Israeli Offensive on Gaza Continues

In the past 24 hours, Israeli forces have escalated their offensive on the Gaza Strip. Israeli warplanes have increasingly targeted houses, civilian-populated areas and civilian facilities. The Israeli tanks have fired dozens of shells at Palestinian communities located near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, and Israeli gunboats have fired dozens of shells along the Gaza Strip coast.

As a form of collective punishment, in violation of the international humanitarian law, dozens of Palestinian civilians have received phone calls from the Israeli military ordering them to leave their areas and head to the centers of towns, which may lead to more suffering of Palestinian civilians. In a very serious development, last night, Israeli warplanes targeted and destroyed a number of houses while their residents were inside, without any prior warnings, which increased casualties among Palestinian civilians.

From 10:00 on Wednesday, 09 July 2014, to 10:00 on Thursday, 10 July 2014, 47 Palestinians, including 43 civilians, were killed. The civilian victims include 16 children, 10 women, and eight members of one family. Additionally, 214 Palestinians, mostly civilians, were wounded -- this number includes 58 children and 29 women. Israeli warplanes also targeted and destroyed 41 houses without prior warnings.

The latest developments since the press release issued by PCHR yesterday noon have been as follows:

The Northern Gaza Strip

Israeli warplanes launched 111 airstrikes using 120 missiles targeting 15 houses, civilians, agricultural plots and open areas. As a result of these attacks, nine Palestinian civilians, including four children and two women, were killed and 51 others, including four paramedics, were wounded.

The most significant attacks were as follows:

At approximately 11:55 on Wednesday, 09 July 2014, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a number of Palestinian civilians who were near their house. As a result, Sahar Hassan al-Masri, 35; her child Mohammed Ibrahim al-Masri, 15; her child Aseel, 16; and her nephew Amjad Zaher Hamdan, 24, were killed. Another two civilians were also wounded.

At approximately 18:55 on the same day, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at a number of Palestinian civilians who were in their farm in Zimmu Street in Beit Hanoun. As a result, three civilians were killed: Hani Saleh Hamad, 58, his son Ibrahim, 19, and his daughter Asmaa', 26, were killed.