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Editor

Aya Walid Shamaa

Translator

Samah Miqdad

Israel Kills Families Targeted by Israeli Terror in 2012

EditorAya Walid Shamaa

TranslatorSamah Miqdad

Book:Israel Kills

“Families Targeted by Israeli Terror in 2012”Documentary Study

First Edition© All Rights Reserved

Women for PalestineWebsite: www.womenfpal.comEmail address: [email protected]: +970-8-28 28 164Mobile: +970-59-888 90 70Address: Al Khozondar Building, Ahmad Abd El Aziz St., Al Remal, Gaza, Palestine

Supervision: Ibtisam Saymah

Editor: Aya Walid Shamaa

Introduction by: Dr. Adnan Abu Amer

Proofed by:Refaat Alareer

Team:Alaa Al-Hasanat Heba Hamdan

Kholoud Abu Jazar Dima AydiyaSummer Abu Madi Yasmin SaqallahAsal Abu Taqiya Iman Abu SalDoaa Abdulatif Abeer Abu Mokhadah

Photographers:Asmaa HamadMajdi SulimanMomen Qureqe

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ContentsPreface 1Method of Documentation 2Contents of study 4First Day November 14, 2012 25

1 Testimony of Um Mohammed, Wife of the Martyr, Ahmed Jabari 272 Testimony of Um Hamid al-Hams, Wife of the Martyr, Mohammed 283 Testimony of Nisreen Arafat, 28, Mother of Martyr Ronan 294 Testimony of Ahlam Al-Ashi, 24, Mother of Omar 305 Testimony of Fatima Abu Al-Meza, 15, Sister of the Martyr Essam 316 Testimony of Samiha Badr Al-Kaseeh, 47, Mother of Martyr Mohammed 327 Inaam Abu Sawaween, 33, Daughter of Martyr Mahmoud 33

Second Day, November 15, 2012 351 Testimony of Khansa Mesmeh, 27, Wife of Martyr Habes 372 Testimony of Hesham Al- Ghalban’s Mother 373 Testimony of Waleed’s Mother 384 Testimony of Mahmoud Al-Abadlah’s father 395 Testimony of Huda Tafesh 406 Testimony of Awad Abu-Elian, Father of the Martyr 41

Third Day, November 16, 2012 431 Testimony of Esmat Saadalla, 37, Mother of the Martyr, Mahmoud 452 Testimony of Malek SaadAlla, 10, Brother of Martyr Mahmoud 453 Testimony of Sameeha Abu Warda, 50, Mother of Martyr Ayman 46

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4 Testimony of Mohamed Mqat, Father of the Martyr 475 Testimony of Fadwa abu Naser, 36, Sister of Martyr Khaled 486 Testimony of Mahmoud abu Naser, 60, Fa-ther of Martyr Khaled 487 Testimony of Fathiya Mahmoud Hammad, 54, Mother of Martyr Rani 498 Testimony of Hana Salman, 27, wife of Mar-tyr Mohammed 509 Testimony of Ghalia Salman, 55, Mother-in-Law of Martyr Tahreer 5010 Testimony of Fayza Okasha, 51, Wife of Martyr Marwan 5211 Testimony of Abu Ismail Qandil, 43, brother of the Martyr 5312 Testimony of Fayza AL-Amareen, 53, wife of the Martyr 5313 Testimony of the brother of the owner of the house 5414 TestimonyofFayzRajabSkafi,48,husbandof Martyr Sabah 5515 Testimony of Nael Abu Jalal, 31, brother of two martyrs, Ahmed and Amjad 5616 Testimony of Samar Abu Jalal, 30, wife of Martyr Amjad 5717 Testimony of Mona Abu Jalal, 48, mother of martyr Ziad 5818 Testimony of Neama Al-Hmala, 58, mother of martyr Hassan 5819 Testimony of Abdul Rahman Al-Shaer, 23, brother of Martyr Khalid 5920 Testimony of Hania Mahmoud, 51, mother of martyr Ramadan 5921 Testimony of Nisreen Abu Mosameh, 28, wife of martyr Ahmed 6022 Testimony of Khitam Esleem, 48, mother of martyr Ayman 61

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23 Testimony of Salwa Naser, 42, Mother of martyr Oday 6224 Testimony of Awatef Al- Basyouni , Mother of martyr Faris 63

Fourth Day, November 17, 2012 651 Testimony of Mariam Abu Nqaira, 54, wife of martyr 672 Testimony of Sa’diya Mousa Al-Smairi, 43, daughter of martyr 683 Testimony of Tahani Al-Mana’ma, 44, moth-er of martyr Ali Abd Al-Hakeem Almana’ma 694 Testimony of Lamees Abd Al-Jawad, 23, sis-ter of martyr Osama 695 Testimony of Safaa Darweesh, Mother of martyr Ashraf 716 Testimony of Salwa Edwan, wife of martyr Mukhles 717 Testimony of Samir El-Hums, 50, father of martyr Husam 728 Testimony of Abu Mohamad Abu Samhad-ana, 40, neighbor 729 Testimony of Sabah Qawash, 50, mother of martyr Ahmed al- Atrash 7310 Testimony of Salwa AL-Nahal, 28, wife of martyr, Awad Al-Nahal 7311 Testimony of Sondos Al-Masri, 23, sister of martyr Abdulrahman 7412 Testimony of Arwa Abu Khater, 27, wife of martyr Mahmoud 7513 Testimony of mother of martyr Mahmoud 7614 Testimony of Khadeeja Abu Khater, mother of martyr Abdullah 7715 Testimony of Alamiya Yaseen, 60, mother of martyr 7816 Testimony of Hazem Bin Isaid, 33, brother of martyr 7917 Testimony of Fayza el Awydat, 60, mother

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of martyr 8018 Testimony of Sabri Al-Aawydat, 60, father of martyr 8119 Testimony of Alia Bin Saeed, 50, wife of martyr Ahmad 8220 Testimony of Eman Bin Saeed, 23, sister of martyr Salim 8321 Testimony of Salem Briam, 48, brother of martyr Hani 8322 Testimony of Naji Qudiah, husband of mar-tyr Samaher 8423 Testimony of Feryal El Hemri, 48, Mother of martyr 84

Fifth Day, November 18, 2012 871 Testimony of Reda Abusel’a, 24, mother of martyrs 892 Testimony of Um Wael Iseefan, 52, grand-mother of martyrs 903 Testimony of Nasra Deeb, 55, sister of mar-tyr 914 Testimony of Uthman Abd El’al, 57, hus-band of martyr 925 Testimony of Faten Abu Khusa, 26, mother of the martyr, Iyad 936 Testimony of Bahaa Salim Abulatta, 36, owner 947 Testimony of Um Mahmoud Helles, 50, mother-in-Law of owner of the house 948 Testimony of Haneen Al Nahal, 19, wife of martyr Ahmad 959 Testimony of Manal Awad, 36, mother of the martyr Tasnim 9610 Testimony of Huda Al Nahal, 40, wife of the martyr Naser 9711 Testimony of Nasir Saloha, 15, brother of martyr Samah 9812 Testimony of Maha Al-Baya, 38, mother of martyr Samah 99

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13 Testimony of Abdullah Jamal Al-Dalo, 20 10014 Testimony of Halah Al-Safadi, 27, Wife of Martyr Mohammed Al-Aff 10115 Testimony of Nasma Al-Ghofair, 25, wife of Martyr Sami 10116 Testimony of Nisreen Hamada, 35, wife of Martyr Suhail 10217 Testimony of Sabreen Atya, 52, Wife of Martyr, Atya 10318 Testimony of Kareema Mqaat, 35, Wife of Martyr Hosam 10419 Testimony of Wafaa Abu Amra, 34, Wife of Martyr Ahmad 10520 Testimony of Etaf, 23, Wife of Martyr Nabil 10521 Testimony of Mariam Nasser, 35, Wife of Martyr 10622 Testimony of Hanade Abu Hamda, 34, Wife of Martyr 107

Sixth Day November 19, 2012 1091 Testimony of Sohair Jendia, 30, Wife of Martyr 1112 Testimony of Mohammed Abu Zoor, 52, Owner of the House 1123 Testimony of Hanaa Abu Zoor, 48, Wife of Fouad Abu Zoor 1134 Testimony of Rasha Al-Qatati, 30, Wife of Martyr Ahed 1135 Testimony of Kaleel Azam, 33, Owner of the House 1146 Testimony of Siham Aza, 60 1157 Testimony of Khalid Abu Quake, 19 1158 Testimony of Sabreen Al-Atar, 17, Daughter of Martyr 1169 Testimony of Samar Bashir, 28, Wife of Mar-tyr Tamer 11710 Testimony of Haleema Bashir, 63, Mother of

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Martyr Ameen 11711 Testimony of Ghalia Abu Amra, 50, Wife of Martyr Rasheed 11812 Testimony of Sanaa Al-Astal, 43, Mother of Martyr Omar 11913 Testimony of Rehab Shamalkh, 48, Mother of Martyr 12014 Testimony of Ghazala Abdul-Jawad, Mother of Martyr Hosam 12115 Testimony of Soha Swelim, 44, Wife of Mar-tyr 12216 Testimony of Amal Radi, 43, Wife of Martyr Ayed 12317 Testimony of Ramadan Al-Malahi, 58, Fa-ther of Martyr Ameen 12418 Testimony of Maha Harb, 29, Wife of Martyr Ramez 12519 Testimony of Sharefa Tabil, 57, Mother of Martyr 12620 Testimony of Harbi Abu Kmail, 45, Father of Martyr Arkan 12721 Testimony of Rana Al-Hawajri, 27, Sister of Martyr Ibrahim 12722 Testimony of Mostafa Hijazi, 20, Son of Martyr Fouad 12823 Testimony of Waleed Shada, 42, Father of Martyr Osama 12924 Testimony of Ibrahim Shada, 19, Son of the Martyr, Khaleel 12925 Testimony of Najah Al-Nasasra, 37, Aunt of Two Martyrs 13026 Testimony of Nada Al-Laham, 47, Mother of Martyr Hosam 13127 Testimony of Badria Al-Zaini, 29, Sister of Martyr Hosam 13228 Testimony of Haiam Al-Abadla, 38, Mother of Martyr Mahmoud Sha’at 13229 Testimony of the Mother of Martyr Saif

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Sadik 133Seventh Day, November 20, 2012 135

1 Testimony of Osama Al-Khuly, 40, Owner of Destroyed House 1372 Testimony of Zakaria Al Serhy, 20, House Resident 1393 Testimony of Mother of Martyr Rama 1404 Testimony of Wafaa Barrawi, 41, Mother of Martyr Bilal 1415 Testimony of Fatima Maaroof, 50, Mother of Martyr Yahya 1426 Testimony of Mariam Zahar, 28, Wife of Martyr Mahmoud 1427 Testimony of Mohammed Awad, 43, father of Martyr Yahya 1438 Testimony of Huda Awad, 36, Mother of Martyr Yahya 1449 Testimony of Mohammed Hamad, 38, Brother of Martyr Abdulrahman 14510 Testimony of Fatima Al-ddadah, 24, Wife of Martyr Ameen 14611 Testimony of Lubna Al-shindy, 37, Mother of Martyr Owda 14712 Testimony of Mahdiya Doghmush, 58, Mother of Two Martyrs Salah and Subhi 14813 Testimony of Abu Khader Dughmosh, 61, Father of Martyr Musab 14914 Testimony of Abeer Dughmosh, 27, Wife of Martyr Ahmed 15015 Testimony of Rajaa Qadadh, 38, Wife of Martyr Zaki 15116 Testimony of Bayan Bakr, 23, Wife of Martyr Mohammed 15217 Testimony of Bawasel El-ajramy, 20, Wife of Martyr 15318 Testimony of Walaa Abu Sanima, 22, Sister of Martyr Shawqi 15419 Testimony of Raeda Hajila, 37, Wife of Mar-

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tyr Tariq 15520 Testimony of Najah Mahmoud, 50, Wife of Martyr Saqir 15621 Testimony of Amal Zuhri, 48, Mother of Martyr Mahmoud 15622 Testimony of the Neighbours of Martyr Yus-ra Shawwa 15723 Testimony of Reem Ashour, 37, Mother of Martyr Mohammed 15724 Testimony of Bilal Al-Kumy, 24, Brother of Martyr Mahmoud 15825 Testimony of the Mother of martyr Hussam 15926 Testimony of Entisar Al-Assar, 45, Mother of Martyr Mohammed 16027 Testimony of Mosa Abu Aisha, 50, Father of Martyr Mohammed 16128 Testimony of Manal Al-ostaz, 42, Mother of Martyr Hassan 16229 Testimony of Salwa Abu Setta, 45, Mother of Martyr Salim 16330 Testimony of Sabah Abu Setta, 46, Aunt of Martyr Mohammed 16431 Testimony of Ihsan Abu Mor, 34, Sister of Two Martyrs 16532 Testimony of Hana Deif Allah Al-arja, 40, Mother of Martyr Mahmoud 16533 Testimony of Mahmoud Al-Arja, 70, Grand-father of Martyr Mahmoud 16634 Testimony of Najeya Hamad, 60, Mother of Martyr Ibrahim 16635 Testimony of Aziza Badr, 60, Mother of Mar-tyr Mohammed 16736 Testimony of, Subhiya Abu Odwan, 42, Mother of Martyr Mohammed 16837 Testimony of Talat Ibrahim, 47, Father of Martyr Abdullah 16838 Testimony of Suliman Abu Mghaseeb, 43, Father of the Martyr, Nadir 169

