IOF Continue Killing Civilians and Tighten their Siege on the OPT

Breaching international law and the human rights standards, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) escalated their attacks on the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) during the last four days, particularly on the Gaza Strip.
Since Tuesday, June 10, 2003, the IOF killed 25 Palestinians and wounded about 134 others in six extra-judicial killings, which were carried out by helicopter gunships in the Gaza Strip alone.
At the same time, the IOF tightened the siege on the OPT and separated Palestinian towns from each other.
Israel carried out these attacks on the pretense that the targets were wanted by the Israeli Army.
Following is a brief description of these attacks and their consequences for Palestinian civilians: Tuesday June 10, 2003:
Assassination attempt against Dr.
Abdul Aziz al-Rantisi, a senior political leader of Hamas Movement.
Apache helicopter gun-ships fire six missiles directly into the car of Dr.
Rantisi, killing two people and injuring 35 others, seven of whom are in critical conditions at the hospital.
Dr.
Rantisi is among the wounded.
Tens of homes as well as the office and ambulance of a medical NGO are also damaged.

The IOF fire the house of Abid Rabu family, east of Jabalia, with missiles in an attempt to murder Hamas activists, according to the IOF spokesman.
Three of the family members are killed and 20 people are injured.
In addition, two of the neighboring homes are damaged.

Wednesday June 11, 2003:
The IOF fire missiles on the car of Tito Mas’oud and Suhail Abu Nu’man, both affiliated with Hamas Movement.
The two men are killed together with seven other Palestinian civilians.
Thirty-four others were wounded.
This attack takes place near the public market in the ash-Shaja’ya area north of Gaza City.

Israeli Helicopter gunships target Hamas activists in Gaza City.
Missiles strike two cars, killing Rawi Abu Kmeel and Muhammad Dughmush.
This attack takes place in the area near Ali Ibn Abi Talib mosque in the as-Sabra neighborhood of Gaza.

Thursday June 12, 2003:
The IOF helicopters bombard the car of Yasir Taha.
Taha is immediately killed together with his wife and his little daughter.
In addition, five other civilians are killed in the attack.
Thirty-six are wounded, including ten children.
The explosions cause damage to four homes in the Sheikh Radwan area in Gaza City.
It should be noted that the IOF fired one of the missiles just after people gathered to help the victims, which caused even more casualties.

Friday 13 June, 2003:
The IOF assassinate Fu’ad al-Lidawi, also a member of the Hamas Movement, with missiles.
In this attack 29 Palestinians are wounded and ten homes are damaged.
The attack takes place in the as-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City.
Meanwhile, the IOF continued with the tight siege they have imposed on the OPT, which was further tightened recently.
According to the findings of Al Mezan, they have closed all the crossing points around the Gaza Strip and the West Bank on June 8, 2003.
Palestinian workers could not reach their work in Israel or outside the areas where they live.
Nevertheless, the IOF allowed the passage of 140 Palestinians to Egypt at Rafah Crossing on Thursday June 12 and Friday 13.
They also allowed the passage of small amounts of consumer goods through Al Muntar / Karni Crossing on Friday June 13.
The Gaza Strip is currently divided into three parts after the IOF closed the Abu Holi checkpoint, south of Deir Al Balah, and blocked the beach road between Gaza City and the Middle District of the Gaza Strip.
These facts were collected by the professional team of Al Mezan, who keep monitoring and documenting the violations of Palestinians’ human rights.
The above mentioned acts of the IOF constitute grave breaches of the rules of International and the Humanitarian Law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of August 12, 1949.
These facts confirm that the IOF apply collective punishment procedures- including deliberate murder, destruction of property, siege and disregard of civilian life- for political purposes.
As such, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights calls upon the international community to: Provide effective protection for Palestinian civilians in the OPT.
The international community holds the responsibility of ensuring such protection and the application of Human Rights Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention in the OPT.
Stop dealing with the Palestinian cause from a political perspective.
Nine years of sacrificing human rights for so-called peace efforts only prompted Israel to perpetrate more violations and war crimes.
Pursue and bring to justice those Israeli criminals who, in violation of Human Rights Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, ordered or perpetrated crimes against Palestinian civilians.
END