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.