(Field Report: 14 – 15 May 2021)[1]

Date: 18 May 2021

Throughout Friday 14 May 2021 and as Palestinians and the international community gathered to march and commemorate Nakba Day on 15 May 2021, and protest against Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and Palestinian citizens of Israel, Israel bombarded the Gaza Strip in a relentless unpunctuated bombing campaign. 

The Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF) intensified attacks on civilian properties, including high rise tower blocks, residential buildings, commercial properties, a traffic police station and the port of Deir Al-Balah. In addition Israel targeted cultural property including a mosque and cultural centre, and critical civilian infrastructure, including a desalination plant. Further, Israel destroyed vital agricultural lands, targeting and damaging the natural environment. The aggravated attacks resulted in the unnecessary and disproportionately high civilian casualties, with the Gaza Ministry of  Health reporting more than 139 Palestinians have been killed and 1,038 injured as of 15 May 2021 at 12:00 pm.

Friday 14 May 2021: Israel Escalates Indiscriminate Attacks on Civilian Homes Killing 20 Civiliasn, including one child, and Causing Serious Injuries to Others

Medics at Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City announced the death of Mahmoud Muhammad Ahmad Al-Madhoun, 30, at approximately 4:30 pm on Friday, 14 May 2021. Mahmoud who lives to the east of the Hala Al-Shawa clinic, in the Beit Lahia area in the northern Gaza Strip, died from his wounds sustained at about 1:00 pm on Wednesday 12 May 2021, after IOF warplanes bombed the agricultural land near his home with two missiles. He was hit by shrapnel in the left side of the head, while standing at the front door of his house.

At approximately 18:30 on Friday, 14 May 2021, IOF warplanes bombed the house of Shadi Abd Rabbo in Ezbet Abd Rabbo, east of Jabalia, North Gaza Governorate, wounding six civilians, including three women and two children. The house was completely destroyed. The injured were transferred to the Indonesian Hospital for treatment, where medical sources described the wounds of two of them as serious, and the wounds of the other four, as moderate.

At approximately 6:50 pm on Friday 14 May 2021, an Israeli drone fired a missile at the house of Ziyad Abdel Aziz Abu Shakra. After a few minutes, IOF warplanes fired a missile at the 360-square-meter house, destroying it. This resulted in damage to a number of neighbouring houses, wounding seven civilians, as a result of flying debris. Notably, that the bombing was preceded by about half an hour of contact by the Israeli army on a number of residents of the area, informing them of the evacuation of the residents of the house and the surrounding homes. The house is inhabited by a family of 7 seven including two women and three children.

On  Friday 14 May 2021, at around 8:00 pm, IOF warplanes bombed with two missiles, an apartment, located on the second floor from the southwestern side, of the Al Rabeeh Building, located behind Burj Al-Zafer in the center of Gaza City. The building consists of six floors containing 27 apartments, and is built on an area of ​​800 square meters. The bombing resulted in the complete destruction of three apartments and collateral damage to  neighbouring houses. Two children were killed in the attack, Abdullah Ashraf Abdullah Judeh, 12, and Adam Muhammad Ali al-Farawi, 1.

At approximately 8:10 pm on Friday 14 May 2021, IOF aircraft launched an Israeli "drone" missile, at a group civilians in the town of Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Yunis, which resulted in the killing of of Walid Zuhair Muhammad Abu Shab, 23 from the town of Bani Suhaila, and the wounding of another. 

At approximately 8:20 pm on Friday 14 May 2021, rescue crews of the Civil Defense Service and medical teams recovered the bodies of Ahmad “Muhammad al-Mahdi” Ismail al-Nadr, 32 and Ahmad Awad Muhammad al-Nadr, 36. Both were residents of Jabalia Al-Balad, on Jaffa Street in Jabalia town in the northern Gaza governorate. They were taken to the Indonesian Hospital in the North Gaza Governorate, which the IOF had earlier bombed with one missile at about 10:05 am on the same morning.

At approximately 8:35 pm on Friday 14 May 2021, an Israeli drone fired a missile at the house of the Abu Shahla family, and after several minutes, IOF warplanes fired a missile at the house destroying it completely, further causing damage to a number of neighbouring houses. Two civilians were wounded by the rubble.

The shrapnel of a missile fell, at approximately 9:15 pm on Friday 14 May 2021, on the house of the sons of Issa Obaid on Al-Nuzha Street in Jabalia Al-Balad in the North Gaza Governorate. Buthaina Mahmoud Issa Obaid, 6, a chid with disabilities and suffering from brain atrophy, died when shrapnel hit her in the right side of the head, while she was in front of her house.

