The IOF have intensified their ongoing offensive on north Gaza, and on December 7th shelled a civilian car, killing Mahmud Al Argan and wounding pedestrians among whom three were children.
According to the Center's fieldworkers, at approximately 5:40pm on December 7th, an Israeli fighter jet shelled a blue Subaru in Taha Hussain St.
in the Kharbat Al Adas area of Rafah.
The car was hit directly and completely damaged, killing a 25 year- old citizen Mahmoud Sulaiman Al Argan and injuring a father and his child, and three brothers while crossing the street.
The victims are: Saleh Ahmad Abdel Al, aged 13, bruised all over his body Hamada Ahmad Abdel Al, aged 14, bruised all over his body Mohammad Ahmad Abdel Al, aged 20, bruised all over his body Yousef Mohammad Shaikh Aid, aged 55, bruised over head and neck Mahmoud Yousef Shaikh Aid, aged 11, bruised on head, arms, and legs.
The Israeli military air forces shelled around 40 missiles on east Jabalia and a north- west Bedouin village at around 10pm, and the shelling continued until dawn on December 8th, terrifying children and women.
No casualties were reported.
At approximately 2am on the same day, Israeli air forces heavily shelled 3 missiles on areas of north Beit Lahia, causing varying levels of damages to adjacent houses and terrifying civilians.
No injuries were reported.
This offensive occurs simultaneously with the tight siege imposed by the IOF on the Gaza Strip and the ongoing collective punishment caused since the outbreak of the Intifada in September 2000.
The fact that many children have been injured emphasizes IOF indifference regarding Palestinian lives.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns the IOF continuing offensive, and emphasizes on the illegality of the assassination and random shelling in addition to the ongoing collective punishment against Palestinian civilians in the OPT, which constitute war crimes in breach of International Law, namely the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.
Thus, Al Mezan Center calls upon the International Community, most notably the High Contracting Parties of Geneva Convention, to undertake their legal ethical and duties and intervene immediately intervene to halt the Israeli war crimes, and provide protection to Palestinians under ongoing Israeli threats to commit further crimes against civilians in the OPT.
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