Targeted Civilians: A PCHR Report on the Israeli Military Offensive against the Gaza Strip (27 December 2008 – 18 January 2009)

8/14/2019 Targeted Civilians: A PCHR Report on the Israeli Military Offensive against the Gaza Strip (27 December 2008 18

1/184


2/184

Palesinian Cenre or Human Righs

Gaza Ciy

29 Omar El Mukhar Sree, Near Amal Hoel,

P.O.Box 1328

el/Fax: +972 8 2824-776 / +972 8 2825 893 / +972 8 2823 725

Khan Yunis Branch

El Amal Sree, Branch o Jamal Abdul-Nasser Sree, near he College o Educaion

el/Fax: +972 8 2061 025 / +972 8 2061 035

Jabalya Branch

Jabalya Reugee Camp, Opposie o imraz Fuel Saion

el/Fax: +972 8 2454 150 / +972 8 2454 160

Wes Bank Oce

Ramallah: Al Beira, Nublus Road

el/Fax: +972 2 2406 697 / +972 2 2406 698

E-mail: [email protected]

Webpage: www.pchrgaza.org

All Righs Reserved


3/184

Conens

Tis Repor 7

Summary 9

Recommendaions 15

Evens in Focus 17

Background o he Oensive 18

Te Beginning o Air Srikes 21

Land Invasion 25

War Crimes & Ohers Violaions o Inernaional Humaniarian Law and Inernaional Human Righs 33

Principle o Disincion 34

Mehods and Means o Warare 35

Indiscriminae Atacks and he Principle o Proporionaliy 35

Exensive Desrucion o Propery 36

Collecive punishmen 36

Medical Crews and Unis 37

Crimes agains Humaniy 37

Willul Killings and Oher Violaions o he Righ o Lie and Personal Securiy 38

Conexs o Killings 40

Atacks on Civilian Houses 41

Atacks on Houses o Hamas Members and Resisance Aciviss 49

Atacks on Civilian Faciliies (Mosques, Minisries and Insiuions) 51

Civilian Vicims during Crimes o E xra-Judicial Execuion 52

Atacks on Civilian Groups 53

Atacks on Wake ens 54

Te Willul Killing o Civilians 54

Killings Commited during he Daily Ceasere 56

Killings o Children 57

Daa on Child Deahs and Casualies 58

Examples o Child Killing 60

Killings o Women 63

Daa on Female Deahs and Injuries 63

Examples o Killings o Women 66

Te Illegal Use o Whie Phosphorous and Flechete Shells 70

Whie Phosphorous


4/184

Flechete shells 73

Using Civilians as Human Shields 75

Forcing Civilians o Walk beore Israeli roops during House Searches 76aking Civilians as Hosages during IOF Land Incursions 77

Atacks agains Medical Crews 78

Legal Proecion or Medical and Humaniarian Relie Personnel 78

Te Deniion o Medical Personnel 79

Violaions o he Proecions Aorded o Medical Personnel 80

Obsrucion o Access o Medical Crews and ranspors o he Dead, Wounded and Paiens 85

Denial o Access and he argeing o Medical Crews 85

Increased Suering o Families and Wounded People Due o Denial o Access o Medical Care 88

Desrucion o Medical Faciliies and ranspors 92

Te argeing o Journaliss and Mass Media 99 Atacks on Journaliss

Atacks on Journaliss Resuling in Injuries 101

Oher atacks on Journaliss 103

Bombardmen and Desrucion o Media Faciliies 105

Atacks agains Educaional Insiuions 106

Violaions o he Righ o Lie

argeing Educaional Insiuions 108

Aerial Bombing o a Mosque Damages a Privae School and a Kindergaren 110

argeing Higher Educaion Insiuions 111

Suspension o he Educaional Process or 28 Days 116Atacks agains NGOs 117

Arress, orure and Oher Forms o Cruel and Degrading reamen 120

Desrucion o Civilian Faciliies 123

Desrucion o Houses and Residenial Buildings 124

Desrucion o Governmenal Faciliies 131

Atacks on Minisries, Governmenal Faciliies and Local Councils 131

Desrucion o Palesinian Police Faciliies 132

Desrucion o Inrasrucure 135

Desrucion o Economic Inrasrucure 136

Indusrial Secor 137Commercial Secor 145

Agriculural Secor 148


5/184

Fishing Secor 152

ransporaion 153

ourism 155Desrucion o Culural Propery 156

Archaeological Buildings and Museums 156

Religious Sies 158

Ancien Buildings and Heriage Ceners 161

Aggravaion o Humaniarian Crisis in he Gaza Srip during IOF Ofensive 163

Nuriion 164

Flour mills 164

Bakeries 165

Scarciy and Price Increase o Basic Food Iems in Gazan Markes 166

Suspension o UNRWAs Food Aid Program and Deprivaion o Tousands o Gaza Reugees o Food Supplies 167Te Humaniarian Ceasere 169

Humaniarian Condiions 171

Forced Displacemen o Tousands o Civilians 171

Bombardmen o Shelers and Humaniarian personnel 172

Hosiliies Cease and Displaced Families Begin o Reurn Home 174

argeing o Humaniarian Personnel and Humaniarian Organizaions Faciliies 175

Deerioraion o Basic Services and Exacerbaion o Humaniarian Condiions 176

Power Nework 176

Waer and Saniaion Secor 178

Drinking Waer 179Sewage Waer 180

IOF Oensive Inics Heavy Losses on he Waer and Saniaion Secor 180

ighening Resricions on he Freedom o Movemen 182

Raah Inernaional Crossing Poin 182

Wounded and oher Medical Paiens 182

Arab and oher Foreign Delegaions 183

ranserring he Injured and he Bodies o Vicims 183

Movemen o Paiens 183

Border Crossings Dedicaed o Delivery o Goods and Humaniarian Aid 184

Nahal Oz Crossing 184


6/184


7/184

7

Tis Repor

In he early hours o Sunday, 18 January 2009, Israeli Occupaion Forces (IOF) declared a unilaeral ceasere, calling a hal oheir miliary operaions agains he Gaza Srip. Tis declaraion marked an end he 23-day oensive known as Operaion

Cas Lead; he mos exensive and brual oensive in hisory o Israeli occupaion. Over he ollowing days, IOF coninued

o wihdraw rom he areas hey had invaded and redeployed o areas ouside he Gaza Srip leaving in heir wake exensive

desrucion.

In he aermah o he IOFs redeploymen, he shocking and horriying oucome o he oensive, and is unprecedened impac

on he civilian populaion, were revealed. Despie PCHRs coninuous eld invesigaions during he oensive, i was difcul o

ollow up all deails o he oensive and he exensive desrucion in real-ime due o he massive and wide-scale atacks which

argeed he whole Gaza Srip. Moreover, i was difcul o reach many areas in he Gaza Srip, especially hose conrolled by

Israeli roops and hus compleely isolaed rom he res o he Gaza Srip. However, consequen o he ceasere, PCHR began o

comprehensively and documen all crimes commited by IOF agains Palesinians and heir propery.

PCHRs work in relaion o he Israeli oensive agains he

Gaza Srip ook place over wo phases. Te rs phase was

he oensive isel, which lased rom 27 December 2008

he beginning o he wide-scale air bombardmens unil

18 January 2009, he day on which Israel unilaerally decaled

he end o miliary operaions in he Gaza Srip. During

his period, PCHR worked under very complicaed and

dangerous condiions ha posed hreas o he lives and saeyo is sa. PCHRs work during ha period was essenially

ocused on observaion, reporing and advocacy a local

and inernaional levels. Te objecive o hese eors was

o reue Israeli allegaions abou he naure o Operaion

Cas Lead and claims ha IOF did no arge civilians and

respeced inernaional humaniarian law (IHL). During ha

period, PCHR provided comprehensive daa, based solely on

he acs; daa which coniced wih ofcial Israeli accouns.

I became clear ha he oensive was a war agains civilians

and civilian arges. PCHR issued several press releases and

deailed repors in boh English and Arabic. o mee he

requiremens o such work, PCHR expanded is Field Work

Uni wih highly rained eld workers in all areas around he

Gaza Srip, hereby decreasing he area o work assigned o eld

workers in normal circumsances. Tis led o acceleraion o

access o inormaion wih less risk o he saey o PCHRs sa

members. PCHRs work coninued in spie o he difculies

aced as a resul o losing cell phone communicaion due o

he desrucion o Palesinian elecommunicaion neworks,

as well as he argeing o ground communicaion neworks inhe norhern Gaza Srip, which disruped elephone, ax and

inerne communicaions.

Te second phase relaed o PCHRs work aer he

ceasere and i had wo correlaed racks. Te rs rack

was invesigaion and documenaion o all war crimes and

violaions o IHL perperaed by IOF agains Palesinian

civilians and heir propery. Tis rack was carried ou during

he hree monhs ha ollowed he ceasere. Te second rack

is legal assisance or vicims and survivors, which includes

preparing legal les or he mos serious crimes in order

o prosecue war criminals in domesic and inernaional


8/184

8

cours. Tis rack may ake years o coninuous and persisen

work. Following IOFs redeploymen ouside Gaza, PCHR

recruied dozens o eld workers and qualied lawyers, who were able o cover all areas in Gaza Srip and documen

hundreds o crimes perperaed by IOF. PCHRs eam made

direc personal inerviews wih civilians who survived killings

and hundreds o eyewiness who esied abou he killings

o heir loved ones. A grea number o hose survivors were

argeed and subjeced o direc atacks. PCHRs purpose is

o make a comprehensive and complee documenaion o

all war crimes and oher serious violaions o inernaional

humaniarian law and human righ law. PCHR also prepared

legal les on crimes commited during he laes oensive

agains he Gaza Srip in order o pursue hose Israelis

accused o commiting war crimes. Over he pas ew years

PCHR have made noable progress in his regard. Now, aer

he Israeli oensive agains he Gaza Srip, PCHR is again

preparing dozens o legal les which ocus on various crimes

perperaed by IOF agains Palesinian civilians. PCHRs

work in his regard mainly depends on ull and coninuous

cooperaion and coordinaion wih inernaional parners o

ollow up his issue in he upcoming years; here is no saue

o limiaions wih respec o war crimes.