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39 Testimony of Raghib Abu Mghaseeb, Broth-er of Martyr Nadir 16940 Testimony of Adla Ayish, 66, Mother of Mar-tyr Abdelrahman 170

Eighth Day, November 21, 2012 1711 Testimony of Ibrahim Abugoula, 5, Father of Martyr Mubarak 1732 Testimony of Iman Jomaa, 23, Wife of Mar-tyr 1743 Testimony of Nedaa Omar, 23, Wife of Mar-tyr 1754 Testimony of Basema Abunaser, 39, Mother of Martyr Ameera 1765 Testimony of Um Fayz Ashqar, Mother of Martyr 1776 Testimony of Tamam Al-Asali, 45, Wife of Martyr Talal 1787 Testimony of Ghazala Shamalkh, Mother of Martyr Jouda 1798 Testimony of Heba Abu-Khousa, 24, sister of Martyr Mahmud 1809 Testimony of Mohamad Abu-Khousa, Broth-er of Martyr Mahmud 18010 Testimony of Um Ahmad Naem, Mother of Martyr Abdulrahman 18111 Testimony of Samah Al-Nabaheen, 36, Mother of Martyr Reham 18212 Testimony of Basma Al-Qatnany, 46, Moth-er of Martyr Fadi 18213 Testimony of Mona Salman, 51, Mother of Martyr Nidal 18414 Testimony of Fidaa Obied, 30, Wife of Mar-tyr Rami 18415 Testimony of Wafa’ Abu Eatawi, 28, Wife of Martyr Mohammed 18516 Testimony of Siham Shahwan, 53, Mother of Two Martyrs Sadi and Ahmed 18617 Testimony of Fayza Shehadah, 55, Mother

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of Martyr 18718 Testimony of Subhia Abu Idwan, 42, Mother of Martyr Mohamed 18919 Testimony of Talaat Ibrahim, 47, Father of Martyr Abdullah 18920 Testimony of Sulaiman Abu Maghasib, 43, Father of Martyr Nader 190

Appendixes 191Appendix (1) 193Journalists’ Testimonies 193Appendix (2) 201Weapons Used 201Appendix (3) 211Martyrs statistics 211Appendix (4) 222Pictures 222

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Preface November 2012, the Gaza Strip was subjected to a horrific attack that lasted for 8 days. It started as the Israeli Occupation Forces assassinated the Commander in Chief of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, Ahmed Said Jabari and ended with 178 martyrs.

It was necessary for Women for Palestine as an institute committed to documenting the suffering and sacrifices of Palestinians, along with their struggles for independence and human rights to document the brutal attack on families that lived in the safety of their homes and were not guilty of anything except of being Palestinians. This documentation aims at maintaining the collective Palestinian memory of the events. Due to our belief in the importance of the world seeing the horrific and bloody nature of the Zionist Occupation and its persistent attempts to falsify history, this book, through a detailed presentation of the crimes committed and the number of martyrs and injured, comes to complete a chapter in the Palestinian story. As to the importance of documentation in a world that believes only what it sees with its own eyes and hears with its own ears, this book is also part of a collective effort to expose the crimes of the Occupation in front of the International community, in the hope it will help prosecute those who stand behind these massacres and end Israeli impunity.

Difficulties Faced by the Investigating Team The work to produce this book was not as easy as we thought it would be. The Investigating team faced many difficulties, one of which was the width of the geographical area and the fact that the martyrs’ families live all over the Gaza Strip.

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Moreover, some families live at the buffer zones near the borders, which makes it difficult and dangerous for the investigation team to go to such places to document the story of the martyrs. Last name similarity or resemblance families in the same region required a lot of efforts and time to get to the right family.

Another difficulty the team faced was collecting testimonies from Palestinian doctors, paramedics, firefighters and psychologists, as many Palestinian human rights organizations refused to cooperate with Women for Palestine for no specific reason. This made the team use material from B’Tselem.1

Method of Documentation A historical descriptive approach was used to account for the events through witness accounts, followed by extrapolation of the information and numbers associated with these massacres as well as the details.

178 martyrs were counted; all of their stories are documented in this book by talking directly to their families. Accounts are also taken from several other witnesses to the crimes; thus, sometimes more than one narrative is involved.

The name of the narrator, age and degree of kinship is included.

The narration of the events in minute detail and chronological order is included.

1 The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories

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The narrations were also put into order of day of occurrence, time of occurrence, and places in specific location for each of the 4 days, the period for the war.

Several narrations from different people are also included to allow integration of details from different individuals.

Narratives written on several websites were used as a secondary source, which was compared with the narratives collected from the media. This was important especially in cases where there was a difficulty in reaching the families. All sources are documented.

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Contents of study The book includes a necessary Historical Introduction written by Dr. Adnan Abu Amer, assistant professor of Political Science at Gaza City›s Ummah University. This historical introduction included five points: the historical introduction about the Palestinian Israeli conflict, the Israeli violation of international conventions, killing civilians in Zionist thought, Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip, and the violations of the right to life.

The book also includes 8 sections, each of which chronicles the details of the events that occurred during each day of the war.

After that come many Human Rights Organizations’ reports to guarantee neutrality. Further, the book includes medical reports of Palestinian martyrs and injured. Then appendix (7) presents a variety of journalists’ testimonies, some of which are by non-Palestinians..

Appendix (8) pinpoints the types of weapons Israel used in its 8-day onslaught in Gaza.

Many photographs of the severe aggression follow the appendices and show a range of crimes to highlight Israel’s terror against Palestinians.

Ibtisam Mustafa SaymahManager of Women for PalestineNovember, 2013

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Why Israeli Occupation Forces Commit Massacres against Palestinians

Dr. Adnan Abu Amer 1

First: Historical Introduction Since the beginning of 1948, as the British Mandate left Palestine, Israel started illegally to occupy the land. By 1967, Israel had occupied the whole Palestine. From that day, it violated the international rights and ignored all human values, despite its claims that it is an extension of Western civilization, which calls for the respect and protection of human rights and dignity.

Israel’s violations of human rights are consistent with the Zionist ideology, which has accompanied the foundation of the Israel 67 years ago. The founding fathers of the Israeli occupation made sure to establish oppressive laws that a long with taking Palestinian lands would take away the Palestinians’ freedom and turn their life into intolerable hell. It was all represented crudely in the years of the two uprisings (Intifadas): the First Intifada in 1987 and Second (al-Aqsa) Intifada in 2000, and throughout all of the bloody military campaigns that happened before, after and in between.

At the end of 2012, November 14, Israel launched an eight-day aggression on the Gaza Strip, Operation Pillar of Defense, further proving Israel’s insistence on breaching all laws, legislations and treaties. In this aggression, the occupation army carried on their plans of violent attacks in an attempt to humiliate the unarmed innocent

1 Assistant professor of political science at Gaza City’s Ummah University

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Palestinian civilians. At the end, the result was not what they aimed for; the abilities and steadfastness of Palestinian resistance shocked Israel.

The 2012 offensive on Gaza has four aspects: political, strategic, military, and humanitarian. What gives this book special and exceptional importance is that it sheds light on the Human Aspect.:

1. A political aspect that is represented in the inference of regional and international powers

2. A strategic aspect that relates to the interests of Israel and its allies taking into account the geo-strategic importance of Palestine, in general, and the Gaza strip, in specific. This explains the interest of the superpowers and their direct and constant interference during the war;

3. A military aspect that was represented in the enormous amount of sophisticated weapons that devastated Palestinian civilians and turned the Gaza Strip into a bloody field, especially those weapons which eradicated and destroyed houses when their owners were still in;

4. And the human side that touches the international ethics and human rights, as the main problem is the oppression of Palestinian citizens who have been expelled from their own property, and were exposed to all kinds of massacres, and displacement.

It is obvious that all these aspects are interconnected and therefore it is not right to rely on one of them neglecting the other when talking about the aggression and all of its complexities.

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The book will focus on the humanitarian aspect for the following reasons:

1. Violations in this aggression were not limited only to the violations of rights of freedom and movement, but it also affected the indigenous people’s right of existence on their own land.

2. The Israeli violation to human rights in this aggression did not only lead to the violation of the national Palestinian sovereignty, but it was also a clear attempt to eliminate the Palestinians presence.

The importance of this book lies in several reasons:

1. It shows the brutal Israeli practices against the Gaza strip during Operation Pillar of Defense, in the light of murders and assassinations.

2. It exposes the so-called only democracy in the Middle East showing the Israel is a bloody, fake democracy.

3. It describes and determines the means and policies that the Israeli army followed to repress and terrorize Palestinians during the aggression.

4. It declares that Israel, beyond any doubt, repeatedly violates the Fourth Geneva Conventions that relates to the Protection of populations and their property, although it has signed it.

5. It exposes Israel’s inability to control the Gaza Strip.

6. It clarifies the Israeli scenarios to encounter the increasingly growing power of resistance.

7. The book also reviews the Israeli Human Rights Violations

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The study will follow a historical method, both descriptive and analytical, by documenting the aggression, the testimonies of victims, and the legal reports of international and local human rights organizations.

Further, the book will seek to answer important questions in regards to the methods used by Israeli troops to kill civilians.

Second: The Israeli Violations of Interna-tional Conventions

“Human rights are moral principles or norms that describe certain standards of human behavior, and are regularly protected as legal rights in national and international law. They are commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being.” 1 Human rights are «inherent in all human beings, regardless of their nation, location, language, religion, ethnic origin or any other status. They are applicable everywhere and at every time in the sense of being universal, and they are egalitarian in the sense of being the same for everyone. They require empathy and the rule of law, and impose an obligation on persons to respect the human rights of others. They should not be taken away except as a result of due process based on specific circumstances, and require freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, and execution.

Among the most important of these agreements and covenants is the Four Geneva Convention of 1949, which guarantees protection to

1 Icelandic Human Rights Centre

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“the wounded, the sick, the shipwrecked, prisoners of war and civilians who find themselves in enemy hands. They also protect medical duties, medical personnel, medical units and facilities, and the means of medical transport.”

The Fourth Geneva Convention is considered the basic compact that governs the rights of the civilian populations and their freedom in the time of armed conflict or belligerent occupation, and regulates the relationship between the occupying power and the civilian populations; the philosophy of international humanitarian law aims to “humanize the war”1 as much as possible.

Since the Convention was set to protect civilians and their rights, it took into account controlling the occupier’s actions for the sake of protecting the population rights, by establishing as many legal rules and principles as possible, to ensure that they have, in such circumstances, their rights and freedom.

Given the fact that the Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, is part of the occupied territories, the Geneva Convention is the legal reference which governs the presence of occupation forces and the rights and freedoms of the population. Since 1967, the international community recognized that Israel is a belligerent occupying power, and the Fourth Geneva Convention is applied to the occupied Palestinian territories; dozens of UN Security Council and General Assembly Resolutions confirmed that. Most important are Resolution 2443 of 19 December 1968, Resolution 592 of 8 December

1 Putting limits on acts of barbarism between the forces in combat.

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1986, and Resolution 605 of 22 December 1987. Such Resolutions were in response to the arbitrary measures Israeli occupation authorities took against Palestinians. The Security Council paid much attention to the issue of the safety and protection of Palestinians in the occupied territories.

However, the Israeli occupation authorities refused to apply the convention citing invalid justifications, claiming that the Palestinian territories were occupied in a defensive war, while the Geneva Convention states that the land should be occupied in offensive war.

Israel still violates and will continue to violate international human rights law, challenging human rights norms and ignoring all UN Resolutions. While international community is indulgent to Israeli arrogant policies, Israel exploits the global sympathy and makes the world serve its aggressive aims.

Thus, making Israel respect international law, especially when talking about respecting human rights, and providing protection to civilian population, could be achieved by imposing different kinds of pressure:

1. Economic pressure: imposing trade and financial sanctions;

2. Political pressure: making sure the Israeli occupation ends, so that Palestinians› right to self-determination is fulfilled;

3. And activating UN human rights mechanisms, and other mechanisms to expose Israel›s policies in the occupied territories, and exposing its violations to the public.

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Israel’s deception campaign to convince the world it respects international human rights conventions could not succeed because of war crimes Israel committed in the recent aggression on the Gaza Strip. It is true that this aggression is neither the first nor the last which amounts to be an appalling massacre.

Third: “Killing Civilians” and Zionism Human rights violation is rooted in the Zionist tradition and in the goals the Zionist movement set since its foundation. At onset, it was clear that Zionism is a political and colonial movement based on bringing the Jews to Palestine, establishing colonies on Palestinian land, and building armed militias supported by the major powers to achieve a forcible eviction of Palestinians and a creation of an exclusively-Jewish state in Palestine.

To understand the historical and the military background Israel depends on while violating Palestinian rights, it is necessary to know the general principles of the Zionist military doctrine, which are1. Aggressive nature which leads to use of the

force.2. Occupation and expansion which leads to

more colonies after expelling people from their homes.

3. Absolute violence which leads to total destruction and cruelty.

4. Collective fights which leads to the obligatory fighting for all capable of fighting.

5. Principles of war which lead to teaching fighting techniques and battle tactics in addition to psychological incitement.