On Friday 14 May 2021, at approximately 9:30 pm, IOF warplanes bombed with two missiles a house in the Bureij camp in the central governorate, owned by Mohammed Qatamesh. His family of six including four children, live in the two-storey house with an area of ​​180 meters. The bombing resulted in the destruction of the house and the injury of three civilians, including a girl from the area. Medical sources described their wounds as minor. Partial damage was caused to the civilian homes and properties.

At approximately 23:50, IOF warplanes bombed with about 15 missiles, the Abd al-Raziq Qalibo mosque, located in Tal Qlebo, east of Beit Lahia, North Gaza Governorate, bringing about  its complete destruction. About 5 minutes later, the neighbouring house, of Hatem Al-Mansi, which borders the mosque from the southern side, was about to be targeted and neighbours ran to evacuate the residents. As they tried to leave the house, an Israeli reconnaissance plane targeted them inside the Al-Mansi’s garden, killing: 

• Ahmed Hatem Mahmoud al-Mansi, 34, and his brother 
• Yusef al-Mansi, 22
• Ahmed Muhammad Abdel Aziz Sabah, 28  

In addition, five civilians, including a woman, were injured, with the injuries of one being described as extremely serious, while the remaining injured were described as in a moderate to minor condition.

Throughout Friday 14 May 2021, Israel continued to target and attack residential homes throughout the Gaza Strip. The following attacks led to the destruction of family homes. There were no injuries reported in the following cases:

At approximately 12:10 on Friday 14 May 2021, an Israeli drone fired a missile at the house of Omar Jihad Ahmad Al-Astal, 26, in the Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area in Khan Yunis. After a few minutes, Israeli warplanes fired four more missiles at the ground-floor of the house in which a family of three lives, destroying it completely, and damaging a neighbouring house. No injuries were reported.

Three missiles fired by IOF warplanes bombed the house of Muhammad Mustafa Zarandah's sons, which consisted of four towers, at 1:05 pm on Friday, 14 May 2021. The house located in the Bir al-Naja area, west of Jabalia, North Gaza Governorate, was completely destroyed. There were no injuries reported. 

On Friday 14 May 2021, at approximately 14:30 pm, Israeli warplanes bombed a one story house in Al-Bureij camp in the Central Governorate, owned by Mahmoud Abdel-Hadi. The house covered an area of ​​about 200 meters, and was home to three families, of 16 individuals, including five children and two women. The house was severely damaged and number of neighbouring houses were partially damaged. No injuries were reported.

At approximately 3:30 pm on Friday 14 May 2021, Israeli drones bombed the house of Suhail Abdul-Jabbar Al-Qatati, in the Brahma neighborhood, west of Rafah. The house consists of one floor, is an area comprising 160 square meters, and is inhabited by eight members of one family. After about 5 minutes, an Israeli warplane bombed the house with a war missile, completely destroying it, destroying a car that was under the house, and partially damaging a number of neighboring houses. No casualties were reported. 

At around 4:30 pm on Friday 14 May 2021, an Israeli drone fired a missile at the house of Mazen Shabir, west of the Islamic Complex in Khan Yunis. After a few minutes, an Israeli warplane launched a missile at land adjacent to the house, causing a hole in the site and damage to a number of neighbouring houses. No injuries were reported.

At around, 18:20 pm, on Friday 14 May 2021, IOF artillery fired, several intensive and violent artillery shells in the east of the Central Governorate, and four artillery shells towards the house of Marwan Muhammad Abu Muhareb, 51 from east of Wadi al-Salqa village, East of Deir al-Balah. The house is about 500 meters away from the separation fence, consists of three floors and has an area of ​​140 square meters. It is inhabited by three families of 25 people, including 7 children and 5 women. The bombing resulted in partial albeit severe damage to the third floor of the house. No injuries were reported.

The IOF, at approximately 7:00 pm on Friday 14 May 2021, fired several shells in the east of the Central Governorate, with one artillery shell falling on the house of Naim Saeed Al-Louh, 43, east of Deir Al-Balah in the Central Governorate. The two-story building covers an area of ​​130 meters, and is inhabited by nine people, including a woman and seven children. The artillery shelling resulted in partial damage to the house. No injuries were reported. 

