The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) launched its eighth incursion into the Gaza Strip in eight days today, Monday 29 October 2007. IOF penetrated the towns of Beit Hanoun and Rafah and killed three Palestinians; of whom one is disabled. Nine others were injured and one school bombarded. This military escalation coincides with IOF's commencement of reducing fuel supplies to the Strip. According to field investigations by Al Mezan, at approximately 5.30am on 29 October 2007, eight Israeli armored vehicles penetrated Ashobaki area north Beit Hanoun town and took positions under helicopters cover. They opened arbitrary fire as a special force sneaked into the Agricultural College of Al Azhar University in the north of the town. The force took positions inside the College and opened fire killing a 44-year-old disabled man; Farid Ibrhim Abu Udeh. The victim was killed from a live bullet to the head while he was inside his home, which is located near the nearby Agricultural Secondary School. A 15-yar-old schoolboy, Ahmed Atta Az-Za'anin, was also shot in the chest near his school north of the town. Medical sources reported his injuries as critical.
At approximately 8.45am the IOF opened machinegun FIRE at a nearby residential area injuring 44-year-old Adnan Mahmoud Yousif, who was near his house in An-Nada neighborhood, northwest Beit Hanoun. At approximately 9.20am an Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile that landed in the western entrance of Beit Hanoun Girls Preparatory School, which is located in Al Qaraman Street. 28-year-old Muhammad Yousif Hamad was killed and five others injured, of whom three critically, in this raid. Israeli tanks fired two artillery shells that landed in an open area near the Agricultural College; however no injuries were reported. Additionally, IOF wounded a child and a woman just before they withdrew at approximately 11am. Dozens of civilian houses, the Agricultural College, the Agricultural Secondary School, and Beit Hanoun Girls Preparatory School sustained damages in this incursion. It was reported that UNRWA's five schools and clinic in the town evacuated during the incursion.
In the same context, at approximately 1.30am on 29 October 2007, eight Israeli armored vehicles entered as deep as 1.5 kilometers into the Karem Abu Mu'aammar area east of the southern Gaza town of Rafah. The IOF opened heavy fire killing 22-year-old Ahmad Ibrahim Abu Tahoun. According to medical sources, IOF restricted the ambulances' access to the area. An ambulance managed to access to Abu Tahoun's body and collect it at approximately 6.30am, only after the IOF withdrew from the area.
According to Al Mezan's fieldworker, at approximately 1am on Sunday 28 October 2007, ten Israeli armored vehicles entered 500 meters deep west the borderline in Wadi As-Salqa village in the east of middle-Gaza town of Deir Al Balah. IOF broke into a three-story house owned by 53-year-old Hussein Ibrahim Abu Mghissib and used it as a military post. At approximately 8.30am the IOF opened fire injuring 22-year-old Ahmad Awad Al Amour with shrapnel to his chest, and 45-year-old Thurayya Muhammad Abu Mghissib with live bullets to her leg and her left arm. IOF withdrew from this area at approximately 5pm on the same day.
In addition, IOF commenced the implementation of the decision reducing fuel supplies to Gaza Strip. Al Mezan's fieldworkers reported the quantities of fuel allowed to flow into Gaza on 28 October 2007 as follows:
- 258,000 liters of fuel used for the operation of the power plant;
- 213,000 liters of diesel;
- 90,000 liters of benzene (for two days);
- 240,000 tons of cooking gas.
This represents a 50% cut in cooking gas and about 30%, cut in fuel compared with the quantities allowed into Gaza before. The same applies to the fuel used for the operation of the power plant. Al Mezan fieldworker reported that gas supply was allowed to flow in today. It is expected that Gaza will experience longer electricity cuts and more shortage in the diesel, which is necessary to operate small electric generators to compensate electricity shortage.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights reiterates its condemnation of the Israeli military escalation against civilians in Gaza. It also asserts that the reduction of fuel supplies represents a flagrant violation of the rules of the International Humanitarian Law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, that will infringe upon the population's life quickly. Therefore, Al Mezan calls on that the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to uphold its moral and legal responsibilities and intervene to immediately stop the Israeli grave breaches of the Convention and provide protection for civilians. Under rapidly increasing punitive measures Gaza faces the threat of imminent worsening of the humanitarian crisis it lives. Therefore, these measures must not be allowed to materialize.
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