Attempts to Rescue the al-Dalu Family Ongoing;
Israeli Occupation Forces Destroy House over Its Residents

On Sunday afternoon, 18 November 2012, in an example of blatant targeting of civilians during their offensive on the Gaza Strip, that has been ongoing for the 6^thconsecutive day, Israeli Occupation Forces killed 8 members of the al-Dalu family in Gaza City. Another 2 members of the family are still missing, since Israeli warplanes bombarded the family home. 2 neighbours, including 1 old woman, were also killed, while 9 civilians, including 2 children and 3 women, were wounded.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 14:30 on Sunday, an Israeli F-16 fighter jet fired a missile at a 4-storey house belonging to Jamal Mahmoud Yassin al-Dalu, 52. 3 families comprising 11 individuals live in the house, which is situated opposite to Bank of Palestine in al-Nasser Street in the north of Gaza City. The house was completely destroyed with residents inside. As a result, 8 members of the family (4 children and 4 women) were killed; the Civil Defense crews have removed their bodies from the debris. The victims include a mother and her 4 children. The victims whose bodies have been found and identified are:

1- Samah Abdul Hamid al-Dalu, 27;
2- Jamal Mohammed Jamal al-Dalu, 6;
3- Yousef Mohammed Jamal al-Dalu, 4;
4- Sarah Mohammed Jamal al-Dalu, 7;
5- Ibrahim Mohammed Jamal al-Dalu, 1;
6- Tahani Hassan al-Dalu, 52;
7- Suhaila Mahmoud al-Dalu, 73; and
8- Raneem Jamal al-Dalu, 22. 

Rescue crews are still searching for 2 members of the family who are still missing: Yara Jamal Mahmoud al-Dalu, 17; and Mohammed Jamal Mahmoud al-Dalu, 29. As a result of this violent attack, several nearby houses were destroyed, including one that belongs to the al-Muzannar family where 2 civilians, including an old woman, were killed:

1- Ameena Matar al-Mauzannar, 83; and
2- Abdullah Mohammed al-Muzannar, 19.

Additionally, 9 civilians, including 2 children and 3 women, were wounded.

Israeli media reported this morning that the Israeli military was investigating the possibility that the al-Dalu family home was attacked due to false identification of the its inhabitants. It added that the attack had been intended to target a member of the Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas). Under international humanitarian law, Israeli forces are obliged to abide by the principles of discrimination and proportionality, and must only carry out attacks which fulfil the requirement of military necessity. It is clear that Israeli forces did not abide by these principles in carrying out this attack.

PCHR strongly condemns this crime, which constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, and calls upon the international community to immediately act to stop crimes committed by Israeli forces. PCHR further renews the call to the High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligation under Article 1 of the Convention to ensure that it is respected at all times, and their responsibilities under Article 146 to pursue perpetrators of serious violations of the Convention, which are determined in Article 147, which lists violations of the Convention amounting to war crimes.

Public Document

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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893

PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org, Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org

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