IOF Assassinate Minister Syam; Targets Civilian Homes and Murders Families

1PM Gaza Time (+2hrs GMT) The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) has seriously escalated its attacks on the Gaza Strip during the past two days.
Yesterday, the IOF assassinated Mr.
Sa'eed Syam; a PLC member and Minister of Interior in the Government in Gaza.
Israeli forces also advanced into several areas in the south and east of Gaza City, and heavily bombarded the neighborhoods of Al-Shija'yia and At-Tuffa in the east of the City.
After the invasion ended at 7am today, Al Mezan Center's field workers entered the Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood.
Initial reports indicate that about 70 buildings have been destroyed or damaged by the IOF.
Bulldozers razed paved streets and destroyed water, sewage and electricity networks in the neighborhood.
The IOF has targeted many homes in the invasion areas, people who are reportedly uninvolved in any armed, or even political activities.
The IOF also targeted medical teams and prevented their access to people whose could have been saved.
Al Mezan Center's monitoring indicates that the IOF has killed 1,173 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since the start of its Operation Cast Lead on 27 December 2008.
This includes at least 246 children and 82 women.
The number of casualties is expected to be higher, since Al Mezan only reports on the cases which it has been able to verify.
Moreover, 3,811 people have been injured; including at least 826 children and 473 women.
1.
North Gaza District: At approximately 1:05pm on Wednesday 14 January 2009, an Israeli aircraft fired a missile towards a crowd close to Baytuna Society in the At-Twam neighborhood in Jabalia.
One child was critically injured, as a result.
At app.
1:25pm on Wednesday IOF troops fired artillery shells towards Al-Ghabbon neighborhood in the north of Beit Lahia.
A shell hit a house near Zayd Ibn Haritha Primary School and killed a women; Raja' Mohammed Ghabin, 35.
Another 9 people were injured; including 5 children and a woman.
At app.
1:35pm on Wednesday, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a car near Baytuna Society in the At-Twam neighborhood in Jabalia.
A passerby, 19-year-old Saif Ad-Din Al-Firan, was killed in this attack.
At app.
2pm on Wednesday, IOF troops fired artillery shells at the center of Jabalia town.
The shelling lasted for an hour.
One shell hit the fifth floor of the house of Salem Al-Na'ouq and cause severe damages.
Another shell hit the house of Mohammed Musbah Abed-Rabu, injuring 3of its residents, including a girl child who was critically injured.
At 2:20pm, IOF fired artillery shells at the Al-Shaima' neighborhood north of Beit Lahia.
A fire started in a house in the neighborhood; however, the IOF fired at a civil defence team attempted to approach the house and prevented it from putting the fire off.
At app.
3:20pm, also Wednesday, Israeli aircrafts fired a missile into a group of people opposite to Baytuna Society in the At-Twam neighborhood in Jabalia, killing one man; Mohammed Sa'eed Nasser, and injuring three others.
In the evening hours of Wednesday, medical teams found four corpses of a man and his three children in the Al-Atatra area, southwest of Bait Lahia.
According to Al Mezan's investigations, the bodies were found under rubble and mud mounted on them by IOF bulldozers.
It was not know if they were buried alive or dead.
They were identified as: Sa'dallah Matar Abu Rjila, 42; (and his 3 sons) Zaid Sa'dallah Abu Rjila, 10; Abdul-Rahman Sa'dallah Abu Rjila, 11; and Hamza Sa'dallah Abu Rjila, 7.
At app.
6:09pm on Wednesday, Israeli aircrafts fired a missile into a group of civilians in the Al-Karama neighborhood in the south of Jabalia, injuring 9 people, including 3 children.
Ten minutes later, medical teams found the corpses of three men in the same area.
They were identified as: Haytham Abu Al-Kumsan, 20; Hamdi Fareed Abu Hamada, 27; and Iyad Al-Maqqousi, 27.
At app.
4:50pm on Wednesday, ambulances accompanied an UNRWA team to bring the corpse of an UNRWA staff member who was killed on 5 January in his house in Ezbet Abed-Rabu, east of Jabalia.
His corpse was found decomposed in the house.
As reported in previous press releases, IOF had fired at a UN convoy that tried to access the victim's house on 8 January.
At app.
5pm on Wednesday, IOF fired shells - believed to be white phosphorus bombs – at the Amer and Al-Israa' areas in North Gaza district.
Five minutes later, Israeli naval vessels shelled these areas as well as the Anan and Al-Karama neighborhoods.
At 10:30pm, also on Wednesday, Israeli aircrafts raided the house of Jamal Abu Awwad, which is located in a densely populated area in Block 2 of Jabalia refugee camp.
One child, Bilal Jamal Abu Awwad, 17, was killed.
The house was destroyed completely.
As reported in Press Release 16/2009 yesterday, starting at 8:10am, IOF started artillery shelling on northern Beit Lahia town.
Shells hit the house of Irmilat family, killing 5 civilians; one old woman and four children.
They were identified as: Ayisha Ayyad Irmilat, 80; Sabrin Atta Hassan Irmilat, 15; (and her sisters) Bara' Atta Hassan Irmilat, 2; Areej Atta Hassan Irmilat, 9 months; and Amal Atta Hassan Irmilat, 14; Another woman was also injured in this attack.
Three civilians were injured as the IOF fired four artillery shells at the Al-Katatwa neighborhood in Jabalia refugee camp at app.
8:40am on Thursday.
At 9:50am Thursday, IOF shelled the Al-Farata area in Beit Hanoun.
At least one child was injured, as a result.
He was identified as Ihab Akram Al-Kafarneh, 6.
Another 3 people were injured when artillery shells hit Tel Az-Za'tar neighborhood and Blocks 3 and 4 in Jabalia.
At app.
11am also Thursday, Israeli aircrafts fired a missile at a group of civilians who were sitting in front of a neighbor's house in the Al-Jurun neighborhood of Jabalia town.
As a result, four of them were killed and five injured; including a woman.
Those who were killed were identified as: Sameeh Mohammed An-Na'ouq, 38; Mohammed An-Na'ouq, 72; Abdul-Latif Mohammed An-Na'ouq, 55; and Mohammed Ahmad Abdullah, 60.