Despite their claims of respecting the cease-fire reached between the Israeli government and the Palestinian National Authority, the Israeli forces continue to attack Palestinian civilians and their property in the occcupied territories.
Last night, at approximately 11:00 p.
m.
(8:00 GMT), Palestinian civilians residing in residential Block “O” near the Salah ad-Deen Gate in Rafah were awakened by the sounds of intermittent firing and shelling.
Israeli military forces positioned along the border separating the Gaza Strip from Egypt were targeting their houses in this most recent attack.
The shelling caused panic among the Palestinian civilians residing in the area, who have been subject to a number of similar Israeli attacks during past months.
After an hour, at about 12:00 midnight, four Israeli bulldozers, accompanied with vast military reinforcements estimated to include 11 armored military vehicles, approached the aforementioned residential area in Rafah.
They stormed into Area “A” -- the Palestinian territories that are, according to the peace accords signed by the Israeli government and the Palestinian National Authority -- under Palestinian control.
The forces proceeded to advance 250 meters deep into Area “A.
” The forces reached the Palestinian houses located there and immediately began to bulldoze.
No previous previous warning was issued.
These forces forbade the Palestinian residents from evacuating furniture and other possessions from their homes.
The Israeli forces continued to bulldoze and destroy houses and property until 4:00 a.
m.
Tuesday morning.
In this incident, the Israeli forces completely destroyed 18 houses, leaving 32 families (200 people) homeless.
Information about these homes is as follows: Mohammed Sa’dy Mohammed Ziadah, 24 Persons live in the house Mohammed Musslih Mohammed Abu Libdah, 20 Persons live in the house Jihad Hamdan Abd al- Kareem Abd al- ‘Al, 7 Persons live in the house Ameenah Shukry Mustafa ar- Ra’y, 14 Persons live in the house Fathy Mohammed Musslih Abu Libdah, 9 Persons live in the house Ali Mahir Hasan Abu Halawah, 10 Persons live in the house Su’ad Mohammed Ahmad Abu Halawah, 3 Persons live in the house Zaky Khamees Mohammed Abu Halawah, 11 Persons live in the house Faraj Hasan Ali Abu Halawah, 6 Persons live in the house Ahmad Khamees Mohammed Abu Halawah, 6 Persons live in the house Husein Abdallah Mahmoud Abu Nahlah, 3 Persons live in the house Ssabry Abdallah Mahmoud Abu Nahlah, 9 Persons live in the house Fayiz Ibraheem Suleiman Abu Taha, 23 Persons live in the house Mufeed Ibraheem Suleiman Abu Taha, 9 Persons live in the house Ni’mah Mohammed Ahmad al- Yazoury, 16 Persons live in the house Tamam Yousif Mustafa al- Jammal, 11 Persons live in the house Jihad Hasan Abd ar- Rahman Kalloub, 4 Persons live in the house Mahmoud Mohammed Musslih Abu Libdah, 7 Persons live in the house In addition, the Israeli forces partially destroyed a 250 square meter house, This house, owned by Husein Abdallah Mahmoud Abu Nakhlah, was inhabited by three people.
Moreover, five citizens were injured in the shelling and had to be taken to the Martyr Abu Youssef al-Nijar Hospital for treatment.
They are: Akram Harb A’shour, 37 years old, resident of Rafah, hit by shrapnel in his chest and right arm.
Yasir Mahmoud al-Khateeb, 30 years old, resident of Rafah, hit by shrapnel in his face in both arms.
Jamal Mohammed Abu Taha, 30 years old, resident of Rafah, hit by a live bullet in his left arm.
Ra’id Jamal Bahloul, 26 years old, resident of Rafah, hit by a live bullet in his right thigh.
Name unknown, 38 years old, resident of Rafah, hit by a live bullet in the neck.
In another incident, the occupation forces have continued to create excuses and rationalizations for the closures and difficulties that it has repeatedly imposed on travel along the checkpoints near Matahin Junction south of the city of Khan Younis since Monday 9/7/01.
This has obstructed citizens’ movement on the only road that connects northern and central Gaza with the southern part of the Strip.
As a result, citizens have been stuck in long lines and forced to wait in their cars for hours before obtaining permission to cross the checkpoint.
In light of this escalation of events, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights implores the international community to do the following: FIRST: to break out of its silence.
Its silence represents a true conspiracy, as it is equivalent to acceptance of the Occupation army's butchery of the rights of the Palestinian people and their property.
SECOND: to offer immediate international protection to civilian residents and their property.
This appeal is imperative in order to prevent the Israeli Prime Minister from repeating that which he carried out in previous massacres.
It has become even more urgent due to the grave deterioration occurring on the ground.
END