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PHRMG
expresses indignant outrage at the after-midnight killing of
15 Palestinian civilians in Gaza City by an air raid from
Israeli F-16 (American made) warplanes.
Among the dead are seven children, including a
three-month old baby, two women, and two elderly men who
were bombarded while asleep in their homes by Israeli Armed
Forces. Over
150 other civilians were both critically and moderately
injured in this latest raid.
There were no warnings of the air attack-no
opportunity for the people to escape to safety.
The shelling also cut off electricity, which made
rescuing the victims in the destruction additionally
difficult. Residents,
in their nightclothes, scrambled to aid in rescuing those
trapped in the disaster.
Hamas
leader Salah Shihadeh, age 50, and his aide, Zaher Nasser,
were targeted and subsequently blown apart by Israeli fire
to the degree that it took hours for rescue work to collect
their bodies and confirm their deaths.
Shihadeh’s 48-year old wife, Layla, was also killed
in the attack, along with the couple’s three daughters.
Television and press photos depict the horrific
scenes of burnt and torn up bodies amidst dozens of crushed
residential buildings, now piles of rubble.
The
use of warplanes to bombard civilian buildings is state
terrorism. It
should gravely alarm the United States that their warplanes
are used for such immoral tactics.
This violence was inflicted upon one of the most
overcrowded residential neighborhoods in Gaza City, where
people already suffer from general house-arrest curfews,
malnutrition, and other humanitarian crises.
The
total number of Palestinians who have been assassinated
(killed in extra-judicial military operations by the Israeli
forces) since the start of the current Intifada in September
2000 is 84, including the two that were last night in Gaza.
This is in blatant violation of the Fourth Geneva
Convention. 84
times the Israeli Forces have violated this international
law, and yet they still continue to be supported in their
tactics by some prominent international voices.
The
Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilians states that
“The civilian population and individual civilians shall
enjoy general protection against the dangers arising from
military operations.” in Article 13.
One does not need extensive military expertise to
know that an air strike on a densely populated civilian area
is in violation of this law and would bring tragic death and
suffering to many innocent civilians.
As
a result of the Israeli Forces’ attack last night, Hamas,
which was moments earlier on the verge of agreeing to cease
suicide-bombing in return for Israeli withdrawal from
Palestinian cities, pledged revenge for the Israeli offense.
Thus, once again, Israeli PM Sharon’s assault on
Palestinian civilians will bring yet more civilian deaths on
both sides. Rather
than pave the way for a resumption of political
negotiations, the PM’s provocative actions will only
increase the cycle of violence.
PHRMG
calls on the United Nations to send international protection
for Palestinian civilians.
The violence suffered last night again clearly shows
that there is dire need for this assistance.
PHRMG questions the United States on its silence
until at least 14:00 today as opposed to its immediate
response to Israeli casualties.
PHRMG also urges the United States to reconsider its
extensive financial and military support to Israel.
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