PALESTINIAN premier Mohammad Shtayyeh yesterday pledged to file charges with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli leaders responsible for the Gaza onslaught.
This came as Shtayyeh praised international efforts, including the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement, that stopped the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
He said that as part of the onslaught that lasted for 11 days, Israel committed horrible crimes, including killings, intimidation and genocide, and that the Israeli bombardment completely destroyed over 20 families.
The Health Ministry said that at least 232 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, and 1,710 others were wounded, including 57 severe injuries, in the Israeli bombardment on the strip that started on the night of May 10.
It pointed out that 19 health facilities were targeted and damaged as a result of the relentless Israeli bombardment, including seven hospitals and 11 primary care clinics in addition to the central Covid-19 testing laboratory.
The heavy bombing resulted in electricity outages affecting health care functioning, and caused damage to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, including wastewater networks and the North Gaza Seawater Desalination Plant.
As a result of the Israeli bombardment, 230 buildings, comprising 991 housing and commercial units, have been destroyed and 678 housing units have been severely damaged and rendered uninhabitable. An additional 12,886 housing units have suffered minor damage.
- At least 15 Palestinians were injured on Friday afternoon when a contingent of the Israeli occupation police raided the courtyards of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem, according to a WAFA correspondent.
Witnesses inside the compound said that after Friday prayers many worshippers stayed at the premises to celebrate the ceasefire between Palestinian factions in Gaza and the Israeli occupation’s government, before an Israeli police force raided the courtyards and started firing rubber-coated rounds and teargas at the worshippers.
At least 15 worshippers were injured by rubber-coated rounds, while many others sustained suffocation from teargas or were beaten by the police.
The preacher of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, was physically assaulted by the attacking police officers. Other worshippers were also beaten.
All of the wounded were evacuated to hospitals for medical treatment.
- Dozens of Palestinians suffocated as Israeli forces on Friday afternoon quelled peaceful rallies in the southern West Bank cities of Hebron and Bethlehem, according to a WAFA correspondent.
He said that Israeli troops violently dispersed a rally that saw the participation of thousands of Palestinians who took to the streets waiving the flags of Palestine and erupting into cheers voicing solidarity with the steadfastness of Palestinians in the face of the Israeli aggression on Gaza and forced expulsions in Jerusalem.
The soldiers opened fire towards the protesters as the latter approached the northern entrance of the city, causing dozens to suffocate from tear gas inhalation.
In Bethlehem district, Israeli troops cracked down on a similar rally that saw dozens of protesters gathering in Aida refugee camp following the Friday noon prayers before making their way to the northern entrance of the city.
The soldiers showered protesters with concussion and tear gas bombs, causing dozens to suffocate.
