The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) escalated its attacks on the Gaza Strip during yesterday, attacking different places in Gaza and Khan Younis districts.
Six workshops, a school and a main government drug store were damaged.
Thirteen persons were injured in these attacks, which spread fear and shock among civilians.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns the Israeli attacks and calls on the international community to intervene and provide protection for civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
According to Al Mezan's field investigations, around midnight today, 9 February 2011, Israeli aircraft attacked the Hashem Al Hatou and Sons Plastics Factory, which is under construction with an area of 1,200 square meters.
The factory is located in the Al Qerem crossroad in the Al Tuffah neighborhood, northeast of Gaza city.
It is owned by Mohammed Hashem Al Hatou.
The factory was completely destroyed.
In addition, an adjacent 700-square-meter drug store; one of the main Ministry of Health (MoH) stores in Gaza, was also destroyed.
According to Dr.
Muneer Al Bursh, the general director of pharmacy at the MoH in Gaza, the attack will deepen the shortage in medicine in Gaza immediately.
Eleven people were injured in this attack; four of whom were children and two women.
They were injured from the shattered windowpanes in their houses.
Moreover, the Nour Al Ma'aref Private School, which is close to the attacked facility, sustained major damages.
The school hosts about 600 students from first to tenth grades.
The schools roof, windows, doors and the playground were damaged.
 The school’s administration decided to close it down until the building is repaired.
Several other factories and metal workshops in the same area were also damaged in the same attack.
The roof and walls of a 1,200-square-meter textiles factory, owned by Jawad Mohammed Odeh, were damaged.
The four-story, 1,500-square-meter As-Sowsi Factory for wood, which is owned by Mujahed Mahmoud As-Sousi, was also damaged.
The offices of the As-Sousi Wood Company and its furniture exhibit, which are located opposite the attacked place, were also damaged.
In a separate attack, at approximately 11:50pm on Tuesday 8 February 2011, Israeli aircrafts fired a missile at an open area south of the Malaka Square, east of Az-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza city.
No casualties or injuries were reported, but the residents of the area were terrified.
At approximately 1:15am on Wednesday 9 February 2011, Israeli aircraft attacked a security site west of Khan Younis district, south of the Gaza Strip.
As a result, two persons sustained light injuries and bruises.
The site sustained physical damages.
At approximately 7am on Wednesday 9 February 2011, the IOF fired five artillery shells at an open agricultural area east of Abasan town, east of Khan Younis district.
No casualties or injuries were reported.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights strongly condemns the escalation of IOF attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The nature and targets of these attacks indicate the IOF’s continued disregard of international law, which prevents attacks against civilian objects and provides special protection to health facilities.
Al Mezan calls on the international community to intervene and to ensure that Israel respects its obligations under international law.
It also calls on the international community to ensure the protection of civilians from IOF’s attacks, which frequently target civilians and civilian property and objects without discrimination or necessity.
Al Mezan also reiterates its calls on the international community to intervene to lift the Israeli siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.
The siege continues to harm the civilian population of Gaza, who are yet to rebuild their homes and other public institutions after during the past several years.
The destruction of one of the MoH main drug stores in Gaza will have immediate effects on the population and their right to health.
  Ends