PCHR has compleed he documenaion o all incidens which

consiued clear and agran violaions o IHL. Documened

inormaion was enered ino a special daabase o make use

o i or various purposes. Tis repor is par o he overall

process o documenaion as i includes a comprehensive and

accurae accoun o all evens ha ook place during he laes

oensive agains he Gaza Srip. Te repor is he oucome o

eors made by all unis a PCHR a he levels o observaion,

documenaion, invesigaion and ling. Tus, his repor is

inended o proessionally and objecively express PCHRs

accoun o he laes Israeli oensive agains he Gaza Srip.


9/184

9

Summary

Te Israeli oensive agains he Gaza Srip, was he mos brual and violen oensive in he hisory o boh he occupaion, andhe Gaza Srip isel. I marked he culminaion o a series o penal measures direced agains Palesinian civilians. Te ighened

siege imposed on he Gaza Srip had been in place or nearly 1 years by he ime he oensive began. Tis illegal siege includes

resricions on he movemen o civilians and goods in boh direcions; i compleely isolaes he Gaza Srip rom he world.

PCHRs repors conrmed ha he rs hal o 2008 winessed a criical ighening o he siege, desroying all aspecs o li e in he

Gaza Srip, and leading o a real humaniarian caasrophe. Te Israeli closure was no he sole aspec o crimes commited by

IOF agains he Palesinian civilians. A series o willul killings, exra-judicial execuions, oal and parial desrucion o civilian

propery (houses, workshops, and he razing o agriculural land) as well as he desrucion o vial aciliies (inrasrucure and

NGOs) all around he OP, mainly in he Gaza Srip, were occurring in parallel, adding o he devasaion caused by he closure.

On 19 June 2008, Egypian eors resuled in he declaraion

o a six monh lull beween he Palesinian poliical acions

and IOF, wih he possibiliy o renewal. According o he

erms o he lull, Palesinian acions were o sop ring home-

made rockes owards Israeli owns, while IOF were o hal

incursions, bombings, pursuing milians, and hen, gradually

sar reopening he crossings so as o ease he movemen o

people and goods o and rom he Gaza Srip. Despie he

lull, Israel, procrasinaed wih respec o is implemenaion,delaying he opening o he border crossings, in spie o

deerioraing humaniarian condiions, and sriving o impose

a de-aco siuaion, under which Palesinians would adap

o he illegal realiy imposed by Israel. As he lull agreemen

approached is renewal dae, scheduled or 19 December

2008, IOF sysemaically violaed he lull hrough a wave

o repeaed atacks in November and December 2008. In

order o creae an environmen o general local, regional

and inernaional suppor or he Israeli oensive agains he

Gaza Srip, he Israeli governmen launched a propagandacampaign o mobilize inernaional public opinion and o

jusiy he oensive under invalid claims and he preex o

ghing error. In he meanime, Israel mobilized is arsenal

and sen reinorcemens o he border o he Gaza Srip; on

27 December 2009, Israel launched is oensive agains he

Gaza Srip.

Te laes oensive agains Gaza was he mos violen, he mos

brual and he bloodies oensive agains Palesinian civilians

and heir propery since he beginning o Israeli occupaion in

1967. IOF used various kinds o weapons agains Palesiniancivilians and heir propery. IOFs naval, land and air orces

launched housands o missiles and bombs, some o which

weighed approximaely 1,000 kilograms, argeing civilian

communiies. Tis bombardmen led o large losses o boh

lives and propery. Te mos violen atacks were in he rs

hours o he oensive, in when Israeli warplanes bombarded

he headquarers and sies o Palesinian civil police and

securiy services, killing hundreds o police ofcers and

dozens o civilian bysanders.

On he eighh day o he oensive, IOF launched a ground

operaion, moving orces deep ino he Gaza Srip rom


10/184

10

several direcions under he cover o inensive re. Tese

orces divided he Gaza Srip ino several zones and moved

owards civilian-populaed areas. IOF sayed inside he GazaSrip or nearly wo weeks, during which ime hey coninued

o move closer owards populaed areas, especially in Gaza

Ciy and Bei Lahia and Jabalya owns. During he oensive,

IOF used various kinds o lehal weapons, including whie

phosphorous and echetes. PCHR believe ha he IOFs

conduc o hosiliies imply ha Israel inended o harm

Palesinian civilians; Israel engaged in acs o reprisal, and

launched atacks ha employed excessive orce in violaion

o inernaional legal sandards relaing o proporionaliy and

disincion; enire amilies were killed. Among hose weapons

which IOF deliberaely used in civilian-populaed areas, in a

clear expression o sysemaic policy, were whie phosphorous

and echetes. Te use o hese weapons resuled in serious

injuries o individuals and propery.

PCHR emphasizes ha Israeli pracices during miliary

operaions in he Gaza Srip violae he undamenal principles

o IHL. As deailed in his repor, IOF direcly argeed

civilians and civilian propery, and launched indiscriminae

atacks agains densely-populaed civilian areas. PCHR afrms

ha such acs consiue grave breaches o he Fourh Geneva

Convenion, and war crimes. Addiionally, he widespread

and apparenly sysemaic naure o hese violaions o IHL

indicaes ha Israel may have commited crimes agains

humaniy.

According o PCHRs documenaion, 1,419 Palesinians

were killed during he Israeli miliary oensive on he Gaza

Srip. Tis number includes 1,167 non-combaans (82.2%)

and 252 resisance aciviss (17.8%). Te non-combaans

include civilians and civil police ofcers who were no involved

in hosiliies, he proeced persons o IHL. Invesigaions

conduced by PCHR indicae ha 918 civilians were killed

(64.7% o he oal number o vicims). Te civilian vicims

include 318 children (22.4 % o he oal number o vicims

and 34.7% o he number o civilian vicims) and 111 women

(7.8% o he oal number o vicims and 12.1% o he number

o civilian vicims). Tus, 429 women and children were killed

(30.2% o he oal number o vicims and 46.7% o he oal

number o civilian vicims).

According o sources o he Minisry o Healh in Gaza, a leas

5,300 Palesinians were wounded during he Israeli miliary

oensive on he Gaza Srip. Tis number includes a leas

1,600 children (30%) and 830 women (15.6%). Tus, a leas

2,430 children and women were wounded, which consiues

45.6% o he oal number o he wounded.

According o PCHRs daa, 318 children aged under 18 were

killed; 22.4% o he oal number o all vicims and 34.6%

o he oal number o civilian vicims. Tis gure includes

215 boys (67.6%) and 103 girls (32.4%). Addiionally, 1,600

children were wounded, consiuing 30% o he oal number

o he wounded.

Children were killed in dieren conexs, oen while inside

homes or while playing ouside. In some insances hey

were argeed direcly, in ohers hey were killed when IOF

bombarded mosques, public aciliies or residenial complexes,

or exra-judicially-execued Palesinian aciviss.

According o invesigaions conduced by PCHR , 111 women

were killed (7.8% o he oal number o vicims and 12% o

he oal number o civilians). 830 women were wounded

(15.6% o he oal number o he wounded), dozens o whom

susained permanen disabiliies. Some women were direcly

argeed, murdered by IOF soldiers, ohers were killed inside


11/184

11

heir homes, while seeking reuge, or while hiding inside

UNRWA Schools urned ino shelers or amilies orced o

ee heir homes.

According o invesigaions conduced by PCHR and eld

evidence, during he oensive on he Gaza Srip, IOF used

dieren kinds o weapons agains Palesinian civilians and

heir propery. IOF red, wheher rom land, air or sea,

housands o missiles and guided bombs, some o which weigh

around one on; in many insances civilian-populaed areas

were direcly argeed. Invesigaions conduced by PCHR

indicae ha IOF used whie phosphorous exensively, oen

in densely populaed civilian areas. Invesigaions indicae ha

whie phosphorous was used in a leas hree disinc areas;

he enire world wached is use agains civilian areas live on

elevision. Israeli arillery and anks also red echete shells

which explode in he air and disperse meal ragmens over

a diameer o beween 125 and 250 meers according o he

shelling momenum.

PCHR documened a number o crimes commited agains

Palesinian civilians during he daily ceasere period declared

by IOF. A number o civilians, including complee amilies,

were killed. Te atacks agains he amilies o Shurrab and al-

Kahlou are vivid examples o such crimes.

PCHR documened many esimonies given by civilians

who were used as human shields by IOF. Te use o human

shields, an explici violaion o IHL, displays he exen o

Israeli recklessness wih respec o he lives o Palesinian

civilians, especially in areas o direc clashes wih Palesinian

resisance aciviss. A number o survivors and eyewinesses,

including children and he elderly, narraed heir horric

experiences. IOF use o civilians as human shields included

orcing civilians o walk beore Israeli roops during house

searches, and deaining civilians amids Israeli roops during

armed clashes wih Palesinian resisance groups.

IOF also commited war crimes by argeing medical and

humaniarian relie personnel. Tey killed and wounded

dozens o medical personnel, who are especially proeced

under IHL. IOF ailed o provide healh care or he wounded

who were sho by IOF, dozens o whom bled o deah, oen

under he eyes o Israeli soldiers. IOF deliberaely obsruced

access o Palesinian medical personnel, ambulances and re

ghers o he vicims. During he oensive, 8 humaniarian

workers were killed (wo docors, 5 paramedics and one

humaniarian carrier driver), while hey were atemping

o provide he wounded wih necessary medical and

humaniarian services. Anoher 5 humaniarian workers were

wounded while carrying ou heir humaniarian mission.

Dozens o hospials and medical ceners were desroyed or

heavily damaged as a resul o air, ground and sea operaions.