15 May 2021: Nakba Day Continues with Destruction of Residential Buildings and the Killing of 18 Civilians, including Five Members of the Hatab Family and Four Members of the Al-Hadidi Family

At approximately 12:15 am on Saturday, 5 May 2021, Israeli warplanes bombed a house in Al-Bureij camp in the central governorate, belonging to Abdul Karim Issa, consisting of three floors, covering an area of ​​300 square meters. The house was home to six families, consisting of 30 individuals. The bombing resulted in the destruction of the house and the injury of one of the neighbourhood  residents. Medical sources described his injuries as moderate. Partial damage was caused to a number of neighbouring houses.

The following morning at 1:00 am on Saturday 15 May 2021, IOF warplanes bombed the house of Abdul Shafi Khamis Al-Shobaki, 62, located near the Al-Sahaba compound in the Al-Sahaba neighbourhood in Gaza City, consisting of four floors, and containing eight apartments. The shelling caused severe damage to the house and the two neighbouring houses. One of the adjacent houses is the home of Abdul Karim Kamel Rashad Al-Qassas, 60 and it consists of four floors, in which there are five apartments, wherein five families live, including 12 children and six women. Another house is that of Wajih Ramadan Musa Al-Mutrabai'I, 55, which consists of four floors, housing eight apartments, in which four families reside, including eight children, and six women.

At approximately 1:30 am, on Saturday 15 May 2021, IOF warplanes bombed for one hour, the house of Alaa Muhammad Abu Hatab, located next to the Al-Sousi Mosque in Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City. No prior warning was issued before the IOF attack on the three story residential building. The bombing killed nine civilians, all women and children, including the wife of the targeted homeowner, Alaa Abu Hatab and their four children:

• Yasmine Muhammad Khamis Abu, Hatab, 30, 
• Yusef Alaa Muhammad Abu Hatab, 10 
• Bilal Alaa Muhammad Abu Hatab, 9 
• Maryam Alaa Abu Hatab, 7 
• Yamen Alaa Abu Hatab, 5

Alaa Abu Hatab’s sister and her children was also killed in the bombing:

• Maha Muhammad Abd Al-Aal Abu Hatab "Al-Hadidi", 34 
• Suhaib Muhammad Subhi al-Hadidi, 12  
• Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Subhi al-Hadidi, 7 
•  Usama Muhammad Subhi al-Hadidi, 5  

The bombing caused severe damage to the adjacent houses. It is reported that the medical teams and rescuers in the civil defense are still searching for missing people under the rubble.

At around 04:00 am on Saturday, 15 May 2021, IOF warplanes bombed with at least one missile from a reconnaissance plane, the house of citizen Hassan Ahmed Khaled Al-Maqadma, then bombed again about half an hour later with four missiles from the warplanes. Located in Al-Bureij Block 7 camp in the central governorate, the property consists of three floors and covers an area of ​​140 square meters. The building was inhabited by three families consisting of 15 individuals.  Partial damage was caused to the homes and properties of citizens.

Some hours later at 6:00 am on 15 May 2021, the IOF launched five missiles, targeting the Al-Rawda Tower, located in the Tal Al-Hawa neighborhood, west of Gaza City, which consists of five floors. The Al-Rawda Tower houses 20 apartments, including three apartments on the northwestern side, the first, second and third floors which were completely destroyed. There was also severe damage caused to Al Saada Towers.

At approximately 11:15 am on Saturday 15 May 2021, IOF warplanes bombed the house of Jamil Hassan Abu Zaid, in the Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah. After about 10 minutes, Israeli warplanes bombed the house with a war missile, which consists of two floors and is located on an area of ​​170 meters, and where three families numbering 13 people live. The bombing led to severe damage to the house and the destruction of three shops below the house, and partial damage to neighbouring  homes.

On 15 May 2021, at around 11:20 am an Israeli drone fired a missile at the house of Tayseer Al-Mubasher in the Emirati neighborhood, west of Khan Yunis. Ten minutes later, Israeli warplanes lined the house with a missile and destroyed it completely.

At approximately 1:00 pm on Saturday 15 May 2021, the Israeli occupation warplanes targeted "drones" with a missile, killing  Zaher Attia Muhammad Anbar, 38, a resident of Nuseirat camp, while he was riding a motorcycle east of Maghazi camp in the central governorate. He was transferred to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah.

Half an hour later at 1:30 pm, Israeli warplanes bombed Souq al-Jumah Street, located in the Al-Sajaiya neighborhood, east of Gaza City, killing two citizens, including a child, namely Muhammad Ahmad Attiya Bahar, 17 and Saif Al-Din Hani Muhammad Abu Al-Ata, 18.

