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

Tuesday, 6 January 2009 – DAY ELEVEN

For the 11th consecutive day, IOF continued to violate fundamental principles of IHL. Continuing the series of horrible crimes against innocent civilians, IOF tanks stationed to the east of Jabalya fired 4 shells at Jabalya refugee camp, one of which fell in the vicinity of al-Fakhoura school which had been turned into a shelter for the families who left their houses in Beit Lahia. As a result, 27 Palestinians, including 8 children, were killed. The dead included two sisters, and a father with his son. Additionally, 50 others were wounded, some critically.

An IOF warplane fired a missile at a UNRWA-run school in al-Shati refugee camp, killing three Palestinians from the al- Sultan family. Another warplane bombed a 4-story house belonging to the al-Daya family in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, killing the father, and his two sons, grandson and daughter-in law. In the context of expanding the offensive against the Gaza Strip, IOF stepped up their ground operation by moving into the south of Gaza Strip.

In the early morning, IOF, backed by tanks and military bulldozers, moved into the east of al- Qarara village, al-Zanna area, and ‘Abasan al-Jadeeda and Khuza’a villages amidst intensive shelling. IOF, covered with warplanes, partially or completely demolished 30 houses, mostly in Abu Tu’aima quarter. IOF killed a number of Palestinian resistance activists in the southwest of Deir al- Balah where the activists clashed with an IOF undercover unit, covered by warplanes and gunboats. Ten Palestinians were killed and 10 others wounded.

IOF’s indiscriminate, heavy gunfire at Palestinians inside houses, aerial bombardment of houses, firing missiles at any mobile objects and firing artillery shells at civilians continued. The entire Gaza Strip became a target, including UNRWA shelters, central markets, residential communities and mosques. There was a sharp increase in the number of victims; entire families were killed, civilians were extra-judicially executed, houses were destroyed (some with civilians inside) and detainees were kept in rooms with the dead.

The death toll of this day was 118 Palestinians, including 106 civilians; 41 children and 21 women. This number also includes 7 Palestinians who died of wounds they had sustained earlier during the offensive.