IOF also commited war crimes agains journaliss and media

proessionals. Such crimes agains were par o he overall war

crimes and oher violaions o inernaional humaniarian law

and human righs law perperaed by IOF agains Palesinian

civilians. I is clear ha IOFs atacks agains he press, which

included willul killings, endangering journaliss personal

saey and bombarding media insiuions, are par o a

sysemaic campaign o isolae he OP rom he ouside

world and o cover up crimes commited agains civilians. wo

journaliss were killed while carrying ou heir job and wo

ohers were killed as a resul o indiscriminae bombardmen.

Nine journaliss were also wounded while carrying ou heir

job when IOF bombarded media ofces and civilian aciliies.

Addiionally, wo media eams were deained and red a by

IOF, bu no casualies were repored. Five media ofces were

also argeed.


12/184

12

Te oensive also iniced heavy damage o he educaional

secor in he Gaza Srip. During he oensive, he enire

educaional process was sopped, depriving approximaelyhal a million Palesinian sudens o access o school or

23 consecuive days. Scores o sudens, eachers and

personnel were killed and scores o ohers were wounded

due o he Israeli bombardmen, which desroyed a number

o educaional insiuions eiher compleely or parially,

including UNRWA, public and privae schools. Te sudden

and inensive bombardmen on he rs day during he rush

hours conribued o increasing he numbers o deahs o

casualies. A leas 150 ou o 384 public schools in he Gaza

Srip, in which around 250,000 sudens have classes, were

atacked by IOF. Mos universiies and higher educaional

insiuions in he Gaza Srip were damaged during he laes

oensive wheher by direc argeing, such as he air srikes

ha argeed he Islamic Universiy, he duesrucion number

o aciliies in he Faculy o Agriculure in Bei Hanoun,

which belongs o al-Azhar Universiy, he ank shelling ha

argeed he Universiy College or Applied Sciences, al-

Aqsa Universiy and Palesine Universiy, or indirecly by

bombarding nearby civilian aciliies, as was he case wih

al-Quds Open Universiy and he College o Science and

echnology.

weny seven NGOs and chariable socieies were argeed

by IOF during he laes oensive agains he Gaza Srip; he

number o insiuions ha were direcly argeed was 15,

while he number o insiuions ha were indirecly argeed

due o bombarding nearby places was 12.

During he land incursions ino Palesinian communiies

in he Gaza Srip, IOF commited large scale campaigns o

arbirary arress agains Palesinians, mosly in he norhern

Gaza Srip and Gaza Ciy. In violaion o IHL, IOF ranserred

hose who were arresed o jails and deenion ceners locaed

inside Israel subjecing hem o cruel and degrading reamen

jeopardizing heir lives. PCHR ollowed up he cases o 91

individuals deained during he oensive agains he Gaza

Srip; 67 o hem were released laer, whereas 14 o hem were

considered illegiimae combaans, (hree o whom were

subsequenly released). IOF claimed ha he deainees were

resisance aciviss. However, invesigaions conduced by

PCHR indicae ha he majoriy o hose who were arresed

were civilians aken rom houses sormed by Israeli roops.

Tose who were arresed, including children less han 18

and elderly men, were used as human shields in he ace o

resisance aciviss.

From he rs momen o arres, he deainees were subjeced

o mehods o orure and degrading reamen; including

violen beaing and verbal harassmen. In deenion ceners,

hey are subjeced o several rounds o orure, under he

conrol o he General Securiy Services (GSS, or Shabak).

weny seven naional insiuions and civil benevolen

associaions were argeed by IOF during he oensive. 15

insiuions and associaions were direcly argeed by IOF

bombardmen, desrucion, inrusion during he Israeli

ground, while 12 insiuions or associaions were badly

damaged as IOF argeed nearby sies.

According o PCHRs documenaions, IOF lunched

hundreds o air, sea and ground srikes during he oensive.

Tese atacks resuled in he complee desrucion o 2114

houses, comprising 2864 aparmens; hese housing unis

were home o 3314 amilies (19592 civilians). IOF also

parially desroyed 3242 houses, comprising 5014 aparmens;

hese housing unis were home o 5470 amilies (32250

civilians). Moreover, approximaely urher 16000 houses


13/184

13

were damaged as a resul o bombardmen and desrucion,

including he burning o dozens o houses in dieren areas

in Gaza. As a resul o his devasaion, approximaely 51453Palesinians were made homeless.

During he oensive, IOF launched miliary air, sea and

ground atacks argeing all governmenal aciliies and

insallaions including minisries and local bodies. Tese

atacks also argeed propery and civil objecs including

residenial buildings, dieren economic secors aciliies

such as acories, shops, companies, blacksmih and carpenry

workshops, naional insiuions buildings, ourism aciliies,

spor clubs, mosques, graveyards, kindergarens, schools,

universiies, media insiuions, medical insallaions,

armlands (including wells, waer and irrigaion neworks),

animal barns (apiaries and bird arms), huners por, ships

and equipmen. Medical insallaions and humaniarian relie

organizaions were also sysemaically damaged as hey were

he arge o requen shelling and bombardmen during

he oensive. Miliary atacks also direcly argeed media

insallaions working in he Gaza Srip, orcing he evacuaion

o hese insiuions and heir sa.

During he IOFs wide-scale miliary oensive, he Gaza

Srip winessed horric humaniarian condiions in which all

aspecs o lie deerioraed. Te 1.5 million Palesinians living

in he Gaza Srip suered exensive ood shorages; many

civilians could no obain even basic ood supplies, and ood

supplies could no reach Gazas ciies, villages and camps.

According o various ofcial sources, he our and grains

crisis negaively aeced our mills working in he Gaza Srip.

Civilians were orced o place hemselves in danger as hey

le heir homes in search o bread and our. As a resul o he

closure o he commercial boarders, he ighened wo-year

long blockade and he raioning o goods, hundreds o goods,

especially oodsus ran ou and were subjec o massive price

inaion, oen doubling in price.

UNRWAs ood disribuion he single larges ood program

in he Gaza Srip was compleely sopped wice during he

oensive, or periods lasing our days. UNRWA sources said

ha he main reason behind his was he argeing o is sa,

he closure o Gazas borders, and he obsrucion or sric

raioning o ood aid. Tis disasrous siuaion resuled in

serious hardship or he hundreds o housands o reugees

who are disribued across 8 camps in he Gaza Srip,

negaively aecing heir healh and heir abiliy o ge he

required calories.

Hundred o housands o civilians were orced o evacuae

heir houses during he oensive, as heir propery was subjec

o direc or indirec argeing by IOF. Compulsory evacuaion

increased when IOF began heir ground invasion o several

areas in he Gaza Srip. PCHR esimaed he number o

civilians who were obliged o evacuae heir houses a nearly

500,000 (hal a million) civilians.

In an aggravaion o he ear and panic caused by he oensive,

IOF launched a psychological war agains Palesinian civilians,

using dieren mehods o erriy and scare. One o he mos

noable means was he warning phone calls which housands

o amilies received around he Gaza Srip asking hem o

leave and evacuae heir houses as IOF may shell or arge

hem or oher nearby houses. According o IOF accouns,

70,000 Palesinian amilies received warning phone calls.

Tis acion conribued o he displacemen o housands o

amilies o oher areas as hey sough o proec hemselves

and heir children.

IOF warplanes also dropped leaes over ciies, villages and


14/184

14

camps in Gaza, warning civilians no o help wha IOF called

erroris groups (armed resisance). Moreover, IOF radio

peneraed he Palesinian local radio waves in Gaza and broadcas newscass and propaganda releases argeed a

Palesinian civilians in an atemp o undermine heir morale.

During he oensive, IOF sysemaically argeed he main

aciliies providing services o he civilians o he Gaza

Srip. argeed aciliies included elecriciy aciliies, wells

(including hose supplying households), main and secondary

waer neworks, and sewage services including saions

reamen plans and heir supplies.


15/184

15

Recommendaions

PCHR srongly condemns all war crimes commited during he Israeli oensive on he Gaza Srip. PCHR also condemns heinernaional communiys silence, including he ailure o saes and governmens poliical will, hrough he Securiy Council,

o exer more pressure on Israel o bring an end o he violence and hal he commission o war crimes. PCHR believes ha he

Member Saes o he Unied Naions, should uphold heir legal and ehical responsibiliies o mainain inernaional peace and

securiy, obligaions enshrined in he UN Charer. As a key regional player, he European Union also had a signican role o play.

Te Member Saes o he Unied Naions also have a responsibiliy o uphold he numerous Securiy Council Resoluions relaing

o he Israeli-Palesinian conic. For six decades, Palesinians have suered coninuous violaions o heir undamenal righs,

mainly he righ o sel-deerminaion which is considered o consiue he core componen o inernaional human righs law.

In ligh o IOF war crimes and poenial crimes agains humaniy, civilians and civil objecs during he laes oensive againsGaza Srip, PCHR calls upon he Securiy Council:

o hold Israel accounable or he reconsrucion o he

Gaza Srip; Israel mus no be allowed o coninue acing

wih impuniy; he il legal closure regime mus be lied.

o eecively invesigae all allegaions o war crimes and

crimes agains humaniy. Tis mus necessarily include he

prosecuion o alleged war criminal. In accordance wih

he principle o command responsibiliy, all levels o heIsraeli poliical and miliary adminisraion mus be held o

accoun.

o immediaely and eecively inervene o preven impuniy,

in all is orms.

o orce all Saes and companies o hal he supply o all

ypes o weapons and ammuniion which were used o

commi wide-scale violaions o IHL during he oensive

agains he Gaza Srip.

o immediaely and eecively inervene o orce he Israeli

auhoriies o pu an end o he exensive and illegal closure

o he Gaza Srip ha hinders he movemen o people and

goods. Te illegal closure is a orm o collecive punishmen

direced agains he 1.5 million inhabians o he Gaza

Srip.

