Yesterday, 16/4/2000, the belligerent Israeli Occupation Forces shelled a number of targets in the Gaza strip.
This has been the most dangerous escalation since the outbreak of the Intifada on 29/9/2000.
The shelling resulted in the killing of a Palestinian National Security Forces soldier and the injury of a number of Palestinian civilians.
The shelling also resulted in heavy damage of a number of public premises and private houses in the Strip.
In addition, these forces have closed the Rafah border passage that connects the Gaza Strip with Egypt.
Moreover, they closed Salah ad-Deen road that connects the northern parts of the Gaza Strip with the southern ones, thus dividing the Gaza Strip into three isolated zones.
The new Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip was launched yesterday, 16/4/2000 at 5:30 p.
m.
At first, Israeli forces shelled 6 bases for the Palestinian National Security and Border Forces to the north and north east of Bait Hanoun.
Then Israeli tanks and armored military vehicles broke through the borderline that separates the Gaza Strip from Israel.
During this attack, these forces bulldozed a large area of land and occupied an area of land that extends 500 meters alongside the borderline.
Till now, these forces have continued to bulldoze lands in Bait Hanoun.
The six bases, which were shelled and later on bulldozed and totally destroyed, belong to: The 3rd Brigade base.
No.
12 base.
No.
15 base.
The 1st Platoon base.
The 2nd Platoon base.
Abu Saffiya base.
In this incident, the belligerent Israeli Occupation forces have bulldozed 200 dunams of agricultural land.
Among the owners of the bulldozed lands are the following: Bassam Shurrab.
Khamees Misbah Khayal.
Taiseer Abu Eida.
Ash-Shanty family.
Abu Ramadan family.
In addition, 20 families were forced to leave their houses in an attempt to flee the Israeli shelling and bulldozing activities.
As a result of the shelling, Mohammed Ramadan Nimr al-Missry, a 21- year old soldier from Bait Hanoun was killed.
His body was torn to pieces after being directly hit with a shell.
6 others were wounded in the same incident.
These are: Emad Adwan; Injured in the head with missile shrapnel Nassir Miqbil; Injured in the face with missile shrapnel.
Azmy al-Jamal; Injured in the left foot with missile shrapnel.
Mohammed al-Attar; Injured in the left foot with missile shrapnel.
Basim al-Afeefy; Injured in the left foot with missile shrapnel.
Mosa Abu Hatab; Injured in the left arm with missile shrapnel.
At 1:00 o’clock after midnight, Israeli artillery positioned inside Israel to the east of Jabalia fired a number of ground–to-ground missiles at a number of targets in the Gaza Strip.
These are: The head quarters of the Protective Security located in Tal al-Hawa south of Gaza.
A Protective Security center located in Khaleel al-Wazeer St.
in Gaza.
It is worth mentioning that this is the second time this center is being targeted by Israeli attacks.
Simultaneously, Israeli warships shelled a Palestinian national Security Force base located in ash-Sheikh Ejleen south of Gaza and the Palestinian Police head quarters located in Gaza.
In Dair al-Balah, Israeli assault helicopters and warships shelled the following targets: The Presidential Security Force center.
Kamal Adwan marine force base.
Fatah Middle District Office center.
As a result of the shelling 5 houses and a civil car located in the vicinities of the shelled targets were damaged.
A number of other houses, which are located in al-Msaddir village near Der al-Balah, were totally destroyed as a result of the shelling.
In an-Nuseirat, the belligerent Israeli Occupation Forces shelled a National security Forces base with ground-to-ground missiles.
As a result of the above-mentioned attacks, a number of Palestinians were wounded.
They are: Mady Khaleel Madhy; Amputation of the left hand and leg and injury in different parts of the body with missile shrapnel.
Mohammed Sayyid Naufal; Bruises in different parts of the body.
Husam Khaleel ash-Sha’ir; Bruises in different parts of the body.
Eliyan Mohammed Abu Jibba; Cut wound in the right hand.
Abd ar-Raheem Othman al-Aqqad; Injured in the buttock with missile shrapnel.
Shareef Mohammed Abu Z’aiter; Injured in the right knee with missile shrapnel.
Saleem Abid ash-Sha’ir; Injured in the right hand with missile shrapnel.
Jamal Ali aj-Jimassy; Bruises in different parts of the body.
Salama Mu’een Abu Daqin 21 Ar-Rimal/Gaza Bruises in different parts of the body.
In Rafah, the belligerent Israeli Occupation Forces shelled the vicinity of Salah ad-Deen border gate with heavy artillery.
As a result, a number of houses were heavily damaged and two boys were wounded.
These are: Fady Ashmad al-Kurd;9 years; Injured in the head with missile shrapnel.
Mohammed Adnan Abu Ahmad; 10 years; Injured in the back with missile shrapnel.
In the same incident, these forces bulldozed agricultural areas in Rafah/ Moraj.
Ayoub Mahmoud Dhair; 2 donums of Vegetables.
ramadan Mahmoud Dhair; 2 donums of Vegetables.
Attiya mahmoud Abu Hmaid; 1 donum (a green house) Shakir Ajlan Abu Jazar; 1 donum (a green house) In the same incident, these forces broke through and took hold of two (3-story) houses owned by the brothers Ahmad and Attiya Khaleel Abu Hmaid.
These forces forced the inhabitants of the two houses to move in the ground floor of Ahmad’s house.
The two houses, whose roofs have been transformed to Israeli military posts_en, are located near Moraj junction.
This afternoon Hamza Khadr Abid, a 14-year-old boy from Shijaiya in Gaza City, was killed in al-Muntar Crossing by Israeli soldiers as a result of a bullet-wound to his chest during a confrontation between Palestinians throwing stones and Israeli soldiers firing life ammunition in return.
  In the light of the Israeli highly dangerous escalation of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, AL-MEZAN Center for human rights calls upon the international community to: Abandon the state of silence towards what is happening in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as it constitutes a real conspiracy against the Palestinian people and indicates acceptance of the Israeli measures.
The International Community must immediately provide protection for the Palestinian civilians and their property.
In the light of Israeli Prime Minister, Sharon’s determination to commit further massacres similar to the ones he had already committed against the Palestinians, this has been an increasingly urgent request.
END