The IOF have continued to escalate their offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The IOF have launched air strikes targeting various locations; including homes and civilian premises, and have conducted extra-judicial assassinations.
They have also re-occupied parts of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip.
The total number of victims of this offensive has reached 37 killed, and over 130 injured.
Many of the victims are children, women and elderly.
According to the Center's field investigations, at app.
13.
20 on Tuesday 22 May 2007, the IOF fired two missiles at an Executive Forces installation in southern Al Sheikh Zayid City.
Simultaneously, the IOF hit the General Intelligence apparatus building with one rocket, in As Sudania area in western Jabalia town.
The shelling resulted in the injury of five-year-old Lina Sari Abu Mariam, and damage to buildings in the area.
IOF also launched several air strikes and artillery attacks on different open areas in north Gaza.
no casualties were reported.
Earlier the same day, at app.
8 am, Israeli warplanes opened heavy fire at agricultural areas close to civilians houses, in eastern Jabalia and northern Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia.
On 21 May 2007 artillery batteries fired six shells at the eastern parts of north Gaza district, Sheikh Zayid town and northern Beit Lahia.
IOF military boats arbitrarily shelled Beit Lahia beach.
No injuries or damages were reported.
In another attack, at approximately 1.
15am on 22 May 2007, an IOF jet fired a rocket at a carpentry workshop owned by Mohammed Mahmoud Abu Faris, in Al Bureij Refugee Camp.
The attack destroyed the workshop, caused damage to eight adjacent houses, and injured four civilians.
They were identified as: Reem Al Khaldi, aged 18 months, Imad Mas'oud Abu Jalal, aged 20 years old, Muhammad Sobhi As Sei'di , aged 27 years old, Hassan Ashour, aged 35 years old.
In the context of IOF's extra-judicial assassinations, at approximately 1.
10pm on 21 May 2007, an Israeli jet fired a missile at a car in Salah Ad-Din Street, in eastern Jabalia neighborhood of Sha'sha'a.
Four Palestinians were killed.
They have been identified as: Mahmoud Adel Awad, aged 24; Abbdul-Aziz Mohammed Al Hilo, aged 21; Majid Salman Al Batesh, aged 24; Mohammed Fawzi Abu Ni'ma, 25.
In addition, 12-year-old Khamis Salah Habib was injured critically in his head and right arm from shrapnel in the attack.
According to media sources, those who were killed were members of the Islamic Jihad's Al Quds brigades.
In addition, at approximately 1.
20am, an IOF warplane fired a missile that landed near to Nasir Mahmoud Hamouda, aged 32, as he was riding his bicycle in Az Zaitoun neighborhood of Gaza city.
Hamouda was reported to have sustained moderate injuries.
At approximately 12.
20am on 21 May 2007, an IOF jet bombarded a brick factory owned by Maher Sadiq Karim with two missiles.
The factory is located in At Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City.
15-year-old Hamada Ahmed Al Faiyoumi was killed, and the owner of the house, Mohamed An Na'ouq, aged 20, and Mohammed Mahmoud Al Faiyoumi, aged 20, were injured in the attack.
In another attack, at approximately 10.
25 Sunday 20 May 2007, the IOF fired an artillery shell that hit the house of Amin Fazan Soliaman Al Masri, which is home to ten people, including five children.
The shell hit the wall of the children room in the house and caused severe damage to it.
Six of the family members were injured, they are: The house owner, 44, injured from shrapnel in his face, Hamza Amin Al Masri (disabled), aged 17, injured from shrapnel in his head, Asma'a Amin Al Masri, aged 15, injured from shrapnel in his chest, Asia Amin Al Masri , aged 13, injured from shrapnel in his face, Isra'a Amin Al Masri , aged12, injured from shrapnel in her right arm, Odai Amin Al Masri, aged 7, injured from shrapnel in his body.
The rest of family suffered from trauma; including the mother Nadwa Al Masri, aged 38, and her sons Basil, aged 21, Adam, aged 19, and Tito, aged 18.
At about 10.
50pm also Sunday, IOF fired two artillery shells.
On of them landed in Beit Lahia Sports Club, in eastern Beit Lahia town.
Many civilians, particularly children and women, were admitted at hospital from trauma.
On 20 May 2007, the IOF committed the deadliest air strike since commencing their latest operations.
At approximately 9.
15pm, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at the family council hall of the Al Haya family in the al Shaja'ia neighborhood in Gaza city.
The attack occurred as a large number of Al Haya family members were at the scene.
The strike killed eight Palestinians, seven of whom from the same family.
Three others were injured.
The council hall is located next to the house of Khalil Al Haya, a PLC member and the vice-president of the Hamas parliamentary block.
Two of the killed are brothers of Khalil Al Haya.
Those killed were identified as: Nimir Ismail Al Haya, aged 65; Abdul-Majid Ismail Al Haya, aged 53; Ibrahim Mohammed Al Haya, aged 30; Muhammad Khalid Al Haya, aged 16; Ismail Khalid Al Haya, aged 19; Ala Nimir Al Haya, aged 21, (known as a member of Al Qassam Brigades); Jihad Abdul Majeed Al Haya, aged 17; Sameh Saleh Ferwana, aged 28, (known as a member of Al Qassam Brigades).
The attack also resulted in the injury of Ziad Abdul-Majid Al Haya, aged 20, Odai Abdul-Majid Al Haya, aged 16 and Arafat Odeh Al Haya, aged 30.
The latter is reported to have sustained critical injuries.
Earlier, at approximately 7.
20pm on the same day, the IOF stationed at Gaza's northern border fired an artillery shell that landed in a very densely populated area in Jabalia refugee camp.
It hit the house of Ahmed Abdul-Karim Abu Sh'eer, a home to 11 people, six of whom are children.
The family was not harmed, but the house was partially damaged.
This offensive comes after the Israeli security cabinet’s decision of 20 May 2007, in which it had decided to escalate the military attacks and large-scale operations in the Gaza Strip.
Such an escalation could result in more human rights violations and more civilian casualties.
Al Mezan expresses its concern over the silence of the international community regarding IOF frequent declarations of aggravating its offensive, and the IOF’s grave violation of human rights in the OPT.
Al Mezan asserts that a balance between security and human rights must be maintained at all times.
Al Mezan condemns IOF's violations of Palestinian civilians rights and their property.
It emphasizes that the killing and maiming of civilians, targeting of civilian objects, and extra-judicial assassinations constitute grave breaches to Israel's obligations under the international humanitarian law (IHL).
The international silence will only encourage the IOF to continue this offensive and disregard the rules of IHL.
Al Mezan therefore calls the international community to assume its moral and legal responsibilities, and immediately intervene to put an end to these violations and provide international protection to Palestinian civilians.
End