In the last two days Israel’s occupation forces (IOF) have escalated attacks on the Gaza Strip.
On 1 July 2014, in the early morning hours, the Israeli forces launched tens of condensed and heavy strikes on fields and training sites.
The attacks started at 1:40 am on Tuesday, 1 July 2014, targeting areas in Rafah, Khan Younis, Gaza City, and in the North Gaza district.
At around the same time, Israeli gunboats used heavy fire against the As-Saiyafa area in the Al Shatee’ refugee camp that is located in Beit Lahiya in the northern area of the Gaza Strip.
The bombardments took place simultaneously and from several sides creating a situation of high stress and trauma for the 1.
8 million people in the Gaza Strip.
The attacks against the Gaza Strip took place amidst a continued escalation in the West Bank by the IOF following locating the bodies of three Israeli teenage settlers there.
Israeli officials have since vowed retribution and threatened to escalate the attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Hundreds of people have been arbitrarily arrested and abused in the West Bank.
About a dozen of Palestinians have been killed in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt); including minors, and houses were destroyed as a form of punishment.
The Al Mezan Center for Human Rights strongly condemns the Israeli aggression on the oPt.
the IOF measures and attacks amount to collective penalties that are illegal under international law.
Attacks on, and killing of, civilians represent a serious crime in the context of armed conflict; therefore, all such cases must be investigated and prosecuted duly.
The international community have continuously failed to intervene where international principles have been violated; within the current setting where Israel is escalating a provocative and inciting campaign against the Palestinian population these circumstances could lead to grave violations of the civilian population.
Al Mezan reiterates its call on the international community to promptly intervene to bring Israeli unlawful attacks on the oPt to a halt and to refrain from imposing collective penalties on the population; the international community has the responsibility to oblige the State of Israel to respect international humanitarian law and international human rights law in its treatment of the Palestinian population.
End