The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) escalated its air strikes throughout the Gaza Strip.
It also arrested about 20 Palestinian workers who were removing  rubble from the industrial  area in Beit Hanoun that has already been destroyed by Israeli attacks.
According to field investigations  by Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, at approximately 10:30am on Saturday 20 March 2010,  Israeli infantry troops moved from the northwestern separation fence into the Erez crossing.
At approximately 2:30pm on the same day, the same Israeli troops surrounded and arrested about twenty Palestinian workers who were removing rubble from the destroyed buildings and took them inside Israel.
Al Mezan identified their names as follows: ·         Mohammed Ahmed Al Basioni,22; ·         Mohammed Salih Afana,22; ·         Tareq Zyiad Al Afifi,20; ·         Mohammed Zyiad Al Afifi, 18; ·         Tawfeq Samir Sababa,19; ·         Usama Abdel Fatah Mhammaden, 19; ·         Ali Jamal Akhrawat, 24;   ·         Kamal Jamal Akhrawat, 20; ·         Anwar Mohammed Hamad, 51; ·         Alaa Hashim Al Masri,18; ·         Diab Mohammed Al Kafarna, 20; ·         Mohanad Mohammed Al Kafarna, 11; ·         Attaf Rafeq Hamad, 25; ·         Ibrahim Mahdi Hamdien, 16; ·         Khalid Mahdi Hamdien, 14; and ·         Ismail Mahdi Hamdien,13.
  At approximately 2am on Sunday 21 March 2010, the IOF released some of them after interrogating  them inside Israeli.
Most of the ex-detainees have not arrived  home at the time of issuing this press release.
According to information collected by Al Mezan, Mohammed Ahmed Al Basioni and Ali Jamal Akhrawat (22 and 24 respectively) are still in detention.
  According to affidavit given to Al Mezan by Salah Afana, the IOF surrounded the Palestinian workers who were removing rubble near the border and took them  and threatened them with their weapons .
Then the IOF blind folded them and took them inside Israel.
The weather was cold and the IOF forced the Palestinian detainees to take off their clothes, except the underwear, and to wear a blue light overall.
Several hours later, the IOF interrogated  them and asked them general questions about removing rubbles and about security.
The IOF then transferred the detainees to another military site.
In the early morning hours on Sunday, 21 March 2010, the IOF transferred Salah Afana and Tareq Al Afifi to Sofa crossing in Khan Younis and untied and released them.
The ex-detainees said that the IOF stole their money as they their wallets were empty.
  In the contexts of the IOF escalations, at app.
1am on Friday 19 March 2010, an Israeli F16 plane fired two missiles at  a smithery workshop in Gaza.
The workshop belongs to the sons of the late Mahsi Ahmed Ali Ad-Daia.
It's about 800 square meters and located in the Az-Zaitoun neighborhood near the Az-Zaitoun police station.
As a result, the smithery was severely damaged.
No casualties or injuries were reported.
  On Thursday, the IOF also launched artillery shells on a sandy land near the juice factory east of the At-Tufah neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.
     At app.
10:20pm on Friday 19 March 2010, an Israeli warplane fired two missiles on the western side of the Gaza International Airport.
Five minutes later, the Israeli plane fired a missile on the same area.
As a result, fifteen persons were injured; three of them were children who were removing rubble from the destroyed buildings of the Gaza International Airport.
They were all admitted to Abu Yousif An-Najar Hospital where their injuries are described as moderate.
Four of the fifteen were referred to the European Gaza Hospital for medical treatment.
  At app.
2am on Friday 19 March 2010, IOF planes fired five missiles on different areas on the Gaza-Egypt border.
As a result, two persons were injured.
Al Mezan identified their names as follows: ·         Badir Odaat Allah Al Sha'ar, 32, was injured in the right eye and he was admitted to the European Gaza Hospital; and ·         Salim Hamdan Al Sha'ar,48,was admitted to Abu Yousif An-Najar Hospital with a broken bone in his right heel.
According to medical sources, their injuries are described as moderate.
  Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights strongly condemns the continued, systematic attacks by the IOF against the Palestinian civilians, particularly workers who work near the borders .
These Israeli acts  are considered as  attempts to enforce the security 'buffer zone' inside the Gaza Strip.
Al Mezan expresses its outrage on the continuous Israeli siege imposed on the Gaza Strip and preventing them from sustaining their daily livelihood.
  Al Mezan Centre reiterates its calls on the international community to take prompt actions to stop the Israeli violations of human rights against Palestinians and to lift the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Al Mezan asserted that the silence of the international community has encouraged the IOF to continue their violations against Palestinians.
Ends