Since 12 May 2021, Al-Haq has documented widespread and systematic attacks on the Palestinian civilian population, and in particular Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF) have escalated attacks in the Gaza Strip. As of Sunday 16 May 2021, the Palestinian Ministry of Health has reported 164 killed, including 47 children and 1,050 wounded in Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip.^[1]

This report covers the period from 12-13 May and is non exhaustive. From the beginning of hostilities and Thursday 13 May 2021, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip documented the killing of 109 Palestinians, including 15 women and 28 children, and the injury of 621 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Al-Haq documentation from 12-13 May highlighted a number of separate IOF aerial bombardments across the Gaza Strip, with unnecessary, excessive and disproportionately high civilian casualties and the targeting of residential and commercial buildings. Throughout this two-day period, Al-Haq documented the killing of 31Palestinians including, 4 children, the youngest of whom was 11.

1. Killings and Injuries of Civilians 

12 May 2021: 12 Civilians Killed in a Series of Indiscriminate Bombings 

On 12 May, at 1:00 pm, while he was attending the funeral of Sameh Al-Mamlouk, Hamza Mahmoud Yassin Ali, 12, was hit by an Israeli reconnaissance plane targeting a motorcycle, near the Shijaiya cemetery, on Beltagy Street, east of Shajaiya, east of Gaza City. The missile wounded a number of civilians, including Hamza Mahmoud Yassin Ali. He was transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza City, and succumbed to his shrapnel wounds, most of them concentrated in his abdomen, his feet, and hands, on 12 May. 

On 12 May 2021, Israeli warplanes targeted a civilian car of the Peugeot brand, distributing gas pipelines to households, as it was passing near Al-Awda bakery, in Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Yunis. Majed Abd Rabbo Mahmoud Abu Saada, 38, and Mahmoud Ahmad Abu Amer, 37, were declared dead upon their arrival at Nasser Medical Hospital. A child, Muhannad Tayseer Abu Alyan, 15, wounded with shrapnel and burns, is in critical condition.

Around 2:20 pm, IOF warplanes bombed a civilian car at Al-Sha’f, east of Gaza City, killing Izz al-Din Muhammad Abdullah Helles, 28, and injuring his brother, Izz al-Din Muhammad Abdullah Helles. Some minutes later, Israeli warplanes bombed a five-story building belonging to Mahmoud Arafa, Al-Amal neighborhood, west of Khan Yunis. Two civilians were killed in the attack including Miami Abdullah Musa Arafa, 49, and Hadeeel Khaled Mahmoud Arafa, 28. Another 3 civilians were wounded by the scattering of rubble and shrapnel: Mahmoud Al-Khawalda, 48, Nagham Al-Khawalda, 16, and Mahmoud Arafa. 

At approximately 4:20 pm on 12 May 2021, Hammad Ayyad Mansour al-Dabbari, 86, arrived at Abu Yusef al-Najjar Hospital, fatally wounded by shrapnel lodged in his head, as he was inside his house, next to Al-Sabreen Mosque. The circumstances of the incident are still being investigated, but coincided with the firing and interception of homemade Palestinian rockets from the Israeli Iron Dome system, and the firing of Israeli artillery shells. 

At Al-Fokhari, southeast of Khan Yunis, on 12 May 2021 at around 5:30 pm, Israeli warplanes launched a missile near the Tamraz station, causing injuries to 2 civilians, including a child now in a critical condition. The two deceased children were Ammar Tayseer Ayesh al-Amor, 11 and Hamada Atiyyah Abed al-Amor, 13. 

On 12 May 2021, at 7:25 pm, Israeli warplanes targeted a gathering of civilians, waiting for the sunset prayer in front of Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed Abu Al-Sakran’s home, Nazaz Street, east of Shejaiya neighborhood, east of Gaza City. The missile severely injured a child, Abd Hisham Ahmed Abu Sakran, 13, and killed two civilians, Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed Abu Sakran, 65, and Nahed Jaber Abu Sakran, 24.  

At 9:10 pm, an Israeli unmanned plane launched two missiles on the shawerma shop Al-Ajlah, and the house of Bashir Barakat and Munir Baraket, on Salah El-Din Street, Shaafout area, Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, east of Gaza City, causing damage. A child, Yahya Mazen Shehadeh Khaida, 13, was killed.  