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Hence, Zionist terrorism began by the declaration of Israel and occupation of Palestine. The military institution, which is represented by the army and the military intelligence, justifies all the Israeli practices and violations through the Zionist leaders› writings and statements. Israeli military education is built on the following premises:

1. The upbringing of the successive Zionist generations makes them gain absolute faith in military Zionism to become an integral part of their mentalities and personalities.

2. It violates the basic rights of Palestinians to the point that the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians becomes a necessity for Zionist existence.

3. It justifies its crimes to achieve the main goals of Zionism, which is establishing a Jewish only state in Palestine, through killing, assassination, displacement and terrorism.

4. It adopts a law that makes all Jewish Israelis better and above all human beings.

5. It encourages Jews to join the Zionist movement, which claims to save the Jewish homeland, where the blind hatred against Arabs becomes part of their faith, and cleansing the Israeli land from Arabs is a way to achieve the Zionist dream.

It is necessary to draw conclusions out of the historical origination of Zionist terrorism in the occupied Palestinian territories. Some are due to the emergence of the Zionist terrorist movement, and flooding Palestine with Jewish immigrants.

At the beginning, Jewish settlements were defensive, but they turned offensive and aimed at expansion. In addition, it integrated the military and civilian institutions in the Zionist settlements.

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Much like Hitler, Zionists claim ethnic and racial superiority. They, in addition, referred to Arabs as “Bedouins, gangsters, thieves, murderers, etc.»

Therefore, the Zionist strategy was based on genocidal policy against any Palestinian popular movement inside the occupied homeland and abroad. This strategy formed the general characteristic of its relationship with the residents of Palestine. As a result, it was expected that security interests controlled the external and internal Israeli politics, because all government decision-making agencies, industries› owners and military advisors had a mutual security and military backgrounds. These elite focus on the military security and economic considerations in order to underestimate the human factor in human rights.

Zionists, as a result, stripped off of all ethical values and allowed themselves to commit all barbaric, brutal crimes, including assassinations. The history of terrorist Zionist organizations and their leaders’ Memoirs was full of Arab leaders’ names under the WANTED list that they used to plant ticking bombs in fruit and vegetable markets and crowded cafés.

The Zionist movement established a number of organizations that used violence and murder to achieve their goals, such as the Irgun, the Palmach, the Lehi, the Stern, and the Haganah. They carried out many bloody massacres. Most painful of which were

1. The bombing at Jaffa›s vegetable market on August 25, 1938. 23 Palestinians were killed.

2. The bombing of King David Hotel on July 22,

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1946. More than 200 Palestinians were killed.3. Deir Yassin massacre on April 9, 1948. More

than 250 Palestinians were killed.4. Qibya massacre on October 11, 1953. More

than 40 Palestinians were killed, and 40 houses were bombed.

5. Nahalin Massacre on March 28, 1954. Nine Palestinians were killed and 19 others were wounded.

6. Gaza massacre on May 4, 1956. 53 Palestinians were killed and 100 others were wounded.

7. Kafr Qasim massacre on October 29, 1956. 50 Palestinians were killed.

Adding to this, outside Palestine, Israeli military command launched a public campaign of terrorism against activists in the Palestinian national movement in the seventies and eighties. It carried out a series of bloody assassinations against tens of them, transgressing all the geographic and moral bounds in Beirut, Algiers, Tripoli, Cyprus, Rome, Paris, Copenhagen and Stockholm.

In the Gaza Strip, the occupation authorities continued its policies of repression followed against Palestinians, who remained in Palestine after 1948. One thing still differentiates the occupied territories from other parts of Palestine; the occupied territories are theoretically no longer part of ‘Israel’, which means that Palestinians who live there could not be theoretically considered equal to Israelis before the law. Thus, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip do not enjoy equal rights.

Zionist terrorism also continued after 1948 and is still practiced against Palestinians in various forms: attacks from sea, land and air.

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Zionist terrorism aimed originally to uproot Palestinians from their land, exiling them outside Palestine. Israeli terrorist state aims to silence the voice of Palestinians to forget their cause, and to make them satisfied with the life of displacement and diaspora.

Over the years of occupation, Israel minimized the importance of human rights laws, and gave a great importance to security, military and politics. What was enticing about it, though, was the pride Israel feels for violating Palestinian human rights.

This makes researchers, who study Israeli violations of Palestinian rights, connect these violations to occupation. Otherwise, researchers are likely going to accept the occupation policies.

The fact is that such violation is inevitable as long as the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) occupy a people who refuse to be occupied. This means violations will never end until the occupation ends, completely.

A quick look at the serious crimes and abuses, recorded by international law, tells that IOF committed most of them. It violated almost all the Palestinians rights, individually and collectively. It is, therefore, responsible for killing thousands of Palestinians, torturing and murdering thousands in detention, assassinating freedom fighters, demolishing tens of thousands of Palestinian houses, confiscating their land, and uprooting their trees.

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Forth: Israel’s Violations in the Gaza Strip Immediately after the Israeli military authorities occupied the Gaza Strip on June 5, 1967, they pursued a repressive policy against Palestinians. The lives of civilians were subjected to the ruling military, which stopped, imprisoned and exiled anybody without a charge or a trial.

Palestinians, as a result, became vulnerable to home demolition, land confiscation, displacement, and looting and burning of crops, without being able to prevent such violations.

The collective punishment, imposed on the entire villages, families, and refugee camps, and the arbitrary economic sanctions, were features of the Israeli occupation policies to decrease the public sympathy with Palestinian resistance. Israel made its strategy on the assumption that wide suppression can eliminate Palestinian opposition to the occupation, making supporting resistance limited to a small number of people.

Ironically, the actual year of first uprising (Intifada) in 1987, was the same year in which the world celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). In this year, Israel blatantly violated human rights, in which Palestinians suffered in their occupied homeland from all kinds of repressive practices that negatively affected their property and freedoms.

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By such repressive measures, the IOF aim to deter Palestinians through shooting unarmed protesters, and exiling wrongly convicted; in addition, Israel has resorted to applying administrative detention without a charge or a trial, unfair military provisions, home demolitions and imposition of curfews. Other repressive practices included preventing journalists from covering the truth, smashing doors of shops, reducing salaries of teachers, closing educational institutions, burying humans alive, breaking bones, suffocating worshipers. Preventing imported food from entering occupied territories, closing entrances to refugee camps, preventing prisoners’ family visits from seeing their relatives, raiding kindergartens and terrorizing little children, demolishing houses, and confiscating private funds, imposing travel bans on groups and individuals.

Most important forms of Israel violations against Palestinians are:

• Collective Punishment: it includes imposing curfews and siege on the population, demolishing and bombing homes under the pretext of harboring “terrorists”, and closing national institutions, trade unions, professional associations and charities. Furthermore, the occupation authority pursues a brutal policy of torture in the investigation rooms, claiming lives of many prisoners. It also cuts telephone lines, isolates the Gaza Strip from the outside world, closes daily newspapers and weekly magazines, imposes dictatorial control on media outlets, bulldozes orchards and olive trees, and opens wide roads for settlements and military purposes.

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• Economic Sanctions: it includes closing the Gaza Strip for several consecutive days, closing all crossing points, cutting power for a long time, putting restrictions on fruit and vegetable exports, reducing amounts of money allowed to enter the Gaza Strip, and imposing heavy taxes on Palestinian traders. Adding to that, Israel took to closing Palestinian shops and breaking locks of stores, putting obstacles on the way of trucks loaded with products, preventing farmers from collecting their produce, increase the value of travel permits and taxes which recently reached up to more than two hundred dollars.

• Educational Sanctions: it includes closing universities and the institutes for long periods, preventing student elections, firing at teachers, and dragging the students to military vehicles.

Despite these different ferocious, cruel practices used against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, resistance always continues and Israel never achieves its objectives. This raised many questions from the Israeli side such as:

• Is it possible for the army to reduce support for resistance to a reasonable extent?

• Does the Israeli Army have the capabilities to work stronger against the Palestinian resistance? What prevents it from doing so?

• Does the army have the courage to declare failure to suppress resistance?

• Can the situation continue the same for a long time? What will the results be?

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Fifth: Israeli Violations of the Right to Life Although the right to life is the most important and basic human right, Israeli Occupation Forces have repeatedly violated the right of Palestinians to life through using excessive and lethal force, and carrying out murder. It clearly violates the provisions of Article III of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which provides every individual with the right to life, liberty and security. It also violates the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics and the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian during the time of war.

Therefore, the international covenants set important principles to protect the right to life and forbid the use of firearms except in the following extreme cases: self-defence, protecting other people from the risk of death and serious injury, preventing serious crimes that could pose a threat to life, arresting a threatening person who is resisting the authorities, and preventing the escape of wanted people.

The unprecedented escalation by the Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip has led to thousands of Palestinian martyrs during the years of occupation. These numbers show the extent the escalation has reached by using excessive and deadly force against civilians. According to hundreds of evidences documented by human rights and press organizations, the occupation troops have used excessive force against Palestinians who do not pose a threat to the lives of its soldiers, which explains the dramatic rise in the number of victims.

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The Israeli Forces opened intensive, and random fire at Palestinians to murder hundreds in cold blood, and wound thousands, in order to terrify and deter them. They are used to justify such polices by using some statements.

Thousands of Palestinians lost their lives in various ways:

• Shooting and missile bombardment during demonstrations, by live ammunition or plastic bullets;

• Detainees’ death during torture sessions in interrogation rooms;

• Assassination of freedom fighters who are caught alive during armed clashes;

• Opening fire by Israeli forces at people.

The Israeli killing and assassination of Palestinians has perhaps increased after some Jewish rabbis issued a decree saying opening fire at Palestinians who try to kill an Israeli soldier in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip is consistent and harmonious with the Torah. And those who accept the Jewish basic commandments and moral principles deserves legal defense. Thus, everyone has to follow the iron fist policy and who hesitates to do so is considered a traitor.

A number of Israeli ministers expressed no dissatisfaction regarding the army’s cautious method in using collective punishment against Arab citizens, and demanded it to commit atrocities against residents, and to deal with them as soldiers in an army attacking Israel.

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The Israeli army is, therefore, convinced that if every Israeli soldier had killed 50 to 100 Arabs in the first day of occupying Palestine, resistance would have been eliminated and no Palestinian would have participated in the uprising.

Shooting and murder became, thus, extremely acceptable to the occupation army commanders. When some tried to hide it, others declared their support for this inhumane method without caring for the public opinion.

The Israeli forces, betweenwhiles, change shooting rules according to Israel’s security needs, as it claims, ignoring fundamental principles of international law that relate to the use of force. Thus, the right of Palestinians to life remains violated as long as official parties in Israel permits killing the human spirit.

Michael B., an Israeli left wing journalist, called the flexibility of shooting instructions Free Hunting Law, and published an article that says: “Only few words, but they carry much of evil. These instructions are created to make it easier for the occupation troops to brutalize the Arabs, as Israeli soldiers got tired of presenting a report every time they shoot a dirty Arab. However, the existence of a lobby in the parliament that is ready to respond to all their demands gave Israel the freedom to cruelly fire and chase stone throwers at a time it would be permissible and legitimate.

The Israeli violations of shooting instructions and their excessive use of firearm has become part of the Israeli practice. While breaking the curfew instructions imposed on Palestinians may

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subject them to arrest or detention from the Israeli side or even exposing them to soldiers’ gunfire, it is never heard that Israeli soldiers were judged for what they would commit.

The repeated violations of shooting instructions do not refer only to how easy it is to violate such instructions, but also to the complete absence of military disciplinary codes.

Although the occupation forces claim that their soldiers must follow the proper and regular orders of clashes that orders shooting only at these suspected. What happened in the two uprisings and all of the military campaigns declared the opposite. In fact, the statements of their army officers and the absence of a lawsuit indicates that Israeli soldiers can apply their own loose interpretations of these commands.

Israel intentionally causes as much injuries as possible to Palestinians. It even violates their rights after being injured by preventing ambulances and medical teams from helping them and saving their lives. It even targets and attacks these crews. Furthermore, Israeli authorities have prevented any wounded Palestinian from receiving treatment at their hospitals, and threatened to dismiss any Arab doctor who treats any patient.

Briefly, this introduction provides a number of recommendations for the relevant parties and authorities, particularly international parties which have adopted legal rights, conventions and declarations,. Some recommendations are as follows:

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1. Those who signed the conventions must be legally and morally responsible and fulfil their obligations. They must make sure that Israel respects those conventions and agreements, as well. Therefore, international silence on these grave violations committed by the occupation forces, encourages Israel to act as a state above the law and to commit more crimes against Palestinian civilians without any legal prosecution;

2. Demanding an immediate and crucial international intervention to stop the bloodshed of the Palestinians to maintain their security and properties, and to punish the Israeli officials for the serious and grave violations against Palestinian civilians;

3. International civil society organizations including human rights organizations, bar associations and committees of international solidarity, have to collect the Israeli violations, which the commission on Human Rights of the United Nations classified as war crimes and crimes against humanity, to identify the names of the offenders and to identify the legal prosecution mechanisms required.

4. International committees, especially the Red Cross, have to increase the number of their employees and intensify their activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including providing humanitarian and medical aids to affected Palestinians, allowing family visits to prisoners in Israeli jails, and ensuring the enjoyment of their rights guaranteed by international conventions.

