1PM Gaza Time
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued the attacks on the Gaza Strip. direct attacks on inhabited houses continued to occur in various areas of the Gaza Strip. at least in four occasions IOF fire was directed to, or the vicinity of, IDP shelters in north and middle Gaza districts. IOF use of suspected white phosphorus was reported. Shells producing black smoke and flechette were also reported. Today early morning, the IOF fired two missiles in the vicinity of Gaza only power plant causing it to stop its operations.
There are at least 200,000 displaced people in the Gaza Strip; more than 100,000 of whom were sheltered in UNRWA schools. The rest sought shelter in government schools or with relatives and friends. Many IDP's have been killed from IOF attacks on houses they resorted to during the past few days. Al Mezan warns about the serious implications of such wide-scaled home demolitions while the Gaza Strip has not yet recovered from tens of thousands of previous demolitions, and from the far reaching implications of trauma and displacement on children; especially those who witnessed the killing of family members, neighbors and others.
The situation for the general civilian population is increasingly difficult, with blackouts lasting 20 hours at best and problems with access to water and healthcare.
According to the field investigations by Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, as of 1pm today, on Wednesday 23 July 2014, at least 662 Palestinians have been verified as killed by the IOF; including 159 children and 84 women. According to Al Mezan's initial investigations 517 (i.e. 78.1%) of the victims are civilians. Many others were people known to be affiliated by Palestinian factions, but not taking part in any hostilities. At least 332 (50.2%; 124 children and 75 women) were killed inside their houses; and two other disabled women were killed in an attack on a rehabilitation NGO's office. Of the 311, fifteen were combatants and the rest were civilians. another 95 people were killed in the vicinity of their houses; including in situations where they were trying to flee from their homes as a result ot IOF attacks. Three of those were identified as combatants.
Moreover, at least 3,144 other people were injured during the same period; of whom at least 919 were children and 660 women. At least, 3,278 houses were destroyed or damaged during this period; of which 477 were destroyed completely as the IOF directly and deliberately attacked 519 of the total number of damaged houses. The numbers of casualties and houses are not final, but only those verified by Al Mezan thus far. They are expected to rise as the verification of more cases is on-going. IOF attacks also damaged or destroyed 54 schools, 66 mosques, an ambulance centre, 18 NGO offices, 39 fishing boats and 7 hospitals.
At around 1:00 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, Israeli aircraft fired one missile at a park in the Al Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City. One person, Ahmad Abu Seedo, 20, was killed as a result of the attack as he was standing outside his house at the time of attack.
At approximately 1:00 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at the of Nizar Awadallah, 58, which is located in the Al Nasser neighborhood, west of Gaza City. The two-story house was severely damaged as a result of the attack. The house is inhabited by three families of 10 members, 3 are children. One child Abdul Nasser Mosleh, 16, was killed in the airstrike as he fell off from the roof of the building from the explosion's impact. The child was checking the water in tanks on the roof when the attack took place. The house was bombed again twice at approximately 1:00 am on 23 July 2014.
At approximately 2:40 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, Israeli artillery positioned behind the separation fence fired several shells which landed next to a UN school serving as a shelter for internally displaced people in the town of Beit Hanoun, in the north of the Gaza Strip. Shrapnel landed inside the school and smashed several windows, but no injuries were reported. This is one of four IOF attacks on IDP shelters.
At approximately 2:40 pm on Wednesday 23 July 2014, IOF aircraft bombarded the house of Mahmoud Awad Abu Salah, which is located in the Abassan town east to Khan Younis district, south of the Gaza Strip. the house was completely destroyed. One man, 25-year-old Ahmad Abdallah Abu Salah, was killed as he passing by the house. Ahmad is a relative of the house owner and he lived in the same neighborhood.
At approximately 3:30 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, Israeli artillery positioned beyond the separation fence fired tens of shells on the Al Manshiyya neighborhood, in eastern Beit Lahiya. One shell hit a house belonging to Sobhi Al Feery. His son Ibrahim, 25, was killed and three others were injured: Ibtisal, 20; Areej, 19; and Omar, 1. Their injuries were described as moderate.
