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Day 17 - Gaza City offensive continues

January 12, 2009 at 1:26 pm

For the 17th consecutive day, IOF had continued their fullscale offensive against the Gaza Strip. Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, where ground operations were taking place, were subjected to the most violent strikes; the majority of incursions, were focused on these areas. The unprecedented killing of children was a main feature of this offensive, along with the dramatic increase in destruction inflicted upon the public and private facilities.

In the northern Gaza Strip, IOF bombarded the Interior Ministry. Israeli warplanes fired a missile against a Volks Wagen car in al-Alamy area of Jabalya, killing three Palestinians; the car driver and two children. The Israeli artillery bombarded a residential building owned by al-Banna family, killing three Palestinians, including two brothers. Al-Andalos apartment building, in the southwest of Jabalya, was targeted with three missiles.

IOF, backed up by tanks, military bulldozers and warplanes, moved into the east of Khuza’a amid violent bombardment with smoke and incendiary bombs. Israeli troops stormed houses, turning them into military sites. Hundreds of Palestinians had to vacate their houses while others were detained inside houses due to the heavy bombardment. The high number of victims, especially children and women, is a strong indicator of the use of excessive force in violation of IHL.