• 13 May 2021 (until 12:00 pm): Intensive Bombing of a Residential Building, Killing 2 and Injuring 33  

On 13 May 2021, at 1:10 am, Israeli warplanes launched no less than 20 rockets on houses inhabited by 15 families, comprising 85 people, including, 28 women and 29 children, on Beit Lahia street, center of Beit Lahia City, North Gaza. In total, 9 houses were completely destroyed, including rental houses, commercial companies, the office of Faten Credit Corporation, a law firm, an educational center, and shops. The street, water lines, sewage lines, electricity and communications networks were destroyed. A number of neighboring houses, including 6 residential buildings were severely damaged. 33 civilians were injured, including 8 women and 10 children. Two civilians are killed, Abd al-Rahim Muhammad Abdullah al-Madhoun, 62, and Halima Ali Muhammad al-Madhoun, 65, and 7 civilians were reported missing. 

2. Targeting of Palestinian Resistance Factions 

On 12 May 2021, around 1:50 pm, IOF warplanes launched two missiles, causing damage to the Beit Lahia military site, north of Beit Lahia, north Gaza. Israeli warplanes launched missiles on Palestinian resistance fighters while they were in a resistance tunnel. Forensic doctors announced 14 casualties, and stated that most of them died by suffocation and inhalation of toxic gases: 

• Basem Subhi Shaaban Issa, 56
• Mujahid Majid Yousef Al-Hadidi, 29
• Awad Nabil Muhammad Abu Salmiya, 34
• Jamal Muhammad Saeed Al-Zibdeh, 65
• Osama Jamal Saeed Al-Zebdeh, 39
• Jumah Abdullah Muhammad Al-Talha, 59
• Sami Saeed Muhammad Radwan, 40
• Mustafa Muhammad Suleiman Farhat, 26
• Muhammad Sa’id Muhammad Abu Al-Ata, 32
• Zafer Al-Shawa, 39
• Akram Mohammed Abdel-Al Al-Attar, 36 
• Mahmoud Muhammad Jamil Fares, 37
• Nidal Habib Ismail Hana, 36
• Hazem Mesbah Ibrahim Al-Khatib, 41

On 12 May 2021, at around 6:30 pm, Israeli warplanes targeted members of the Al-Quds Brigades in Nuseirat Camp, Central Governorate, injuring 2 and killing 4: 

• Hamza Ibrahim Al-Hor, 25 
• Muhammad Abd al-Moneim Ibrahim Shaheen, 27
• Muhammad Mu’in Muhammad al-Qarah, 26 
• Ahmed Walid Hussein al-Tala’a, 30

On 12 May 2021, other occurrences of Israeli occupying forces targeting site of the Palestinian resistance were reported, without causing any injuries, in southwest of Khan Yunis and in the Al-Farahin neighborhood, Abasan Al-Kabirah, east of Khan Yunis. The bombing continued on 13 May 2021 when Israeli warplanes launched missiles on the sites of resistance factions, with no injuries reported, in Beit Lahia, north Gaza, and Nuseirat Camp, central governorate. 

On 13 May 2021, at 9:00 am, Israeli warplanes targeted a group of Palestinian resistance members in the Abu Taima neighborhood, Abasan, east of Khan Yunis, causing two injuries. 

3. Targeting of Residential, Commercial and Governmental Buildings, Causing Many Injuries

Between 11-13 May 2021, Israeli warplanes targeted a number of commercial and industrial sites, completely or partially destroying the units, and causing severe damages on vital infrastructures, with no injuries reported, including: factories in the Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood, west of Gaza City, the Galilee Ice Cream Factory located Street 10 near Kuwait Junction, southeast of Gaza City, Street 8 in front of the Alaeddin petroleum station in Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood west of Gaza City, Saraya Junction in Gaza City causing extensive damage to Omar Al-Mukhtar Street, and the Mazen Faqha soccer stadium. 

On 12 May 2021, at around 12:45 pm, IOF warplanes launched two missiles at Spike Salon in Tal Al-Zaatar neighborhood, Jabalia, North Gaza, moderately injuring 4 civilians, including 2 children. At around 6:30 pm, IOF warplanes bombed and completely the 14-story Al-Shrouk Tower, containing dozens of offices, clinics, private companies, press and media institutions. The bombing caused the road blockade of one of the main streets in Gaza City, Omar Al-Mukhtar Street. 

On 12 May 2021, at 10:50 pm, IOF warplanes destroyed the Islamic National Bank, a two-story building, located at the entrance of Al-Bureij camp, Central Governorate, causing damage to a number of neighboring houses, and injuring 3 civilians. On 13 May 2021, at 6:40 am, the Islamic National Bank was destroyed, Haydar Al-Agha Tower, near the Abu Hamid roundabout, Khan Yunis. About an hour later, the Islamic National Bank, located in the Doha building, Omar Bin Al-Khattab Street, Rafah, was bombed by an Israeli drone. 10 minutes later, an Israeli warplane launched a missile, leading to several material damage and moderate damage of a number of offices and nearby institutions. 

