Ref: 16/2009

Date: 16 January  2009

Time: 13:00 GMT  

 

21^st Day of Continuous IOF Attacks Across the Gaza Strip:

• IOF Assassinate Said Seyam, a Hamas Movement Leader and PLC Member:

• Intensive IOF Shelling into Densely Populated Neighborhoods, Civilian and Humanitarian Facilities, Including Hospitals and UNRWA Headquarters :

• 50 Palestinians Killed During Reporting Period, 36 of Them Unarmed Civilians, Including 12 children and 4 Women:

• Overall Gaza Death Toll Mounts to 1,130, Including 801 Unarmed Civilians;

• Victims Include 264 Children, 82 Women and 167 Civilian Police Officers:   

• Victims Also Include 7 Medical Personnel and 3 Palest

For the twenty first consecutive day, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have continued their indiscriminate attacks across the Gaza Strip, escalating ground and air attacks into densely populated areas across the entire Strip, with total disregard for civilian lives.

During these latest IOF attacks across the Gaza Strip, the most brutal IOF crime was the extrajudicial execution and political assassination of Said Seyam, senior leader of the Hamas movement, Interior Minister in Gaza and member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).

The IOF assassination of Said Seyam killed a total of ten people, including three children from another family.  

During the reporting period, densely populated districts of Gaza city, especially Tal al-Hawa in southern Gaza city, witnessed the heaviest IOF air strikes so far during this overall IOF offensive, as well as extremely violent attacks from the ground. Civilians were subjected to intensive firing of artillery, including incendiary shells that are believed to contain white phosphorous, which causes horrific second and third degree burns. Many civilians were killed, maimed and injured during the IOF assault against Tal al-Hawa, and there was also widespread destruction of civilian facilities, including houses. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and other medical institutions, civil defense and information institutions, continued to be targeted by IOF, who are flagrantly continuing to obstruct the work of these institutions, and in doing so are violating humanitarian law.

Below is a summary of the crimes committed by IOF in the Gaza Strip during the last 24 hours, as documented by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR).

 

Northern Gaza Strip

·   At approximately 13:50 on Thursday, 15 January 2009, IOF warplanes fired several missiles into a populated residential area in al-Banat Street east of Beit Hanoun Town. Two civilians were injured.

·    At approximately 14:00, IOF tanks fired incinerating shells at houses near Salah Addin Street in Izbat Beit Hanoun. Two civilians, including a woman, sustained injuries including burns.

 

·   At the same time, the body of Louai Jaber Husein, 20, arrived at Kamal ‘Odwan Hospital. Husein who lives in Jabaliya refugee camp, and was a member of the Palestinian resistance, was killed in clashes with IOF.

·   At approximately 14:45, IOF tanks fired artillery shells at al-Amal district near Ghassan Kanafani Society east of Beit Hanoun, wounding two children.

·   At approximately 15:00, approximately 40 IOF military vehicles moved 1,000 meters into the east of Beit Hanoun, under extreme shelling and gunfire. IOF isolated al-Ferta and al-Nazzaza districts east of Beit Hanoun. Earlier, IOF, through loudspeakers, demanded civilians in the two districts to leave their houses immediately. Approximately 20 families live in the two districts.

·   At approximately 17:00, IOF fired incendiary shells towards the Islamic Society in Beit Lahia Town. A house belonging to Mansour 'Ali Ghaben was set alight.

·   At approximately 22:00, IOF warplanes fired a missile at a group of three Palestinian resistance members near al-Karama apartment buildings west of Jabaliya, killing all three of them:

1.      Mohammed Issa al-Shrafi, 25;

2.      Abdullah al-Souri, 23;

3.      Amir Ghadir Abu Reyala, 23.

Two civilians ran to help the men who had just been struck by the missile. The IOF immediately fired a second missile, killing both civilians, Imad Hassan al-Najjar, 26; and Imad Said al-Najjar, 32.

·   At approximately 17:30, medical sources confirmed the death of one year old Hala Isam Ahmed al-Menei'i, who suffered serious smoke inhalation during an IOF bombardment.  

·    During the evening, the night and the early hours of Friday 16 January, IOF continued their indiscriminate artillery shelling into areas in the east of Beit Hanoun, Jabaliya and northwest of Beit Lahia. No casualties were confirmed.  

·   At approximately 03:00 on Friday, 16 January 2009, medical sources at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City confirmed the death of Usama Jamal 'Ubeid, 21, who lives in the al-Fakhoura area in Jabaliya 'Ubeid died of wounds sustained in an IOF air strike in Beer al-Na'aja area in Jabaliya ten days ago that targeted civilians.

