On 23 March 2008, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights issued a report on the consequences of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) aggression against the Gaza Strip on the human rights and humanitarian conditions in the Strip.
The report stressed the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which was particularly tightened during 2007.
The Report concludes that IOF's conducts represent a collective punishment that violates the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL).
The IOF's violations have had serious repercussions on the civilian population in the Strip; especially after imposing severe restrictions on the entry of goods into the Strip.
Only a segment of humanitarian assistance is allowed to enter Gaza, which includes a list of basic foodstuffs, medicines and medical supplies.
The report also refers to the death of 22 patients during 2007 because the IOF denied their access to hospitals and delayed their arrival for a long time.
Throughout the year, the IOF directly targeted the civilians and civilian property in the Gaza Strip.
It employed excessive and lethal force during ground incursions and air strikes, in which dozens of Palestinians were assassinated, but also tens of civilians; including children lost their life.
The report mentions that the IOF killed 277 Palestinians, including 31 children, during 2007 and that thousands were injured during 123 incursions and hundreds of missile and artillery attacks.
IOF also targeted fishermen, farmers and journalists; many of whom were killed or arrested.
The IOF detained 588 people from the Gaza Strip; 86 of them are still under detention.
This report provides statistics based on Al Mezan's documentation of the destruction of homes, factories, shops and public installations, and the bulldozing of agricultural land during 2007.
This destruction, added to the blockade, has destroyed the Palestinian economy.
Gazans now rely completely on humanitarian aid.
The report concludes that the continued tight blockade by the IOF on the Gaza Strip is a form of systematic collective punishment of civilians under Israel's occupation.
These acts violate the rules of IHL, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention Relevant to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Times of War, and of Israel's obligations under IHRL.
International law prohibits absolutely collective punishment and retaliation aimed against civilians.
Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that "[N]o protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed.
Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited".
The report calls on the international community to uphold its moral and legal obligations towards the civilian population in OPT; including Gaza, by taking prompt actions to protect them and their property.
The international community bears obligations to ensure respect of IHL and human rights in OPT and must act upon them.
Al Mezan reiterates its calls to convene a conference for the High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention to consider Israel's breaches of the provisions of the Convention and to take effective measures to ensure Israel's respect of its obligations under the Convention.
The report is available in Arabic on Al Mezan's website at http://www.
mezan.
org/site_ar/resource_center/mezan_publications/detail.
php?id=204 End