Ongoing Israeli Offensive on Gaza:

Ongoing Israeli Offensive on Gaza:

• 6 Palestinians, Including 4 Civilians, Killed, and 85 Others, Including 17 Children and 11 Women, Wounded;
• 14 Houses and One Mosque Destroyed

Since the Beginning of the Israeli Offensive:

• 2,008 Palestinians, 1,670 of Whom Are Civilians, Including 471 Children and 252 Women, Killed;
• 8,150 Palestinians, Mostly Civilians, Including 2,171 Children and 1,449 Women, Wounded;
• 840 Houses Targeted and Destroyed by Israeli Warplanes;
• Thousands of Houses Destroyed Completely or Partially by Israeli Shelling;
• Thousands of Families Forcibly Displaced

Israeli occupation forces have continued their offensive on the Gaza Strip for the 34th consecutive day. Over the past 24 hours, Israeli forces have continued to commit crimes in the Gaza Strip, including airstrikes that targeted houses, civilian facilities, agricultural plots and open areas, and artillery and artillery and sea shelling. As a result of these attacks, 6 Palestinians, including 4 civilians, were killed, and 85 others, including 17 children and 11 women, were wounded. Two civilians, including an infant, also died of previous wounds. At midnight, a 72-hour humanitarian truce entered into force, so thousands of forcibly displaced Palestinian civilians are expected to return to their homes in the areas that had been invaded by Israeli forces.

The latest developments since the press release issued by PCHR on Sunday, 11 August 2014 have been as follows:

The Northern Gaza Strip:

Israeli forces launched 17 airstrikes and fired a number of artillery shells targeting houses, agricultural plots and open areas. As a result of these attacks, 2 Palestinians, including a civilian, were killed, and 48 others, including 9 children and 9 women, were wounded. Israeli forces also targeted and destroyed 2 houses and a flat, and damaged some other houses.

The most significant attacks were as follows:

- At approximately 13:20 on Sunday, 10 August 2014, an Israeli drone fired a missile at 2 workers of the water department in Beit Hanoun Municipality, Majdi Mousa Shabat, 41, and Sofian Khalil Abu Harbid, 40, while they were repairing a water pipeline in al-Qaraman Street in Beit Hanoun. Both workers were moderately wounded. Anwar Ahmed Musatfa al-Za’anin, 43, an office worker in Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, who was present in the area was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body. Al-Za’anin was riding a motorcycle and came to the workers to ask them to repair a water pipeline near his house. He died of his wounds at approximately 16:00.

- At approximately 14:15, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a member of a Palestinian armed group who was near his house in al-Qaraman Street in Beit Hanoun. He was seriously wounded.

- At approximately 14:40, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a flat belonging to Mohammed Nahidh Kutkut on the ground floor of building no. 3 in Sheikh Zayed town in Beit Lahia. The flat was seriously damaged, and 3 children were wounded.

- At approximately 17:20, an Israeli drone fired 2 missiles at a 2-storey house belonging to Ra’ed Mahmoud al-Halabi in Beit Lahia. As a result, al-Halabi, his brother and his son were wounded, and the house was damaged.

- At approximately 19:00, an Israeli drone attacked members of a Palestinian armed group in Be’r al-Na’ja area in Jabalya, wounding 2 of them. Three civilian bystanders, including 2 children, were also wounded.

- At approximately 20:00, Israeli warplanes bombarded and destroyed a 2-storey house belonging to Mohammed Saleh Hamada in al-‘Atatra areas in Beit Lahia. Three neighboring houses were damaged.

- At approximately 20:20, an Israeli drone attacked a house belonging Faraj Hussein Abu Erbaye’, a member of a Palestinian armed group, in al-Jam’iya Street in Beit Lahia. He was killed and 2 residents of the house were wounded. The house was also damaged.

- At approximately 20:20, Israeli warplanes bombarded and destroyed a house belonging to Ibrahim Shihda al-Najjar in Jabalya. Six houses were also damaged. Al-Najjar was warned more than once, the first of which was on 13 July 2014, when Israeli drone fired a missile at the house, killing his child, 17-year-old Hussam.