·   One hour later, medical sources confirmed the death of Issa Mohammed Abu 'Ubeida, 17, from Jabaliya refugee camp. He died of wounds sustained in an IOF bombardment of a crowd of civilians near the PALTEL company in Jabaliya refugee camp.

·   At approximately 04:55, IOF tanks fired artillery shells into al-Jurun area east of Jabaliya. Six civilians, including three children, were injured.

·   At approximately 07:30, an IOF drone fired a missile at a group of civilians in Block 2 in Jabaliya refugee camp, causing moderate injuries to one of the civilians.

·   At approximately 09:00, IOF tanks fired artillery shells at houses near the Islamic Bank east of Jabaliya. Ten year old Rawan Isma'il al-Najjar was killed in the attack. Two civilians, including a child, were also injured.

·   At approximately 10:00, IOF soldiers positioned on the rooftops of houses in the al-Farta district east of Beit Hanoun, fired live ammunition at two civilians who were near their houses in Abu Ghazala district. The two civilians were seriously injured.

 

  Gaza City

During an IOF ground incursion in Tal al-Hawa district during the reporting period, IOF bombarded residential buildings and civilians cars. The most significant developments in Tal al-Hawa were as follows:

At approximately 13:00 on Thursday, 15 January 2009, an IOF tank fired an artillery shell at civilians trying to flee al-Saleh building in a white car. Four civilians were killed in the attack:  'Udai Salama al-Haddad, 50, his wife, Husun Mohammed al-Haddad, 45, and his two children, Hatem, 21 and Aya, 15.

·   At approximately 14:00, IOF began to launch attacks on buildings within the compound of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS). IOF fired an artillery shell at the al-Quds Hospital pharmacy that belongs to the PRCS. Several hours later, IOF continued their attacks and air raids on the PRCS compound, which is a vital medical establishment in Gaza. The al-Quds Hospital and other PRCS buildings were subsequently set alight, mainly the Ambulance and Emergency building; the Folklore Center; the Conferences Center and other PRCS buildings. The IOF attacks also completely destroyed a number of PRCS ambulances. Patients had to be evacuated from the al-Quds hospital and transferred to other hospitals until midnight, and the PRCS buildings were on fire until the morning of 16 January. IOF bombardments also damaged PRCS medicine and humanitarian aid stocks.  

·   At the same time, an IOF tank fired an artillery shell at Fadel al-Batran and his daughter, Hanin, 19. Fadel al-Batran is a guard of a building in Tal al-Hawa district and was trying to flee the area with his daughter, who was killed in the attack.

·   Also at the same time, IOF helicopter fired a missile at a populated apartment in the Intelligence Building no. 3 in Tal al-Hawa. The apartment was damaged and two civilians were killed: Mohammed Majed Husein, 18, and Tha'er Suheil Ali Husein, 19.

·   At approximately 15:00, IOF tanks shelled al-Hedaia Mosque in Tal al-Hawa district and al-Sahwa Mosque in al-Sena'a Street. The minaret of al-Hedaia Mosque was destroyed and the al-Sahwa Mosque was also damaged. IOF also fired artillery shells at Balqis Secondary Schools and the Rosary Sisters School.

·   At approximately 16:00, the bodies of Fathi Dawood al-Qerem, 42, and his children; Ismat, 12, and Ala'a, 11, arrived at al-Shifa Hospital. Fathi al-Qerem and his children were killed when IOF fired an artillery shell that landed on their house in al-Sabra district in Gaza City.

·   The IOF ground incursion into Tal al-Hawa continued until approximately 07:00 on 16 January. Ten members of the Palestinian resistance were killed by IOF during the ground incursion.

1. Hamdi Ibrahim al-Banna, 23;
2. Medhat 'Aned Ali Banar, 24;
3. Na'im Khader Hamada, 20;
4. Mahmoud Khader Abu Salem, 19;
5. 'Ammar Maher Farawana, 18;
6. Farid Hejazi al-Helo, 23;
7. Mu'ataz Abdul Mutaleb Dahman, 21;
8. Husam Hassan al-Hamasi, 35;
9. Rebhi Shheibar, 25;
10. Tamer Faza'a, 20.