At approximately 3:30 on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, Israeli artillery fired one shell at the house of Mohammed Khalil Ahl, located in the Al Sha’af neighborhood, east of Gaza City. Mohammed was killed in the shelling. One hour later, Mohammed’s grandson Mohammed, 18, went to the house to help his grandfather leave the house; however, another shell hit the house and killed him.
At approximately 3:30 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, Israeli aircraft fired a missle on the Salihat Street in the Maghazi refugee camp. A passerby, Hassan Sofyan Al Khmeesi, 28, was killed from the attack.
In other incidents, the IOF fired at or in the vicinity of three UNRWA schools which serve as IDP shelters. Several IDPs were injured as a result, and the attacks spread panic among them. IDPs recall IOF previous lethal attacks on IDP shelters during Cast Lead Operation in 2009.
At approximately, 3:40 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, an Israeli drone fired one missile at a car in Beit Hanoun killing its driver, Rafeeq Abu Kalloub, 44, and injuring his son Mohammed, 23. Mohammed’s injuries were described as critical.
At approximately, 4:15 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, an Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a farm in the east of the Al Buriej refugee camp in the Middle Gaza district, killing Mahmoud Mohammed Ghanim, 21, and Ra'ed Zuheer Salah, 21.
At approximately 4:20 pm, on Tuesday, IOF fired several missiles in the Beit lahiya's Manshiya neighborhood. One of the missiles hit the Qishta family house. A girl, Shahd, 9, was killed, and two others were injured. At around 4:40 pm on the same day, a missile hit Al Baddi house killing Ahmad Al Baddi, 27, and his child, 3 months. His wife Mona Al Baddi, 25, was injured as well as his other daughterGhazzal, 2 years. Their injuries were described as moderate.
At approximately 5:00 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, four dead bodies from the Hajjaj family arrived at the Shifa Hospital. The four had been killed in an IOF airstrike that hit their house at approximately 7:00 am on 21 July 2014, in Al the Shejai'ya neighborhood, east of Gaza City. The two-story house was destroyed over its residents. One more body is still under the rubble. The dead persons are: Tareq Hajjaj, 21; Shehada Hajjaj, 30; Yousef Hajjaj, 26; Ahmad Hajjaj, 19.
At approximately 5:00 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, IOF fired several artillery shells at a neighborhood in the north of Rafah town in the south of the Gaza Strip. as a result, two women were killed: 66-year-old Hakmeh Udwan, and her sister, Najam 47, were killed. A man, Khalil Abu Sniemeh, 21, and his brother Khalaf, 16, hurried to the house to help the victims. The IOF fired a second shell that hit the house again and killed them both.
At approximately 5:00 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, IOF aircraft fired a missile into a group of people in the Al Buriej refugee camp, killing two men: Ahmad Wishahm 25, and Ahmad Ramadan, 30. Another man was critically injured.
At approximately 5:30 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, an IOF drone fired a missile at a motorcycle, killing the cyclist, Ahmad Abu Mgheseeb, 23, who was in the Wadi Al Salqa village in the middle Gaza district.
At approximately 5:30 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, an IOF aircraft bombarded the house of Abu Omar family in the Wadi Al Salqa village, killing Ra'ed Abdel Rahma Abu Mgheseeb, 33.
At approximately 5:30 pm, on Tuesday 22 July 2014, Israeli artillery fired a shell that landed near an ambulance vehicle that belongs to the Ministry of Health. The ambulance was on a mission to collect dead bodies from the Erez Crossing. One paramedic, Sa'ed Hammouda, 30, was injured in several parts of his body. His injury was described as moderate.
At approximately 6:40 pm on Tuesday 22 July 2014, IOF fired a missile at a group pf people who were in the vicinity of the Ebad Al Rahman mosque in the Abassan town, east to Khan Younis district. One man, Mohammed Al Jurf, 24, was killed, and another man, Hamza Abu Anzeh, 21, was critically injured and died at hospital later at 1:30 am on Wednesday 23 July 2014.
At approximately 7:30 pm on Wednesday 23 July 2014, IOF aircraft bombarded a house in the An Nusseirat refugee camp, killing a child from the family: Nour Ra'd Abu Hwishil, 6.
