The Israeli Occupation Forces Break into Muslim and Christian places of worship in Bait Jala and Destroy Tens of Houses in Rafah.

The last three days witnessed an Israeli escalation of the attacks against Palestinians.
They penetrated into Bait Jala on Tuesday 28/8/2001 and re-occupied major areas in the town.
They entered the lutherian church in the town and retained forty-five orphans inside for several hours.
They entered Bait Jala mosque, and turned its minaret into a military watchtower, together with several other houses.
They attacked also the area around Aida refugee camp near Bait Jala.
As a result, a policeman, Mohammad Samur, was killed and twenty other Palestinian citizens were injured.
In addition, they shelled many areas in Hebron with heavy machine guns and howitzers.
The shelling caused a lot of damage to civilian property.
A curfew was imposed on major parts of the old city of Hebron.
In an attack against Ain Yusuf, they killed Lieutenant Naji Abu Zina, and shot another thirteen persons.
They also killed Imad az-Zahanih from the village of Far’un in Tulkarim, after opening fire on his family.
Three of his brothers were also injured in the same attack.
In the Gaza strip, Dir al-Balah and Bait Hanun were shot at with heavy machine guns.
The shelling left a lot of damage, especially to the houses.
Moreover yesterday at midnight, the Israeli army attacked Rafah refugee camp, on the border with Egypt.
After extensive shelling of the area, Israeli bulldozers demolished sixteen houses leaving thirty families homeless.
Twenty-one Palestinian civilians were injured, including a pregnant woman.
Two other persons were killed in separate attacks, Tamir Zurab, seventeen years old and Muhammad al-Humran, twenty-four years old in Rafah.
The Israeli army has also isolated Rafah from the other parts of the Gaza Strip after its intrusion in the eastern part of the town today morning.
They have closed Salah ad-Din road and shoot at anyone who tries to pass the new checkpoint.
In the face of this Israeli escalation and attacks against Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories, Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights demands that the international community face their responsibilities and obligation in providing protection to Palestinians as required by International law and conventions.
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