilians, including five children and a woman, have been wounded. In the early morning, IOF warplanes attacked a house in Gaza City after having ordered its evacuation. These latest crimes have come in the context of the continued IOF offensive on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and have followed a statement by an IOF spokesman that IOF would attack houses under suspicion to prevent militant groups from accumulating weapons. Read more about Five Palestinian Civilians Killed in Northern Gaza Strip