Israel Kills Seven, Mostly Civilian Teenagers, in Gaza Invasion

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At approximately 4am 11 April 2008, a special unit of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) penetrated on foot into the Gaza Strip. The force mobilized at the Gaza border and moved one kilometer into northeastern al-Bureij refugee camp, where it broke into a number of houses and took positions atop them. This force was backed by many tanks, military vehicles, and drones. IOF tanks opened fire indiscriminately in the area and bulldozed fields planted with olive trees. At approximately 1pm, IOF opened fire at a group of children, who are residents of the nearby area. As a result, 13-year-old Riyad Sherif al-Owais was killed and five other children were injured. In all, seven people were killed in this incursion.

At approximately 2:20pm later that day, IOF fired an artillery shell at a group of children and teenagers who gathered to watch the incursion. As a result, four of them were killed immediately and were identified as:

• 18-year-old Shihab Mohammad Ahmad Abu Zubeida of al-Bureij refugee camp;
• 19-year-old Jihad Mohammad Salem Abu Zubeida of al-Bureij refugee camp;
• 18-year-old Yousif Ali al-Maghari of al-Bureij refugee camp; and,
• 18-year-old Abdul-Raziq Atta Nofal of al-Nuseirat refugee camp.

Three others were injured and one, 15-year-old Yousif Sarhan, sustained serious injury. He was transferred to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City for treatment, where medical sources later pronounced his death. He was from al-Bureij refugee camp.

IOF continued to fire at crowds, causing injury to 31 people including 15 children. The injured were transferred to al-Shadha'a al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah for treatment. Due to the seriousness of their wounds, eight of those injured were transferred to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

Later that day, at approximately 8pm, an IOF warplane fired one missile at a group of armed resistance members. As a result, 28-year-old Munzir Abu Howeshl, from al-Nuseriat refugee camp, was killed.

At approximately 10:30am on 12 April 2008, IOF began to withdraw and pulled out completely by 2pm that afternoon.

Al Mezan documented that IOF bulldozed 50 dunams of olive trees and one water well. The forces destroyed three homes and one private vehicle. In what appears to be random, indiscriminate detention of civilians, IOF arrested 17 Palestinians during the incursion. They were interrogated and all but one were released later that day. This represents a standard policy practiced by IOF that humiliates and encroaches upon the dignity of Gazans.