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Palestinian Centre for Human Rights LTD (non profit)
Press Release

Ref: 118/2008
Date: 29 December 2008
Time: 14:15

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have continued to launch an open war against the Gaza Strip for the third consecutive day. IOF have continued to attack children, women and old people in disregard to their lives, humanitarian appeals and international humanitarian law and human rights law. PCHR’s investigations indicate that IOF have used excessive lethal force throughout the Gaza Strip, which is the most densely populated area in the world. They have launched dozens of heavy missiles from the air and the sea on houses, civilian facilities and mosques in densely populated areas. In a very horrible crime, last night and this morning, 22 Palestinian children were killed or wounded while they were sleeping at homes. Five sisters were killed in Jabalya refugee camp; 3 brothers were killed in Rafah refugee camp; and a 9th child was killed in Gaza City. Thus, the number of children killed in the past three days of the IOF offensive against the Gaza Strip has mounted to 31 out of 280 Palestinians who have been killed so far. The victims also include 9 women. Additionally, at least 140 children have been wounded.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 23:50 on Sunday, 28 December 2008, IOF warplanes bombarded ‘Emad ‘Aqel Mosque in Block 4 in the densely populated Jabalya refugee camp. The mosque and a neighboring house belonging to Anwar Khalil Ba’lousha were destroyed. The house was destroyed over the family, killing 5 of Ba’lousha’s female children: Jawaher, 4; Dunia, 8; Samar, 12; Ikram, 14; and Tahreer, 17. Ba’lousha, his wife and another three of their children were also wounded. Additionally, 17 civilians in neighboring houses, including 5 children, were wounded.

Earlier on the same day, at approximately 19:00, an IOF warplane fired a missile at a two-storey house belonging to ‘Abdullah Tawfiq Kishku in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. The house was destroyed killing Kishku’s daughter, 8-year-old Ibtihal, and his daughter-in-law, 22-year-old Maisaa’. Kishku himself and 13 members of his family were also wounded.

At approximately 01:00 on Monday, 29 December 2008, IOF warplanes fired two missiles at a house belonging to Ra’ed al-’Attar, a leader of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas, in Yebna refugee camp in Rafah. One of the missile hit and destroyed the house that had been already evacuated. The other missile hit and destroyed a house belonging to Zaid al-’Absi, which is located nearly 500 meters away from the targeted house. As a result, three of al-’Absi’s children were killed: Sidqi, 3; Ahmed, 12; and Mohammed, 14. Al-’Absi himself, his wife and another three of their children were also wounded. Additionally, 7 civilians living in neighboring houses, including two children, were wounded.

PCHR is gravely concerned for the situation in the Gaza Strip, and:

1.        Condemns these crimes, which are part of a series of continuous crimes committed by IOF in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) with total disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians, considering them a form of collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population in violation of article 33 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.

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

3.        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).

Public Document
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