Gaza Under Fire - Special Report

Overview

Statistics after 53 days of the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip (July 6^th – August 27^th)

An open- ended ceasefire has been reached. Few hours before the cease-fire went into effect yesterday at 7:00pm (Palestine Time), Israeli occupation forces killed at least 12 Palestinians and injured more than 64 in shelling and raiding several areas in Gaza.

The cease-fire agreement has put to an end the most recent Israeli criminal aggression against Gaza which has killed at least 2,143 Palestinians (including at least 577 children, 263 women and 102 elderly) and injured over 11,230 people (including at least 3374 children, 2088 women and 410 elderly). In addition to the killings and injuries, Israeli assaults have brought massive destruction to the besieged Gaza and made Palestinians' lives a misery. UNRWA and Governmental Schools, residential towers and buildings, places of worship, hospitals, ministries, heritage sites, amusement parks, factories, agricultural areas, fisheries and farms among others were all deliberately targeted and extensively damaged.

It is expected that the number of people killed will continue to increase due to several bodies that are still being rescued from under the rubble as well as people that would die of their injuries.

"There is another topic that we will address, namely: what next? Gaza Strip alone suffered from three wars in 2008-2009, 2012, and 2014. Should we expect another war after a year or two? Until when will the cause remain unresolved? We will put forward our vision to the leadership and will continue consultations thereof with our brothers and the international community. However, the vision should be very clear, very specific, and understood from A-Z, because engaging in vague negotiations is something we cannot continue to do"

President Mahmoud Abbas

Statistics of 53 Days of Israeli Aggression against the Gaza Strip (July 6^th at 00:00 AM – August 27^th at 12:00 PM)1

• Palestinians killed: 2,143

• Palestinians Injured: 11,230

• Demolished Structures: 10,800

• Partially Demolished Structures: 8,000

• Damaged Homes: 46,000

• Schools Damaged: 141 Government Schools and 136 UNRWA Schools

• Damaged Hospitals and Health Centers – 10 hospitals and 7 PHC clinics were damaged, 5 hospitals and 44 primary health clinics were closed, 16 ambulances were damaged, and 83 health personnel injured, 23 health personnel died after Israeli airstrikes.

• Attacks against Religious Sites – 73 mosques cannot be used and 197 have been partially damaged. Ten Muslim cemeteries have been targeted. Two Churches and one Christian cemetery have been Partially Damaged. Two Churches and one Christian cemetery have been Partially Damaged.

Not less than 600,000 people began to return to their areas of residence, in many cases to find their homes completely destroyed or simply not fit for living - 1,700,000 people (the entire population of the Gaza Strip) have been affected by the destruction of electricity, water and waste water infrastructures.

Israeli disregard to the lives of Palestinians has resulted in the killing of hundreds. Instead of learning from previous experiences, some countries gave green light to Israeli forces to bombard and invade the Gaza Strip. The international community has the legal and moral responsibility to protect the Palestinian population living under Israeli occupation and to hold Israel accountable regarding its severe violations of the international humanitarian law. Lack of accountability will continue to fuel Israeli atrocities and crimes. Lack of international action will continue to increase the list of people killed, injured and displaced.

• 1. Sources: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Public Works and Housing