At approximately 7:30 pm, on Tuesday, 22 July 2014, an IOF drone fired a missile at a motorcycle, killing the cyclist, Atiyya Al Da'alees, 33, who was in the westen parts of the An Nusseirat refugee camp in the middle Gaza district.
At approximately 9:35 pm on Tuesday 22 July 2014, IOF aircraft fired a group of people who were walking on the Salah Ad-Din Street in the Satar Al Gharbi area in Khan Younis City. Two of them were killed: Hani Awad Sammour, 75, and Marwan Ibrahim Sammour, 38.
At approximately 10:30 pm on Tuesday 22 July 2014, IOF aircraft bombarded a house for the Abu Hwishil family in the An Nusseirat refugee camp, killing Adel Abu Hwishil, 40, and his two sons: Bakr, 5, and Mohammed 13. Neighbors gathered to help the victims, but IOF fired a second missile at the house and killed Obaida Abu Hwishil, 9, and Yousef Abu Mustafa, 20.
At approximately 10:30 pm on Tuesday 22 July 2014, an IOF drone fired a missile at a motorcycle on the Sea Street in Khan Younis City center. The attack killed 24-year-old Ahmad Ibrahim Shbeer and injured a passerby minor, 17-year-old Wesam Alaa' Al Najjar, who died from his wounds later.
At approximately 11 pm on Tuesday 22 July 2014, IOF aircraft fired a missile at the house of Mohammed Abu Reedeh in the town of Bani Suheila, east to Khan Younis district. The house was attacked when its residents were inside it and without prior warning. As a result, Mohammed, 22, and his wife, Shama Shamiyeh, 20, were killed. Their children were wounded; however, rescue crews were able to rescue them from under the rubble alive.
At approximately 2:15 am on Wednesday 23 July 2014, IOF artillery positioned east to Khuza'a town, east to Khan Younis district, shelled the town with tens of artillery shells. The shelling continued for hours; during which IOF refused to allow ambulances to enter the area. At around 1am, IOF moved into the town under heavy fire and artillery shelling. Multiple casualties were reported in the town. Al Mezan was able to verify three of them by the time this press release was issued at 1 pm today:
Mohammed Mansour Al Bashiti, 7; Salem Abdallah Abu T'eemeh, 23; and Mohammed Na'eem Abu T'eemeh, 25. At approximately 2:30 am on Wednesday 23 July 2014, medical sources announced the death of 23-year-old Sadam Ibrahim Abu Aasi, who had sustained wounds in an IOF attacks in the town of Bani Suheila in the east of Khan Younis district,
At approximately 4 am on Wednesday 23 July 2014, IOF aircraft bombarded the house of Ziyad Tawfeeq Abu Zareefeh, which is located in the Abassan Al Kabeera town, east to Khan Younis district. The attack killed several people inside the house and the adjacent house of Safwat Abu Teer. Al Mezan has identified two of them: Ismail Mahmoud Abu Zareeheh, 54, and a 3-year-old girl, Zeinab Safwat Abu Teer. Other people were still under the rubble of the two houses as the rescue teams continue to locate them.
At approximately 5:30 am, on Wednesday 23 July 2014, Israeli drones fired several missiles at a house belonging to Anwar AbdulGhafour. His wife and daughter were slightly injured.
At approximately 8:30 am on Wednesday, 23 July 2014, paramedics were able to pull five dead bodies from under the rubble in the Al Zanna area in Bani Suheila town and Abbassan Al Jadeeda town, both east to Khan Younis district. The dead persons were identified as: Yahya Sallout, 22; Shehda Abu Jame', 35; Khalil Abu Jame', 75; Ahmad Asfour, 30, and Hosam Al Qarra, 23. Later, at approximately, 9:20 am on 23 July 2014, ambulances were able to recover the dead body of Mohammed Sobhi 'Abdeen, 22, who was killed in artillery shelling on Khan Younis.
At approximately 9:15 am on Wednesday, 23 July 2014, Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at a farm west of Khan Younis City. Tawfeeq Al Agha, 56, was killed and 12 others were injured.
