Al Mezan Condemns Continued Escalation in Attacks and Calls on the International Community to Intervene

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continue to attack Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), including shooting live fire at non-violent solidarity demonstrations in the Gaza Strip. The use of excessive, lethal force against Palestinian protestors violates international human rights and humanitarian law. The IOF fire live bullets, rubber-coated steel bullets, and tear gas canisters against protestors and routinely inflict killing and injury among them.

According to Al Mezan’s documentation, since Friday 9 October 2015 the total fatalities in Gaza rest at 19. Three of the victims are children and one a woman. At least 1,136 people have been injured, including 108 children and five women.  401 of the people injured sustained injuries from live bullets. The Israeli forces have been targeting journalists and medical crews; 17 journalists and 29 medical professionals have been injured. On Friday 11 December 2015 the IOF killed one person and injured 57 people in the Gaza Strip. Six of the people injured were children, one a woman, and one a journalist.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights strongly condemns the continued attacks against Palestinian civilians, including journalists and medical crews by the IOF. Al Mezan warns of further deterioration of the situation and the perpetuation of Israeli violations in the oPt if the silence and failure of the international community to provide the due protection for civilians continues.

According to Al Mezan’s documentation, at approximately 1:00 pm on Friday, 11 December 2015, IOF forces opened fire at a non-violent solidarity protest. The protest, in solidarity with Palestinians under oppression and attack in East Jerusalem, was comprised hundreds of people at Erez crossing. 18 people were injured, including two children.

In the district of Gaza City, at approximately 1:00 pm on the same day, the IOF opened fire and launched tear gas canisters at tens of young men and children who were participating in a popular event to protest against Israeli violations in Jerusalem and the broader West Bank. The clashes between the Israeli occupation forces and the young men took place at Nahal Oz crossing and its surrounding areas east of Al Shejai’ya neighborhood. 19 people were injured, including one child.

In Gaza’s Middle Area district, at approximately 1:00 pm on the same day, the IOF opened fire and launched tear gas canisters at tens of young men and minors who were near the separation fence east of Al Bureij refugee camp. As a result, Sami Shawqi Madi, 41, from Dier Al Balah, was killed. 16 people were injured in the attack, including two children and journalist Mahmoud Omar Al Louh, 25. He sustained a live bullet wound in his right leg.

In the district of Khan Younis, at approximately 1:00 pm on the same day, the IOF opened fire and launched tear gas canisters at tens of people who were gathered near the separation fence in the Al Faraheen area in Abassan, eastern Khan Younis. Four people were injured, including a child and a woman.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights strongly condemns the violations perpetrated by the IOF against civilians in the oPt. Many of the practices carried out by Israel’s forces represent serious and systematic violations of international human rights law. These violations, which must be seen in the context of Israel's continued closure/blockade of Gaza, land confiscation practices, policy of separation, willful killing, and continued repression in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, testify to Israel's intention to maintain its unlawful occupation of the oPt.

Therefore, Al Mezan calls on the international community to uphold its legal obligations under international law to provide due protection for civilians on the one hand, and to take action to enable the Palestinian people to achieve their right to self-determination on the other. Al Mezan asserts that the failure to act and the silence of the international community towards the Israeli violations has encouraged Israel to perpetuate policies and practices that constitute violations of international law. This silence must stop.

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