The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) has published a report detailing the search for bodies in the brief ceasefire that took place over the weekend, but also condemned Israeli targeting of medical crews that continued even while the ceasefire was in place.At approximately 08:00 on Saturday, 26 July 2014, a 12-hour humanitarian truce was declared, and was then extended for an additional 4 hours. During the truce, Palestinian civilians rushed to buy foodstuffs and basic needs. Medical and civil defense crews were able to reach areas that had been invaded by Israeli forces.
However, the medical crews were presented from reaching certain areas in the east of Kahn Yunis. According to eyewitnesses, al-Shuja’iya neighborhood looked as if it was hit by an earthquake or Tsunami as it was extensively destroyed. Similar destruction was also seen in Beit Hanoun town. During the truce, medical crews were able to recover bodies of dozens of Palestinians, and evacuate some civilians who had been trapped in their houses in the areas that had been invaded. Following the end of the truce, Israeli tanks resumed shelling border areas in the east of Gaza Strip violently.
PCHR field workers have been unable to collect information from border areas in the Gaza Strip, because the situation is extremely dangerous in these areas. The following details are based on the information which the field workers have been able to collect.
From 10:00 on Saturday, 26 July 2014 to 10:00 on Sunday, 27 July 2014, according to what PCHR has been able to document, medical crews were able to recover the bodies of Palestinians, of whom 62 ones are civilians, including 5 children and 2 women. Seven Palestinians, of whom 5 civilians are civilians, including a child and a woman, died of previous wounds. Additionally, 43 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were wounded – this number includes 5 children and 7 women. A Palestinian civilian was also killed by Israeli forces during the humanitarian truce, and 2 members of a Palestinian armed group were killed a few hours following the end of the truce.
The latest developments since the press release issued by PCHR Friday at noon have been as follows:
The Northern Gaza Strip:
Bodies of 26 Palestinians, including 3 civilians one of whom is a child, who were killed by Israeli forces during the current offensive, were recovered. The civilian victims were identified as: Mohammed Salam Mohammed Abu Khousa, 75; Salman Mohammed Ahmed Sama’na, 62; and Do’a’ Sani Ibrahim Sama’naa, 11. Three Palestinian civilians, including a child and a woman, died of previous wounds as follows:
– At approximately 13:30 on Saturday, 26 July 2014, medical sources declared that Mohammed Sa’id Sha’ban Baba, 40, died of wounds he had sustained in the early morning when Israeli forces shelled a house belonging to Jum’a Wirsh Aga.
– At approximately 19:00, medical sources declared that Youseg Jameel Subhi Hammouda, 16, died of wounds he sustained a few days ago when Israeli forces fired an artillery shell at a number of Palestinian civilians at Beit Lahia Square.
– At approximately 00:00 on Sunday, 27 July 2014, medical sources declared that Ikram Ahmed Tawfiq al-Shanbari, 23, from al-Amal neighborhood in Beit Hanoun, died of wounds she sustained when Israeli forces shelled an UNRWA shelter in Beit Hanoun on 24 July 2014.
Gaza City:
Bodies of 37 Palestinians, 32 of whom are civilians, including 4 children and 2 women, were recovered from al-Shuja’ya and al-Sha’af neighborhoods. The victims include 10 members of the al-Hilu family whose bodies were found under the debris of their home. Additionally, a member of a Palestinian armed group died of a pervious wound. The civilian victims who whose bodies were recovered are:
– The bodies of Sami Fathi Ahmed al-‘Ar’ir, 50, Mohammed Rafiq Sa’id al-‘Ar’ir, 30, Hassan Fathi Ahmed al-‘Ar’ir, 30, ‘Abdul Karim Fathi Ahmed al-‘Ar’ir, 30; and Fathi Sami Fathi al-‘Ar’ir,20, were found under the debris of their home that was destroyed by Israeli warplanes on 20 July 2014.
