Ramallah, 29-12-08: Since Saturday, the Israeli army has carried out massive air strikes against the most densely populated area on the planet, provoking one of the biggest massacre since the beginning of the occupation.
At least 345 have been reportedly killed (including more than 25 children and 9 women), and more than 1,000 have sustained heavy injuries (including 130 children and 45 women). The number is expected to rise within the coming hours as more bodies are uncovered from the rubble, more casualties succumb to their wounds, and more bombs continue to fall.
“This massacre as nothing but a war crime. The most brutal bloodshed since 1967”, condemned Mustafa Barghouthi, the Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative.
The Deputy emphasized on the ruthless targeting of civilians –including women and children. “Israel has targeted hospitals, Mosques, university and jails. Considering the physical nature of the Gaza Strip and the incredible density of 4,117 persons per square kilometres, it is impossible for the IAF to hit only the so-called ‘security targets”, he said.
Yesterday night, a private house in Jabalia was destroyed by the IAF, killing 5 sisters from the Ba’lousha family and severely injuring the 32 year-old mother. Jawaer, 4; Dina, 8; Samar, 12; Ikram, 14 and Tahrir Ba’lousha, 17 years-old were killed. The IAF also fired several missiles at the girls‘ dormitory in southern Gaza City.
“Such a massacre of civilians would not have happened without the complicity of the International Community that remain silenced”, said the Deputy.
The Heath sector in Gaza is currently in a state of collapse, with public hospitals full to overflowing. “Doctors, ambulances and hospitals cannot provide an adequate response to the growing needs”, Dr. Barghouthi highlighted. “Today, the main medical supplies store of the Palestinian Ministry of Heath was bombarded. Severely injured patients cannot leave the Strip due to prolonged closures of border crossings. And basic medical supply urgently needed such as sterilization equipment, needles, anaesthetics, catheters, gases, oxygen or monitors cannot reach the Gazans.”
“It is a humanitarian disaster and a human tragedy that should be stopped now! Every single human rights granted to the human being have been violated. It is not time to put an end to the massacre.
It is time for Israel to end the violence and the aggressions against the Palestinian population immediately and to end the siege on Gaza.”
It is also time for the International community to take its responsibilities: to urgently end the war crimes in Gaza and to condemn the attacks. Interventions is needed politically, economically to pressure Israel”
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