Escalated Israeli Attacks on the Gaza Strip
At approximately 15:00 on Thursday, 07 April 2011, IOF started to bombard several areas throughout the Gaza Strip. The Israeli shelling continued until Saturday morning, 09 April 2011, during which IOF killed 18 Palestinians, including 9 civilians. The civilian victims include a woman and her daughter and two children. IOF also wounded 38 civilians, including 14 children, a woman and two paramedics, and 4 resistance activists.
The Israeli shelling also destroyed a number of training sites of the Palestinian resistance and damaged dozens of houses.
[NOTE: only the parts concerning attacks against civilians, or their properties, close to the border areas with Israel are copied ]
Northern Gaza Strip
· At approximately 16:05 on Thursday, 07 April 2011, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired 6 artillery shells at the northern Gaza Strip. Four of these shells landed in the vicinity of al-Shuhada Cemetery in the east of Jabalya town. As a result, Ra'fat Tayseer Jnaid, 21, sustained bruises to the left hand. The remaining two sells hit Abu Safiya area in the northeast of Jabalya town, but no casualties were reported. IOF also fired a surface-to-surface missile at an open area to the east of al-Amal neighborhood in the northeast of Beit Hanoun town. No casualties were reported.
· At approximately the same time, IOF helicopter gunships opened fire at open areas in the east of Jabalya town. No casualties were reported.
[...]
· At approximately 17:10 on the same day, IOF helicopter gunships fired 5 missiles at a training site of the 'Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in the northeast of Beit Lahia town, but no casualties were reported. They also fired a 6th missile at al-Masri agricultural nursery , which is located near a house belonging to Jameel Mohammed Abu Shadaq, in Tal al-Dahab area in Beit Lahia town. The house and 3 neighboring ones were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
· At approximately 18:15 on the same day, an IOF drone fired a missile at Muhannad Ahmed al-Jerjawi, 18, a farmer from al-Sidra area in al-Daraj neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, once he left an agricultural land belonging to the Abu Halima family, where he works. As a result, his left leg was cut and he was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.
[...]
· At approximately 16:35 on the same day, Israeli soldiers station on observation towers along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the north and northwest of Beit Lahia town opened fire at Palestinian farmers in al-Sayafa area. The farmers fled from the area and no casualties were reported.
[...]· At approximately 22:05 on the same day, an IOF drone fired a missile on an open area to the north of 'Assaliya area in Jabalya. No casualties were reported.
· At approximately 22:35 on the same day, IOF fired an artillery shell at an agricultural land belonging to Mohammed Mas'oud in Jabalya. A number of nearby houses were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
· At approximately 23:35 on the same day, an IOF warplane fired a missile at a training site of the 'Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in Jabalya. A number of nearby houses were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
· At approximately 02:35 on Saturday, 09 April 2011, an IOF drone fired a missile at an agricultural land belonging to Sa'id Rabi' Hamdiya in Jabalya. Two Palestinian civilians living in nearby houses were lightly injured by fragments of glass:
1. Mustafa Sa'id Hamdiya, 37, injured in the head; and
2. 'Alaa' Saber Abu 'Aqel, 30, injured throughout the body.
[...]
Gaza City
· At approximately 15:00 on Thursday, 07 April 2011, IOF shelled various areas in al-Shuja'iya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. An artillery shell hit a house belonging to Mahmoud Mansour al-Manasra, 58, near al-Kourba intersection. As a result, his child, Fawaz, 15, was wounded by shrapnel to the right hand. Soon after, IOF fired 3 shells at the same house, which is located nearly 1,200 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, killing the owner. IOF continued to shell the area sporadically. As a result, Subhi 'Abdul Rahman Abu Shanab, 60, was wounded by shrapnel to the right foot.
· At approximately 00:30 on Friday, 08 April 2011, IOF fired an artillery shell at a house belonging to Rami Jawad Hilles in al-Shuja'iya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, nearly 1,200 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. The house was heavily damaged, but no casualties were reported.
· At approximately 16:15 on the same day, an IOF warplane fired a missile at a person who was riding a motorcycle near al-Sawafiri intersection in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. The person survived the attack, by a nearby company belonging to Hassan al-Wakeel and a number of nearby houses were damaged.