5. Media has to focus on exposing war crimes and violations Israel commits.

First Day Wednesday, November 14, 2012

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At approximately 3:45 P.M, Israeli occupationplanesfiredamissiletowardsaKiaCerato car thatwas traveling inAbuBakrAl-Siddiq Street, near the Public Service Hospital, in Al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City. The directbombardmentofthecarledtothekillingof Commander in Chief of the al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) leader,AhmedSaidJabari,52years,whowasdrivingthe car, accompanied by his guard, Mohammed Hamedal-Hams,28,whowasalsokilled intheattack.

1. Testimony of Um Mohammed, Wife of the Martyr, Ahmed Jabari:1

On Wednesday, November 14th, 2012 in the afternoon, we learned from the news that Israeli war planes directly targeted my husband while he was driving with his guard, Mohammed al-Hams, leading to his immediate death along with his guard whose body was turned into scattered pieces. When their bodies arrived in Al-Shifa Hospital, media formally announced their martyrdom.

Few days before the start of the aggression, I asked him not to go out anywhere, fearing he might be assassinated. He laughed and told me, ‘It would be a great bless to get martyred at this time.’

I remember on Arafat Day when he was performing pilgrimage, he prayed to Allah and asked Him to die as a martyr. Actually, what he had dreamt of came true. The moment of farewell, I saw him raising his index finger, holding a small Quran

1 Quoted from the Media Office of the Brigades of the Martyr Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Site.

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in his hand, he opened his eyes, smiled and said, ‘God bless you!’ these were the last words I heard from him before martyrdom. I wish Allah accepts him as a martyr.

2. Testimony of Um Hamid al-Hams, Wife of the Martyr, Mohammed:1

In the very beginning of the aggression on the Gaza Strip, exactly at 3:45 pm, we heard the news of targeting a car near the Public Service Hospital, and another car similar near Al Amal Hotel and shortly afterwards, they announced the death of Abu Muhammad al-Jabari, whom my husband was accompanying. I realized then that something distasteful might happen to my husband. This was few minutes before I got the news of his martyrdom.

The last thing he posted on his Facebook before he was killed was ‘Apparently, this night is going to be a hard night! Please stay safe.’ It’s like he had a feeling of becoming a martyr that day.

Mohammed and I had five kids; three sons: Hamid, Wahid and Meshaal who is less than a year old; and two daughters: Jumana and Jana. I wish God helps me bear the burden and accept his loss. Life is going and keeps going no matter what happened to us! I will always remember the so beautiful love we used to have. I will try to accept and move on in life.

1 Quoted from the Palestinian Information Center WebSite.

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At approximately 4:50 P.M, the Israeli occupation warplanes fired three missiles at aresidentialhouseownedbyYousefJalalArafat,30, which led to the destruction of the houseentirely, and the destruction of his brother’s house, Saleh, 24 years old. The bombardment also resulted in the martyrdom of the child RonanYousefArafat, 7, and the injury of heraunt, Eman Jalal Arafat, 35, her brother Jalal, and her sister Maria.

3. Testimony of Nisreen Arafat, 28, Mother of Martyr Ronan:1

I sat in the living room with my three children Jalal, Maria and Ronan and their aunt. Few moments later, we were astonished by the sudden collapse of the house while we were still inside. All I remember was the voice of my son, Jalal, crying, ‘Mom! I cannot breathe!’ In a blink of an eye, my sister-in-law, the kid’s aunt, was with the kids making sure they were all fine, but they were not!

Jalal, Maria, and their aunt were injured. Renan was killed. God help us all bear the burden, accept and be patient.

1 An interview with Nisreen Arafat, on Tuesday, 12/3/2013, at her house in Al Zaytoun Neighborhood, near Ein Jallot School in Gaza City.

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Around4:55P.M,anIOFwarplanefiredamissiletowardsthehouseofAliAl-Mashharawi,54, in Al Zaitoun neighborhood, eastern Gaza city. The bombing resulted in demolishing the house and killingOmar JihadAl-Mashharawi,11, HebaAdel al-Mashharawi, 19, andAhmedAliAl-Mashhrawi,20, inadditiontothe injuryof another two children.

4. Testimony of Ahlam Al-Ashi, 24, Mother of Omar:1

My sister-in-law, Heba, and I were sitting with my kids Ali and Omar in the first floor as Ahmed, Heba›s husband, and the workers were finishing the house in the upper floor. When the bombing started, Ahmed came downstairs in case we were afraid. He was playing with Omar and trying to let all of us feel ease convincing us that it is safe here when the sound of explosion became louder and closer! I, therefore, suggested leaving to a safer place. I took my son, Ali, 4 years and Ahmed took Omar and followed me. Heba followed us, too. As soon as I reached, I saw the shrapnel flying around us and the house was destroyed leaving a pile of ashes and debris. I didn’t know what happened exactly, all I could see around was destruction. A few seconds later, Ahmed got out running, he was injured but he kept running until he reached the neighbor’s house. When the ambulance arrived in, paramedics helped me get into it with my injured son, Ali. I asked them about my son, Omar, who was playing with him before the attack, he said, ‘I don›t know! I

1 An interview with Ahlam Al-Ashi, on Friday, 15/3/2013, at her house in Al-Zaytoun Neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.

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thought he is with Heba!’ I was still talking to him when he went into a coma for so long. 12 days later, he passed away. I was with my son, Ali, who was injured in the head, when I knew about Omar’s martyrdom. Moreover, Heba, my sister-in-law, was killed, too, as she was with my son, Omar. God be with us all. Ahmad and his wife and my son were all martyrs.”

At approximately 5:45 P.M, an IOF drone bombed tworesidentsfromthetownofBeitLahiyawhileriding a motorcycle off the headquarter of the electricity distribution company in the province of Northern Gaza Strip, which is located inBeitLahiya. It led to themartyrdomofEssamMahmoud Abu Al-Meza, 22, and Mohammed Hani Ibrahim Al-Kaseeh, 18. Five more people were injured.

5. Testimony of Fatima Abu Al-Meza, 15, Sister of the Martyr Essam:1

On that day, my mother, sister-in-law and I were in the house praying together. Before praying, we heard in the news that a motorcycle carrying two citizens was targeted. While we went to pray, my brother, Mustafa, 22 years old, tried to call Essam on his cell phone. He tried once, twice, but no one answered. Finally when the phone was picked up, I heard Mustafa saying, ‘who are you! Who are you where is my brother?!’

‘I’m a passer-by,’ he told Mustafa. ‘I’m sorry to tell you that the owner of this cell phone, your brother, has just been attacked and is now 1 - An interview with Fatima Abu Al-Meza, on Wednesday, 12/2/2013, at her home, in Al-Manshiya opposite to Al-Ansar Mosque in Beit Lahia, north of Gaza City.

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transferred to Kamal Udwan Hospital. I found the mobile’s SIM card on the ground; I picked it up and put it in my mobile in case someone called the martyr!’ Mustafa hung up uttering no single word. Praying, my mother looked Mustafa in the eye and said, ‘Your brother died?’ He did not answer her. She immediately wore her frock and went out alone heading to Kamal Udwan Hospital. Mustafa followed her. My father was still at home; sleeping. Our voices were too loud for him not to wake up. He asked about mom. I told him she has just left and told him about Mustafa’s call. My father disappeared. He followed them there. There, he was already gone. Father? He didn’t recognize him. Mother? The only thing she said in a sad, shaky voice, ‘My son! To Allah we belong, and to him we shall return. I love you.’And we lost him. We lost him forever. God help my parents and grant them patience. Amen.

6. Testimony of Samiha Badr Al-Kaseeh, 47,Mother of Martyr Mohammed:1

On the first day of the aggression on the Gaza Strip, my son, Mohammed, went out to work early. After leader Abu Muhammad Al-Jabari was targeted, my husband called my son and asked him to directly come back home. He told him that he was on his way, but went to buy gasoline for the electricity generator, because electricity was cut off, and he told my husband he was with his friend, Essam Abu Al-Meza riding a motorcycle. After some time, my husband’s cell phone 1 An interview with Samiha- Al-Kaseeh, on Wednesday, 12/2/2013, at her home, at the beginning of Al-Shayma Strett, Beit Lahia, north of Gaza City.

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rang. Picking up the phone, he kept silent, hung up and intended to go out! ‘What’s wrong?’ I wondered. He told me that Mohammed had a motorcycle accident. It never came to mind that this was not the truth until my daughter hurried to her father asking him again about her brother. He repeated the same thing, but she did not believe him! I felt something wrong happened. I went out and started asking my neighbors if any of them knew anything about my son. No one told me the truth. It was my 17 year old kid, Bilal, who told me that Essam was killed! He was aware that he was the first one to tell me the tragic news.

That moment, I knew Mohammed was killed, as well. I knew he was gone! God help me bear the burden and accept my son as a martyr. Alhamdulillah.

At approximately 9:15 P.M, an IOF dronefired amissile towards a house to theWest ofNuseirat camp. The bombardment resulted in the martyrdom of Mahmoud Hamad Abu Sawaween,61,whilehewasnearhishousewithhis son Mohammed, 27, who was injured, inadditiontotheinjuryoffivecivilians,includinga woman.

7. Inaam Abu Sawaween, 33, Daughter of Martyr Mahmoud:1

Dad used to pray the five daily prayers at the mosque. Evening, the day of his martyrdom, he went out to the mosque to perform Ishaa prayer. After he was done, he was with my married brother, Mohammed, and my cousin, Nasser, chatting in the 1 An interview with Inaam Abu Sawaweenn, on Tuesday, 19/1/2013, at her house in Nusairat Refugee Camp in the center of Gaza Strip.

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street. It was only a few minutes before we heard the sound of a huge explosion that shook the house. I was talking to my mom and sisters when one of my sisters shouted, ‘it’s the house! It’s our house!’ We hurried downstairs and went out of the house. The house was not the target, though! The target was the breadwinner of the house; my father, and my bother! When the ambulance arrived, paramedics transferred Muhammad to the hospital and no one actually noticed that dad was missing! An hour later, my cousin, Nasser, asked us if anyone has seen dad! We started to look for him elsewhere. It was night and it was too dark to see anything. Though everyone knew it was a difficult task to find him in darkness, all started looking for him. We were about to lose hope when suddenly, my cousin shouted, ‘I found him! I did! Come here now!’

I didn’t have the courage to see my dead father.

Dad was under the rubble. He was thrown 10 meters away from the house due to the bombing. Dad was moved to a hospital. He was killed. I wish God accept him as a martyr.

Second Day Thursday, November 15, 2012

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Around5:40A.M,anIsraeliwarplaneattackedagroup of people in Al- Manara neighborhood, to theWestofKhanYounisbytwodronemissiles.This led to the death of three of them after being injuredbydebris.Thethreemartyrswere:HabesHasan Mesmeh, 29, Wael Haider Al-Ghalban,26, and Hesham Mohammad Al-Ghalban, 26.

1. Testimony of KhansaMesmeh, 27,Wife ofMartyr Habes:1

During Operation Pillar of Defence at dawn, my husband, Habes, went to the mosque for al Fajer Prayer. After staying there to read some verses of the Quran, he went to meet his friends Wael and Hesham Al-Ghalban. As my husband intended to leave his two friends, a drone missile was fired at them; Habes’ two friends died. At that moment, my husband tried to save himself by hiding behind an olive tree. There, he tried to call an ambulance to save his friends –before knowing that they have already been killed. Impatiently, he rushed out to reassure his friends and try to rescue them. Only then did he face his destiny being struck by another drone missile to join his other friends.

2. Testimony of Hesham Al- Ghalban’s M o t h e r : 2

Last night, the night of his martyrdom, Hesham stayed the night at Wael Al-Ghalban’s house and went with him to perform Dawn Prayer

1 An interview with Khansa Mesmeh, on Thursday, 6 December 2012, at her house in Khanyounis, to the South of the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Hesham Al- Ghalban’s Mother on Thursday, 6 December 2012, at his house in Khanyounis, southern the Gaza Strip.

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at a nearby mosque. They returned back to Wael’s house for Habes, their third friend, was coming to see them. After Habes has left the house, the Israeli warplanes awaited my son and Wael, who were still in the house, to go out and fired a missile at them. They were promptly killed. Habes, their third friend, tried to rescue them and provide help, yet he followed his friends, being a new victim for a new drone missile.

About 10:30 A.M. an olive orchard located near Sahaba Mosque in Al-qarara, Northeast Khan Younis, was attacked by an Israeli drone missile. This led to the martyrdom of Waleed Al-Abadlah, 3, after being hit in his head and body. Around 2:10 P.M, he died.

3. Testimony of Waleed’s Mother:1

Waleed and Malak are twins. They used to wake up together, have their breakfast and go to play. The day Waleed was killed, he and his twin sister went out to the courtyard of the house to play with their cousins and neighbors. The fact that their father was watching them made me feel comfortable about their absence.

Less than an hour later, I heard a massive explosion. Although the explosion was so loud, I didn’t –not for a single moment- think that it could be so near that something could happen to the kids. Looking out from the window, I was shocked. Waleed! It was Waleed and his cousin, Haitham, lying beside each other on the ground.My husband carried Waleed and went to wash his 1 An interview with Waleed Al-Abadlah’s mother on Sat-urday, 24 November 2012, at his house in Khanyounis, southern the Gaza Strip.

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face when he discovered that his hand is bleeding. He decided to call an ambulance when blood started coming out of his mouth!

We knew we lost him.

