The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) strongly condemns the latest Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, in which Israeli tanks backed by air force helicopters gunship fired five missiles into a sports field at the east of the city in Gaza, killing 15 Palestinians and wounding 40 five of whom are in critical condition.

The strike came minutes after midnight and had targeted what Israeli officials claim is a training camp used by Hamas militants. Hamas disputed this claim explaining that the sport field was used for a summer youth camp and that most of the people killed and wounded are civilian residents of the Gaza neighborhood. Witnesses report that the missile attack came as residents heard helicopters hovering overhead, the attacks left hundreds of body parts scattered across the football field.

Of the 14 Palestinian youth killed in cold blood 13 have been identified: 21-year-old Mohammad Jundiyeh, Aaref Jundiyeh and Omar Mhaisin, 22-year-old Adham Kuryaka’ and Bilal Kuyaka’, 23-year-old Ihab AlDeeb, Hassan Abeed, Ahmad AlShafi, 25-year-old Said Owda, 26-year-old Sami Hijazi as well as Mohammad Kanoo’ and Faris AlSarawi.

The PNA has strongly condemned this attack on Palestinian sports fields and summer camp, calling for international intervention to protect Palestinian captives living under Israeli occupation in Gaza and the West Bank (including east Jerusalem). Hamas has vowed revenge for this attack threatening that the “enemy will pay for its crimes with a heavy price of blood and bodies of Zionists.”

MIFTAH deplores this disgusting and cowardly attack against helpless Palestinian captives. We call on the middle east ‘Quartet’ in general and the US in particular to stop acting as an accomplice through turning a blind eye, but to hold Israel accountable for its crimes and violations of international law, conventions and agreements.

MIFTAH calls upon the international community, specifically the representatives of the foreign governments in Israel and the Palestinian Authority, to intervene, address and stop such Israeli assaults against the Palestinian people. We urge the international community to adopt a clear position against injustice and to put an end to Israel’s illegal and immoral occupation of the Palestinian territories.