Te High Conracing Paries o he Geneva convecion

should ulll heir obligaions according o aricle 1 o TeFourh Geneva Convecion o respec and ensure respec

or he convecion in all circumsances. High Conracing

Paries mus also comply wih heir obligaions under aricles

146 and147 o he Fourh Geneva Convecion or 1949,

which require he prosecuion o individuals responsible or

commiting grave breaches o he Geneva Convenions.

o exer all pressure o guaranee Israels commimen, as

he Occupying Power in he Occupied Palesinian erriory,

o abide by and uphold is legal obligaions owards he

Palesinian civilians, including guaranee civilians saey and

welare.


16/184

16

o widely disseminae he resuls o he Unied Naions

invesigaions ino he Israeli oensive agains he Gaza Srip

and o ake all recommended acions.

o exer pressure on he Israeli occupaion governmen o

ulll is legal responsibiliies as regards is acions during he

laes oensive.

o exer pressure on he Israeli occupaion governmen

o immediaely open all Gazas borders and o cancel all

imposed resricions. Tese resricions consiue serious

violaions o inernaional human righs and humaniarian

law.

o exer pressure on Israel o remove all imposed resricions

on ood, medical and humaniarian aid, supervised by

inernaional humaniarian organizaions, and o aciliae

he supply o civilians who are suering rom he oensive.

o exer pressure on Israel o li he blockade and o

immediaely allow he impor o all necessary reconsrucion

maerials, especially he raw maerials needed or he

reconsrucion and renovaion o propery and civilian

objecs which were widely damaged during he oensive.

o exer all possible pressure on Israel o uphold is

responsibiliies o proec Palesinian civilians in all condiions

and circumsances, in accordance wih is obligaions under

IHL. Israel mus disinguish beween civilians and civilian

objecs and combaans and miliary objecives in order

o ensure he proecion o civilian populaions and heir

propery.


17/184

17

Evens in Focus

Tis par o he repor provides a narraive accoun o he Israeli oensive, covering he period rom he rs air srikes on Saurdaymorning, 27 December 2008, o he Israeli cabines declaraion o a unilaeral ceasere on Sunday morning, 18 January 2009.

Tis par o he repor highlighs he mos signican crimes and violaion o IHL, as well as racing he general course o he

hosiliies. Te oensive began wih aerial bombardmen and developed ino ground operaions.

Te opening par o his secion reviews he lead-up o he oensive, paying atenion o he coninuous closure, he deerioraion

in he humaniarian siuaion in he Gaza Srip, he ahdeya (lull) agreemen beween he Palesinian poliical acions and he

Israeli governmen and is end, and he Israeli propaganda o mobilize suppor or he oensive agains he Gaza Srip.


18/184

18

Background o he Oensive

Te Israeli oensive waged agains he Gaza Srip rom 27 December 2008 o 18 January 2009, is considered he mos violenand brual oensive in he hisory o he occupaion, and o he Gaza Srip isel. I is par o a long series o war crimes and serious

violaions o human righs perperaed by IOF agains Palesinian civilians and heir propery. Israeli crimes escalaed rom he

beginning o 2008, which was he bloodies year since he beginning o he Israeli occupaion in 1967; he human righs siuaion

deerioraed in an unprecedened manner hroughou he OP, paricularly in he Gaza Srip. Te mos disincive eaure o his

deerioraion was he Israeli renewed closure imposed on he Gaza Srip as a orm o collecive punishmen. Israel has pursued

such policies o illegal closure hroughou he course o he occupaion, in violaion o all relevan inernaional human righs

insrumens.

Te year 2008 winessed an unprecedened ighening o he

closure imposed on he Gaza Srip, as a resul o he near-coninued closure o he Gaza Srips ve commercial crossings

as well as Raah Inernaional Crossing Poin.

All he Gaza Srips commercial crossings were closed, excep

or some limied excepions, during which IOF reopened

he crossings under sric procedures, coninuing o preven

normal lie and he ulllmen o basic need o he civilian

populaion. According o he PCHRs documenaion, during

he rs hal o 2008 here were 130 days o oal closure and

34 days o parial closure (79% and 21% respecively o heoal days o closure).

Te Israeli closure was no he sole aspec o crimes commited

by IOF agains he Palesinian civilians. A he same ime Israel

perperaed a series o willul killings, exra-judicial execuions,

oal and parial desrucion o civilian propery (houses,

workshops, and he razing o agriculural land) as well as he

desrucion o vial aciliies (inrasrucure and NGOs) all

around he OP.

In a clear example o he war crimes commited by IOF agains

Palesinian civilians, IOF killed in one week, (beween 28

February and 5 March 2008) 110 Palesinians, including 27

children, 6 women and a paramedic, in wide-scale air and landoperaions using he ull capabiliies o heir miliary arsenal.

Atacks such as hese are no excepions, bu raher orm par

o a sysemaic policy o coninuous assauls agains Palesinian

civilians and heir propery hrough he use o excessive orce;

indiscriminaely and disproporionaely inicing as much

damage as possible. Crimes commited during he rs hal

o 2008 resuled in he killing o 440 Palesinians, including

266 civilians, o whom 65 were children and 6 were women.

Hundreds o ohers were wounded.

On 19 June 2008, Egypian mediaion eors were concluded

wih he declaraion o a six-monh lull beween he

Palesinian poliical acions and IOF, wih he possibiliy o

renewal. According o he declared lull, Palesinian acions

were o sop ring home-made rockes owards Israeli owns,

while IOF were o hal incursions, bombings, and he pursui

o resisance aciviss, and o gradually sar reopening he

crossings so as o aciliae he movemen o people and goods

o and rom he Gaza Srip.

Despie he lull, Israel, procrasinaed wih respec o is

implemenaion, delaying he opening o he border crossings,


19/184


20/184

20

which jeopardized he exisence o he Sae o Israel, in he

process disregarding is legal and moral responsibiliies under

inernaional law. As he occupying power Israel, is responsibleor he saey o he civilian populaion in occupied erriory.

In he same conex, he hen Israeli Prime Miniser Ehud

Olmer and Foreign Miniser zipi Livini visied a number o

regional and inernaional capials o mobilize suppor or he

oensive agains he Gaza Srip.

On 25 December 2008, Olmer addressed he populaion o

he Gaza Srip in a nal appeal demanding hem o pressurize

Hamas o hal rocke ring agains Israel, saying oherwise, I

will use power or i.1 In conjuncion wih Olmers hreas,

Foreign Miniser Livini, warned on 25 December 2008

during her meeings wih Egypian ofcials in Cairo ha Israel

inended o opple he Hamas regime. Such hreas were no

new; hey were par o a pre-planned scheme regardless o

he collapse o he lull reached beween Israel and Palesinian

acions. In he monhs preceding he lull agreemen, Israel

had also hreaened o wage a miliary oensive; Israeli

Depuy Miniser o Deense Maan Vilnaei was quoed by

Israeli radio as saying Israel is abou o ake a cabine decision

o waging a miliary wide-scale miliary campaign agains he

Gaza Srip.2

1 An inerview wih al-Arabiya News Channel, 25 December 2008.2 An inerview or Vilnaei wih Neherlands Radio, 8 June 2008.


21/184

21

Te Beginning o Air Srikes

On 27 December 2008, nine days aer he ofcial end o he lull , Israel began is apparenly pre-panned oensive agains he GazaSrip; launching inensive air srikes hroughou he erriory. On 3 January 2009, IOF expanded heir operaions, launching a

wide scale ground invasion.

Saurday, 27 December 2008

Te rs day o he oensive was he bloodies day in he

hisory o he occupaion. A around 11:30 a.m. (one o he

busies imes o day), virually simulaneous air srikes

involving approximaely 60 Israeli warplanes were launched

hroughou he Gaza Srip, ocusing on Gaza Ciy. Atackswere direced agains securiy and police headquarers, sies

oIzziddin al-Qassam Brigades (he armed wing o Hamas),

and governmenal insiuions ha provide daily services o

he populaion.

Te iming and orm o he Israeli air srikes indicae he Israeli

inended o cause maximum civilian casualies; he srikes ook

place during rush hour, coinciding wih he changing o he

school shis. Tis is he ime o day when he highes number

o civilians, and children in paricular, are on he srees o Gaza.Te consequences were eviden, as noed, his was he single

mos bloody day in he our decades o Israeli occupaion.

According o PCHRs invesigaions, he sudden bombing

o he rs day resuled in he deah o 334 Palesinians,

including 238 police ofcers, 12 children and 6 women. Chie

o police, General awq Jaber, was among he dead. More

han 5,000 school children were shocked and injured by he

bombing and air srikes. I was difcul o provide hem wih

appropriae medical and psychological reamen due o heacue shorage in medical services and he sae o conusion

ha ollowed he bombing.

Sunday, 28 December 2008

For a second consecuive day, IOF coninued he

bombardmen o securiy poss, public insiuions and he

civilian aciliies (houses, workshops, sores o medicines

and media insiuions). More han hal a million school

children were denied access o heir schools. IOF bombarded Al-Salaeen area in he wes o Bei Lahia own wounding

3 civilians; a man, his wie and his son. Israeli warplanes

bombed wo as on he 4h and 7h oors o al-Azhar and

al-aleem aparmen buildings respecively in al al-Hawa

neighborhood in Gaza Ciy, damaging hem heavily. Al-Aqsa

Saellie Channel headquarers, locaed in al-Naser Sree, was

also bombed. Addiionally, Israeli warplanes bombarded a

par o he al-Saraya securiy complex which was also argeed

on he rs day. Te complex conains Gaza Cenral Prison

jail. Al-Burno mosque, locaed near al-Shia Hospial in hecenre o Gaza Ciy and he Izziddin al-Qassam Mosque in

New Aabssan village in Khan Yunis were also bombarded. In

Raah own, he municipaliy building, a medicine sore and

dozens o sies along he borders wih Egyp were bombed.

