On 29 September, the beginning of the Palestinian Intifada's fifth year, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) escalated their collective punishment against the Palestinian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). IOF killed four Palestinians, three of whom are children, and injured another 27 today in the Gaza Strip.

According to the field investigations conducted by Al Mezan, IOF carried out a wide incursion into north Gaza. Israeli tanks shelled Tel Az-Zaatar neighborhood in Jabalia camp killing Tawfeeq Ash-Shrafi, aged 24. Ahmad Madi, aged 17, was killed as IOF bulldozed the fence of a Palestinian security office in the area. In addition, 14-year-old said Abu Al Aish was killed from a bullet in his back. Some 20 others were reported wounded in Jabalia and Beit Lahia by noon.

In the neighboring town of Beit Hanoun IOF leveled cultivated land and destroyed two government offices and one motor vehicle.

In a separate incident, IOF opened fire at a demonstration near the Shuhada Conjunction, near the settlement of Nitzarim south to Gaza City, killing 17-year-old Muhammad Talal Jabir. Israeli soldiers also opened fire at another demonstration near the settlement of Kfar Darom, southern Deir Al Balah town and wounded six children.

Moreover, IOF demolished 11 homes in the Ash-Sheikh Ijlin area, southern Gaza City on Thursday 28/9/2004, and leveled cultivated land in the area. They have also blocked the beach road near Nitsarim settlement, south to Gaza City, banning vehicular movement.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns the IOF's escalation of collective punishment of Palestinians in the OPT. The Center emphasizes that home demolitions, land leveling, killing of civilians, and the imposition of tight closures, are grave breaches of International Humanitarian Law (IHL); namely the Fourth Geneva Convention.

As such, Al Mezan calls upon the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Times of War, to provide effective and immediate protection for the Palestinian civilians in the OPT, and to ensure that Israel upholds its obligations under IHL and human rights law.