GENEVA- The Geneva Council for Rights and Liberties (GCRL) is following the latest developments in the Palestinian territories with great concern after the escalating Israeli violence in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, and led to the killing of 26 citizens, including 9 children, a woman and her son with disabilities, in addition to the injury of hundreds.
The Israeli occupation forces have escalated their attacks in occupied East Jerusalem during the past few days, including storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its chapels, firing gas and sound bombs towards worshipers, and attacking peaceful protesters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in the city, which reached its climax on Monday 10/5/2021 and resulted in the injury of more than 600 injuries, including 12 journalists and a number of paramedics, in one day.
The Israeli violence sparked a state of severe tension throughout the Palestinian territories, and Palestinian factions carried out missile strikes against Israeli towns. As a result, Israel announced the start of a large-scale military operation against the Gaza Strip, which is called the “Guardian of the Walls,” and since Monday evening, it launched dozens of warplanes bombing raids targeting safe residential homes, factories, civilian facilities, armed factions’ sites, and vacant lands, and it is still continuing to carry out these attacks.
At least 26 civilians were killed, including 9 children, one of them was killed with his father, a 10-year girl, and a woman with her son with disabilities, as well as the injury of 122 others, including children and women, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The Geneva Council for Rights and Liberties expresses its concern over Israel’s continuing aggression amid threats to expand the range of attacks and affirms that the indiscriminate bombing operations which are often carried out with the aim of collective retaliation constitute a violation of the Fourth Geneva Conventions. The Council urges the Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the general international community to move quickly to stop these attacks and ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians, and to open a fair investigation into these violations in order to ensure accountability and redress for the victims.
