Defence for Children International-Palestine Section
(DCI/PS) strongly condemns the recent escalation of violence
in Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip, and expresses
its grave concern about the life and safety of the civilian population,
especially children, residing in Gaza. DCI/PS urges the international
community to carry out prompt and effective interventions to stop
Israel’s violations of International Humanitarian Law, some of
which amount to grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva
Convention and entail individual criminal responsibility
for war crimes.
Since the beginning of 2008, the Israeli authorities have
increased their violent attacks and punitive measures
against the Gaza Strip. Tens of civilians have already
lost their lives, particularly during indiscriminate shelling
operations and extrajudicial assassinations of Palestinian
resistance fighters, or during limited and repeated incursions
in different areas of the Gaza Strip, during which lethal force
was used with blatant disregard for the lives of civilians
present in the areas. This situation was compounded on
Friday 18th January, when Israel effectively sealed off
the Gaza Strip by closing all border crossings and preventing
the passage of goods and people in and out of the Strip.
The siege of Gaza is regarded as part of a series of
punitive retaliations against the continued firing of Qassam
rockets into Israel from Gaza, and constitutes unlawful collective
punishment against the entire population of Gaza. Israel’s
intention to resort to collective punitive measures against
all Gaza residents was made clear when it labeled Gaza an
“enemy entity” in September 2007 and henceforth increased
its economic sanctions towards the territory, by reducing
fuel supplies, food and medical supplies, and preventing
patients in need of medical treatment from travelling
outside of Gaza.
The closing of all border crossings and the continued
isolation of Gaza are compounding the already disastrous
humanitarian situation faced by Gaza’s 1.5 million residents.
Children, who make up over 55% of the population of Gaza, are
cruelly affected by the sanctions. The central power station
stopped as a result of the shortage of fuel, and bread shortages
are affecting the well-being of the population, as there is not
enough electricity to power ovens. Gaza is also suffering from
severe shortages of medical and food supplies, and the life
of patients and premature newborns in hospitals are
threatened because hospital generators cannot operate
sufficiently. Finally, the Gaza Strip is facing environmental
disaster as water pumps and sewage treatment stations
have effectively stopped working due to the fuel shortage.
In addition to the suffocation of the Gaza population,
Israeli military operations conducted in the Strip since
the beginning of the year have already resulted in the
deaths of seven children, four of whom were not
participating in any combat activity; another 59
children were injured in these operations, and some
of them are still in a critical state.
DCI/PS deplores the silence of the international
community towards Israeli human rights violations
in the Gaza Strip, especially in light of the fact that
Israel has declared its commitment to continue its
military operations until Palestinian resistance fighters
stop firing missiles at Israeli towns, and that the
American government has expressed its support
for these practices that they regard as legitimate
self-defence.
DCI/PS calls on the international community, and the
High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article
1 of the Convention, and urge Israel to abide by its
duties under the Convention regarding the conduct of
hostilities and the principles of distinction, proportionality
and necessity. DCI/PS also condemns the targeting of
Israeli civilians with Qassam rockets from the Gaza
Strip.
DCI/PS welcomes the decision of the president of the UN
Human Rights Council to convene a Special Session on
“human rights violations emanating from Israeli military
incursions in the oPt including the recent ones in occupied
Gaza and the West Bank town of Nablus”. The Session will
be held on Wednesday, 23rd January.
0 Have Your Say!:
Post a Comment