4. Testimony of Mahmoud Al-Abadlah’s father:1

I never thought my son, Mahmoud, would be killed by stupid missile fragments! I held him tight and washed his face while my wife was cuddling him, but he showed no reaction. My wife started to scream hysterically.

My brother Mustafa and I took him to Al-Salam Hospital. There, he was transferred to the European Hospital, where he took his last breath and rested in peace. There was a ray of hope as doctors decided to perform an operation on him. It was less than three hours when we knew that we have lost him. He died.

1 An interview with Mahmoud Al-Abadlah on Saturday, 24/11/2012, at his house in Khanyounis, southern the Gaza Strip.

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At about 11:30 A.M, Al-Shalouf area, East of Al-Zaytoon neighborhood to the East of Gaza city,afarmlandwhichbelongstoTafeshfamilywasattackedbythreeIsraelidronemissiles.Asthe farmlandwassurroundedbymanycivilianhouses, the house of Khaled Ahmed Tafesh, 30, was completely damaged due to the bombing.His ten-month baby girl, Haneen, was killedduetoseriousinjury.Furthermore,itledtothedestruction of a 5-storey house that belongs to Rafeeq Hasan Tafesh’s sons and the demolition of an ambulance.

5. Testimony of Huda Tafesh:1

11:00 A.M, Haneen was sleeping at her aunt’s room before her mother came to take her to her bedroom. There, she was killed. Just few minutes after her mom transferred her to her room, a drone missile exploded in her room! My son, her daddy, came to me crying folding Haneen in his arms. She was injured critically in the head in addition to having some fragments in her back.

Her absence caused a large vacuum for she was the youngest and the only daughter for her parents as well as the youngest and the only grandchild for me. It’s not easy to accept her loss when I can’t even believe it! But I have to accept it.

1 An interview with Huda Tafesh on Friday, 15/3/2013, at her house in al Zaytoon neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.

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Tuesday evening, 15th Nov, 2012, the Israeli warplanes attacked a farmland in Absan Al-Jadeeda,totheeastofKhanYounisbyadronemissile.Asaresult,AhmedAwadAbu-Elian,14,wasinjuredinthehead.Nextdayinthemorning,11:00 am, he died.

6. TestimonyofAwadAbu-Elian,FatheroftheMartyr:1

On that very day, Ahmad went out to work at our farmland, nearly a kilometer from our house. He was busy fertilizing and irrigating the land. At 1:00 pm, he returned back home for lunch. Back to the farm with his uncle, Suliman Abu-Elian, they were directly hit by a drone missile.

My brother was injured by in different parts of his body; he spent four days in the hospital. My son’s body was full of fragments, one of which hit his brain. Ahmed remained unconscious for six days in the intensive care unit at the European Hospital. During that period, I was sitting beside him heartbroken. I was always asking Allah to make him utter anything. Just anything. I wanted to hear his voice. At about 11:00 am the morning of the next day, he died.

1 An interview with Awad Abu-Elian on Monday, 30/9/2013, at his house in Khanyounis, southern the Gaza Strip.

Third Day Friday, November 16, 2012

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Around7am,anIsraeliwarplanefiredarocketat a house belonging to Abu Warda family in northern Gaza City. This aggression resulted in the martyrdom of Mahmoud SaadAlla, 4, andAymanAbuWarda, 24.Manyotherswereinjured,threeofwhomwerethechildren:ShadiKhela, Hanan khela and Tamer Khela.

1. TestimonyofEsmatSaadalla,37,Motherofthe Martyr, Mahmoud:1

On Friday, my son woke up early and asked me to prepare breakfast. After breakfast, he went out to play. When he came back home, he kissed me goodbye and went out again. It was 10 o›clock already when I heard a big explosion that shook the entire house. Unconsciously, I shouted ‘Mahmoud!’ A few moments later, I saw my son Malek, 10, holding his brother between his arms. My brother-in-law and picked him from his brother’s arms. He took him to the ambulance. I knew already that I have lost him!

2. TestimonyofMalekSaadAlla,10,BrotherofMartyr Mahmoud:2

In the morning of that day, I was playing with my brother, Mahmoud, and other children near our house. The moment of the explosion, I was in the inside the house. Mahmoud was outside. I did not hear the sound of shelling. All I remember was dust that covered us and spread all over the place. Just moments after, I heard the voice of my mother calling Mahmoud. I remembered that 1 An interview with Esmat Saadalla on Sunday, 3/2/2013, at her house in Jabalia, northern the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Malek Saad Allah on Sunday, 3/2/2013, at his house in Jabalia, northern the Gaza Strip.

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Mahmoud was near the door; I hurried out but I did not find him. I walked a little bit and there he was. My neighbor Ayman Abu Warda was there, too. I sat on my knees and started removing some dust. There was Mahmoud. I wasn’t able to know if he was injured; he was not bleeding. When my mother arrived, she found that my uncle Hassan had taken him to the ambulance.

3. Testimony of Sameeha Abu Warda, 50, Mother of Martyr Ayman:1

On the third day of the war, at 10 am, Ayman went out to bring us a cylinder of cooking gas. When he brought it and put it on the stairs, he went out to have a cup of tea with his uncle who was living next door. He went out once again.

I was sitting in my house when, suddenly, I heard the glass shatter. Othman, my son, was crying when he said, “Ayman is dead!” I rushed to the street but I could not find my son Ayman.

1 An interview with Sameeha Abu Warda on Sunday, 3/2/2013, at her house in Jabalia, northern the Gaza Strip.

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About8o›clock,KamalMohamedMqat, 23, acitizen living inSheikhRadwan,arrived toAl-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. His death came as a resultofaheartattackcausedbyasevereshockandfearduetothecontinualbombingonSheikhRadwanarea.

4. Testimony of Mohamed Mqat, Father of the Martyr:1

I was there that day morning selling vegetables and fruits when suddenly the Israeli aircraft bombed a land nearby. My son, Kamal, thought that I was the target, so he came quickly to make sure I was good. A few moments later, another rocket fell on the same land.

My son’s body flew up! Then he fell down on the ground. Unconsciously, I carried him to the house with the help of some passers-by. His head, nose and ears were bleeding. We took him to Al-Shifa Hospital, where he passed away. His death happened as a result of the damage of cerebral arteries and a violent eruption in his body. Israel killed my son.

Approximately at 11:40 am, Israeli warplanestargetedagroupofcitizenswhilebeinginalandinAlsikka road, southeast of Beit Lahia. Thisresulted in the martyrdom of Rani Mahmoud Hammad, 29, andKhaledAbdulRahmanAbuNaser, 27.

1 An interview with Mohamed Mqat on Saturday, 12/10/2013, at his house in al Nafaq street, Shaikh Rodwan area, eastern Gaza City.

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5. TestimonyofFadwaabuNaser,36,SisterofMartyr Khaled:1

The day of his martyrdom, Khaled didn›t sleep at home. Next morning, we were busy following up news. Suddenly, Um Ahmed Hejazi, our neighbor, knocked at the door and asking about Khaled. “Where is your brother Khaled?” I wondered why she was asking about him.

I asked her if something bad happened to my brother, but she didn’t answer. I was sure this time that something bad happened to him. After a while, she told me that my brother was killed. I couldn’t believe my ears when she said what she said! I fainted.

6. Testimony of Mahmoud abu Naser, 60, Father of Martyr Khaled:2

At noon, on my way to mosque, I was told by a young man that Khaled was injured. I hurried to Kamal Udwan Hospital and near the door I fainted when heard that my son was martyred along with his friend, Rani Hammad.

1 An interview with Fadwa abu Naser on Sunday, 3/2/2013, at her house in al Hoja Street, Opposite to Abd Al Hayy Clinic, Jaba-lia, northern the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Mahmoud abu Naser on Sunday, 3 Feb-ruary 2013, at his house in al Hoja Street, Opposite to Abd Al Hayy Clinic, Jabalia, northern Gaza.

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7. Testimony of Fathiya Mahmoud Hammad, 54, Mother of Martyr Rani:1

When the war began on Wednesday, Rani asked his wife to pack the bag preparing themselves to move from their apartment to our house, to be much safer. The next day, I went to the market to buy something. When I arrived, I saw a crowd of people next to our home; I did not give that any attention.

As I entered home, my daughter Hayat received a text message from her friend, telling her that Rani was martyred. When she told me, I rushed out to know that everyone already knew about my son, except his us.

My husband was sleeping. I woke him up. Together, we went out to know exactly what happened.

When I returned home, my daughter, Hayat, told me that Rani›s wife, Helen, 28, was taken to hospital to give birth. Rani the baby was born the same day Rani the father was killed. We called him ‘Rani’ after his martyred father.

Around12:10am,anIsraeliwarplanetargeteda group of people who were in the garden ofGhazi Salman’s house in Beit Lahia, injuringfive citizens and killing TahreerZiad Salman,22, and Mohammed Talal Salman, 28. Tahreer›s husbandwasseriouslyinjuredandwastakentoEgypt for treatment.

1 An interview with Fathiya Mahmoud Hammad on Sunday, 27 December 2013, at her house in Jabalia, northern Gaza.

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8. Testimony of Hana Salman, 27, wife ofMartyr Mohammed:1

On Friday, 12:00 pm, I was at home preparing lunch. My husband left the house early in the morning for work at a farm in Beit Lahia. On his way home, he went to my family›s house to meet my brother Jamal Salman. At that moment, I heard a loud explosion. It shook the entire house. Later, I knew that my husband, my brother and his wife were the target! I left in a hurry to my family›s home; I did not expect to see my husband there. When I arrived, I saw ambulances. And there they were, the three of them. My husband and my brother›s wife were killed, and my brother was seriously injured.

9. Testimony of Ghalia Salman, 55, Mother-in-LawofMartyrTahreer:2

I was the first to see what happened. I was at home preparing lunch, when a huge explosion happened. I thought that Tahreer was inside, but she was not. She was in the courtyard of the house with her husband and my son-in -law. I looked out from the window and saw the three of them lying on the ground, my son, his wife and my daughter›s husband. I screamed for help, it was like I lost consciousness. I don›t know what happened, but my sight got blurry when I saw my daughter-in-

1 An interview with Hana Salman on Wednesday, 12 De-cember 2013, at her house in Bait Lahia, northern Gaza.

2 An interview with Ghalia Salman on Wednesday, 12 Feb-ruary 2013, at her house in Bait Lahia, northern Gaza.

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law bleeding and I could not offer her any help. Her head was almost damaged. I fainted. When I woke up, I asked people around me ‘what happened?’ They told me that Mohamed and Jamal are fine, but Tahreer was martyred after half an hour of her injury. They said that my daughter›s husband also was martyred while my son was badly injured in his stomach, hands and back. They transferred him to Egypt for treatment. He did not know that his wife was dead by then. He was always calling us to ask about his wife and every time he asked, we told him that she was very tired and cannot talk to you. Two months later, I went to Egypt to visit him and started to tell him stories of martyrs and the great reward of being patient. I wanted him to accept his wife’s loss. But he told me he knew about his wife’s death the moment they were targeted, adding that his wife visited him three times in his sleep. He knew she was dead. After spending three months in Egypt, he returned to Gaza and he stayed at Al Wafaa Hospital to attend a rehabilitation program. He now uses a wheelchair to move around.

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About 1:20 pm, an Israeli warplane fired arocket towards an empty landaroundNoorAlHuda mosque in Israa neighborhood, to the southeastBeitLahia.ThisledtothemartyrdomofMarwanAbdul Rahman abu Qumsaan, 52.

10. Testimony of Fayza Okasha, 51, Wife ofMartyr Marwan:1

On the first day of war, when Ahmed Jabari was assassinated, my husband went out to visit his brother in Beit Lahia. As things escalated, he called and informed us that he is going to stay at his brother›s house because he could not go out since shelling was powerful and everywhere. Next day, he requested a car to go back home in the company of his brother, Radwan abo Qumsaan.

At that time, electricity was off. We weren›t able to follow up the breaking news. A friend of my son Abdul Rahman, 25, called him and asked him if his father was home. My son told him that his father had not arrived yet. He told his friend that his father was in his uncle›s house. Only then had his friend told him that there was news that my husband was injured. He asked my son to call his father to make sure he was okay.

My son rushed out of the house and I followed him. Many people were in front of our house talking about the martyrdom of my husband! I heard the voice of my daughters’ screaming upstairs. I realize that he was killed. His brother was seriously injured and was transferred to Egypt for medical treatment.

1 An interview with Fayza Okasha on Sunday, 3 February 2013, at her house in Jabalia, northern Gaza.

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At nearly 1:24 pm, Israeli warplanes fired amissiletowardstwocitizens,whowereatafarminthewesternareatothenorthofKhanyounis,southern Gaza. Ismail Khatab Qandil, 23, died of injuries.Anotherperson was injured.

11. Testimony of Abu Ismail Qandil, 43, brother of the Martyr:1

Since the aggression started, my brother, Isamil, stayed at his place, so we couldn›t see him in the first days of the war. The night before his martyrdom, he came home to say goodbye and went back for work again.

The next day, while I was listening to news at my work place, I heard the name of my brother on the radio. It came as a shock to me.

Around2:30pm,IsraelfiredamissiletowardsafarmnearAL-NojoomHallforweddingsinAl-Zaytoonneighborhood,easternGaza,killing acitizen:YounisKamelTafesh,55.Hewaspassingthrough the place riding his motorcycle.