Bombing Emad Aqil Mosque was one o he mos disincive

crimes commited by he IOF ha day; around 23:50, he

Israeli warplanes bombed he hree-sory mosque in Block

5 o Jabalya reugee camp. Te mosque was compleely

desroyed as was a nearby house, owned by Anwar Balousha,

killing his ve children (he younges is 4 years old). Balousha,

his wie and his hree oher children were injured. Te only


22/184

22

one o escape deah or injury was his younges baby (2 weeks

old). Te vicims were evacuaed rom under he rubble aer

hal an hour o screaming. Te vicims are: Jawaher, 4; Dina,8; Samar, 12; Ekram 14; ahreer 17. Anoher 17 persons

were injured, including 5 children living in nearby houses.

Te deah oll o his day was 23, including 20 civilians. Four

vicims died o wounds hey had susained during he rs day

o he oensive.

Monday, 29 January 2008

For he 3rd consecuive day, he IOF coninued o atack he

Gaza Srip, in complee disregard o he lives o civilians and

inernaional humaniarian appeals o sop he use o excessive

orce agains such a densely populaed area. Scores o missiles

were red rom air and land a residenial areas, civilian

aciliies and mosques locaed in he nearby argeed areas.

Israeli warplanes bombed al-Zawya Mosque in al-Zawya

Sree in Izba Abed Rabbu area in he eas o Jabalya own.

Te mosque was compleely desroyed.

In anoher war crime ha reecs Israeli disregard or he

lives o civilians, a approximaely 14:30, Israeli warplanes

bombarded a blacksmih workshop owned by Emad

Sammour in Zimmu Sree in he eas o Jabalya own, heavily

damaging i. Approximaely hal an hour aer he bombing,

Sammour, accompanied by a number o youhs, ried o

vacae some o he workshop conens, including oxygen

cylinders, ino a small ruck. A approximaely 15:20, Israeli

warplanes atacked hem, killing seven persons, including wo

children. Four ohers susained serious wounds and burns

due o he explosion o oxygen-lled pipes ha were used in

he workshop.

Israeli warplanes also bombarded he laboraories building in

he Islamic Universiy in Gaza. I was desroyed and some o

he buildings around were heavily damaged. Moreover, Israeli

warplanes bombarded al-Shai School B or Girls in al-Shai

reugee camp. Israeli warplanes red wo missiles a he house

o Raed al-Atar, locaed in Yebna reugee camp o Raah.

One o he wo missiles hi he house direcly, desroying i

compleely. Te oher missile hi he house o Zyad al-Absy,

500 meers away rom al-Atars, killing 3 o his children while

hey were sleeping: Sidky 3; Ahmed 12; and Mohammed 14.

Al-Absy, his wie and heir hree oher children were wounded.

Te house, made o asbesos, was compleely desroyed. Te

deah oll o his day was 29, including 25 civ ilians; 15 children

o whom were children and wo women. Tis number also

includes wo Palesinians who died o wounds hey had

susained earlier during he oensive.

uesday, 30 December 2008

For he 4h consecuive day, amids an unprecedened

escalaion, IOF inensied bombardmen o civilian aciliies,

mosques and houses, jusiying he atacks by claiming ha he

argeed objecs were afliaed o he Hamas movemen. Facs

on he ground afrmed ha he IOF used excessive lehal

orce as mos o he buildings argeed were public ones and

personal belongings locaed wihin residenial areas. All hose

who were killed due o successive and inensive air srikes on

he ourh day, were civilians. Heavy damages were iniced

upon dozens o houses locaed in he viciniy o he argeed

areas. Warplanes red a missile agains hree children rom he

Hamdan amily as hey were near heir house in al-Sikka Sree

in he wes o Bei Hanoun own. wo sisers were killed and

he hird was wounded. As par o Israels argeing o ofcial

insiuions, warplanes argeed he minisries complex in al

al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza Ciy and a pos o he Naval

police in al-Sheikh Ejleen neighborhood. A second atack was


23/184

23

launched agains he minisries complex wihin hal an hour.

Israeli warplanes bombed al-Farouq Mosque locaes in Block

9 in al-Boreij reugee. Te mosque was compleely desroyed.Te warplanes wen on bombing he area o he border wih

Egyp. Te deah oll o his day was 12, including 9 civilians,

o hem 3 are children). Tis number includes 3 Palesinians

who died o wounds hey had susained earlier during he

oensive.

Wednesday, 31 December 2008

For he 5h consecuive day, he Israeli aerial arsenal, including

warplanes, helicopers and drones, all backed by gunboas,

coninued o launch indiscriminae atacks argeing

Palesinian aciliies including securiy aciliies, civilian

propery, houses, schools, mosques, hospials, municipaliies

and medical and chariable oundaions wih no consideraion

or civilians saey or he services provided o he public by

such insiuions.

In an example o he violaions o IHL which were o become a

undamenal componen o he Israeli oensive, IOF bombed

an ambulance in al al-Rayess area in he eas o Gaza Ciy.

A physician and a paramedic were killed and he driver was

wounded. Israeli warplanes bombed uel sores in Kherbe al-

Adas are in he norh o Raah own. Te deah oll o his day

was 12 civilians, including 4 children and wo women. wo o

he dead succumbed o wounds hey had susained earlier in

he oensive.

Tursday, 1 January 2009

On he 6h day o he oensive, IOF coninued o atack civilian

privae and public propery. In he laes case o argeing

civilian aciliies, including mosques, schools and residenial

areas, he Israeli warplanes bombed a waer ank in he norh

o al-Nada owers, Abnaa al-balad chariable communiy

in Bei Hanoun and al-Kholaaa al-Rashedeen Mosque inJabalya due o which he mosque was compleely desroyed.

Israeli warplanes also bombed ground unnels locaed all

along he border wih Egyp. Te bombing caused explosions

and remendous remors which, in urn, caused heavy

damages o he nearby houses. IOF bombed he house o Dr.

Nizar Rayyan, locaed near al-Kholaaa al-Rashedeen mosque

in Jabalya. Te ve-sory house o Rayyan 49, a senior leader

o Hamas, was compleely desroyed. Rayyan, his our wives

and 11 children were killed Hayam, 46, Eman, 4, Nawal 40,

and Shereen Rayyan, 25 (his 4 wives), and his children: Asad,

2; Osama, 3; Aisha, 3; Reem, 4; Miriam, 5; Halima, 5; Abdel

Rahman 6, Aya 12, Zainab 15 and Ghassan 16. Te deah oll

o his day was 26 Palesinians, including 23 civilians, 15 o

whom were children and 5 women. Tis number also includes

one Palesinian who died o wounds he had susained earlier

during he oensive.

Friday, 2 January 2009

For he 7h consecuive day, IOF coninued o atack he civilian

populaion. Scenes o widespread desrucion emphasized he

deermined inenion o opple all he Palesinians aciliies and

lie aspecs wheher by using he sophisicaed war machines,

including warplanes and arilleries, or he psychological war

hrough air leaes calling hem o leave ou heir houses.

In he Norhern Gaza Srip, Israeli warplanes bombed al-

Salam Mosque in he eas o Jabalya own. Te mosque was

compleely desroyed. In anoher crime which reecs he

Israeli occupaions brualiy and is indierence or all moral

or legal rules, IOF red a missile a hree children while playing

in al-Qarara area in he eas o khan Yunis. Te hree children,

including wo brohers, were killed. Te hird one was direcly


24/184

24

hi by he missile, and consequenly decapiaed. Te area is 4

kilomeers away rom he border wih Israel. Te deah oll o

his day was 17 Palesinians, including 15 civilians, 5 o whom were children and 3 women. Tis number includes also 3

Palesinians who died o wounds hey had susained earlier in

he oensive.

Saurday, 3 January 2009

For he 8h consecuive day, IOF warplanes coninued o arge

houses and residenial buildings, while naval and land arillery

argeed residenial communiies and agriculural lands.

Te Norhern Gaza Srip and Gaza Ciy winessed he mos

violen atacks launched since he beginning o he oensive.

Israeli warplanes bombed he American Inernaional School

o Gaza in he wes o Bei Lahia. IOF bombed a mosque in

Jabalya own a prayer ime. Fieen Palesinian civilians were

killed. A around 17:20 PM an Israeli warplane red a missile

a he wesern enrance o Ibrahim al-Maqadma Mosque in

he norh o Jabalya own, killing 15 worshipers.

In he evening, Israeli land orces moved ino he Gaza

Srip rom he norh, middle, and souh. Israeli vehicles and

roops rolled ino he norhern Gaza Srip rom a number o

direcions, covered by inensive shelling and Israeli warplanes.

IOF peneraed ino he eas o al-Zayoun, al-uah and al-

Shojaeya neighborhoods o Gaza Ciy. Arillery and aerial

bombardmen argeed residenial areas and agriculural land

locaed along he border wih Israel.

Te bombing killed 13 Palesinians, 9 o whom were civilians,

including 3 children and 3 women. All were killed inside

heir houses aer being shelled by Israeli anks. IOF rolled

ino easern Raah own in he viciniy o Gaza Inernaional

Airpor amids inensive shelling o houses and agriculural

lands. Due o he shelling, a huge number o Palesinians were

orces o leave heir houses. Te deah oll o his day was 32

Palesinians, including 24 civilians; 8 children and 1 woman.


25/184

25

Sunday, 4 January 2008

On he 9h consecuive day o he oensive, IOF escalaed

atacks in he Gaza Srip. In conjuncion wih he groundoperaion, his day winessed indiscriminae bombardmen

o residenial areas rom he air, land and sea. Te norhern

areas, paricularly Gaza Ciy, winessed he mos violen,

inensive, and brual bombing in he hisory o he Gaza Srip,

promping he migraion o housands o Palesinian civilians

seeking sheler. IOF advanced slowly desroying and clearing

houses so as o make pahs or advancing roops. In some cases,

houses were desroyed while civilians were inside. In addiion,

PCHR received esimonies ha many civilians were used as

human shields; a war crime. Areas o ricion, especially al-

Aara and al-Salaeen areas, al-Nada ower buildings and he

wesern and norhern pars o Bei Lahia own were subjeced

o heavy re rom heavy machine guns and arillery. As a

resul, a high number o deahs and casualies was repored

among unarmed civilians; enire amilies passed away. In he

meanime, air srikes coninued; IOF bombed Omar Ben

Abdul Aziz Mosque in Bei Hanoun own. Te mosque was

compleely desroyed and a number o nearby houses were

damaged.

