« Serious escalation in Israeli attacks14 Palestinians killed in past 24 hours in the Gaza Strip. Death toll included 2 parents, 5 of their children and 2 brothers. 36 also injured »

Serious Escalation in Israeli Attacks

14 Palestinians killed in past 24 hours in the Gaza Strip. Death toll included 2 parents, 5 of their children and 2 brothers. 36 also injured.

Over the past 24 hours, the Gaza Strip was the target of a deadly escalation in Israeli attacks. Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) committed a number of war crimes in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the killing of fourteen Palestinians and the injury of thirty-six others, including thirteen children. The most severe and inhumane of these crimes was the killing of seven members of the same family (father, mother and five children), who had been enjoying a day on the beach to the west of the town of Beit Lahya. The family was hit by artillery fired from an Israeli naval boat. The seven other victims were killed in extra-judicial execution operations. Three of the victims of these executions were civilians and the other four were activists. Four other activists were injured in failed extra-judicial execution attempts.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the attack which killed seven members of the same family took place at approximately 16:40 on Friday, 9 June 2006. An Israeli naval boat stationed off the coast of Beit Lahya fired seven successive artillery shells at civilians on the beach in the Waha area, north of Beit Lahya. The shells landed on the beach, which had been crowded with civilian men, women and children at the time. Seven civilians from the same family (father, mother and five children) were killed. A sixth child from the same family escaped death but was seen on television crying hysterically beside her father’s body. A further thirty-two civilians, including thirteen children, were injured. Two of the injured sustained serious wounds.

The family members killed in the attack were :
– Ali Issa Ghalya (49) ; his wife
– Ra’eesa Ghalya (35) ; and their children :
– Haitham (1) ;
– Hanadi (2) ;
– Sabrin (4) ;
– Ilham (15) ; and
– Alia (17).

Israeli television Channel 2 broadcast footage of the Israeli boat firing the shells at the beach, with one of the navy soldiers scanning the beach with binoculars ; thus indicating that the crime had been perpetrated with a premeditated intent to kill.