Human Rights organizations condemn the detention of ministers and Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) members in the West Bank, and demand immediate international intervention to halt Israel's Gaza Strip offensive.
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) today intensified crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories by detaining eight ministers from the Hamas-led government and 20 elected members of the Palestinian parliament (PLC).
A further 36 people affiliated with the Hamas movement, among them the Mayor of Qalqila (a major West Bank city) were seized by the Israelis in a military operation.
In the Gaza Strip IOF continued their artillery bombardment, shelling a playground in the Islamic University, a house in Khan Younis and different areas of Beit Hanoun.
This follows the actions of two days ago when IOF fired on bridges and vital civilian infrastructure facilities in the Gaza Strip, including the area's sole power station.
IOF continue to threaten further invasions of the Gaza provinces and a number of West Bank towns.
Their actions have been accompanied by silence from other nations in the Middle East and the wider international community.
This lack if international condemnation is likely to encourage further military escalation by Israel.
The undersigned organizations condemn the intensified IOF crimes and confirm that the detention of Cabinet ministers and PLC members would result in the suspension of duties of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and the Cabinet; in effect crippling the normal institutions of elected government.
The undersigned emphasize that deliberate targeting of vital civilian facilities, such as power stations, constitutes a war crime under International Humanitarian Law IHL, notably the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.
Without power, water pumps across the Gaza Strip will be unable to operate, potentially seriously impeding water supplies to inhabitants.
Deliberately attacking non-military targets is also a flagrant escalation of the collective punishment against Palestinian civilians.
It demonstrates a complete failure by Israel to meet its obligations under IHL.
In launching deliberate strikes against civilian targets, Israel has shown complete contempt for international laws governing warfare.
Our organizations stress the key role of the International Community, which is obligated to take action under these circumstances.
All High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention bear a legal and moral responsibility to intervene - without delay - in order to halt war crimes.
They are also obliged by their treaty commitments to provide international protection to Palestinian civilians.
The international community's continued silence is totally unacceptable and it must raise it's collective voice in support of the rule of law.
The HR organizations stress the importance of the International Community's role to firstly secure an immediate release of detained Cabinet ministers and PLC members, to avert the breakdown of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and, secondly, to intervene and head off the darkening shadow of humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip should the IOF continue its siege and deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Al Dameer Human Rights Organization- Gaza
Al Haq – Ramallah
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights - Gaza