Reference: 49/2016

Date: 22 August 2016

• -- IOF fired 65 artillery shells and missiles at eastern and northern theGaza Strip.
• -- Eight people were injured, including four children and one woman.
• -- IOF opened fire at fishermen, also in North Gaza, arrested two fishermen and confiscated a baot.
• -- Al Mezan condemns the attacks and calls on the international community to prevent further escalation and to ensure protection of civilians.

According to field investigations conducted by Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Al Mezan), in the evening hours of Sunday, 21 August 2016, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) launched concentrated attacks throughout the Gaza Strip. The attacks started at 9:45 pm and lasted until 11:30pm. During the almost two hours of bombing, the IOF fired 65 artillery shells and missiles at eastern and northern Beit Hanoun, northern Um Al Nasr village, and northern Beit Lahiya. In parallel, the IOF opened fire at Palestinian farmers and fishermen. In total, eight people were injured, including four children and one woman.

At approximately 7:20pm on Sunday, 21 August 2016, Israeli gunboats opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats west of Al Waha resort, near Gaza’s maritime borders with Israel, west of Beit Lahiya, in the North Gaza district. The IOF arrested two fishermen and confiscated their boat and 10 nets. Al Mezan identified the arrested fishermen as:

• Ibrahim Ghalib As-Sultan, 23; and
• Sharif Mohammed As-Sultan, 43, the owner of the boat.

According to Al Mezan's field investigations, the fishermen were about 2,000 meters away from the illuminated buoys demarcating the permitted fishing line to the north. Two Israeli boats surrounded the Palestinian fishing boat and ordered two fishermen onboard to take off their clothes and swim to the Israeli boat. Other fishermen who were in the area abandoned their work for the day, and sailed back to the shore immediately, a reflection of menace associated with Israel’s presence. At approximately 1:00 am on Monday, 22 August 2016, the Israeli authorities released the fishermen at Erez crossing.

Al Mezan strongly condemns Israel’s attacks, which injured eight people including civilians. These attacks represent retaliation and failed to comply with basic principles of international humanitarian law (IHL); thus injuring Palestinian civilians.

Al Mezan warns against a renewed escalation on the Gaza Strip by the IOF. The impunity of Israeli forces and government leaders that prevails from the silence of the international community has served as encouragement to Israel to violate IHL and human rights law. Al Mezan insists that the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, intervene in order to prevent another Israeli escalation and to uphold their legal and moral obligations to ensure the protection of civilians and respect of international law.

END