The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) launched new incursions into the Gaza Strip today, killing 12 Palestinian and injuring 47.
According to Al Mezan's field reports, at approximately 5am today, 27 June 2007, IOF tanks and armored vehicles stormed into the Abu Rida neighborhood, eastern Khza'a village near south Gaza's district of Khan Younis.
Heavy firing killed two Palestinians: 24-year-old Diyaa' Muhammad Abu Daqqa; and 27-year-old Husam Abu Ti'ema.
Both died from live bullets to the chest the head respectively.
In addition, two others were injured: Sameh Ahmed Qdeih and Wail Hasan Abu Rida, from live bullets to the abdomen and the legs.
Eyewitnesses reported that IOF broke into and searched several homes in the incursion area.
A Palestinian 24-year-old man, Mahmoud Abdul-Fatah Salama, was killed in mysterious blast that occurred at approximately 8.
30am, also today, in the Qizan An Najjar neighborhood of Khan Younis.
In Gaza City, IOF tanks and armored vehicles penetrated in eastern neighborhood of Ash-Sheja'iya at approximately 6am today.
It was reported that several artillery shells were fired at open areas in the neighborhood.
IOF also opened heavy machinegun fire at the built-up area killing two: 18-year-old Ahmed Ayyad Hillis, and 27-year-old Nafiz Muhammad Hillis.
At approximately 7.
30am, an IOF jet fired a missile at a car in the Baghdad Street in the same neighborhood, killing 32-year-old Raid Fanouna, who is known to be affiliated with the Islamic Jihad.
At approximately 11.
15am, the IOF fired an artillery shell at a crowd of civilians in the east of the same Sheja'iya neighborhood.
Four people were killed; including two children, and ten others were wounded.
Those killed were identified as: 18-year-old Yousif Kamal Manasra; 11-year-old Izz Ad Din Said Jondiya; 29-year-old Samy Kamal Manasra; and 29-year-old Hatem Diab Khalil Jondiya.
Within two hours, two others died at hospital from the wounds they sustained in this attack: 24-year-old Adnan Al Ar'eer; and 22-year-old Yousif Joha.
By 1.
30pm, the number of the wounded in the Sheja'iya area has reached 45 as the incursion is still going.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights strongly condemns IOF's aggression in Gaza.
The attacks on Khza'a and Gaza City, which included targeting civilian persons and objects in densely populated areas, constitute breaches on the international humanitarian law.
The indiscriminate use of excessive, disproportionate force has caused severe loss of life and suffering as well as damage to civilian property.
The Center also condemns the extra-judicial assassination as a breach of international law and the right to life.
Under the escalating Israeli punitive measures and the collective punishment in the form of closure, sanctions and hostile military attacks, Al Mezan calls for urgent intervention by the international community to immediately end the attacks and ensure respect for human rights in the Gaza Strip.
The international community is reminded of its moral and legal responsibilities toward the wellbeing, welfare and human rights of the civilian population under occupation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and of the obligations, under international law, to ensure due respect and protection for those rights.
END