The IOF have escalated their ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip, killing 6 Palestinians and injuring 69 others, including 15 children, as a result of their incursion into Al Maghazi Refugee Camp.
Five of the injured sustained critical injuries.
Further, the IOF opened fire on medical personnel who rushed the scene to help the wounded, and consequently a paramedic needed his leg amputated.
According to Al Mezan’s investigations, at approximately 10:30pm on July 18 the IOF arbitrarily shelled different areas of the middle district of the Gaza Strip, including Al Bureij Refugee Camp, the areas surrounding Al Zahra town, and the eastern areas adjacent to Al Mosadder town and Al Maghazi Refugee Camp.
The main electricity transformer was destroyed leading to total suspension of electricity throughout Gaza’s middle district.
On July 19 at approximately 1:30am, IOF special forces penetrated eastern Al Maghazi Refugee Camp, killing Sa’ed Sami Qandil, aged 20.
At approximately 2:00am, IOF tanks under helicopter cover, penetrated the eastern border lines of the Gaza Strip, and reached Abu Rashed area.
They occupied numerous houses, using them as military surveillance points, and fired randomly at persons approaching the area.
Omar Farahat, 32, was killed as a result.
Further, at approximately 6:00am, an IOF jet fired a rocket at the area, killing Mohammed Fo’ad Abu Ishiba, 20, and Mohammed Omar Al Bashiti, 25, and injuring paramedic Anwar Abd Al Rahman Abu Houli, who consequently had to have his leg amputated.
Furthermore, at approximately 8:00am the IOF fired a tank missile at a group of civilians in eastern Al Maghazi Refugee Camp, killing Ali Kamel Al Najjar, 16, and Ahmed Awad Al Na’ami, 16, and injuring 15 others.
According to medical reports, 2 of the injured sustained serious injuries.
At approximately 10:00am the IOF resumed the shelling from tank missiles and the targeting of civilian gatherings, injuring 15 civilians, 3 of whom sustained serious injuries.
The incessant shelling has now brought the number of injured to 69.
In addition, the IOF continue to violate the Palestinians’ right to freedom of movement as they maintain the closure of Rafah crossing, the only outlet for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip through which to access the outside world.
The crossing is open today, although only for incoming passengers who have been stranded at the Egyptian side of the terminal since June 25.
Al Mezan expresses its grave concern over the escalating IOF offensive in the OPT, and strongly condemns the silence of the international community in light of the drastic impacts of the IOF violations on the humanitarian situation in the OPT, particularly with relation to the continued closure of the Gaza Strip, and the financial boycott of the PNA.
Employment rates have now reached 75% as a result of the deteriorating economic situation in the OPT.
Al Mezan calls upon the international community, notably the high contracting parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal and moral obligations under the Convention and provide protection to Palestinian civilians in the OPT.
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