The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of a Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) condemns in the strongest possible terms the sickening attack by Israeli forces on Palestinian mourners, peacefully marching in Rafah. MIFTAH is further alarmed by the continued attacks and raids throughout the occupied territories that have claimed the lives of scores of Palestinians, the vast majority of whom were civilians.

Despite International condemnation and calls for a military pullout from Palestinian neighborhoods, the Israeli army continued with its relentless attack adding 14 more Palestinians to the death toll, leaving a total of 34 Palestinians dead over the past 12 hours. 42 Palestinians, many of them women and children, were killed over the past three days in Rafah alone.

UN Security Council Resolution 1544 was adopted by a vote of 14 – 0, with the US abstaining, calling on Israel to stop the demolition of Palestinian homes and condemning the killing of Palestinian civilians near the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip.

The resolution stated the following five points:

"1. Calls on Israel to respect its obligations under international humanitarian law, and insists, in particular, on its obligation not to undertake demolition of homes contrary to that law; 2. Expresses grave concern regarding the humanitarian situation of Palestinians made homeless in the Rafah area and calls for the provision of emergency assistance to them; 3. Calls for the cessation of violence and for respect of and adherence to legal obligations, including those under international humanitarian law; 4. Calls on both parties to immediately implement their obligations under the Road Map; 5. Decides to remain seized of the matter."

The Israeli army started its raid against Rafah and its refugee camps in the southern tip of Gaza on Tuesday. Continuing their ruthless offensive and disregard for innocent, Israeli forces used excessive force (using gunships, missiles and tank shells) against a peaceful march in Rafah on Wednesday, killing 20 Palestinians, including eight identified children.

Overnight another missile was fired at the Rafah refugee camp, killing five residents, two of whom are yet to be identified. A 3-year-old baby boy, Samir Alaraj, died of shock as the missile struck a neighboring home in Rafah’s refugee camp.

Thursday morning, Israeli forces carried out another missile attack against the Brazil residential area killing six more Palestinians in the southern Gaza neighborhood. Another 33-year-old Palestinian man was shot and killed late Wednesday night in the West Bank city of Tulkarem. Israeli troops also shot and killed a 13-year-old boy in the old city of Hebron in the southern West Bank. In the past 12 hours, the Israeli army has killed nine identified children and a toddler.

MIFTAH calls upon the international community to intervene and stop such Israeli assaults against the Palestinian people. We urge the international community to back their statements by taking immediate action against injustice, to protect innocent lives and to put an end to Israel’s illegal and immoral occupation of the Palestinian territories.

Names and ages of the 34 killed in past 12 hours:

Rafah peaceful march massacre: 9-year-old Mobarak AlHashash, 12-year-old Naji Abu Qamar and Mohammad Mansoor, 13-year-old Sabir Abu Libdeh, 14-year-old Ahmad Abu AlSaid, 16-year-old Mohammad Abu Nasser, 18-year-old Rajab Namoor and Salim AlEid, 19-year-old Walid abu Qamar and Foad Alsaka, 20-year-old Mohammad Abu Sha’r and Osama Abu Nasser, 24-year-old Osama Abu Nasser and Said Joma’, 37-year-old Khaleel Abu Sa’d.

Overnight in Rafah: 24-year-old Khalid AlMaghari, 3-year-old Samir AlAraj, Jamal Atari and two unidentified badly burnt bodies.

Brazil Neighborhood missile strike: 18-year-old Hamid Bahlool, 22-year-old Yousif AlMaghari and Mahmood Deeb, 39-year-old Jamal AlAsar, Mahmoud Najib and one unidentified man.

Tulkarem: 33-year-old Hussein Hussein

Hebron: 13-year-old Islam Husseineh