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

Thursday, 1 January 2009 – DAY SIX

On the 6th day of the offensive, the IOF continued to attack civilian private and public property. In the latest case of targeting civilian facilities, including mosques, schools and residential areas, the Israeli warplanes bombed a water tank in the north of al-Nada towers, Abnaa al-Balad charitable community in Beit Hanoun and al-Kholafaa al-Rashedeen Mosque in Jabalya as a result of which the mosque was completely destroyed. Israeli warplanes also bombed ground tunnels located all along the border with Egypt . The bombing caused explosions and tremendous tremors which, in turn, caused heavy damages to the nearby houses.

The IOF bombed the house of Dr. Nizar Rayyan, located near al-Kholafaa al-Rashedeen mosque in Jabalya. The five-story house of Rayyan, aged 49, a senior leader of Hamas, was completely destroyed. Rayyan, his four wives and 11 children were killed Hayam, 46, Eman, 4, Nawal 40, and Shereen Rayyan, 25 (his 4 wives), and his children: As’ad, 2; Osama, 3; Aisha, 3; Reem, 4; Miriam, 5; Halima, 5; Abdel Rahman 6, Aya 12, Zainab 15 and Ghassan 16. The death toll of this day was 26 Palestinians, including 23 civilians, 15 of whom were children and 5 women. This number also includes one Palestinian who died of wounds he had sustained earlier during the offensive