Gaza City:

Israeli warplanes launched 3 airstrikes destroying 2 houses and a company.

The attacks were as follows:

- At approximately 07:15 on Sunday, 10 August 2014, an Israeli drone fired a missile at the building of Habboush Cleaning Products Company belonging to Hamed Mohammed Habboush, destroying it. The company is located less than 100 meters away from PCHR’s head office.

- At approximately 18:00, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a 5-storey house belonging to Mohammed ‘Ouda Shamallakh, in which 40 people live. The house was partially destroyed. Five minutes prior to the attack, Israeli forced phoned the family and ordered evacuation of the house.

- At approximately 20:00, an Israeli drone fired 2 missiles at a house belonging to Hashem Hamed Hijazi, in which 40 people live, in al-Shuhada Street. A few minutes later, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at the house and destroyed it.

The Central Gaza Strip:

Israeli warplanes launched 7 airstrikes targeting houses, agricultural plots and open areas. As a result of these attacks, a Palestinian child was killed and 8 civilians, including a child and a woman, were wounded. Two Palestinian civilians, including an infant died of previous wounds.

The most significant attacks were as follows:

- At approximately 10:20 on Sunday, 10 August 2014, an Israeli drone fired a missile at an open area behind a mosque in al-Masha’la area in Deir al-Balah. As a result, Ahmed Mohammed al-Masri, 14, was killed, and 2 other civilians, including a woman.

- At approximately 12:30, medical sources declared that Ibrahim ‘Abed Rabbu Abu Khousa, 35, died of a wound he had sustained when Israeli warplanes bombarded his house in al-Sawarha area in the west of al-Nussairat refugee camp on 29 July 2014.

- At approximately 15:00, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a 3-storey house belonging to Jum’a Khalil Khattab, in which 8 people live, in al-Nussairat refugee camp. A few minutes later, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at the house and destroyed it.

- At approximately 00:15 on Monday, 11 August 2014, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a tin-roofed house belonging to Saber ‘Abed Rabbu al-Aa’raj, in which 8 people live. A few minutes later, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at the house and destroyed it.

- At approximately 03:20, medical sources declared that Maida’ Mohammed Aslan, 45 days, died of a previous wound she had sustained when Israeli tanks shelled her family’s house in al-Maghazi refugee camp.

Khan Yunis:

Israeli warplanes launched 16 airstrikes targeting Palestinian civilians, a motorbike, agricultural plots, houses and a mosque in Khan Yunis. Israeli tanks also shelled the eastern areas of Kahn Yunis. As a result of these attacks, 2 Palestinians were killed, and 14 others, including a woman, were wounded. Israeli warplanes targeted and destroyed 5 houses.

The most significant attacks were as follows:

- At approximately 01:00 on Sunday, 10 August 2014, Israeli warplanes launched 5 airstrikes on agricultural plots in the eastern villages of Khan Yunis. The plots and a house belonging to the Abu Jame’ family were damaged, and 3 Palestinian civilians were wounded.

- At approximately 12:30, Israeli warplanes launched 2 airstrikes on agricultural plots in Qudaih and Abu Draz areas in ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported.

- At approximately 12:45, Israeli warplanes launched 2 missiles at a motor cart in Bani Suhaila village. As a result, 3 Palestinians were wounded, one of whom is in a serious condition.

- At approximately 15:00, an Israeli drone fired a missile at an agricultural plot in al-Mawasi area in Khan Yunis. As a result, 3 houses were damaged and a woman, 50-year-old Fatema Mustafa al-Bayouk, was wounded.

- At approximately 16:10, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at an agricultural plot in ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported.

- At approximately 17:00, Israeli tanks fired a number of shells at al-Zanna area in Bani Suhaila village.

- At approximately 18:05, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a number of Palestinian civilians in al-Satar al-Gharbi area. Seven civilians were wounded.

- At approximately 19:15, Israeli drones fired 3 missiles at houses belonging to the al-Muzayen family in al-Manara neighborhood in the south of Khan Yunis, after phoning one of their residents ordering their evacuation. A few minutes later, an Israeli warplane launched 2 missiles at the houses, destroying 5 of them, in which 26 people live.

