On Monday, October 20th, the Israeli air force launched five air raids on Palestinian residential areas in the Gaza City area. The missile attacks were carried out by Israeli F-16 fighter jets and helicopter warships, killing 14 residents and wounding over 80 in what is known as the most densely populated area in the world.

The nighttime strike in the Nusseirat camp in central Gaza in which nine Palestinians were killed, including a 12-year-old child and 35-year-old doctor, and 75 people were wounded was the bloodiest attack since an April air raid on a Hamas leader in Gaza City killed nine people. The Israeli air force maximized the number of causalities by firing a missile and then waiting as Palestinian residents rushed to aid the injured before firing another missile into the gathered crowd.

The vast majority of those killed were civilians, prompting the National Infrastructure Minister Yosef Paritzky to say on Tuesday that Israel should apologize for the civilian casualties and compensate the victims. However, Sharon deemed the attacks a success and pledged more air raids.

The twelve hour blitz claimed the lives of three minors, Mohammad Barood, Hadi Ayyash and Jaber Owjo, and an elderly man, 65-year-old Ayoob IlMalik. Moreover, 35-year-old Marwan AlKhateeb, 30-year-old Khalid AlMasri, 24-year-old Iyad ElHilo, 35-year-old Dr. Zein AlAbedeen Shahen, 22-year-old Atiyeh Mo’niss, 25-year-old Mohammad AlMasri, 23-year-old AbedAlHaleem Tbaza and 40-year-old Ahmad Khaleefa all died from the air raids. Two Palestinians killed have yet to be identified. Scores of Palestinians were injured including many children, the youngest of which was reported to be only two-years-old.

Israel’s gradual massacre which has claimed the lives of over 30 Palestinians in Gaza alone over the past week must immediately cease. Israel’s so-called ‘self defense’ that takes place in the forms of attacks on Palestinian neighborhoods should be condemned as inexcusable.

We call on the international community to hold Israel responsible and accountable in accordance to international and humanitarian law. We emphasize the importance of sending international monitors to protect Palestinians from ruthless Israeli attacks. The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of a Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) condemns the Israeli escalations. We urge the world to apply the same standards to all international law violators through breaking the silence and speaking out against the occupation and human rights violations taking place on a daily basis in the occupied Palestinian territories.