Israel continues with its severe military activities in Gaza with blatant disregard for human rights

In one of Israel’s largest and most ferocious military operations in the last two years, 29 Palestinians were killed and over 85 wounded.

The Israeli military killed 29 Palestinians as it continued its raids on Rafah and its refugee camp, 10 of whom were killed when tanks opened fire and a helicopter gunship struck four missiles into a crowd demonstrating against the Israeli invasion of Rafah’s refugee camp, in southern Gaza. The majority of casualties were children and women.

Ahmed Mughayer, 13, and his sister Asma, 16, were killed by Israeli forces while they were gathering laundry on the rooftop of their home, the children’s father confirmed.

Palestinian ambulances were subjected to Israeli fire and prevented from evacuating the wounded.

Israel’s raids into Gaza have intensified in frequency and ferocity during the last week after their, otherwise routine, raids were interrupted last week when the Israeli military incurred 13 fatalities while carrying out two such raids.

Though “Operation Rainbow,” as the military activity of the last two days has been dubbed by Israel, is supposedly tasked with the destruction of tunnels between Egypt and Gaza, the bloody and wanton military activity suggests rather that it intended as a reprisal.

Home demolitions to continue
Israeli officials have confirmed that the army is planning to widen a patrol road between Rafah’s camp and Egypt, which would mean the further demolition of complete rows of homes.

The last week alone has seen the demolition of over 120 Palestinian homes by Israeli bulldozers and tanks, leaving more than 1,200 Palestinians homeless. In addition thousands have been forced to escape for safer grounds from fear of further destruction, especially after Israeli military sources confirmed that the military activities in Rafah could last for weeks.

In what was initially an attempt by various human rights organizations to halt home demolitions in Gaza the Israeli supreme court stated the Israeli army was free to continue with home demolitions if it was in response to security threats, clearing the army from any scrutiny and effectively encouraging the Israeli army to continue with its displacement and dispossession of whole communities, rendering them refugees for a second time.

International and local reactions
Internationally, responses have been mounting all harshly condemning this operation. The United Nations and the European Union demanded an end to this invasion, while the American government contended itself with a request asking Israel for “clarifications.”

In response to the latest escalation, President Arafat explained the need for US troops to act as a buffer between Israelis and Palestinians, as related by Belgian senator confirmed after a phone call with the President.

"Mr. Arafat asked for US troops to come and intervene," Anne-Marie Lizin, head of the Belgian senate's foreign affairs committee, told public radio RTBF.

In a written statement, the Palestinian leadership urged the (UN) Security Council, the Mideast Quartet as well as the United States to act and stop the Israeli “massacre” in Rafah.