At approximately 5:15 pm on Saturday, May 15, 2021, IOF warplanes bombed, with about five missiles, the Nour al-Din building located on Shifa Street in Gaza City, owned by the Hussam Fouad Nour al-Din. The building covers an area of approximately 280 square meters, has been completely destroyed, with severe damage to neighbouring houses.

On Saturday, May 15, 2021, at approximately 6:50 pm, Israeli warplanes bombed a dark blue Flux vehicle and killing Saeed Khaled Saeed Abu Ghalyoun, 26 as he stood near the Al-Shorouk hall in Gaza City.

At approximately 7:00 pm, Israeli warplanes bombed, with three missiles, the eighth and ninth floors of the northwest and southwestern sides of the Cairo Tower, "Mushtaha", which is located on the Arab League Street, south of Gaza City. It is a multi-storey inhabited tower consisting of 14 floors, and it contains 48 apartments. The bombing completely destroyed the two targeted apartments, and caused varying damage to residential houses and neighbouring apartments.

On the evening of Saturday, 15 May, Israeli warplanes bombed and completely destroyed the house of Khaled Al-Manamah, located near the Abu Shanab Mosque, at the end of Al-Quds Open University Street, west of Gaza City.

At approximately 10:15 on Saturday, 15 May 2021, an Israeli drone missile bombed the house of Ramzi Abu Daqqa in the large town of Abasan, east of Khan Yunis. After several minutes, Israeli warplanes bombed the house with two missiles, completely destroying it. The house consists of 4 floors inhabited by two families, consisting of 11 individuals, including four children and three women.

Israeli warplanes bombed the house of Odeh Salman Suleiman Abu Suhaiban with two missiles, at around 11:40 pm. It is located on Al-Galaa Street (near the Abdel Aal Junction) in the center of Gaza City. No injuries were reported. The residents house were notified to evacuate.

Israeli warplanes bombed six missiles, the second, third and fourth floors of the Andalus Tower located opposite the "Hanadi" tower near the fishermen port, west of Gaza City, at approximately 11:50 pm on Saturday. The bombing caused the complete destruction of the entire 45 targeted residential apartments, and the bombing caused varying damage to the neighbouring houses and apartments.

Targeted Attacks on Commercial Properties

Medical sources at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza announced, at approximately 9:00 pm on Saturday May 15, 2021, the death of the civilian Ahmed Iyad Ahmed Fattouh, 22, who succumbed to his wounds sustained during the bombing by Israeli warplanes of a car wash, located near the entrance to the town of Zawaida in the central governorate, at approximately 10:40 pm on Thursday 13 May 2021. Ahmad was injured while he was in his house adjacent to the site of the bombing.  He was transferred to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, and his wounds were described as serious. He was transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, and admitted to the intensive care unit until his death was announced.

At approximately 12:00 noon on Saturday, 15 May 2021, Israeli warplanes bombed the Al-Riachi batteries store, located opposite the Salah El-Din Mosque, where it was completely destroyed.

Israeli warplanes bombed six missiles, at approximately 3:15 pm on Saturday 15 May 2021, targeting the Al-Galaa Tower located on Al-Jalaa Street next to the Watan Tower in the center of Gaza City, consisting of 12 floors, including 6 floors containing residential apartments, and 6 floors containing commercial offices. The bombing caused the complete destruction of the tower, and severely damaged homes and neighbouring commercial buildings in the vicinity of the tower.

At approximately 5:30 pm on Saturday, 15 May 2021, Israeli artillery stationed inside the border fence fired dozens of shells east of Khan Yunis. Two shells fell on the roof of the cultural center of the municipality of Khuza'a in the town, east of Khan Yunis, causing partial damage to it.

On Saturday, 15 May 2021 at 10:20 pm, Israeli warplanes bombed with two missiles, one of them from a reconnaissance plane that targeted the headquarters of the Islamic National Bank located at the bottom of the Kazem Abu Shaaban building in Al-Rimal neighborhood in the center of Gaza City. The building consisted of eight floors. The bank was completely destroyed, and the building severely damaged.

Critical Civilian Infrastructure 

At approximately 5:30 pm on Saturday 15 May 2021, Israeli warplanes bombed, with two missiles, and completely destroyed a desalination plant, located in the vicinity of the Fayrouz Towers, and owned by the Abu Wazfa family.

Occupation forces fired dozens of artillery shells in several areas along the border fence, and IOF gunboats fired several shells towards the coast west of Khan Yunis. Reconnaissance aircraft "drones" bombed the traffic police station in Deir Al-Balah, and bombed a boat with a missile in the port of Deir Al-Balah and bombed with another missile, the port of Rafah. 

