The Gaza Strip has been going through harsh aggressive measures since June 25, 2006, when the Israeli forces launched the Summer Rains operation that followed a military operation led by Palestinian resistance groups against the occupying Israeli Army, which led to the capture of one the Israeli soldier. It became apparent from the first hours of the 'Summer Rains operation' that Palestinians' houses, infrastructures and lands are the set target for the Israeli Army. The following recaps the Israeli military operation in Gaza from the time it was launched on June 25, 2006 to August 1, 2006.
1. Restriction of movements
Since the Israeli incursion of the Gaza Strip on June 25, residents of the Strip who sought to travel to their work places have been going through all sorts of delays, mainly due heavy closures imposed by the Israeli forces on the Israeli checkpoints. Most of the time, people were prevented from reaching their destinations and forced to find alternative roads. It is worth to point out that there are eight Israeli checkpoints throughout the entrances of the towns and villages of the Gaza Strip. See map 1
Humanitarian assistance as will as foods convoys are to this day has restricted access and constantly delayed at Gaza's crossings that falls under Israeli control.
2. Israeli attacks against Medical staff
The Medical staff and the ambulance drivers are not beyond far of the Israeli aggression and often targeted by the Israeli Army. Moreover, the Israeli Army has frequently denied medical crews' access to injured people due to the restrictions on movements and find themselves under the heavy barrage of Israeli gunfire. Hundreds of medical personnel are regular targets of the Israeli Army on a daily basis; they are beaten, harassed and not allowed to do their jobs by the Israeli forces even though medical staff and salvage vehicles clearly identified with mark of red cross or crescent. It is worth to mention that the Israeli practices against the medical staff violate international human rights and the Fourth Geneva Convention Article 20, which states:
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'Persons regularly and solely engaged in the operation and administration of civilian hospitals, including the personnel engaged in the search for removal and transporting of and caring for wounded and sick civilians, the infirm and maternity cases shall be respected and protected'. |
3. Israeli attacks against civilians
Israel has endorsed the execution, torture and collective punishment with other serious violations against Palestinian residents of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the eruption of the second Intifada (September 2000), thousands of Palestinians were killed by the Israeli forces. During the this ongoing Israeli 'Summer Rains operation' the Israeli Army killed more than 200 Palestinians and injured more than 1000 most of which are children and women which means that there is no impunity to the civilian residents of the Palestinian Territory.
4. Israeli attacks against Journalists
The Israeli Army aggression went even further to include local and international journalists on duty, covering events as it happen with an intention to prevent them from reporting any news on the Israeli violations against Palestinians to the world.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) state that everyone have the right to freedom of expressions and freedom to access information.
5. Destruction of the Palestinian Properties:
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Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the State, or to other public authorities, or to social or cooperative organizations, is prohibited.â?? Article 53, Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 |
In one of its most intense periods of destruction, the Israeli Occupying Forces has demolished a huge number of houses in Gaza Strip during the last few weeks, which made hundreds of families homeless with no shelters. Israel claims that its operation in Gaza is carried out for security reasons. This wave of Israeli destruction was only matched by the Israeli Army vicious destruction wave in 2003 when the Israeli Army decided to create a security buffer zone in gaza; south of Rafah refugee camp along the border with Egypt, as thousands of Palestinian houses were demolished for that purpose.
6. The Israeli Army Attack on the Palestinian Infrastructure
Gaza's infrastructure was one the first and primary targets of the Israeli Army in its ongoing 'Summer Rain' operation. So far, Israel bombarded seven Palestinian bridges linking Gaza city with the central Gaza Strip, destroyed the road system in Gaza and still a major points for daily target for the Israeli Army. The Power station south of Gaza also constituted a target for the Israeli Army; in fact, it had it destroyed on the third day of the attack; taking out 50% of Gaza's water and electricity supplies.
7. Terrorizing the Palestinian Residents
Israeli went even further in the attack; up to a psychologically level, dropping on Palestinians tens of thousands of flyers; warning Gaza's residents of an upcoming military escalation and thus devastation. The Israeli Army also began adopted a terrorizing approach; with Israeli Army officer calls residents of Gaza on their telephone lines to warn them that their residences are subject to air strikes or shelling within few minutes and that they are advised to leave it.
The following is a translation of the flyers dropped by the Israeli Army on Gaza, July 20 and 25, 2006.
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To the Residents of the Gaza Strip
As terrorists operations and missiles launching activities from Gaza Strip continues, the Israeli Army has decided to escalate the level of its operations against the ammunitions and military equipments warehouses and against militants and terrorists organizations that jeopardize the lives of residents in the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Must the residents of the Gaza Strip constantly pay a dear price for the actions of those arrogant claiming intentions to resolve the Palestinian cause?
They are the direct cause for losing all wealth under false pretences and 'sincere promises' much like those proclaimed by Hezbollah to the Lebanese people and promises of Hamas to the Palestinian people.
Israeli Defense Army Headquarter |
Residents were not given any chance to salvage any of their personal belongings. It is worth to point out that the targeted houses were not located in the confrontation areas and were multi- storey apartments.
By this violent step the Israeli government undermined all signed agreements and international humanitarian laws and regulation, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949; Article 33, first Paragraph that lays:
A prohibition on collective punishments of any kind inflicted on persons or entire groups in defiance of the most elementary principles of humanity, for acts these persons have not committed and all measures of intimidation or terrorism with regard to protected persons, whatever they may be. Thus, strike at guilty and innocent alike is opposed to all principles based on humanity and justice'.
8. Destruction of Palestinian Governmental Institutions
The Israeli forces aggression on Gaza did not only include civilian lives and properties but also included government, public, educational buildings and Palestinian security locations. The following table list the targeted buildings:
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Palestinian Buildings destroyed during the Israeli Aggression Against Gaza |
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Structure Destroyed |
Type |
Date |
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Islamic University recreation facility (Playground) |
Educational |
June 30 |
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Toys Factory |
Private |
June 30 |
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Palestinian National Security site |
Security |
June 30 |
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Palestinian Interior Minster Office |
Governmental |
July 1 |
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Fatah Office |
Political Party |
July 1 |
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Palestinian Prime Minister Office |
Governmental |
July 2 |
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Student Council at the Islamic University |
Educational |
July 4 |
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Ministry of Interior |
Governmental |
July 6 |
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National Security building |
Security |
July 6 |
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School |
Educational |
July 6 |
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
Governmental |
July 14 |
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Ministry of Economy |
Governmental |
July 16 |
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Agriculture School at Al-Azhar University |
Educational |
July 18 |
Source: ARIJ Monthly Report June to July 2006
Conclusion
At a time the world's media focusing its attention on the Israeli Aggression on Lebanon, the Israeli Army continues with its collective punishment policy against the Palestinian Territory causing severe losses among residents and properties, spreading terrorisim and fear among the Palestinian population; particularly with its indiscratimoary aggressive policy carried out under the pretext of security.
Prepared by
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
ARIJ