·   At approximately 16:10 on 15 January, an IOF F-16 fired a missile at a house belonging to Eyad Mohammed Seyam, 35, in the al-Yarmouk neighborhood in the center of Gaza City, killing ten people from two families. The house of Eyad Seyam was completely destroyed, and the neighbouring house belonging to the Islim family was badly damaged. The ten victims were:  

1.      Eyad Seyam,

2.      Samah 'Ateya Seyam, 34 (his wife)

3.      Said Seyam, Gaza Interior Minister, senior Hamas leader and the brother of Eyad.

4.      Mohammed, 22 (Said Seyam's son)

5.      Mohammed Isma'il Seyam, 27 (Said Seyam's nephew)

6.      Samar Ali Sha'aban Islim, 16;

7.      Iman Abdul Kader Islim, 20;

8.      Ahmed Mohammed Islim, 14;

9.      Husam Mohammed Islim, 10;

10.  Mohammed Nabil Islim, 20.

·    At approximately 20:00, medical sources announced the death of Jamal Taha Maghames, 49, of wounds sustained in IOF bombardment of the al-Maqqousi apartment buildings on 14 January.  

·   Medical sources also confirmed the death of Mohammed Eleiwa, 22, of wounds sustained earlier whilst he was near al-Shejaeya neighborhood in Gaza city.

·   At approximately 10:00 on Friday, 16 January 2009, fifteen year old Abdullah Mohammed al-Jujo was killed when a shell landed on his house near the al-Huda Charitable Association in al-Sena'a Street south of Gaza, after IOF tanks indiscriminately fired shells into the area.

·     Medical sources confirmed the death of Mahmoud Zuheir al-'Aloul, 18, of wounds sustained on 15 January near Gaza Community College whilst he was trying to flee the area with his cousin.

 

Central Gaza Strip

·   At approximately 13:30 on Thursday, 15 January 2009, an IOF F-15 fired a missile into open land in the al-Berka district in Deir al-Balah. A number of houses were damaged and two civilians, including a woman, sustained injuries.

·   At approximately 16:00, IOF warplanes bombarded a site of the 17 force in al-'Azayza Street in Deir al-Balah. The bombarded damaged the site and a number of neighboring houses. In addition, four civilians were injured. This was the second time the site had been bombed.  

·   At approximately 18:00, IOF indiscriminately fired artillery shells into al-Mughraqa area and towards western al-Nusseirat. Three civilians sustained injuries and were transferred to the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah.

·   At approximately 20:30, IOF fired incendiary artillery shells that are believed to contain white phosphorous, at houses east of al-Bureij refugee camp. Eight civilians, including three women and two children, were injured, a number of houses were damaged and agricultural land was set on fire.  

·   At approximately 03:30 on Friday, 16 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded a 3-storey house belonging to Kamal Khamis Abu Najeh, 60, in block 1 in al-Nuseirat refugee camp. The bombardment injured tow children, caused damage to the targeted house and also to a number of neighboring houses.

·   On the morning of 16 January, IOF positioned in the border area sporadically fired incendiary artillery shells that are believed to contain white phosphorous into the Wadi al-Salqa area.

 

Khan Yunis:

·   At approximately noon on Thursday, 15 January 2009, medical sources confirmed the death of Akram Mohammed Matar al-Seigali, 54, in al-'Arish Hospital in Egypt. Al-Seigali, from Khan Younis, sustained serious wounds on 13 January due to IOF shelling during an incursion into Khuza'a village east of Khan Younis. He was attempting to evacuate his wife and children when he sustained injuries.   

·   At approximately 19:30, IOF tanks, positioned inside the border area east of Khan Younis, fired artillery shells at agricultural land and populated areas in al-Qarara district, Abasan al-Kabira village, Abasan al-Jadida village and Khuza'a village. Many of the shells are believed to contain white phosphorous. The shelling continued sporadically until the morning of 16 January, but no casualties were confirmed. On the morning of 16 January, IOF gunboats fired artillery shells into areas west of Khan Younis and also into the vicinity of al-Matahen.  

·   At approximately 20:30 on 15 January, IOF warplanes dropped three incendiary smoke bombs, believed to contain white phosphorous, into the vicinity of the Science and Technology College. Toxic smoke was dispersed, and fire broke out in a building close to the College.

·   At approximately 22:00, medical sources confirmed the death of Mamdouh Lutfi Abu Rouk, 22, of wounds sustained during IOF shelling of Khuza'a village on 13 January.  

·   At approximately 06:37, IOF warplanes fired a missile at an open area near al-Amin Mosque in al-Satar al-Gharbi area northwest of Khan Younis.

·   At approximately in the same time, an IOF warplane fired a missile into an open area near Khalid Ibn al-Walid Mosque in Khan Younsi Refugee Camp. Two civilians, Nader Mohammed Abu Rezeq, 32, and his child, Noura, 4, sustained moderate shrapnel injuries. They were transferred to Naser Hospital in Khan Younis for treatment.