Israeli Attacks from the Sea, and Targeted Attacks on Agricultural Lands

Between 14-15 May 2021, Al-Haq documented four attacks of Israeli gunboats, Gaza shores of the Sudania area, west of Jabalia, north Gaza. At least 27 missiles were shot. No injuries were reported.

Between 14-15 May 2021, Al-Haq documented 15 attacks of Israeli warplanes on open grounds or agricultural lands throughout the Gaza Strip, including the Al-Tawam, Al-Sultin, Al-Fakhoura and Bir al-Naja neighbourhoods of west of Jabalia, the Sheikh Zeyed and Al-Atatra neighbourhoods in Beit Lahia, land near the Nada Towers and lands in the east of Beit Hanoun. No injuries were reported. 

At approximately 11:50 pm on Saturday, May 15, 2021, the artillery of the Israeli occupation forces fired at least one shell on an open ground east of Al-Maghazi Camp in the Central Governorate, wounding the a child with special needs, Zeina Shady Al-Saftawi, as she fell and hit the ground.

During the fifth day of the Israeli aggression, the IOF bombed 5 sites of the Palestinian resistance:

At approximately 13:40 pm on Friday 14 May 2021, Israeli warplanes bombed the house of the leader of the Al-Qassam Brigades, Marwan Abdul Karim Issa in Al-Bureij camp in the central governorate, which is made up of two floors and has an area of ​​300 square meters. Home to a family of 10 members, including one woman and eight children, the bombing completely destroyed the house, partially damaged a number of neighbouring houses. A local resident was injured, and medical sources have described his wounds as moderate.

At approximately 1:40 pm on Friday, 14 May 2021, IOF warplanes bombed the house of the commander of the Qassam Brigades, Ayman Nofal, located in Block 3 of the Bureij camp in the central governorate. The house was comprised of two floors, was completely destroyed, killing Mahmoud Muhammad Ismail Al-Khalidi, 28, who happened to be in the house, and caused the injury of 10 other citizens, including two children and four women from the neighbouring houses. 

Israeli warplanes bombed a "drone" at approximately 2:00 p.m. on Friday 14 May 2021, with one missile targeting Musa Ghaleb Ibrahim Madi, 25, from the Palestinian resistance while he was riding a motorbike near the Al-Bilbisi roundabout in the Tannour neighborhood, east Rafah.  His body was transferred to Abu Yousef Al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah. 

The house of the Hamas leader, Khalil Al-Hayya, located at the end of Al-Sha`f Street, east of Gaza City, was targeted by three missiles, at around 5:00 pm on Saturday 15 May 2021.

At approximately 12:10 pm Saturday, IOF warplanes targeted a "drones" missile, at Muhammad Salem Yusef Ayesh, 34, a resident of Al-Maghazi camp and member of the Palestinian resistance, while he was in an open land east of Al-Bureij camp in the central governorate. His body was transferred to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah. 

At approximately 2:00 pm on Saturday, 15 May 2021, Israeli drones targeted a motorcycle with a missile in the town of Al-Qarara, north of Khan Yunis. A Palestinian resistance fighter was seriously wounded and transferred to the Nasser Medical Complex Hospital in Khan Yunis.

Israeli warplanes bombed with two missiles, one of them from a drone aircraft, the house of Ghazi Abu Tamaa, located in the city of Deir Al-Balah in the Central Governorate, at approximately 4:10 pm on Saturday, 15 May 2021. The shelling completely destroyed the house. The bombing did not result in any injuries, however a number of neighbouring houses were partially damaged. It’s owner is a leader in the Al-Qassam Brigades, and he and his family evacuated it before it was bombed.

Conclusion

The catalogue of attacks on civilians and civilian objects is prohibited as a violation of international humanitarian law. Noting that the Geneva Conventions criminalise as a grave breach wilful killing, and wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health and the “extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly”. It is therefore incumbent on third States to respect and ensure respect for the Conventions and fulfil their obligations to search for, arrest and prosecute perpetrators of Israeli war crimes, who are located in their territory, or who are nationals and may have dual citizenship of the Third State. There can be no impunity for international crimes of this magnitude. Both third States along with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, must commence immediate, effective and impartial investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including Israel’s architecture of apartheid, facilitating the settler colonisation and maintained by the current acts of aggression in the Gaza Strip and against the Palestinian people as a whole.