A statistical report was prepared by Al Mezan Center for Human Rights covering the first quarter of 2008.
This report shows an unprecedented escalation in violations of human rights and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) at the hands of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).
According to the information collected by Al Mezan Center, there was a large increase in the number of victims during the first quarter of 2008 to the extent that it exceeded the total number of people killed during some of the previous Intifada years.
The IOF's conducts, including house demolitions, land razing, and destruction of industrial installations, constitute further human rights abuses against the civilian population in the Strip.
Moreover, the near total blockade and siege on the Gaza Strip continues to threaten the lives and livelihoods of Gazans.
The humanitarian crisis continues due to lack of goods, resources, fuel, and medicines.
Also, the siege has destroyed Gaza's economy and doubled the number of poor and unemployed.
Al Mezan believes that the extent and types of violations show that the IOF failed to abide by IHL and international human rights law.
The Center calls on the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which has also failed to uphold its legal and moral obligations and honor the Convention by ensuring that other parties respect it.
Al Mezan expresses it fear that the number of victims among the Gaza Strip population are likely to increase if the international community's silence towards the IOF's conducts continues.
This issue jeopardizes the credibility of the international community, which aims to defend the values and principles that link all of humankind.
To review the full report (in PDF format), please click the following link: http://www.
mezan.
org/site_en/resource_center/mezan_publications/detail.
php?id=170 .
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