In anoher vicious crime, IOF bombed a crowd o Palesinians

near Abu Obaida Ibn al-Jarrah School in Bei Lahia own in

he norhern Gaza Srip. When people rushed o evacuae

he wounded, IOF bombarded he area again killing nine

Palesinians. A noon, IOF killed 4 Palesinians, including 3

children, when hey were aop o a house belonging o he al-Nemer amily in al-Zayoun neighborhood in he eas o Gaza

Ciy. A shell hi he roo o he houses. Oher areas in he cenral

Gaza Srip winessed displacemen o amilies rom Juhor

al-Dik area, al-Mughraqa village and al-Zahra own as IOF

deployed here, cuting o he souhern Gaza Srip rom he

norh. As a resul, UNRWA urned is schools ino shelers or

he displaced amilies. IOF warplanes red a missile a a group

o Palesinians in al-Shouka village in he eas o Raah own in

he souhern Gaza Srip, killing ve, including a aher and his

hree sons, 2 o whom are children. Te deah oll o his daywas 101 Palesinians, including 84 civilians; 31 children and 4

women. Tis number also includes 3 Palesinians who died o

wounds hey had susained earlier in he oensive.


In he 10h consecuive day o he oensive, IOF land roop

advanced owards residenial areas. IOF roops urned houses

ino miliary sies in some insances holding he populaion

inside as human shields and sho a any individuals who

approached. In Gaza Ciy, an IOF warplane bombed a house

belonging o Rizq Abu Eisha in al-Shai reugee camp in

Land Invasion

Aer 8 days o coninued, inensive land, sea and air bombardmen, IOF expanded heir miliary oensive by launching a groundoperaion. IOF ignored all inernaional appeals, boh ofcial and public, o sop he oensive. On Saurday 3 January 2008, IOF

ground roops, which had been mobilizing along he norhern and easern border o he Gaza Srip since he beginning o he

oensive, sared o rush deeper ino he Gaza Srip rom he norh, souh and cener under cover o heavy re rom he land, air

and sea. IOF pariioned he Gaza Srip ino separae zones, and moved hundreds o meers ino residenial areas in Gaza Ciy,

he norhern Gaza Srip and oher areas.


26/184

26

he wes o he ciy, killing a number o his amily members.

Tree children rom he al-Sammouni amily, including wo

brohers, were also killed. A nigh, IOF bombed a housebelonging o he Olaiwa amily in al-Jdaida area in al- Shojaeya

neighborhood in Gaza Ciy, killing a woman and her 4

children. IOF also bombed al-Saraya governmenal complex

in Gaza Ciy, due o which a number o nearby houses were

desroyed.

In he cenral Gaza Srip, IOF red ve arillery shells a he

cenral marke and a residenial area in block 4 in he middle

o al-Boreij reugee camp. Five Palesinians, including wo

children were killed, hree o whom were rom he Jbara

amily. 110 Palesinians were killed on his day, including 98

civilians; 36 children and 16 women. Tis number includes

also 7 Palesinians who died o wounds hey had susained

earlier in he oensive.

uesday, 6 January 2009

For he 11h consecuive day, IOF coninued o violae

undamenal principles o IHL. Coninuing he series o

horrible crimes agains innocen civilians, IOF anks saioned

o he eas o Jabalya red 4 shells a Jabalya reugee camp, one

o which ell in he viciniy o al-Fakhoura school which had

been urned ino a sheler or he amilies who le heir houses

in Bei Lahia. As a resul, 27 Palesinians, including 8 children,

were killed. Te dead included wo sisers, and a aher wih

his son. Addiionally, 50 ohers were wounded, some criically.

An IOF warplane red a missile a a UNRWA-run school in

al-Shai reugee camp, killing hree Palesinians rom he al-

Sulan amily. Anoher warplane bombed a 4-sory house

belonging o he al-Daya amily in al-Zayoun neighborhood

in he eas o Gaza Ciy, killing he aher, and his wo sons,

grandson and daugher-in law.

In he conex o expanding he oensive agains he Gaza

Srip, IOF sepped up heir ground operaion by moving ino

he souh o Gaza Srip. In he early morning, IOF, backed

by anks and miliary bulldozers, moved ino he eas o al-

Qarara village, al-Zanna area, and Abasan al-Jadeeda and

Khuzaa villages amids inensive shelling. IOF, covered wih

warplanes, parially or compleely demolished 30 houses,

mosly in Abu uaima quarer. IOF killed a number o

Palesinian resisance aciviss in he souhwes o Deir al-

Balah where he aciviss clashed wih an IOF undercover uni,

covered by warplanes and gunboas. en Palesinians were

killed and 10 ohers wounded. IOFs indiscriminae, heavy

gunre a Palesinians inside houses, aerial bombardmen o

houses, ring missiles a any mobile objecs and ring ariller y

shells a civilians coninued. Te enire Gaza Srip became a

arge, including UNRWA shelers, cenral markes, residenial

communiies and mosques. Tere was a sharp increase in he

number o vicims; enire amilies were killed, civilians were

exra-judicially execued, houses were desroyed (some wih

civilians inside) and deainees were kep in rooms wih he

dead. Te deah oll o his day was 118 Palesinians, including

106 civilians; 41 children and 21 women. Tis number also

includes 7 Palesinians who died o wounds hey had susained

earlier during he oensive.

Wednesday, 7 January 2009

For he 12h consecuive day, IOF had coninued heir

oensive on he Gaza Srip, increasing he oal number o

deahs and casualies. IOF bombed houses in al-Aara area,

killing hree brohers rom he al-Ashqar amily. Tey also

killed hree sisers rom he Abed Rabbu amily in he eas o

Jabalya. An IOF drone red a missile a a car driving in Bei

Lahia, killing ve passengers, all rom he same amily. In Gaza

Ciy, IOF warplanes argeed a crowd o Palesinians near al-


27/184

27

aqwa Mosque in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, killing 5,

including 4 children. IOF also bombed he viciniy o Musab

Ibn Oair Mosque, killing wo Palesinians. In he souhernGaza Srip, UNRWA urned wo schools in al-Qarara and

Abasan villages ino shelers or he amilies who le houses

due o he bombing and incursions. IOF warplanes bombed

he border beween he Gaza Srip and Egyp in he souh o

Raah, dropping an average o one bomb every 5 minues.

Many houses and unnels locaed along he border wih Egyp

were desroyed. IOF dropped leaes rom he air demanding

he populaion o evacuae heir houses by Tursday, 8 January

2009. Te deah oll o his day was 62 Palesinians, including

43 civilians; 12 children and 5 women. Tis number also

includes 7 Palesinians who died o wounds hey had susained

earlier in he oensive.

Tursday, 8 January 2009

For he 13h consecuive day, IOF had coninued heir ull-

scale oensive on he Gaza Srip; more Palesinian civilians

were killed and more civilian aciliies were desroyed.

Medical crews o he Palesine Red Crescen Sociey, in

coordinaion wih he ICRC, were able o recover 4 corpses

rom al-Aara area. Tose vicims had been killed earlier

during he oensive, bu could no be reached as IOF

obsruced humaniarian access. IOF willully argeed

Palesinian civilians, including medical crews. In Bei Lahia

own, IOF warplanes atacked a number o Palesinians near

al-Salam Mosque killing hree o hem. In he meanime, IOF

coninued heir ground operaions in he Gaza Srip. In he

early morning, IOF moved ino he eas o al-Qarara village,

norh o Khan Yunis. In Raah, IOF warplanes coninued o

bombard he border beween he Gaza Srip and Egyp. Te

deah oll o his day was 33 Palesinians, including 22 civilians;

8 children and 3 women. Tis number includes also includes

3 Palesinians who died o wounds hey had susained earlier

during he oensive.


IOF had coninued heir oensive on he Gaza Srip or he

14h consecuive day, killing more Palesinian civilians and

desroying more houses and civilian aciliies. Te number

o civilian deahs coninued o rise due o he use o excessive

orce by IOF and heir disregard or he lives o civilians,

in violaion o IHL and inernaional law. IOF warplanes

bombed a 2-sory house belonging o Fayez Mohammed

Salha near al-Reba Mosque in Bei Lahia. Six members o he

Salha amily were killed while rying o ee rom he house,

aer a warning missile was launched. Six minues aer he

warning missile, an IOF gher je dropped a bomb on he

house, which led o he complee desrucion o he house

and he deah o Salhas wie, his our children and his siser-

in-law. In Gaza Ciy, IOF warplanes bombarded he police

headquarers, he roo o al-Jawhara aparmen building and

a a in al-Sousi aparmen building. In he cenral Gaza Srip,

IOF warplanes and gunboas bombed houses in al-Quraan

area, wes o al-Zawaida village. As a resul, 7 civilians were

killed and 23 ohers, including 4 children and 5 women, were

wounded. IOF warplanes also bombarded al-Furqan Mosque

in Deir al-Balah. On his day, IOF wihdrew rom he eas o

al-Qarara village and he bodies o a number o Palesinians

were ound in he area. In Raah, IOF warplanes coninued

o bombard he border beween he Gaza Srip and Egyp.

Te deah oll o his day was 46 Palesinians, including 36

civilians; 12 children and 5 women.


For he 15h consecuive day, IOF coninued heir all-ou


28/184

28

oensive agains he Gaza Srip. More unarmed civi lians were

killed. Gaza Ciy and he norhern Gaza Srip winessed he

mos violen srikes. IOF coninued o bombard houses andcivilian propery day and nigh. Te oensive was accompanied

by an exacerbaed humaniarian crisis due o acue shorages

in waer, elecriciy and ood supplies.

