May 1^st, 2008

 

April 2008 CASUALTY STATISTICS

 

(73)    Palestinians were killed by Israeli Security Forces, 17 were assassinated. 8 were children between 0 and 14 years old. 11 deaths were of children between 15 and            18 years old.   

(2)        Unclear Palestinian deaths (The source of the explosions or other accidents is    unknown).

(4)        Palestinians killed by Palestinian gunfire.

(4)        Israeli soldiers killed by Palestinians.

(2)        Israeli civilians killed by Palestinians.

 

THE PHRMG SUMMARY REPORT FOR APRIL 2008

 

IOF Kill 13 Palestinian Civilians, Including a Journalist and 8 Children, in Juhor al Dik Village in Central Gaza Strip

On Wednesday evening, 16 April 2008, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have escalated attacks against the Gaza Strip. In less than half an hour, IOF Killed 13 Palestinian civilians, including a journalist, 8 children and 2 brothers, and wounded 32 others, including 17 children and a woman, in Juhor al-Dik village in the central Gaza Strip. They also razed large areas of agricultural land and demolished a number of houses during an incursion into the village.

Fadel Shana’a, 23, a Reuters cameraman, accompanied by Wafa Abu Mezyed, 25, a soundman, arrived at the area to photograph the children who were killed by Israeli missiles. When they finished photographing, they got on a Reuters vehicle, which was clearly marked with the press badge. They then traveled back to continue their work in the area. They stopped hundreds of meters away from the area where IOF troops were stationed. They got out of the vehicle and a number of children gathered around them. Soon after, IOF fired a tank shell at them. Shana’a was instantly killed and Abu Mezyed was wounded .Abu Mezyed was able to flee from the area. IOF soon fired another shell that hit the back of the vehicle and heavily damaged it. Three civilians, including 2 children, were also killed by the attack, and 12 others, including 5 children, were wounded.

Israel Escalates War Crimes inside the Gaza Strip: 9 Palestinians Killed, 6 of them Civilians, including 2 Children

On Friday 11 April 2008, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) escalated its war crimes in the Gaza Strip disregarding the lives of civilians. 9 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip. Seven of the victims, including 6 civilians that included 2 children, were killed by IOF excessive use of lethal force in El –Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. In addition, 27 people, most of them civilians, including 12 children, were injured.

The IOF escalation comes at a time of pending humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip due to fuel cuts and fuel supplies bans.  As a result, transportation has been nearly paralyzed, affecting all aspects of life, especially health and education.

Fuel Crisis Paralyzed 85% of the Transportation Sector and 50% of Education and Health Services

The stoppage in fuel supplies has led to paralyzing 50% of the educational sector, as half the students in all educational levels were unable to reach their schools and universities. In addition, educational sector employees have been unable to reach their work. Furthermore, the transportation sector has nearly stopped functioning throughout the Gaza Strip. As a result, all basic functions of civilian life have come to a near standstill, including drinking water delivery, sewage water disposal, and garbage collection. In addition, healthcare facilities registered a 25% drop in clients due to the transportation crisis. Furthermore, hundreds of healthcare professionals were unable to reach their work places.

On 9 April 2008, Israel Occupation Forces (IOF) stopped the flow of the heavily reduced fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip. As a result of continuous collective punishment since 15 June 2006, the humanitarian crisis has become increasingly severe.

Mother and Four Children Killed by Israel Bombardment of their Home in Beit Hanoun

On 28 April 2008, independent investigation strikes in Gaza killed six Palestinians, including four children under five and their mother. An investigation by the Israeli army, as offered but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, will not meet international standards as a thorough, independent and impartial investigation. The attack appears to have been carried out with reckless disregard for the lives of local residents, including children, uninvolved in hostilities between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces. It was the latest in a pattern of such attacks, which are unacceptable. So far this year, some 335 Palestinians have been killed in attacks by Israeli forces.

The Israeli attack in Beit Hanoun killed five members of the Abu Mu’tteq family, four children under five and their mother, Maysir Abu Mu’atteq, 40, at 8.15 in the morning. The area had apparently been surrounded by 20 armored IOF cars for over two hours. Minutes before the Mu’tteq family home was hit, an Israeli strike killed Ibrahim Hujuj, 20, who is reported to have been a member of a Palestinian armed group.