12. TestimonyofFayzaAL-Amareen,53,wifeofthe Martyr:2

One day before the martyrdom of my husband, he prayed on martyr Ronan Arafat and attended her funeral. On the next day, I asked him not to leave the house because of the dangerous situation, but he insisted on going out to help his 1 An interview with Abu Ismaal Qindeel on Wednesday, 6 November 2013, via phone.2 An interview with Fayza Al-Amareen on Tuesday, 12 March 2013, at her house near Al-Shamaa Mosque, in Al-Zaytoon Neighborhood, eastern Gaza.

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cousin and her daughter: Haneen Tafesh, who was martyred on Friday. After he was done and had lunch at his sister’s, he left to perform Aser prayer, and while he was going out to the mosque riding his motorcycle, Israeli warplanes targeted him by a Helicopter missile causing his martyrdom immediately. We didn’t know about his martyrdom except when neighbors gathered around the house and one of our neighbors enquired about the colour of my husband›s clothes. When I told him what he was wearing, he told me that he saw the picture of my husband injured on TV! A strange feeling occupied me when he told that. After a while, one of our neighbors called a nurse who works at Al-Shifa Hospital. Soon after, he told us about my husband’s martyrdom. It was so hard to believe.

Nearly at 4:00 pm, Israeliwarplanes fired twoF16 missiles at a house belonging to citizen JamalHadad,easternShijaia,andanotherhousebelonging to citizen Izzaddin Al-Hadad in Al-Zaytoon neighborhood. That led to a complete destructionofthetwohouses,andthemartyrdomofpasser-by,Mrs.SabahMohammedSkafi,41.

13. Testimonyofthebrotheroftheownerofthehouse:1

On the third day of the war, my cousin›s house was targeted by two F16 missiles, at 11:00 am, which completely destroyed it. The house was built only five months earlier!

1 An interview with Said Hadad on Monday, 10 December 2012, at his house in Al-Shejaya Neighborhood, eastern Gaza.

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Thank God, no one was injured. I was so sorry, however, for the 41-year-old woman who was killed by shrapnel; she was 350 meters away when that happened.

Shortly before the bombing, the Israeli military forces called my sister-in-law telling her that the house, which is located in Al-Zaytoon neighborhood, had to be evacuated as they wanted to bomb it! She called and told us that we had to evacuate to stay safe. Only five minutes later, the bombing happened! Israel targeted the house when it was still full of inhabitants. Israel destroyed the house.

Now my uncle lives with his 5 family members in a rented house, after he used to own a two-storey house! Having to suffer a lot to build it, my uncle was really shocked when Israel destroyed it.

The occupation also targeted my brother›s house, Izz-ddin Al-Hadad, by three warning drone missiles on the same day my cousin›s house, Jamal, was targeted. At exactly 4:00 pm. The residents of the house evacuated a few moments after warning and they were not able to take any personal stuff with them. The three-story house, which sheltered 25 members, was completely destroyed in a split second.

14. TestimonyofFayzRajabSkafi,48,husbandof Martyr Sabah:1

When my wife got injured due to targeting 1 An interview with Fayz Al-Skefi on Thursday, 14 February 2013, at his house on Baghdad Street, Al-Shejaya neighborhood, eastern Gaza.

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Al-Hadad house, she was transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital and had a four-hour surgery. Shrapnel in the head caused her injury. She stayed at Al-Shifa Hospital for a couple of days, before being transferred to the military hospital in Ma›di in Egypt. She stayed there for four days, but, alas, she was too fragile to carry on. On 26th November 2012, she died. The day she was injured, she rushed out to bring her 13-year-old son, Fares, who had some psychological problems. She got dressed in a blink of an eye and went out quickly. While she was on her way, an explosion happened. She was 350 meters away from Al-Hadad’s house that was bombed; shrapnel from the explosion wounded her.

Atnearly7:50pm,Israelidronesfiredadronemissile towards a land belonging toAbu-Jalalfamily in the Middle Area of the Gaza Strip in Al-Magazi Refugee Camp. This resulted in the martyrdom of a number of citizens whohappened to be there. Ahmed Salim Abu Jalal, 34,hisbrotherAmjadSalemAbuJalal,25,ZiadFarhan Abu Jalal, 23, and Hassan Salameh Alhmala, 26 were killed.

15. Testimony of Nael Abu Jalal, 31, brother of twomartyrs,AhmedandAmjad:1

We were waiting for the unknown! On Sunday morning, my brothers Ahmed and Amjad went out and sat in front of the house chatting, until Noon prayer. When al-Asr prayer was due, Ahmed went out to the market, and Amjad stayed home until sunset. They gathered after al-Isha prayer at the land 1 An interview with Nael Abu Jalal on Saturday, 23 January 2013, at his house near Al-Zafaran Mosque, Moghazi Camp, the Mid-dle Area of the Gaza Strip.

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near our house for chatting as they did every night. My nephew, Ziad and his friend Hassan Al-Hamela were with them, too.

It was 8:00 pm when I heard a sound of a powerful explosion shaking my house. Going out quickly to see which house was attacked, I heard some people talking about the land nearby. ‘The strike is there,’ said a young man pointing to the land. Knowing previously that my two brothers, my nephew, and their friend were there, I was certain that something bad happened to the four of them. I went quickly to the land to shockingly find them all sinking in blood. I fell on my knees. The scene was so tragic that I was not able to control myself.

16. Testimony of SamarAbu Jalal, 30, wife ofMartyr Amjad:1

It was 8:00 pm in the afternoon when I heard a powerful explosion nearby. It shook the house. I learned half an hour later that Amjad, my husband, and his nephew, Ziad, were killed! I could not control myself and my tears uncontrollably rolled down my cheeks.

The loss of my husband made our house empty. The breadwinner is gone now and I›m in charge of almost everything. Taking responsibility is never easy. I’ll do my best to bring up my kids.

1 An interview with Samar Abu Jalal on Saturday, 23 January 2013, at her house near Al-Zafaran Mosque, Moghazi refugee camp, the Middle Area of the Gaza Strip.

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17.Testimony of Mona Abu Jalal, 48, mother of martyr Ziad:1

Ziad was a farmer. That evening, he went to sit with his uncles Ahmed Abu Jalal, Amjad Abu Jalal and their friend Hassan Al- Hmala in a nearby land for chatting. At 8:15 pm, an Israeli drone missile was fired at them killing all

Ziad was a civilian who had nothing to do with any political issues,. There is no excuse for targeting him. Ziad was killed with two of his uncles and a friend. I don’t know what the hell Israel thinks it is doing! I pray they rest in peace.

18. Testimony of Neama Al-Hmala, 58, mother of martyr Hassan:2

Sunday afternoon, Hassan came back home and asked for lunch. He had lunch while standing. I asked him to have a seat, but he said he was in a hurry; his friends were waiting for him to go to their land together. I was afraid because it wasn’t safe outside. So I asked him to take great care and not to be late. He said he would and left.

After 8:00 pm, a powerful explosion shook the area. One hour later, they told me about his martyrdom. Hassan was a lovely son to me. It was so hard to lose a son. But Thanks God, I received the news with patience.

1 An interview with Mona Abu Jalal on Wednesday, 25 Sep-tember 2013, at her house near Al-Zafaran Mosque, Moghazi refugee camp, the Middle area of the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Neama Al-Hmela on Saturday, 23 January 2013, at her house near Al-Zafaran Mosque, Moghazi refugee camp, the Middle Area of the Gaza Strip.

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At nearly 9:00 pm, an Israeli drone fired amissile at a motorcycle near Al-Aqsa Hospital in the Middle Area of the Gaza Strip, Al-Moghazi Refugee Camp, leading to the instant killingof three. They are Khalid Khalil Al-Shaer, 26, Ahmed Ramadan Ramadan, 26, and Ahmed Ismail Abu Musameh, 29, who died later ofinjuries.

19.Testimony of Abdul Rahman Al-Shaer, 23, brother of Martyr Khalid:1

My brother Khaled went out that morning at 7:00 am after he had prayed Dawn Prayer at the mosque. Before coming back home, he learned from the news about the killing of his friend, Ahmed Abu Jalal and three others. He rode his motorcycle to the hospital to see them, to say goodbye. After leaving the hospital with his friends, he rode his motorcycle back home. When he was ten meters away from the hospital, an Israeli drone fired a missile at him, killing him instantly.

20. Testimony of Hania Mahmoud, 51, mother of martyr Ramadan:2

On Friday, Ramadan went out to perform Friday Prayer and came back at lunchtime. That day, I had a feeling something bad might happen.

Ramadan got ready to go out. I asked him, “where to, dear?” He told me he was going out with his

1 An interview with bother of the martyr Khaled on Satur-day, 23 January 2013, at his house in Al-Moghazi refugee camp, the Middle Rea of the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Hania Mahmoud on Saturday, 23 Janu-ary 2013, at her house, Al-Maghazi refugee camp, the Middle Area of the Gaza Strip.

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friend. I kissed him goodbye and prayed for him. He left.

It was night already and he didn’t show up. I asked his brothers to call him to make sure he was fine once I knew about the martyrdom of his four friends. They assured me that he was fine and that he went to the hospital. Half an hour later, an Israeli drone fired a missile at my son and his friends Khalid Al-Shaer and Ahmed Abu Mosameh. I received the news of my son’s death. I cried silently praying to God to accept my dear son as a martyr.

21. TestimonyofNisreenAbuMosameh,28,wifeof martyr Ahmed:1

My husband was a close friend of Amjad Abu Jalal. He used to visit him at home. On Friday morning, he went out to pray and came back to have lunch with us. When Al-Aser prayer was due to, he went out and never came back.

The moment Abu Jalal family was bombed, I expected that he was with them! I was so worried. I tried to call him, but there was no answer. I expected something bad might have happened.

One hour later, I received the news that Ahmed was injured and that he was in hospital. I calmed down because he was still alive. I went to see him but he was in a bad condition. He was in a coma for a few days then he died. I pray that Allah accepts him as a martyr.

1 An interview with Nisreen Abu Mosameh on Saturday, 23 January 2013, at her house, Al-Maghazi refugee camp, the Middle Area of the Gaza Strip.

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At nearly 10:30 pm, Israeli warplanes fired a missile at a group of citizens who were near Al-Qurmozi Mosque behind the stalls market in Al-Shejaya neighborhood, eastern Gaza. This strike caused the martyrdom of Ayman Rafeeq Esleem, 26, and injured another.

22. Testimony of Khitam Esleem, 48, mother of martyr Ayman:1

During war, we didn›t evacuate our house. On Friday night, my son went out to visit his sister and check on her because of the hard situations and the constant bombardment on the Gaza Strip. Before leaving, he looked me in the eyes and said, “Please mom, take care of my sick father and my daughters..” He went out quickly and I had no time to think about what he just said.

The moment he left, an Israeli drone missile hit and killed him! He left us forever and left his kids and a pregnant wife behind killed. His wife gave birth to a cute baby boy days later. We named him after his father. We now have a small Ayman. God accept Ayman, the father, and let him rest in peace.

1 An interview with Khitam Esleem on Thursday, 12 February 2013, in the martyr’s father house in Al-Montar Street in Al-Shejaya Neighborhood, eastern Gaza.

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At nearly 10:35 pm, an Israeli warplanetargeted a farm close to a residential area in Al-Wadi Street, eastern Beit Hanoon, leadingto the martyrdom of Oday Nasser, 16, and Faris Bassiouni,9.22citizenswereinjured,aswell,14ofwhomwerechildrenand3werewomen.Thebombardment destroyed Jamal Naser’s house, and many other houses nearby were partlydamaged. Moreover, it caused the destruction of Al-Estiqama Mosque.

23. Testimony of Salwa Naser, 42, Mother ofmartyr Oday:1

When the time was almost 11:00 pm, Jamal Naser, my 42-year-old husband, and I were sleeping when we heard a sound of a very powerful bombing. That moment, we were breathing dust!

My husband rushed to check on our children.

All of a sudden, my 18-year-old son, Tareq, screamed! ‘Call the ambulance! Call the ambulance, I›m Injured,» he was said. I went to see him, calmed him down and called Oday, my 16-year-old son, but he did not answer. I went to check on him; groping my way through the darkness because of the bombing. I arrived and touched him and started unconsciously shaking him! He wasn’t moving!

A short while later, the ambulance arrived, took the injured and left to the hospital. I, not knowing what happened to my two sons, went to my parents› house.

1 An interview with Salwa Naser on Sunday, 3 February 2013, in the martyr’s grandfather’s house, opposite to Omar Ibn Abdul Azeez Mosque, Beit Hanoon, northern Gaza.

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There I was shocked that all people knew about my son’s condition except me. I knew about the martyrdom of Oday, and that Tareq was injured and was in a serious condition. God help my son Tareq, accept my son Oday, and help me bear the burden.

24. TestimonyofAwatefAl-Basyouni ,Motherof martyr Faris:1

My children slept in their bedroom. Around 11:00 pm, my husband and I were watching TV when suddenly a huge explosion nearby shook the house, the glass of the windows broke, and electricity immediately went off.

I stood up quickly to see what happened when my husband stopped me saying, ‘Wait! You’ve to wear your slippers! Glass is all over the place!’ I did not stop, though! All I was thinking of was my children! Something bad could happen to them!

Following me carrying a torch, my husband came with me to our kid’s where our daughter was weeping saying, ‘my brother is killed! Faris is a martyr!’ My husband ran quickly towards Faris and when he held him, he could not handle what he saw!