IOF escalaed he oensive in spie o he UN Securiy Council

resoluion issued on 9 January 2009 calling or a ceasere in

Gaza. IOF paid no consideraion or he said resoluion and

even hreaened o expand he oensive. IOF warplanes and

anks atacked houses adjacen o Jabalya cour. An arillery

shell ell ono a house belonging o Jouda Abed Rabbu, killing

six amily members, including wo children and wo brohers.

Anoher civilian rom he Hussein amily was also killed

and anoher was wounded. In he cenral Gaza Srip, IOF

warplanes bombarded al-Saa Mosque in al-Boreij reugee

camp. In he souhern Gaza Srip, IOF warplanes bombarded

he norhern orce o he European Gaza Hospial in he

souheas o Khan Younis. IOF roops saioned a borders a

he border beween he Gaza Srip and Israel shelled houses

locaed in he eas o Khuzaa own o Khan Younis wih whie

phosphorous. Te deah oll o his day was 41 Palesinians,

including 35 civilians; 11 children and 4 women. Tis number

includes also wo Palesinians who died o wounds hey had

susained earlier in he oensive.


For he 16h consecuive day, IOF coninued heir open

oensive agains he Gaza Srip. In he norhern Gaza Srip,

IOF warplanes bombed a number o Palesinians who were

near heir houses in al-Ghboun area and in he viciniy o Oly

al-Azm Mosque in Bei Lahia, killing 5 children, including wo

sisers, and wounding 7 ohers rom he Ghaben amily. IOF

red a missile a al-Karama aparmen buildings in he wes o

Jabalia. Te missile ell near he houses so Palesinian civilians

living in he area ed. While hey were leaving, anoher missile

was red, killing our Palesinians: a man, his wie, his son and

an elderly woman. During his day, IOF expanded heir ground

operaions advancing more owards owns, villages, and

residenial communiies, killing more civilians and desroying

more civilian aciliies. In he early morning, violen armed

clashes eruped beween he Palesinian resisance aciviss

and IOF in Sheikh Ejleen and al al-Hawa neighborhoods in

he souh o Gaza Ciy. During hese clashes, 11 Palesinian

resisance aciviss were killed. In he souhern Gaza Srip, IOF

moved ino al-Najjar and Abu uaima neighborhoods in he

eas o Khuzaa vil lage amids a barrage o whie phosphorous

bombs which exploded and scatered ino burning ragmens.

IOF red a number o missiles a al-Fadeela Orphanage, which

includes a privae elemenary school inside, Dar al-Dawa

College or Human Sciences, a compuer cener and Dar al-

Fadeela Mosque, in Kherba al-Adas neighborhood in he

norheas o Raah; he building was compleely desroyed.

IOF warplanes bombarded he border beween he Gaza Srip

and Egyp, souh o Raah. Te deah oll o his day was 43

Palesinians, including 30 civilians; 14 children and 4 women.

Tis number also includes 3 Palesinians who died o wounds

hey had susained earlier in he oensive.


For he 17h consecuive day, IOF had coninued heir ull-

scale oensive agains he Gaza Srip. Gaza Ciy and he

norhern Gaza Srip, where ground operaions were aking

place, were subjeced o he mos violen srikes; he majoriy

o incursions, were ocused on hese areas. Te unprecedened

killing o children was a main eaure o his oensive, along

wih he dramaic increase in desrucion iniced upon he


29/184

29

public and privae aciliies. In he norhern Gaza Srip, IOF

bombarded he Inerior Minisry. Israeli warplanes red a

missile agains a Volks Wagen car in al-Alamy area o Jabalya,killing hree Palesinians; he car driver and wo children.

Te Israeli arillery bombarded a residenial building owned

by al-Banna amily, killing hree Palesinians, including wo

brohers. Al-Andalos aparmen building, in he souhwes

o Jabalya, was argeed wih hree missiles. IOF, backed up

by anks, miliary bulldozers and warplanes, moved ino he

eas o Khuzaa amid violen bombardmen wih smoke and

incendiary bombs. Israeli roops sormed houses, urning

hem ino miliary sies. Hundreds o Palesinians had o

vacae heir houses while ohers were deained inside houses

due o he heavy bombardmen. Te high number o vicims,

especially children and women, is a srong indicaor o he use

o excessive orce in violaion o IHL. Te deah oll o his day

mouned o 39 Palesinians, including 19 civilians; 5 children

and 3 women. Tis number also includes 3 Palesinians who

died o wounds hey susained earlier in he oensive.

uesday, 13 January 2009

For he 18h consecuive day, IOF coninued heir ull-scale

oensive agains he Gaza Srip, argeing civilians and heir

propery in blaan disregard or IHL and under inernaional

silence. IOF divided he oensive ino sages amids hreas

o expand land invasions ino ceners o owns and densely-

populaed areas. Vas areas o public and privae lands were

razed, hundreds o civilians were displaced, while ohers were

deained under harsh condiions. Addiionally, IOF arresed

many Palesinian civilians and placed hem in deenion

ceners a he norhern border o he Gaza Srip or in Israeli

jails. Various areas hroughou he Gaza Srip were subjeced

o IOF incursion, including he al-Karama aparmen

buildings and he Aamer housing projec in he wes o Jabalya.

Tese incursions were conduced amids inensive gunre,

arillery shelling and clashes wih Palesinian resisance

aciviss; 13 aciviss were killed. In Gaza Ciy, IOF argeed

wo hoels; al-Jazeera and Shihab Palace near Gaza Seapor.

In Khuzaa village in he souhern Gaza Srip, IOF deained

Palesinians inside houses amids oppressive and humiliaing

circumsances and demolished houses wih amilies inside.

High numbers o Palesinians rushed ino UNRWA shelers

creaing a new humaniarian crisis and recalling he ragic era

o orcible migraion o Palesinian civilians by IOF in 1948.

Te deah oll o Palesinians on his day was 64, including 40

civilians; 14 children and 4 women. Tis number includes

also one Palesinian who died o wounds he had susained

earlier during he oensive.

Wednesday, 14 January 2009

For he 19h consecuive day, IOF coninued is all-ou

oensive agains he Gaza Srip, argeing he civilians and

heir propery. Norhern Gaza Srip and Gaza Ciy came under

inensive land, sea and air bombardmen. In al-Aara area, o

he wes o Bei Lahya, Palesinian paramedics ound our

decomposed bodies; a aher and his hree sons. In Gaza Ciy,

Israeli warplanes bombarded he al-Sheikh Radwan cemeery,

al-Yarmouk Marke, a a in al-Maqoussy aparmen building

and a UNRWA car. 22 bodies were recovered, including ve

children and ve women, all members o he al-Sammouni

amily. In he souhern Gaza Srip, IOF, backed by anks and

miliary personnel carriers peneraed ino al-Fukhari area in

he souh-eas o Khan Younis amid violen, inensive aril lery

shelling..

IOF invaded he viciniy o Raah inernaional crossing poin

in Raah own, and peneraed ino al-Shoka own in he eas o

Raah. During he incursion, IOF sormed houses, orcing he


30/184

30

inhabians o leave Raah. Te deah oll o his day mouned

o 52 Palesinians, including 38 civilians; 12 children and 4

women. Tis number also includes one Palesinian who diedo wounds he had susained earlier during he oensive.

Tursday 15 January 2009

IOF coninued heir ull-scale oensive on he Gaza Srip.

In he norhern Gaza Srip, IOF arillery shelled he viciniy

o he Minisry o Educaion o he norh o Sheikh Zayed

Housing own. Five civilians (wo women and hree children)

were killed as a resul. Addiionally, IOF arillery argeed

members o he al-Naouq amily in al-Juron area in he eas o

Jabaliya own. Four civilians, including a aher and wo o his

sons, were killed. IOF warplanes also red a missile a hree

Palesinian resisance aciviss near al-Karama aparmen

buildings wes o Jabalya, killing all o hem.

A leas 40 IOF miliary vehicles moved ino he eas o Bei

Hanoun own. Tey isolaed al-Fera and al-Nazzaza areas

and called hrough megaphones on a leas 20 amilies living

in he area o leave heir houses. In Gaza Ciy, IOF argeed

a group o civilians near he Islamic Compound in al-Sabra

disric. Te argeed civilians were eeing heir houses in

al-Sabra neighborhood aer being atacked. As a resul, 4

civilians were killed. IOF arillery argeed a house belonging

o Adel al-Jadba in al-uah neighborhood norheas o Gaza

Ciy. Tree o al-Jadbas children and a ourh civilian were

killed. An IOF helicoper gunship bombarded he ofce

o he Holy Quran Radio on he enh oor o he Palesine

building in al-Remal neighborhood in he cener o Gaza

Ciy. Te Gaza Inormaion Cener, locaed on he sevenh

oor o he al-Shorooq building in al-Remal neighborhood

in he cener o Gaza Ciy was inensely shelled; he building

conains he ofces o Abu Dhabi saellie channel; Sky News

and Fox News.

IOF shelled he UNRWA headquarers in al al-Hawaneighborhood; some o he muniions conained whie

phosphorous. As a resul, he meeing hall, warehouses and a

number o vehicles were heavily damaged. An IOF ank also

red a shell a civilians rying o ee he al-Saleh building; our

civilians rom he al-Haddad amily, including a child, were

killed and one was wounded. Te bodies o hree members

o he al-Qerem amily were brough o Shia Hospial in

Gaza Ciy; he civilians were killed when IOF red an arillery

shell ha landed on heir house in al-Sabra disric in Gaza

Ciy. IOF anks shelled al-Hedaya Mosque in al al-Hawa

neighborhood and al-Sahwa Mosque in al-Senaa Sree. Te

minare o al-Hedaya Mosque was desroyed and he al-Sahwa

Mosque was also damaged. IOF also red arillery shells a

Balqis Secondary School and he Rosary Sisers School.

