Press Releases
4 October 2004 |Reference 66/2004
Issued at 11am, Gaza
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continued their incursion North Gaza area for the seventh day.
Seventy-one people were killed in this area so far.
Three other Palestinians were also killed by IOF in the south of the Gaza Strip during the same period.
Twenty-two of the killed are children.
In addition, 246 people were wounded; most of whom are civilians.
Field reports confirmed that IOF tightened the siege on North Gaza today, especially on the towns of Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun and the eastern parts of Jabalia town and its refugee camp.
IOF continued employing excessive, disproportionate force in its operations; including tanks shelling and air raids, and imposed restrictions on ambulance movement.
IOF also targeted electricity and water facilities.
Al Mezan receives continued reports about the population of North Gaza suffering shortage in drinking water.
Moreover, IOF divided the Gaza Strip into three parts after they closed the beach road seven days earlier and the Abu Holly checkpoint five days ago.
Human and goods movement is prohibited between the Strip's districts.
The shortage of food and fuel supply is increasing rapidly in the southern parts of the Strip.
Additionally, numerous sick people are not allowed access to medical treatment in main hospitals in Gaza City or Egypt.
Hundreds of people who need medical treatment in Israeli hospitals are also not allowed access due to the closure of Erez checkpoint in the north of the Strip The lack of gasoline also threatens the municipalities' ability to ensure water supply, as it depends on electricity generators.
Al Mezan Center for Human Right condemns Israel's collective punishment of Palestinian civilians and warns about the increasing use of excessive force, particularly the use of air force and heavy tanks, in populated areas.
IOF perpetrated, and still perpetrate, serious violations of Palestinians' human rights that aim at collectively punish them under the pretext of security.
Such acts breach the International Law and human rights standards.
Al Mezan emphasizes that the international community's failure to effectively intervene and fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities towards Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories encourages Israeli to continue its violations with impunity.
The Center warns about a serious humanitarian crisis if Israel continues its military operation and closures.
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip had been alarming even before the recent escalation.
The Center, as such, renews its calls for the international community to immediately intervene and end IOF's breaches of the International Humanitarian law (IHL), and to dispatch a protection mission to monitor the human rights situation in the OPT.
The international community should fulfill its moral and legal responsibilities under IHL and provide effective protection for civilians in the OPT.
END
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66/2004