The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continues sealing off the Gaza Strip for the 11th day in a row, in escalation of the collective punishment of Gaza's population imposed since 2000.
The IOF resumed its military attacks and killed four Palestinians today morning in an airstrike in east Gaza.
The humanitarian conditions quickly exacerbate in the Gaza Strip as the Israel's tight siege has impacted all aspects of the life of the Palestinians and violated their human rights, which are protected by the international law of human rights and the rules of the IHL.
Gaza Power Plant has suspended its work for the 3rd day in a row due to lack of fuel necessary to run it.
Hospitals and clinics are greatly affected.
Not only do they suffer from suspension of surgery sections and ICUs, but also from the damage of a number of vaccines and serums that are preserved in fridges.
Moreover, tens of thousands of the Palestinians suffer from a severe shortage of drinking water, especially those who live in high buildings and have no access to water even when municipalities manage to pump water to their area.
Municipalities cannot run their water pumps for sufficient periods of time due to power failure.
Power failure also disturbed sewage treatment plants and internal transportation due to the lack of fuel.
Gas stations are now empty after the IOF stopped pumping fuel supplies for the 11th day in a row.
Power failure and the lack of fuel negatively impact on the education sector especially that the crisis is exacerbating with the start of school mid-term exams.
Students and teachers also have difficulties when they go to their schools and universities.
The Gaza siege is continuously tightened as the IOF resumed military attacks and killings of Palestinians in Gaza.
Today morning, Sunday, 16 November 2008, the IOF killed four Palestinians in an airstrike in east Gaza city.
They were identified as Talal al-Amoudi, 23, Muhammad Hassouna, 22, Ahmad el-Hilo, 22, and Basil al-'Uff, 21.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights is highly concerned with the IOF's determination on imposing collective punishment on the Gaza Strip in spite of the appeals and frequent condemnations by the United Nations and other international and local human rights and humanitarian organizations.
The Center warns the international community about the outcome of ignoring the exacerbating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and about the international community's failure to fulfill its legal and ethical responsibilities towards civilians in the Strip.
This silence, particularly in light of the IOF's contempt for EU consuls and representatives last Thursday, serves only to encourage Israel to proceed with its violations.
Therefore, Al Mezan Center asserts that the international community and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention in particular must assume their legal and ethical responsibilities to take immediate actions to end the Israeli gross violations and provide international protection for civilians.
The Center also believes that the international community's action is significant in view of the roaming threats of a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip if the IOF continues imposing its tight siege on it.
End