Tens of Casualties and Attacks on Houses and Mosques as IOF Escalate the Attacks on Gaza; Al Mezan Calls for Urgent International Intervention

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) escalated its attacks on the Gaza Strip since the afternoon of yesterday, Monday 7 July 2014,, launching at least 104 airstrikes by midday today.
39 people were injured; including 8 children and 11 women, and 32 houses were destroyed or damaged; six of which were destroyed completely during this period.
IOF strikes have continued as this press release was published.
Initial reporting from Al Mezan's field workers indicate that at least three men were killed in an attack in Gaza city and a fourth man was killed in another attack in Middle Gaza district.
If verified, these killings bring the number of casualties to 12 since yesterday.
Al Mezan is working to document and verify these cases.
Al Mezan calls for immediate international intervention to stop the IOF aggression and ensure respect of international law.
According to information collected from the field by Al Mezan, since the start of this military operation at 3:40pm on Monday 7 July 2014 until 12pm today, 8 July 2014, the IOF has launched at least 46 airstrikes on the North Gaza district.
As a result, 21 people were injured; including 6 children and 7 women.
Their injuries varied between moderate and light.
The attacks damaged 15 houses partly and caused damage to 1 public institution, 3 security sites, 1 vehicle, 1 livestock farm, and 7,500 square meters of farmed land.
Moreover, the IOF fired 'warning missiles' at a livestock farm and two houses in the same district.
The IOF bombarded the livestock farm and destroyed it completely.
Bombardment of the two houses is expected at any time.
In Gaza city district, the IOF launched at least 20 airstrikes during the same period, targeting mostly empty fields and security sites.
Four people were injured and a houses and a metal shop were destroyed as a result.
In Middle Gaza district, the IOF launched at ;east 15 airstrikes during the same period, targeting empty fields and farms around the districts; especially in the An-Nusierat refugee camp and Deir Al-Balah town.
Al Mezan's field workers reported that 8 people; including 6 civilians (4 women and 2 children), were injured inside their houses as a result of the bombardment near their houses.
Many houses and other properties were also damaged.
In Khan Younis district, IOF warplanes launched at least 4 strikes that targeted houses, farms and security sites in the district since the start of the military operation.
As a result, 6 people were injured and referred to the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis city.
Two of the houses were directly and deliberately targeted in the district and were destroyed completely in two separate airstrikes.
Dozens of other houses near them were damaged.
In Rafah district, IOF warplanes launched 19 airstrikes during the same period, destroying 3 houses completely and damaging a fourth house.
As the situation worsens by the hour in the Gaza Strip, Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights reiterates its strong condemnation of the IOF escalating aggression on the Gaza Strip.
IOF's targeting of houses, mosques and other civilian objects represents a serious escalation of the hostilities.
Such escalation recalls previous wide-scaled military operations in which such attacks that fail to comply with the rules of international law claimed hundreds of civilians.
Al Mezan calls on the international community to intervene urgently to prevent the situation from further escalation and stop the Israeli violations.
Al Mezan asserts that effective international intervention is necessary to prevent loss of civilian lives and ensure respect of international law.
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