I knew what Diana said was true. I remember how my husband collapsed seeing Faris’s head apart and his brain scattered on the wall!

My husband rushed outside the house and started screaming, ‘help me Naji! Help me brother! Help us, people! Help! Help! Ambulance!’ 1 An interview with Awatef Al- Basuoni on Sunday 3 Feb-ruary 2013, at her house, opposite to Omar Ibn Abdul Azeez Mosque, Beit Hanoon, northern Gaza.

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The hardest thing was that my husband found no answer. The continuous shelling on the Gaza Strip prevented anyone from going out and people were busy checking on their own families!

Ten minutes later, my husband›s brother, Naji, came and carried Faris out. My daughter Malak was unconscious. I believe it was because she saw her brother. She was shocked and did not talk for days. I lost a dear kid. I always wanted to see him grow up. Rest in peace, my love.

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Around 4: 35 am, the Israeli forces attackedAtiyaAbu Nqaira’s four-story house, which islocated in Al-Shaboura, Rafah, by firing fourwarningmissiles.After a while, the house wasfullydamagedduetoIsraeliF16airstrike,whichled to the destruction of Ahmed Abu Nqaira’s housetoo,whichwaslocatednexttothetargetedhouse.Ahmad, 61,was killed.

1. TestimonyofMariamAbuNqaira,54,wifeof martyr:1

My husband was a farmer. He had a farm at which he raised some sheep and spent most of his time. Mr. ‘Atiya Abu Nqaira’s house was the closest to our house in the neighborhood. As we expected the house to be attacked, my children and I evacuated before something bad might happen. Yet my husband refused to leave saying that there was no safer place!

On Saturday morning, 17 November 2012, around 4:35 am, Israel launched a warning missile at Mr. ‘Atiya Abu Nqaira’s house, as a warning for people to leave the house. Nearly five minutes later, the house was hit with another small warning missile. After a short while the third and the fourth missiles followed. Only then had my husband decided to leave to his farm, he had not enough time to leave.

They attacked the four-story house by a massive Israeli air strike using an F16 warplane; the house was fully damaged and so was our house, where my husband was. We found my dead husband

1 An interview with Mariam Abu Nqaira on Sunday, 9 December 2012, in Rafah, southern Gaza.

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some 70 meters away from the targeted house! Transferring him to hospital, we knew he was already gone. Israel killed my husband.

At 5:00 am, Israeli forces attacked PalestiniancitizenMousaMohammedAl-Smairi,76,directlybyawarningdronemissile,whilehewassittinginfrontofhishouseinDeirAl-Balah.

2. Testimony of Sa’diya Mousa Al-Smairi, 43, daughter of martyr:1

Early at dawn, my father took a jug of water and went out to make abolition in front of our house. It was 5:00 am when we heard a sound of a close bombing. But because Israel bombed almost at every moment, where we lived, as the area was made of farmlands, which made it a very dangerous area, none of us even thought of checking the target!

Only after preparing breakfast had my mother knew that the target was her husband. It was 6:30 am already.

Trying to wake my father up for breakfast, my mother found her husband drowned in his blood to learn that an Israeli drone directly killed him by a warning missile! We called the ambulance; an hour passed when it finally arrived to transfer him to hospital. My father used to pray on time, despite his old age. He used to wake up to pray Al-Fajer prayer on time. After he prays, we would hear him calling ‘Ibrahim’ my brother who was killed by Israel a year ago. And here he is, following his son.1 An interview with Sa’diya Mousa Al-Smairi on Thursday, 26 September 2013, at her house in Deir al Balah, the Middle Area of the Gaza Strip.

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At about 8:00 am, the Israeli forces attackeda group of citizens by a drone-warningmissilein Al Maghazi camp, in the Middle Area. The raid caused the death of three young men and manywere injured.ThemartyrswereAliAbdAl-Haleem Al-Mana›ma, 23, Osama Mousa Abd Al-Jawad,27,andAshrafHasanDarweesh,22.

3. Testimony of Tahani Al-Mana’ma, 44, mother ofmartyrAliAbdAl-HakeemAlmana’ma:1

The day my son was killed; he went out for a while with his two friends. They were still somewhere near the house when Israel hit them directly with a drone missile; three of them were killed at 8:00 am in the morning. My neighbours gathered in front of the house to see what happened and told me that Ali was killed. He was gone. Ali was killed leaving a one-year-old kid, Abd Al-Hakeem, who was named after his late grandfather ‘Abd Al-Hakeem Al-Mana›ma’, a three-year-old daughter, Nida’, and his wife.

4. Testimony of Lamees Abd Al-Jawad, 23,sister of martyr Osama:2

My cousin, Khalid Al-Sha’er, was killed by Israel on Friday, 16 November 2012, when it attacked him while getting out from a hospital after visiting his injured friend. This made my parents expect the loss of Osama, my eldest brother, at any

1 An interview with Tahani Al-Mana’ma on Wednesday, 25/9/2013, at her house near the municipality Park, Moghazi Camp, middle of the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Lamees Abd Al-Jawad on Wednesday, 25/9/2013, at her house, Karama Street, Moghazi Camp, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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time and live in the fear for this expectation! They were so afraid to lose him; they prevented him from going out anywhere!

Crying bitterly over his cousin, Osama swore to mom that he won’t leave home but to attend Khalid’s funeral! Next morning, my mom arrived home having been to Khalid’s funeral. She asked about my brothers, Hammam and Osama, to make sure they were both fine. Hammam answered while Osama did not. She asked about Osama. We told her that he was sleeping at his house. She asked to see him, so she asked my brother to make sure he was there. He was not there. A few moments later, some neighbors knocked at our door and told us that Osama was killed.

We got shocked.

My mother was not able even to accept the fact that her best son was killed by the most savage force in the world. She was not even able to get the idea of not seeing him again, not hearing his voice or talking to him! He was a father, a brother, a friend, and a son to her. He was everything to her; everything to all of us to the extent that we wished that Israel had killed us instead of him!

We could not forget how hard it was especially when his little two-year-old daughter, Layan, brought a piece of candy and offered it to her father’s picture, stuck on the wall. She tried to feed him a piece of candy, innocently saying, ‘Why isn’t daddy eating!’

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5. Testimony of Safaa Darweesh, Mother ofmartyr Ashraf:1

During the Israeli aggression, Ashraf used to stay outside the house. The day he was killed, however, he stayed at home! Early in the morning, he left. Minutes later, the news of his killing shocked us! Ashraf was a man with good manners that all loved. He had always felt he would be a martyr one day. He used to ask me not to shed a tear if I lose him; and not to feel sad. It was a catastrophe losing him. I only pray to God to accept him as a martyr.

Around 8:30 am, Israeli airplanes fired twomissilesattwoyouthswalkinginRafah,southernGaza,killing 37-year-oldMukhlesEdwanandinjuring37-year-oldHusamEl-Hams.Husam’swoundwassoseriousthathediedsoonafter.

6. TestimonyofSalwaEdwan,wife ofmartyrMukhles:2

On the fourth day of the aggression in the morning, my husband Mukhles and his friend Husam went out to their work. When a drone missile injured my husband, his friend tried to save him. Unfortunately, a second missile was fired towards Husam, my husband’s friend, killing him. When the ambulance arrived, my husband was already dead.

1 An interview with Safaa Darweesh on Wednesday, 25 September 2013, at her house, Karama Street, Moghazi Camp, the Middle Area of the Gaza.2 An interview with Edwan Family on Tuesday, 4 December 2012, in their house that is located in Rafah, southern Gaza.

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7. Testimony of Samir El-Hums, 50, father of martyr Husam:1

Husam was transferred to Egypt to get treatment, 13 days after being hit by an Israeli missile along with his friend, Mukhles. On the same day, he died.

He was transferred from Egypt to be buried here in Gaza on November 30, 2012.

About9:00am,anIsraelidronefiredamissiletowards three men who were in an emptyagricultural land at al Zohour neighborhood to the north of Rafah city, southern Gaza. While a number of civilians went to rescuethese injured,warplanesfiredasecondmissile,claiming the lives of three men: Mohammed Saleh Alloulihy, 24, Ahmed Osama Al Atrash, 24, and Abdurrahman Salem Al Masri, 23. This incident also resulted in the martyrdom of the 31-year-old paramedicAwad HamdiAl Nahal,and moderately wounding another civilian.

8. Testimony of Abu Mohamad Abu Samhadana, 40, neighbor:2

A drone missile boomed an empty land in the neighborhood of Tel Al-Zohour in Rafah. I heard a voice of Islamic Takbeer (saying Allahu Akbar) and calling for an ambulance. When I looked out from the window, I learned it was Muhammad. He was injured in his leg. As I went to the place 1 An interview with Al Hums family on Tuesday, 4 Decem-ber 2012, in their house in Rafah, southern Gaza. 2 An interview with Abu Mohamad Abu Samhadana on Tuesday, 4 December 2012, at his house in Hayy al Zohour in Rafah, southern Gaza.

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accompanied by the paramedic Awad Hamdi Al Nahal, the drone fired another missile at the place. That missile immediately killed the paramedic, Awad, and the injured Mohammed.

9. TestimonyofSabahQawash,50,motherofmartyr Ahmed al- Atrash:1

As I was told by the family of Mohammad al Lolahi, Ahmed went out for work with his friend Mohammed at a land in the neighborhood of al Zohour, Rafah, when they were romped by the Zionist airplane. His injury was in his left hand and his leg, and his head was full of fragments. I saw him after the dawn prayer on Saturday; he passed away in front of me, smiled, and then left. ‘Allah yerhamo.’ May he rest in peace.

10. Testimony of Salwa AL-Nahal, 28, wife ofmartyr, Awad Al-Nahal:2

In the morning of that day, my husband Awad, went out to buy breakfast for our children. On his way home, some people saw him and appealed to him to rescue Mohamad Al-lolahi and Ahmed Al Atrash who were bleeding. He handed me the food then immediately hurried to the place where they were targeted; When he arrived, the same warplane fired another missile at them around 9:00 am. That time it was my husband. Israel decided to make me a widow.

Immediately after losing him, I started recalling his last minutes on earth; what he did, 1 An interview with Sabah Qawash on Sunday, 9 September 2012, at her house in Al Shaboura in Rafah, southern Gaza. 2 An interview with Salwa AL-Nahal on Sunday, 9 Decem-ber 2012, at her house in Hayy al Zohour in Rafah, southern Gaza.

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what he said and how he was acting. Not as usual, the day before his martyrdom, he was so happy and bought all needed items at the house. Because I was pregnant, he brought the entire foetus’s necessities and food, which will be ‘sufficient for a year’ as he said.

11. Testimony of Sondos Al-Masri, 23, sister of martyr Abdulrahman:1

After the beginning of the Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip, my brother went to my sister’s house in Rafah, but he couldn’t come back home because of the tense atmosphere and drones which were searching for a new victim tirelessly. Thus, he was forced to stay overnight. On that night, Abdulrahman went to a neighboring farmland, accompanied by his friends Ahmed Al-Atrash and Mohamad Al Lolahi.

Surprisingly, Israeli warplanes fired a rocket directly towards them that led to the martyrdom of my brother, Abdulrahman, and Mohammad Al-Atrash. A group of people rushed to rescue them when another airstrike took place, killing those who were trying to help..

In the morning, my mother and I were listening to the news when they heard breaking news about the killing of three men! The journalist announced the names of two of them as the third was still ‘anonymous’. I felt that something wrong might happen to my brother and my mother could be severely shocked, I turned the radio off. Soon after, my mother turned the radio on again. The

1 An interview with Sondos Al-Masri on Wednesday, 6 November 2013 via a phone call.

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name of Abdulrahman was broadcasted as the third martyr.

In spite of our expectations of his martyrdom, it was so hard to learn about his martyrdom, especially when that we knew about it from the radio! My father and my mother went to Abu-Yousef Al Najjar Hospital to have the last farewell look at Abdulrahman’s body,.

Around9:45am,anIsraeliwarplanebombedagroup of people nearAbdulallah Ben RawahaMosque, at Maan area, to the east of Khan-Younis. This led to the martyrdom of twocitizens, Abdulallah Harb Abu-Khater, 21, and Mahmoud Saed Abu-Khater, 34. Moreover, it resulted in the injury of the son of the secondmartyr, the 3-year-old, Anas.

12. TestimonyofArwaAbuKhater,27,wifeofmartyr Mahmoud:1

Waking up to perform dawn prayer at the mosque, reading some of holy Quran verses, visiting his family home to reassure his mother that he’s okay were things my husband did every day. Nearly 2 hours later, he came back home and escorted our son, Anas, outside to play.

Mahmoud was basking when one of our neighbors came to him. It was just a few minutes before we heard a strong explosion which shook the house. I screamed, as the explosion was so loud A few minutes later, I recognized that the explosion was so close that something could have happened

1 An interview with Arwa Abu Khater on Saturday, 15 December 2012, at her house in Khanyounis, southern Gaza.

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to my son and husband! I hurried to the window. There was not any smoke, but as I moved my eyes, I saw my husband cuddling Anas. They both were surrounded by blood. They were the target of that bombing! I ran unconsciously. I went out and asked my husband to wake him up, but it was too late. A few minutes later, young men from our neighborhood rushed to the place while I was still holding my son, Anas, and running unconsciously screaming for help. I only wanted to save him. There, I saw my husband’s cousin, Nehad, 40. He asked me to give him Anas to take him to the nearest hospital. I did.