·   At approximately 07:00, IOF warplanes and gunboats fired a number of smoke bombs, believed to contain white phosphorous, into the vicinity of cemeteries southwest of Khan Younis. IOF gunboats also fired dozens of artillery shells into open areas to the west of Khan Younis formed IOF settlements, whilst IOF tanks also shelled houses and agricultural land in the al-Qarara district.

·   At approximately 13:30 on Friday, 16 January 2009, IOF F-16 warplanes fired three missiles at the Khan Younis police Headquarters in the center of Khan Younis. The building was heavily damaged. In addition, damage was caused to the neighboring primary care center of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the headquarters of Khan Younis municipality and to neighboring populated houses. Three year old Mohammed Majed Ahmed al-Astal sustained minor shrapnel injuries whilst inside his house.

 

Rafah

·   At approximately 16:00 on Thursday, 15 January 2009, medical personnel were finally able to evacuate the body of Ahmed Fou'ad Thabet, 25, who bled to death, and his brother, Ibrahim, 18, who sustained serious wounds, from Salah Addin Street near al-Shoka and al-Naser villages, where IOF had launched a ground incursion during the evening of the previous day. The two brothers had been left bleeding until medical personnel could reach them.

·   At the same time, medical personnel managed to evacuate the bodies of Mustafa Kamel Baraka, 45, and Rasmi Mohammed Abu Jarjeer. The two civilians, who are both from central Gaza, were travelling in a Subaru car on Salah Addin Street near al-Shoka village north of Rafah, when IOF targeted them. They were both killed.

·    PCHR notes that during the reporting period seven people who had been injured by indiscriminate IOF shelling and bombardment arrived at the Abu Yousif al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah. In addition, hundreds of families in the Rafah area were forced to flee their homes and seek shelter in UNRWA schools.

·    At approximately 21:30 on 15 January, IOF F-16 warplanes bombarded the border area between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Further damage was caused to houses in the area.

·   At approximately 22:00, IOF F-16 warplanes bombarded a ceremony hall building belonging to Hamdan al-Sha'er in Abu Yousif al-Najjar Street in al-Juneina district in Rafah.

·   At approximately 08:20 on Friday, 16 January 2009, IOF gunboats fired shells at the al-Mawasi area and towards southern Rafah.  

·   Ten minutes later, an IOF drone fired two missiles at a group of children who were collecting firewood from an agricultural land behind the petrol station in 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab. Fourteen year old Issa Mohammed Abu Jarad was killed, and a second child was injured.

·   At approximately 08:35, an IOF warplane fired a missile at agricultural land in the al-Tannour neighborhood east of Rafah.

·   IOF also began shelling at houses in al-Shoka village east of Rahah. The shelling, which continued all morning, injured 16 civilians, including five children and four women.   

 

In light of IOF escalating attacks against the Palestinian civilian population and civilian objects in the Gaza Strip, and because of increasing numbers of Palestinian IOF victims, PCHR:

1.   Calls for an immediate halt to the IOF offensive against the population of the Gaza Strip.

2.   Calls for an immediate halt to all IOF measures of collective punishment being imposed on the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip, especially the total siege and closure of the Gaza Strip, and demands safe movement for both persons and goods into and out of the Gaza Strip.

3.   Reiterates that crimes committed by IOF are clear evidence not only for the excessive and disproportionate use of force, but also of acts of retaliation against Palestinian civilians. 

4.   Holds Israel responsible for the lives of Palestinian civilians in all circumstances. Under international law, the existence of armed resistance does not in any case justify the use of such excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force.

5.   Warns that the lives of Palestinian civilians are in danger in light of threats vowed by Israeli political and military officials to expand military operations against the population of the Gaza Strip.

6.   Calls upon the international community to immediately intervene to stop such crimes, and calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention, Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, to fulfill their obligation under article 1 of the Convention to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances, as well as their obligation under article 146 to search for and prosecute those who are responsible for perpetrating grave breaches of the Convention, as such breaches constitute war crimes according to article 147 of the Convention and the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I). 

7.   Calls upon international and Israeli human rights organizations to raise their voices against war crimes being committed by IOF against the unarmed Palestinian civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

8.   Calls for the establishment of an independent inquiry commissions to investigate crimes committed by IOF against Palestinian civilians, including IOF use of internationally prohibited weapons. 

9.   Calls for the prosecution of all political and military officials who are found responsible for committing war crimes against Palestinian civilians.