At approximately 9:17 am on Wednesday 23 July 2014, IOF artillery fired a shell towards an ambulance operated by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS). The ambulance was on a mission, to evacuate injured people in the Al Banat Street in the town of Beit Hanoun in the north of the Gaza Strip. the mission was coordinated with the IOF via the ICRC. The shell exploded near the ambulance and caused damages to it. The ambulance driver, Yusri Al Masri reported to Al Mezan that 'after coordination via the ICRC, we headed to evacuated inured and trapped people from a house near the Al Shawa Clinic on the Al Banat Street in Beit Hanoun. Before we reached the location, we were surprised that a shell fell a few meters from the street on which the ambulance was driving. We returned to Beit Hanoun hospital without evacuating the people.'
At approximately 10:20 am on Wednesday 23 July 2014, IOF artillery fired a shell at a donkey-laden cart that was moving on the western road in the Um Al Nasser village in the north of the Gaza Strip. as a result, four civilians; a woman and three children were hit. One child was killed: Rabee' Qasim Abu Ras, 9, his mother, Aysha Mohammed Abu Ras, 48, a women, Fatima Ghazal, 58, and a child, Mohammed Abu Khreet, 14, were injured. They were on their way out of the village to seek refuge in the nearby town of Beit Lahiya.
At approximately 6 am on Wednesday 23 July 2014, IOF aircraft bombarded a house in the Al Mughraqa village in the Middle Gaza District, killing Abdel Kareem Abu Hjaiyer, 35.
Israel’s atrocities against civilians and civilian property continue unabated in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces have intensified its bombardment of civilian houses destroying them over their residents. Israel has also dropped bombs which are suspected to be white phosphorus bombs; igniting fire, producing thick, white, smelly smoke that caused rashes to children in a few reported cases. These shells; however, differed from white phosphorus shells that were used during Operation Cast Lead in early 2009. According to Al Mezan’s field work in North Gaza district, the shells exploded when they hit the ground, scattering flames and producing thick smoke. In 2009, shells exploded in the air moments before they hit the ground. IOF also fired shells that produced black smoke with strong, bad smell that, when inhaled, caused breathing difficulty for people. Children who had rashes were exposed to this gas and the suspected white phosphorus and i is uncertain what caused the rashes for them. The suspected use of white phosphorus and this black gas occurred in the north Gaza district and parts of Gaza City and along the eastern border areas of the Gaza Strip.
Al Mezan condemns the IOF flagrant violations of international law in the context of the ongoing Operation Protective Edge . The extensive use of artillery and air attacks has devastated people; especially families who were attack when they were inside their homes. Al Mezan strongly condemns the attacks on ambulances, the power station, and IDP shelters. Al Mezan is highly concerned by the reports about the use of shells with igniting materials and chemicals.
The IOF's acts represent grave breaches of IHL, amounting to war crimes. They are expected to continue in the coming days. Al Mezan also expresses outrage by the inaction of the international community despite the objective reporting from human rights organizations and international media about the manner in which the IOF has been conducting hostilities. So far, most states have focused on Israel's contested right to self-defence while overlooking the absolute prohibitions on targeting civilians and launching disproportionate attacks, an attitude that has been echoed in Israel as a green light to go forward with such serious violations, which will certainly allow the grave situation to develop graver. Should the situation continue to develop this way, international community's complacency will lead to greater numbers of civilian victims.
Al Mezan warns about the continuous prevalence of the culture of impunity; both at the international level where Israel is shielded from criticism of punishment for violations of IHL and the domestic level where Israel's justice system does not accommodate any form of effective accountability. This culture is the main motive behind the continuous commitment of war crimes and must be abolished.
Al Mezan therefore calls on the international community to:
Condemn strongly the grave breaches of IHL in the context of Operation Protective Edge;
- Take immediate, effective action to provide the due protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip from military attacks and prosecution;
- Carry out credible investigations into the conduct of hostilities and ensure accountability for those who prove to have committed violations and redress for the victims of these violations; and
- Use multilateral and bilateral relations with Israel to insist on the immediate need to respect IHL.