MEMO's Diary of the War Crimes in Gaza - Day Four

Tuesday, 30 December 2008 – DAY FOUR

For the 4th consecutive day, amidst an unprecedented escalation, IOF intensified bombardment of civilian facilities, mosques and houses, justifying the attacks by claiming that the targeted objects were affiliated to Hamas. Facts on the ground affirmed that the IOF used excessive lethal force as most of the buildings targeted were public ones and personal belongings located within residential areas. All those who were killed due to successive and intensive air strikes on the fourth day, were civilians. Heavy damages were inflicted upon dozens of houses located in the vicinity of the targeted areas. Warplanes fired a missile at three children from the Hamdan family as they were near their house in al-Sikka Street, west of Beit Hanoun. Two sisters were killed and the third was wounded.

As part of Israel’s targeting of official institutions, warplanes targeted the ministries complex in Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood in Gaza City and a post of the Naval police in al-Sheikh Ejleen neighbourhood.

A second attack was launched against the ministries complex within half an hour. Israeli warplanes bombed al-Farouq Mosque located in Block 9 in al-Boreij refugee camp.

The mosque was completely destroyed. The warplanes went on bombing the area of the border with Egypt. The death toll of this day was 12, including 9 civilians, of them 3 are children. This number includes 3 Palestinians who died of wounds they had sustained earlier during the offensive.