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Al Mezan condemns Israel’s constant use of drones over Gaza and calls for a stop to this practice

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4 January 2023 |Reference 02/2023

Israel’s almost daily use of drones over Gaza and their loud and irritating sound create a constant state of panic and anxiety among more than two million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip. The feelings of anguish generated by Israel’s numerous large-scale military offensives which have involved heinous acts of killing, forceful displacement, and destruction of homes and property, are all being brought back when hearing the drones hovering in the sky.

 

Al Mezan’s documentation shows that Israel began using drones in the extrajudicial killings of Palestinians since at least 2004. Since then, they have been extensively used and have grown to be the most lethal weapons, particularly in assassinations and attacks on crowds. They have also been used deceptively to provide advance notice to inhabited homes that would later be attacked, resulting in a significant civilian death toll and considerable material damage.

 

According to Al Mezan’s monitoring and documentation, between 2000 and 2022, at least 2,146 Palestinians, including 378 children and 86 women, were killed by Israeli drones, 349 of whom were killed inside their homes, including 103 children and 54 women. At the same time, Israeli drones attacked and damaged 3,332 homes in the Gaza Strip.  

 

According to specialists in the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, the disturbing sound of Israeli drones triggers fearful memories in Gaza residents, creates a constant sense of imminent threat, and causes sleep difficulties.

 

Al Mezan calls on the international community to put pressure on Israel to stop flying drones over Gaza, lift the illegal closure and blockade imposed on Gaza, and provide protection for Palestinian civilians. Al Mezan further calls for activating accountability mechanisms to ensure redress for victims of Israeli violations, ending Israel’s unlawful occupation of the oPt, and guaranteeing Palestinians’ right to self-determination.

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