Ten Airstrikes and One Incursion into Gaza: Al Mezan Condemns IOF Escalation, Calls for Protection of Civilians, Warns War Crimes may Happen Again in Gaza

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have escalated their aggression on the Gaza Strip by launching new attacks on various targets in Gaza.
These attacks come in a context of escalation on Gaza border.
On Monday and Tuesday, 21 and 22 March 2011, Israeli aircrafts launched ten airstrikes at various locations throughout the Gaza Strip.
 IOF tanks and bulldozers also moved about 300 meters into the Gaza Strip.
As a result, 24 persons were injured, including nine children, three women, and an elderly man.
One house was completely destroyed, 20 houses were severely damaged, and dozens more were slightly damaged.
In addition, one store was completely destroyed, seven shops and two stores were partially destroyed, one workshop was completely destroyed and another two were partially damaged, and a police station and two cars and an NGO office were partially damaged.
   At approximately 11pm on Monday 21 March 2011, Israeli aircrafts fired two missiles at a police station in the At-Twam area in Jabalia town, in North Gaza District.
19 persons sustained various injuries, including eight children, three women, an elderly man, and two policemen.
The station was completely destroyed and two police cars were partially damaged.
16 adjacent houses, seven shops, a factory, a NGO office, a family council (Diwan), and two civilian cars were also partially damaged in the attack.
    Al Mezan Center for Human Rights identified the names of the injured children in these attacks as follows:   ·         Mohammed Juma’ Ali Ghneim,5; ·         Basma Aqel Al Sheik Khalil, 5; ·         Mohammed Abdel Khaleq Abdel Fattah Sabbah, 7; ·         Mohammed Hashem Iyad Jaber, 11; ·         Rasha Mohammed Owda Abu Khattab, 11; ·         Sundus Iyad Fakhri Jaber, 16; ·         ‘Ahed Faiyz Deeb As-Sultan, 17; ·         Mohammed Mansour Ahmed At-Toum, 17; and ·         Qamar Basher Abdel ‘Al, 3.
  At approximately 11:30pm the same day, an Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a military site west of the Al Magusi towers in the An-Naser neighborhood in the northwest of Gaza City.
The site was completely destroyed in the attack.
One adult and one child were injured in the attack.
The window panes of two adjacent schools and dozens of adjacent departments also shattered.
   At approximately 8:15am on Tuesday 22 March 2011, six Israeli tanks accompanied by three armored bulldozers moved about 300 meters into the agricultural area east of the Islamic Martyrs Cemetery east of Jabalia town, in North Gaza district.
Seven Israeli vehicles moved to the southwards and stationed in an area east of a juice factory east of Gaza City.
Later that day, at approximately 11:20am , the seven vehicles joined the other two vehicles east of the Cemetery and bulldozers leveled lands that have been frequently razed before.
    Al Mezan strongly condemns Israeli attacks which have resulted in the killing and injury of civilians and caused damage to civil facilities, particularly residential buildings.
Al Mezan asserts that these new Israeli attacks on civilian facilities including a police station are a result of a policy of impunity and an absence of justice.
Al Mezan also emphasizes that the silence of the international community towards Israel's continued violations of international law in the occupied Palestinian territory has enabled Israel to commit further violations and attacks with impunity.
  Al Mezan Center for Human Rights asserts that it is crucial that the international community take effective steps to provide the due protection for Palestinians in the oPt.
It also emphasizes the importance of employing international accountability mechanisms to ensure redress and compensation for the victims of Israeli violations and to bring those who committed and/or ordered these violations to justice.
All violations of international law must end immediately.
  Al Mezan asserts that the failure of the international community to uphold its obligations towards Israeli attacks and violations encourage Israel to allow a military offensive like Operation Cast Lead (OCL) to occur again in the Gaza Strip.
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