On 13 May 2021, at 8:45 am, Israeli warplanes completely destroyed the Al-Walid building, consisting of 7 floors and containing 17 units, including a number of offices, companies, shops and flats. The bombing severely damaged a number of houses, shops and neighboring buildings.

In addition, on 10-13 May 2021, Al-Haq reported at least 13 occurrences when Israeli airplanes launched missiles on a number of residential units, with no injuries reported. In most attacks, one of the victims reported having received a call from the Israeli intelligence services asking to evacuate the building. In particular:

• On 12 May 2021, at 12:30 pm, Israeli warplanes launched two missiles on the building of Majed Hamed Bakir Al-Yazji, 63, Al-Nafq Street near Al-Tawalbeh Mosque, Al-Manara neighborhood, east of Gaza City. The building was completely destroyed, consisting of 3 floors where 4 families live, including 9 children and 4 women. A number of neighboring houses were damaged. Majed Hamed Bakir Al-Yazji received a call from the Israeli intelligence services half an hour before the house was destroyed, to order him to immediately evacuate the house and a number of neighbouring houses. 

• On 12 May 2021, at around 4:00 pm, IOF warplanes launched 6 missiles at the Western Waqi Building, Mukhabarat Street, northwest of Gaza City. The building was completely destroyed, consisting of 5 floors containing 10 apartments. A number of nearby homes and shops, as well as the Layalina wedding hall were severely damaged. The Israeli intelligence services called one of the residents, Ibrahim Talal Sabih, 44, to demand immediate evacuation.

• On 12 May 2021, at 11:30 pm, Israeli warplanes destroyed Khaled Ahmed Yasser al-Nimrouti’s building, located behind the old Al-Suwaidi clinic, Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, north of Gaza City. His neighbor, Anwar Farinah, 45, was called and ordered by the Israeli intelligence to evacuate the houses and to inform the Al-Nimrouti family to evacuate their house. The bombing caused severe damage to a number of neighboring houses. No injuries were reported. 

• On 13 May 2021, at 9:50 am, an Israeli drone fired one missile at the house of Wael Muhammad Khalil Abdeen, at Al-Nasr, inhabited by 1 family of 7 members. After 10 minutes, an Israeli warplane fired a missile, completely destroying and causing partial damage to a number of neighboring houses. Omar Abdeen received a call prior to the bombing telling him to inform the residents to vacate their homes on the site. No injuries were reported. 

On 13 May 2021, at midnight, Israeli warplanes targeted the internal security headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior in Gaza, located in the Sheikh Zayed area. The missiles completely destroyed the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior, damaged the headquarters of the Ministry of Education, the Social Affairs Building, the Sharia Court, and the Al-Quds Open University building. One hour and a half later, Israeli warplanes launched three missiles on the headquarters of the Internal Security Agency of the Ministry of the Interior. Twenty minutes later, at approximately 1:50 am, the warplanes returned and launched another 2 missiles, completely destroying the headquarters.  At dawn, the Israeli warplanes launched three missiles on the headquarters of the Internal Security Agency, located in the passport’s office, center of Gaza City. 

Between 12-13 May 2021, Al-Haq documented 13 attacks of Israeli gunboats targeting the Gaza shores of the Sudania area, west of Jabalia, north Gaza. At least 41 missiles were shot and no injuries were reported. 

Between 11-13 May 2021, Al-Haq documented 28 attacks of Israeli warplanes on open grounds or agricultural landsthroughout the Gaza Strip, with no injuries reported. Two civilians, including a child, were moderately wounded, as an Israeli bombed an empty land in the Bir al-Naja neighborhood, west of Jabalia, north Gaza, at around 11:37 pm, on 12 May 2021. 

Conclusion

In the conduct of hostilities, Israel, the Occupying Power, must abide by its obligations as per international humanitarian law. Israel’s indiscriminate and systematic targeting of civilian residential and commercial structures breaches the customary principle of distinction enshrined in Article 48 of the First Protocol to the Geneva Conventions. It further violates the prohibition of indiscriminate attacks “which may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated” as per Article 51(5)(b) of the First Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, also considered as customary law.   

Al-Haq urges the UN Security Council holding an open session today, Sunday 16 May 2021, to firmly condemn Israel’s blatant violations of international humanitarian law in the Gaza Strip, and to promptly halt Israel’s indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.