· At approximately 17:00 on the same day, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired an artillery shell at a house belonging to Ahmed Mohammed al-'Arqan in al-Mansoura Street in al-Shuja'iya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, nearly 2,500 meters away from the border. Fourth floor of the house was damaged, but no casualties were reported.
· At approximately 19:00 on the same day, IOF fired an artillery shell at al-Sourani Mount in al-Sha'af neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. No casualties were reported.
· At approximately 19:10 on the same day, IOF positioned at border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired two artillery shells at a gathering of Palestinian civilians near the cemetery of al-Shuja'iya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. As a result, two civilians, including a child, were killed:
1. Mahmoud Wa'el al-Jaru, 10; and
2. Bilal Mohammed al-'Ar'ir,. 24.
Another 10 civilians, including 4 children and a paramedic, were wounded.
· At approximately 01:30 on Saturday, 09 April 2011, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired a number of artillery shells at open areas in al-Shuja'iya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. No casualties were reported.
[...]
Central Gaza Strip
· At approximately 15:30 on Thursday, 07 April 2011, IOF fired a number of artillery shells at Juhor al-Dik area, southeast of Gaza City. No casualties were reported.
· At approximately 15:40 on the same day, IOF fired 4 artillery shells the east of al-Salqa Valley village, east of Deir al-Balah. No casualties were reported.
Khan Yunis
· At approximately 16:00 on Thursday, 07 April 2011, IOF tanks positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Khan Yunis, fired a number of shells at Palestinian houses and agricultural areas in al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan Yunis. As a result, Yousef Ahmed al-Smairi, 10, was wounded by shrapnel to the hands.
· At approximately 16:30 on the same day, IOF warplanes bombarded an agricultural room belonging to the Abu Shab family in al-Zanna area in Bani Suhaila village, east of Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported.
· At approximately 17:00 on the same day, IOF shelled Palestinian areas located along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported.
· At approximately 18:00 on the same day, IOF fired 3 artillery shells at a house belonging to Ra'ed Ibrahim Qudaih in the east of Khuza'a village, east of Khan Yunis. The house which had been repeatedly shelled by IOF was damaged.
· At approximately 12:20 on the same day, an IOF drone fired a missile at the yard of a house belonging to Ibrahim Hamdan Qudaih in 'Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis. As a result, Qudaih's wife and daughter were killed:
1. Najah Harb Salem Qudaih, 41; and
2. Nidal Ibrahim Hamdan Qudaih, 19.
Qudaih's two other daughters were also wounded:
1. Nidaa', 18, in a serious condition; and
2. Fidaa;, 15, wounded by shrapnel to the feet.
· At approximately 12:30 on the same day, IOF drones fired two missile at al-Manara neighborhood in the southeast of Khan Yunis. As a result, Talal Rabi' 'Eissa Abu Taha, 56, was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body, and he died once evacuated to the hospital. His cousin, Hamada Salama 'Eissa Abu Taha, 25, was wounded by shrapnel to the feet.
· At approximately 23:15 on the same day, IOF tanks positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, fired a number of shells at al-Fukhari area in the southeast of Khan Yunis. Two shells hit the roof of a house belonging to 'Amru Sa'id al-'Omour, damaging it.
· At approximately 21:05 on Saturday, 09 April 2011, an IOF warplane fired a missile at an open land in al-Zanna area in Bani Suhaila village, east of Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported.
Rafah
· At approximately 16:00 on Thursday, 07 April 2011, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired at least 10 artillery shells and IOF helicopter gunships opened fire in the vicinity of Gaza International Airport, southeast of Rafah. A number of shells landed near 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, who were in the airport. Two of these civilians were killed and the third one died of his wound later:
1. Mohammed 'Aayada al-Mahmoum, 25;
2. Khaled Isma'il Hamdan al-Dbari, 17; and
3. Saleh Jermi 'Atiya al-Tarabin, 38.
When a number of civilians attempted to offer help to the wounded, Mos'ab Mohammed 'Obaid al-Soufi, 20, was killed and 14 others, including 5 children and a paramedic, were wounded. Later, Faten Subhi al-Liddawi, 44, was wounded when she was near her house in al-Salam neighborhood, as IOF warplanes bombarded tunnels along the Egyptian border.
· At approximately 08:00 on Friday, 08 April 2011, IOF fired two artillery shells at the vicinity of Gaza International Airport. As a result, 4 Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded, two of whom were in a serious condition.