- At approximately 19:55, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a motorbike that was traveling in the east of Khan Yunis. As a result, the rider and a bystander were killed: Ihsan Mahrous al-Agha, 21; and Hassan Hussein Kaware’, 24.

- At approximately 22:00, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at an agricultural plot in ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported.

- At approximately 22:30, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at an agricultural plot in al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan Yunis.

- At approximately 22:50, Israeli warplanes launched 2 missiles at al-Abrar Mosque in al-Qarara village, northwest of Khan Yunis. The mosque was destroyed and a number of nearby houses were damaged.

Rafah:

Israeli warplanes launched 12 airstrikes on Rafah targeting houses and a poultry farm. As a result of these attacks, 15 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children, were wounded. Israeli warplanes targeted and destroyed 3 houses and a poultry farm.

The most significant attacks were as follows:

- At approximately 11:35 on Sunday, 10 August 2014, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a house belonging to Shareef al-Habibi, in which 10 people live, in the Doctors Street in the center of Rafah. A few minutes later, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at the house and destroyed it. Four Palestinian civilians were wounded.

- At approximately 13:15, an Israeli drone fired 2 missiles at an agricultural plot in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah. As a result, Remas Mohammed Jaber, 3, was wounded.

- At approximately 16:20, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a tunnel on the Egyptian border near al-Sho’ut area in the south of Rafah.

- At approximately 19:00, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a motorbike that was traveling in al-Nasser village, northeast of Rafah. As a result, Farah Mustafa Abu Snaima, 4, was wounded.

- At approximately 19:45, Israeli tanks fired a number of shells at houses and agricultural areas in al-Shouka village, east of Rafah. As a result, Mohammed ‘Ali al-‘Aaloul, 23, was wounded.

- At approximately 20:45, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a 2-storey house belonging to Mohammed al-Kurd, in which 18 people live, in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah. A few minutes later, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at the house and destroyed it.

- At approximately 22:40, an Israeli warplane launched 2 missiles at an agricultural plot in Kherbat al-‘Adas neighborhood in the north of Rafah.

- At approximately 23:15, an Israeli drone fired a missile at a house belonging to ‘Adnan al-Sha’er, in which 11 people live, in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah. A few minutes later, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at the house and destroyed it.

PCHR reiterates condemnation, expresses utmost concern for these crimes, and:

1) Calls upon the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to promptly visit the Gaza Strip, to fulfill her responsibilities to stop this barbaric offensive and to closely watch the systematic destruction caused and deliberate targeting of Palestinian civilians and property protected under the international law;

2) Calls upon the UN Human Rights Council to accelerate the formation of the fact-finding mission as decided by the Council in the resolution taken in its special session that was held on 23 July 2014 to investigate violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law in the occupied Palestinian territory without any delay related to bureaucratic restrictions and procedures;

3) Calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their contractual obligations not only to respect the Convention, but also ensure respect for the Convention, and to immediately intervene to stop war crimes committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians, and calls upon the Swiss Government, the depository of the Geneva Conventions, to call for a new conference of the High Contracting Parties as soon as possible;

4) Stresses that holding war criminals accountable is an essential condition for any future settlement, and the international community should confirm that no impunity for war criminals, and the achievement of peace is conditioned by respect for human rights and the international law, and prosecution of war criminals;

5) Calls upon the Palestinian leadership to immediately accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which will provide opportunities to prosecute Israeli war criminals before the Court;

6) Stresses that the Gaza Strip is a disaster area and there is an urgent need to treat the disastrous humanitarian situation resulting from deliberate Israeli attacks on the civilian infrastructure, including electricity, water, hospitals, shelters and houses, forcible displacement of more than 500,000 civilians ad systematic and mass destruction of civilian communities;

7) Calls upon the international community to intervene to stop the policies of collective punishment and left the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip for more than seven years, allowing the freedom of movement and goods, away from artificial improvements which have contributed to institutionalizing and prolonging the closure.

ENDS

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