IOF began o launch atacks on buildings wihin he

compound o he Palesinian Red Crescen Sociey (PRCS).

IOF red an arillery shell a he al-Quds Hospial pharmacy

ha belongs o he PRCS. Several hours laer, IOF coninued

heir atacks and air raids on he PRCS compound, a vial

medical esablishmen in Gaza. Te al-Quds Hospial and

oher PRCS buildings were subsequenly se aligh as a

resul o he use o whie phosphorous, he Ambulance and

Emergency building, he Folklore Cener, he Conerences

Cener and oher PRCS buildings were damaged. IOF atacks

also compleely desroyed a number o PRCS ambulances.

In he evening, IOF exra-judicially execued Said Siam,

a senior leader o Hamas, a member o he Palesinian

Legislaive Council and Miniser o Inerior in Gaza. Te

atack also killed Siams son, broher, siser-in-law and nephew,

as well as 5 members o he Eslim amily. In he souhern Gaza


31/184

31

Srip, IOF anks posiioned a he easern border o he Gaza

Srip shelled Palesinian residenial and agriculural areas in al-

Qrara, Abassan and Khuzaa villages, eas o Khan Yunis. IOF warplanes also dropped 3 incendiary bombs, believed o be

whie phosphorous, a he viciniy o he College o Science

and echnology. In Raah, IOF warplanes bombarded al-

Abrar Mosque in al-Shaboura reugee camp. Te deah oll

o Palesinians on his day was 94, including 65 civilians;

18 children and 7 women. Tis number includes also 7

Palesinians who died o wounds hey had susained earlier

during he oensive.


IOF coninued heir oensive agains he Gaza Srip or

he 21s consecuive day. In he norhern Gaza Srip, an

IOF warplane red a missile a a number o Palesinian

civilians in Bei Lahia own; 4 members o he Aiya amily,

including wo children, were killed. IOF also shelled a house

belonging o Dr. Izziddin Abu al-Eish, killing 4 members

o he amily, including 3 o Dr. Abu al-Eishs daughers. In

Gaza Ciy, IOF atacked residenial areas, including al al-

Hawa neighborhood. Tey red anks shells and whie

phosphorous bombs a houses and civilian objecs, killing a

number o Palesinian civilians. An IOF warplane also red a

missile a a wake en in al-Shojaeya neighborhood in he eas

o Gaza Ciy, killing 10 civilians.

In he cenral Gaza Srip, an IOF warplane red a missile a a

house belonging o Eissa Abdul Hadi al-Baran, killing his wie

and 5 children. In Khan Yunis, IOF warplanes bombarded he

police headquarers. IOF roops posiioned in al-Fukhari area

in he souheas o Khan Yunis opened re a a civilian vehicle,

in which a aher and his wo sons rom he Shurrab amily were

raveling. Te wo sons were wounded and bled o deah over

a number o hours; Israeli soldiers saioned nearby oered no

assisance. In Raah, IOF warplanes bombarded he border srip

beween he Gaza Srip and Egyp. Te deah oll o Palesinians

on his day was 48, including 35 civilians; 16 children and 3

women. Tis number also includes 4 Palesinians who died o

wounds hey had susained earlier during he oensive.


IOF coninued heir oensive agains he Gaza Srip or he

22nd consecuive day, atacking UNRWA shelers, as well as

medical, civil deense and media crews;whie phosphorous

coninued o be used agains residenial areas. In he norhern

Gaza Srip, an IOF warplanes bombarded a waer well o he

Municipaliy o Bei Hanoun in Abu Ghazala quarer in he

eas o Bei Hanoun, and hr al-Karama aparmen buildings

and aha Mosque in Jabalya.

IOF shelled he UNRWA School in Bei Lahia using

convenional and whie phosphorous shells; a leas 320

amilies had aken sheler aer eeing heir homes. As a

resul, re broke ou in a number o classrooms and wo

children were killed. Anoher 36 civilians were also wounded,

including he moher o he wo dead children, who los her

hand and suered exensive burns. In addiion, re broke ou

in a number o nearby houses.

In he cenral Gaza Srip, IOF anks moved ino al-Zahra

own and al-Mughraqa village under cover o inense

shelling. In Raah, IOF saioned in al-Shouka neighborhood

desroyed 9 villas belonging o he Islamic Bank. Te deah

oll o Palesinians on his day was 22, including 17 civilians;

8 children and wo women. Tis number also includes 3


during he oensive.


32/184

32


In he early morning o Sunday, 18 January 2009, Israel

declared a unilaeral ceasere, while mainaining is miliary

presence in he Gaza Srip. IOF redeployed ouside Palesinian

communiies, bu hey coninued o conrol he road ha

exends rom al-Menar (Karni) crossing in he eas o he

beach in he wes, souh o Gaza Ciy, cuting o Gaza Ciy and

he norhern Gaza Srip rom oher areas o he souh. PCHR

eld workers who visied several areas hroughou he Gaza

Srip, especially Gaza Ciy, he norh and he Egypian border

repored exensive devasaion and desrucion, paricularly

o civilian objecs and vial inrasrucure.

Medical and civil deense crews coninued o pick up decayed

corpses rom areas ha had been invaded by IOF, recovering

21 corpses. IOF warplanes coninued o y over he Gaza

Srip, while IOF miliar y vehicles ha had redeployed ouside

residenial areas coninued o re a Palesinian civilians,

especially hose who live in border areas. Te deah oll

o Palesinians on his day was 33, including 26 civilians;

6 children and 7 women. Tis number also includes wo


during he oensive.

IOF redeployed ouside he areas hey had invaded, bu

hey coninued o remain in he Gaza Srip erriory unil

Wednesday, 21 January 2009. Following heir wihdrawal

rom he Gaza Srip, IOF esablished a securiy zone along

he border beween he Gaza Srip and Israel resricing

Palesinian civilians access o houses and agriculural areas

locaed along he border.

Tus, he miliary operaion in he Gaza Srip was erminaed

wihou an ofcial declaraion o an end or he war agains

he Gaza Srip. Te oensive resuled in many deahs

and casualies among Palesinian civilians and exensive

desrucion o civilian aciliies and propery. According o

PCHRs documenaion, 26 Palesinians died o wounds hey

had susained during he oensive in he days ha ollowed

he end o hosiliies. In oal, 1,413 Palesinians, including

1,177 civilians and non-combaans, were killed. 922 unarmed

civilians were killed, including 313 children and 118 women.

255 police ofcers who were no involved in hosiliies and

who are proeced as civilians under IHL were also kil led.


33/184

33

War Crimes and Ohers Violaions o Inernaional Humaniarian

Law and Inernaional Human RighsTe laes Israeli oensive agains he Gaza Srip resuled in large numbers o civilian deahs, and exensive desrucion o civilian

objecs. Given he serious allegaions o war crimes, and oher violaions o inernaional law, he oensive mus be analyzed rom

a legal perspecive.

IHL is a legal ramework regulaing he conduc o hosiliies in imes o armed conic. Tis ramework includes he our Geneva

Convenions o 1949, he wo Addiional Proocols, and cusomary IHL. IHL inends o limi he suering o war, and o proec

civilians rom he eecs o hosiliies as ar as possible. o his end, civil ians and civilian objecs are accorded explici proecions,

while legal obligaions regulae he conduc o armed orces and groups. Atacks are hus, iner alia, l imied by he requiremen o

miliary necessiy, a concep which reers o he basic measures necessary or achieving specic miliary objecives. However, hisdoes no imply ha armed orces or groups are ree o wage war as hey choose, raher all miliary operaions mus be conduced

in accordance wih he laws and cusoms o war; any orce ha exceeds he minimum necessiy is considered illegal. 3 All laws

relaed o miliary operaions, including he conduc o armed orces, are based on his principle.

3 ICRC, commen on Proocols Addiional o he Geneva Convenions o 1949.

Te 1949 Fourh Geneva Convenion Relaive o he

Proecion o Civilian Persons in ime o War is a cornersone

o IHL. Is oers explici and exensive proecions o civilians

and civilian objecs, and regulaes he conduc o Occupying

Powers.

Te Israeli oensive agains he Gaza Srip is classied as an

inernaional armed conic. Consequenly, IOF operaions

in Gaza are regulaed by, iner alia, he Geneva Convenions

o 1949, he Hague Regulaions o 1907, and cusomary IHL.

Israel has no raied he Addiional Proocols o he Geneva

Convenions, however i remains bound by hose provisions

which orm par o cusomary IHL.

IHL ses ous specic regulaions governing, he principle

o disincion (beween civilians and civilian objecs andcombaans and miliary objecives), he required precauions

in atack, and legiimae mehods and means o warare.

Israel has no raied Rome Saue o he Inernaional

Criminal Cour (ICC), ye is used as a reerence in his repor.

Te Saue conains he mos comprehensive single deniion

o war crimes, all o which consiue violaions o cusomaryinernaional law and are universally prohibied.

War crimes are serious violaions o IHL, in order o preven

he commission o hese crimes, i is essenial ha he rule o

law be upheld. All hose accused o commiting war crimes,

mus be invesigaed, prosecued, and ried in accordance

wih inernaional legal sandards. Judicial redress is

essenial, no only o ensure vicims legiimae righs o

eecive judicial remedy, bu o comba impuniy and o

promoe accounabiliy. I he rule o law is o be relevan,i mus be enorced. Tose who commi war crimes and


34/184

34

oher violaions o IHL, mus no be allowed o do so wih

impuniy.

Tis secion presens a simple explanaion o he core

principles o IHL, including he principle o disincion,

legiimae mehods and means o warare, he prohibiions on

desrucion o propery and collecive punishmen, and he

special proecion aorded

Documents

Targeted Civilians: A PCHR Report on the Israeli Military Offensive against the Gaza Strip (27 December 2008 – 18 January 2009)