IOF escalated its aggression on the Gaza Strip, killing five and injuring a sixth in northern and middle Gaza Strip.
In the previous two days, the IOF opened fire towards homes during its military operations.
According to Al Mezan investigations, the IOF killed, from 17 to 24 February 2008 in the Gaza Strip, eleven Palestinians and injured nine others.
This was a result of shelling of residential areas seven times using various types of weaponry.
They also penetrated inside Palestinian areas three times, during which they arrested one citizen.
According to the Center's field investigations, at approximately 3:40pm on 23 February 2008, the IOF launched a ground-to-ground missile at three young men who gathered at a farm in the Az Nazzaz area of eastern Beit Hanoun.
As a result, 20-year-old Muhammad Talal Az Zaneen, 20-year-old Ibrahim Ahmed Abu Jarad, and 23-year-old Muhammad Hassan Hassanein were killed.
The IOF claimed that the three young men were trying to launch rockets towards Israeli towns.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights stresses that after the Center's field researcher visited the scene, and according to eyewitness testimony, the targeted area was not the location of launching home-made rockets, and was absolutely calm and quiet before the attack on the men.
The three young men were picnicking and they were getting ready to prepare lunch.
While they were waiting for another group of friends, the missile fell and blew them into pieces.
In related context, at approximately 1:15am on 22 February 2008, IOF helicopters fired two missiles at three young men during their gathering at a farm in the eastern area of Al Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza Strip.
As a result, two of them were killed and they were identified as 33-year-old Ai'man Sulehman Sayeed and 24-year-old Basem Hatem Al Hazeen.
The third man was injured and was reported to have sustained moderate injury.
The same IOF helicopter opened fire intensively towards the houses located in the area, but no causalities or damages were reported.
In a separate incident, at approximately 1:00am on 24 February 2008, IOF military vehicles penetrated the Gaza International Airport and around the southeastern area of Al Shouka village in the southern Gaza town of Rafah.
This occurred amid heavy fire and several vehicles entered at a distance estimated at 150 meters from the Rafah Crossing and under helicopters cover.
This incursion is still going on until the issuance of this press release.
No information concerning the reasons or the objectives of this military operation is available.
Al Mezan renews its condemnation of the Israeli escalated aggression against the civilian population and property in the Gaza Strip.
IOF commit grave and systematic violations of human rights and International Humanitarian Law (IHL), especially the excessive and indiscriminate use of force against civilians and civilian property.
The IOF's indiscriminate destruction of private property and continual tightening of the siege harms the humanitarian and basic needs of the civilians of the Gaza Strip.
Al Mezan views that the international community's silence encourages the IOF to commit further violations of human rights and IHL.
Thus, the Center calls on the international community to uphold it's legal and moral responsibility; to act immediately and effectively to put an end to Israeli aggression; and, to provide protection for the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.
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