– The body of Khaled Yousef Mohammed Badwan, 48, was recovered from al-Sha’f neighborhood. He was killed by Israeli shelling on 23 July 2014.
– The body of ‘Abdul Rahman Ziad Hassan Abu Hain, 28, was recovered from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. He was killed when Israeli warplanes bombarded his house on 23 July 2014.
– The body of Mohammed ‘Essam Dib Abu Balta, 28, was recovered from al-Sha’af neighborhood. He was killed by Israeli artillery shelling on 22 July 2014.
– The body of Mahmoud Ra’ed Mahmoud al-‘Eish, 23, was recovered from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. He was killed by Israeli artillery shelling when he attempt to leave his house as Israeli forces shelled houses.
– The body of Fadi ‘Abdul Qader ‘Abdul Malek Habib, 35, was recovered from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. He was killed by Israeli artillery shelling.
– The body ‘Omar ‘Abdul Hakim Ibrahim al-Sheikh Khalil, 25, was recovered from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. He was killed by Israeli artillery shelling.
– Bodies of 2 members of a Palestinian armed group who were killed on 20 July 2014 were recovered,
– The body of Adham Majed Yousef Dhaher, 18, was recovered from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. He was killed when Israeli tanks shelled his family’s house on 23 July 2014.
– The body of a member of an armed group, 30, was recovered from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. He was killed on 23 July 2014.
– The body of Mohammed Riad Sha’ban Shabet, 25, was recovered from al-Tuffah neighborhood. He was killed when Israeli warplanes bombarded his family’s house on 23 July 2014.
– The body of Mohammed Mahmoud Rajab Hajjaj, 34, was recovered from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. He was killed when Israeli warplanes bombarded his house on 21 July 2014.
– The bodies of Mohammed Ahmed Kamel Abu al-‘Atam 32, Mos’ab Salah Salman Abu al-‘Ata, 21, and Mohammed Mahmoud Sa’id Abu al-‘Ata, 28, were recovered from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. They were killed when Israeli forces shelled their house on 20 July 2014.
– The bodies of Ismail ‘Aayesh Yousef Abu Ghanima, 26, and his brother Ibrahim, 28, were recovered from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. They were killed by Israeli shelling on 23 July 2014.
– The body of a member of a Palestinian armed group, 25, was recovered from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. He was killed by Israeli forces on 21 July.
– The body of Fareed ‘Abdul Qader ‘Abdul Malek Habib, 30, was recovered from al-Sha’af neighborhood. He was killed while he was fleeing from his house that was shelled by Israeli forces.
– The body of Shaker Ahmed Shaker al-Jammal, 48, was recovered from al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. He was killed by Israeli shelling of his house on 20 July 2014.
– The body of Ahmed Mousa Ahmed Ahel, 76, was recovered from his house in al-Shuja’iya neighborhood. He was killed by Israeli shelling on 20 July 2014.
– The body of a member of a Palestinian armed group was recovered from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the southeast of Gaza City.
– On 20 July 2014, Israeli forces shelled a house belonging to the al-Hilu family. As a result, 10 members of the family were killed: Jihad Mahmoud Hamed al-Hilu, 59; Siham ‘Ata al-Hilu, 57; Mohammed Jihad Mahmoud al-Hilu, 29; Tahreer Jihad Mahmoud al-Hilu, 20; Najiya Jihad Mahmoud al-Hilu, 15; Ahmed Jihad Mahmoud al-Hilu, 27; Hidaya Talal al-Hilu, 25; Maram Ahmed Jihad al-Hilu, 2; and Karim and Karam Ahmed al-Hilu, 5 months.
– At approximately 13:00 on Saturday, 26 July 2014, medical sources declared that a member of a Palestinian armed group, 22, died of wounds he sustained on 24 July 2014 when Israeli forces fired at him al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the southeast of Gaza City.
The Central Gaza Strip:
Medical crews recovered the body of a member of a Palestinian armed group; a Palestinian civilian was killed during the humanitarian truce; another civilian dies of previous wounds; and 2 members of a Palestinian armed group were killed faollwing the end of the humanitarian truce, and a third one who was killed earlier was identified.
– At approximately 10:20 on Saturday, 26 July 2014, during the declared humanitarian truce, Na’im ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Ahmed Abu Zaher, 37, went to check his house in Wadi al-Salqa village. He was surprised by the presence of Israeli forces inside the house. They shot him dead.
– At approximately 12:50, a member of a Palestinian armed group who was killed a few days ago in the east of al-Boreij refugee camp was identified.
– At approximately 12:50, the body of a member of a Palestinian armed group was recovered from al-Mughraqa village.
– At approximately 17:00, medical sources declared that Ayman Anwar Salem Burai’em 39, died of wounds he sustained as a result of Israeli shelling 3 days ago.
– At approximately 09:50 on Sunday, 27 July 2014, Israeli drones fired 2 missiles at an olive field in al-Nussairat refugee camp. As a result, 2 members of a Palestinian armed group were killed and 2 civilians were seriously wounded.
Khan Yunis:
The bodies of 12 Palestinians who were killed by Israeli forces in the past day were recovered; a Palestinian civilian died of previous wounds; medical crews evacuated 10 civilians, including 5 wounded ones, from Khuza’a village; and Israeli forces released 20 Palestinian civilians who had been arrested in Khuza’a village, some of whom had been wounded.
– On Saturday morning, 26 July 2014, medical crews were able to recover boies of 12 Palestinians who were killed in the east of Khan Yunis: Suleiman Zaki ‘Abdul Mawla al-Dardissi, 27; Ahmed Shawqi Abu Sa’ada, 24; Mohammed Ibrahim Hamdan Abu Tu’aima, 35; Ra’ed Khalil Hamdan Abu Tu’aima, 33; Mamdouh Mallahi Suleiman Abu Naja, 24; Ayman Akram Ismail al-Ghalban, 22; Jihad Naji Abu ‘Aamer, 24; Rabah Rashed Fayad, 40; Fadi Mahmoud al-Masri, 23; Eyad Yousef al-Sadi, 25; Salem Mustafa al-Hadhidi, 26; and Wassim Nasser ‘Abdu Shurrab, 22.
– PCHR’s staff visited al-Qarara and al-Zanna areas which were invaded by Israeli forces a few days ago. They notice extensive destruction to houses, agricultural areas and the civilian infrastructure.
– At approximately 11:00, medical sources declared that ‘Ali Mohammed ‘Ali al-Astal, 32, died of wound he sustained when an Israeli drone attacked a number of civilians in al-Satar al-Gharbi area in the northwest of Khan Yunis.
– At approximately 19:00, the ICRC and medical crews were able to enter Khuza’a village. They evacuated 10 Palestinian civilians, including a number of wounded ones, who were trapped in the area. There are reports that there are a number of victims under the debris of homes that were destroyed by Israeli forces, but Israeli forces have not allowed rescue teams to enter the village.
Rafah:
Following the end of the humanitarian truce, Israeli tanks shelled agricultural lands and open areas in Rafah, but no casualties were reported.
PCHR reiterates condemnation, expresses utmost concern for these crimes, and:
1) Warns of deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip in light of this continuous Israeli military escalation, threats to expand military operations, and the continued tightened closure of the Gaza Strip;
2) Calls upon the international community to act immediately to stop these crimes, and renews the call to the High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligation under Article 1 of the Convention to ensure that it is respected at all times, and their responsibilities under Article 146 to pursue perpetrators of serious violations of the Convention, which are determined in Article 147, which lists violations of the Convention amounting to war crimes; and
3) Calls for establishing a UN fact-finding mission to investigate suspected war crimes committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, and take necessary steps to prosecute responsible for them.