After that, I returned to the place where my husband was lying. I hoped that he would probably they would survive the bombing. I tried to convince myself that he was still alive. I really wanted him back. Five minutes later, the ambulance reached and took him to hospital. They put the word martyr on his chest. I realized that all I had to do was to surrender and accept his death. As I knew nothing about Anas, I firmly hugged my two little sons, Moaza and Ghaith, wishing that nothing bad happened to them.

Later, I learned that I have already lost a dear son. Anas had been killed, too.

13. Testimony of mother of martyr Mahmoud:1

I was traumatized because of the loss of my son. In addition, I bore the hardship of traveling with my grandchild Anas, who was injured too, to 1 An interview with Mahmoud Abu Khater’s Mother on Saturday, 15 December 2012, at her house in Khanyounis, southern Gaza.

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complete his treatment. My last moments with my son were in the early morning when he came to my house asking about our news and checking on us. He was accompanied by his little Anas, whose smiles and jokes filled the place. After some hours of Mahmoud’s departure, I heard the sound of the explosion. I went out to hear some people talking about someone’s death. I heard my son and my grandchild’s names! I hurried up to his house to find him lying on the ground surrounded by blood. I pray he rests in peace.

14. TestimonyofKhadeejaAbuKhater,motherof martyr Abdullah:1

Abdullah prayed the Dawn prayer in the mosque as he always used to do, and went out to work in our neighbor’s farm to feed the chickens. It was not so long before he got a call from his friend, Mahmoud Abu Khate, asking him to meet. They met. They chatted. They died!

While with Mahmoud, my son was killed with his friend by an Israeli drone missile. It was the end of my son’s life. Israel has to pay for killing my son.

1 An interview with Khadeeja Abu Khater on Monday, 10 December 2012, at her house in Khanyounis, southern Gaza.

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Around 12:30 pm, an Israeli warplane fired amissile towards a citizen while standing near‘Star’ Factory in Salahedeen Street, eastern Gaza, and killing 22-year-old MohammadMahmoud Yasin.

15. TestimonyofAlamiyaYaseen,60,motherofmartyr:1

The night before my son was killed, he came back home so late by dawn of the next day! I knew he was late because he worked in the Security and Protection Department at Jenin Hospital.

30 minutes after his arrival, I prepared breakfast and asked him to join. ‘I have no appetite, mom. I can eat nothing.’

Trying to create a conversation, I asked him about the reason of not being able to eat. He started telling me about Ayman Sleem who died while he was carrying him! ‘I collected his flesh with my own hands!’ my son told me.

When he went back to his house to see his wife and kids, I felt better as I was sure he was fine and nothing could have happened to him. After a short while, I learned about his martyrdom in front of his house!

So hard to believe, I was not even able to make any reaction. The only idea I had in mind was the fact that I had given birth to Mohammed after 10 girls- that he was my only son! Israel extracted him. Israel stole my heart.1 An interview with Alamiya Yaseen on Tuesday, 12 March 2013, at her house near al Abrar Mosque, al Zaytoun neighbourhood, eastern Gaza.

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Around7:30pm,anIsraelidronefiredamissiletowards the 24-year-old citizenAli Hassan binIsaidwhilewalkingnearWadi el-SalqaBridgetotheMiddleofGaza,killinghim.

16. Testimony ofHazemBin Isaid, 33, brotherof martyr:1

I was sitting with my brother in the evening watching Israeli channels when we heard a nearby explosion. When Ali went out to inquire about the bombing, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at him, which led to his death! To tell the truth, the fear of losing a family member was accompanying us during that period as the aggression was brutal and didn’t differentiate between civilians and resistance fighters. My brother, Ali, was the youngest and the closest to my father! My father never expected losing this great, sweet family member. Losing him caused grief and sorrow to our family. I only hope he rests in peace.

1 An interview with Hazem bin Isaid on Thursday, 26 Sep-tember 2013, at his house in Deir Al Balah, to the Middle of the Gaza Strip.

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Around8:00pm,anIsraelidronefiredamissiletowards two Palestinians riding a motorcyclenearDier el-Balah city, to theMiddleofGaza,killing 30-year-old Mohammad Sabry el-aweedat.Twoothercitizenswereinjured,oneofwhom had serious wounds.

17.TestimonyofFayzaelAwydat,60,motherofmartyr:1

I live in a house with my husband and my son, Mohammed, and his small family. My daughter in law, Mohammed`s wife, was so worried to lose her children especially after she lost her sister and cousin in a previous aggression on the Gaza Strip during Cast Lead Operation. She asked her husband if she could stay in her family’s house, and he accepted. Therefore, during this severe Israeli aggression, she left us to her family’s house, hoping it would be a safer place.

Mohammed prepared himself and wanted to go out riding his motorcycle. His father and I tried to prevent him from going out because of the so dangerous situation. In spite of our begging, he insisted to go. He had something so important to do.

Half an hour later, my husband and I heard a so loud explosion while listening to the Foreign Minister’s Conference. Subconsciously, my husband shouted, ‘Mohammed!’ and ran down to the street. I hurried up to follow him, but my poor leg and foot got such a bruising I was not able to walk a step on it. Back home, I burst into tears; I learned about my dear’s martyrdom.1 An interview with Fayza el-awydat on Monday, 30 Sep-tember 2013, at her house in Johr Al Deek area, to the Middle of the Gaza Strip.

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All I could remember after knowing that he has already gone, was waking up the next day, and suffering severe trauma. I still could not accept losing him. He was my dearest son.

18. TestimonyofSabriAl-Aawydat,60,fatherofmartyr:1

My son Mohammed was an active and responsible person with good manners. My son suffered a lot. In the previous aggression, for example, he was injured. Only after his martyrdom had we known that the shrapnel that injured him was inside his body for this long time! He also built a small house for his family. It was almost ready, but alas, he didn’t live in it! I only hope he lives in a better, wider palace in heaven.

May my dearest son, rest in peace.

1 An interview with Sabri Al-Aawydat on Monday, 30 September 2013, at his house in Johr Al Deek area, to the Middle of the Gaza Strip.

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Around 8:30 pm, Israeli warplanes targeted agroupofcitizenswhowere ina landbelongingto the 52-year-old Ahmed Salim Bin Saeed,to the Middle area of Gaza. This came after receiving the news of the martyrdom of thepropertyowner’srelative.Thetargetrushedtothe place to see the martyr. Once some of them usedtheircellphones,theIsraeliforcesattackedthem, detecting the signals. This strike led tothemartyrdom of two citizens, includingHaniBriam, 30, the owner. Six other civilians wereinjured;twoofthemwereinseriousconditions.

19.Testimony of Alia Bin Saeed, 50, wife ofmartyr Ahmad:1

In the morning, my husband and my sons, Salim and Tariq, along with four neighbours, went out to our land to harvest olive. In the evening, they had some rest in our agricultural land near our house. It was not so long before my husband came home and told me with grief the news of targeting one of our relatives, Ali bin Said. Ten minutes later, he returned to the land, but this time not to pick olives, but to be killed!

An Israeli missile was fired towards the land, killing my husband, Ahmed, and Hani Briam. Four others were injured, including my two sons, Salim and Tariq. One month later, Salim died of his serious wounds. Israel killed my husband and son!

1 An interview with Alia Bin Saeed on Thursday, 26 Sep-tember 2013, at her house in Deir Al Balah, to the Middle of the Gaza Strip.

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20. TestimonyofEmanBinSaeed,23, sisterofmartyr Salim:1

After a month of his injury, my brother died on December 18, 2012. His wounds were serious and there was no hope he could survive. May he rest in peace.

My family was so close; every member of it. Never did I imagine that we might lose anyone anytime during the Israeli aggression. It was so hard to bear this loss. We believe that this is his destiny, though.

21. Testimony of Salem Briam, 48, brother ofmartyr Hani:2

Although I asked my brother Hani many times to take great care and not to go out on the motorcycle since Israel targets every person moving, two hours later, he went outdoors to meet some friends in our neighbourhood. They just arrived when an Israeli air strike directly attacked them. Hani and the property owner, Ahmad, and his son Salim were killed. And a number of friends were injured!

Hani, being the youngest son, was missed the most by my mother. She felt so sad for him that she felt heartburn. She loved him so much! Separating a mom and her son forever is never human.

1 An interview with Eman Bin Saeed on Thursday, 26 Sep-tember 2013, at her house in Deir Al Balah, to the Middle of the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Salem Briam on Thursday, 26 Septem-ber 2013, at her house in Deir Al Balah, to the Middle of the Gaza Strip.

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Around9:15pm,IsraeliwarplanesbombardedNajiQudiah’s house,whichwas located in thecentre of Khuza›a, eastern Khanyounis. Samaher Khalil Qudiah, 28, and Nidal Naji Qudiah, 27werekilledduringthatattack,whilebeingatanearby house yard.

22. Testimony of Naji Qudiah, husband ofmartyr Samaher:1

Around 4:10 am, Israeli warplanes targeted a leader in Al-Quds Brigades Tamer Khalid Al Hemri, 26, by a small warning missile, which led directly to his martyrdom in Deir El-Balah city, to the Middle of the Gaza Strip.

23. Testimony of Feryal El Hemri, 48, Mother of martyr:2

I was watching TV half past ten at night, I was so sleepy that my eyelids felt so heavy and started closing alone. I, however, was still not asleep. I heard my little son muttering with his dad about a near shelling and the possibility that my son Tamer was injured. I clearly heard what they said!

Immediately, I woke up and asked them if something wrong happened to Tamer. They calmed me down saying there’s no need to worry and that he was just injured, but I still had a feeling in my heart that old me otherwise.

1 See appendix (5)/ Reports from B’Tselem- The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories2 An interview with Feryal El Hemri on Thursday, 26 Sep-tember 2013, at her house in Deir Al Balah, to the Middle of the Gaza Strip.

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It was not so long when breakings news announced Tamer›s death.

Tamer was my eldest son. He was a real man of high and amazing morals. Everyone in the family or friends loved and respected him. Tamer always wished to die in the sake of his land, in the sake of protecting it, and here he was; a great hero. Rest in peace my dearest.

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Around 2:00 am, Israel targeted Iseefan family house, which was located in Jabalia, northernGaza. The house was destroyed without anywarning, which led to the martyrdom of twochildren: the 4-year-old child, Tamer Iseefan, and his 2-year-old sister, Jumana.

1. Testimony of Reda Abusel’a, 24, mother of martyrs:1

That night around 2:00 am, Tamer, my little kid, woke up crying. I knew he was hungry. I went to the kitchen and got him some milk. Back to the room, I stood shocked. The room was full of dust and there, instead of seeing my child on bed, I found a huge missile!

Unconsciously, I went to my brother in law’s apartment and shouted for help! All I could remember was seeing my husband bleeding, knowing nothing about my kids. However, when my mother in law asked about her grandkids, I recognized that my kids were still in the room! I shouted ‘Tamer! Jumana! My kids!’ I thought they would be injured, I never thought I would lose them.

I was calm watching my kids while being moved from under the rubble. Their uncle and aunt took them to the hospital. I did not move. I was still in a shock or something like that, but I was so calm! When they went away, I started reading some verses of the Holy Quran to feel relief.

It was 6:00 am when they arrived home after being in the hospital. ‘Your kids are fine,’ they

1 An interview with Reda Abusalaa on Sunday 27/12/2012, at her house that is located in Jabalia, northern of the Gaza Strip.

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lied to me trying to keep me calm. Not knowing that I felt it already, they informed me that my kids were killed.

That very moment, despite looking calm, I screamed ‘NO! This could never be the truth!’ But there inside my heart, I knew it was. I was simply trying to convince myself that I still had not lost them. God help me and accept my kids as martyrs.

2. Testimony of Um Wael Iseefan, 52, grandmother of martyrs:1

That night we were sleeping when I heard an airstrike in the house. I stepped up to my son`s apartment to see what was happening. Few moments later, my son Salama was shouting for help. His head was bleeding! I asked Salama`s wife about the children, she didn`t answer because of her shock! Salama, however, told me that they were under the rubble in need for help.

Ahmad, my other son, moved my two grandkids from under the rubble. No one helped him because the ambulance was not able to reach our area because of the continuous bombing. Thus, we hurried to our neighbour, a paramedic, to stop Salama’s bleeding. When, too late, the ambulance arrived, they transferred the kids to hospital to announce their death. God help their parents.

1 An interview with Um Wael Abuseyfan on Sunday 27/12/2012, at the martyrs’ home in Jabalia, northern of the Gaza Strip.

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Around 6:15 am, Israeli forces fired a missiletowards the 62-year-old women, Sadia Deeb,while she was feeding her birds at her homelocated in Shujaia, eastern Gaza, killing herinstantly.

3. Testimony of Nasra Deeb, 55, sister of martyr:1

At dawn, my sister covered her head and body intending to go out. It was still too early to go out. I stopped her to ask where she was going; she said, ‘I can hear dogs barking, just want to make sure my hens are all right. As if the drone was observing her, she went out to the garden and the drone fired a missile directly towards her, while my brother was talking to her through the window. It was as if my brother was watching a movie or even acting in a movie where the heroin dies in front of her hero! He ran to the garden, but it was too late already! She died.

Talking about myself, I heard the explosion but never had I thought that it could be Sadia. The house was shaken and the glass was broken. It did not come to my mind that the target could be our land and my sister. I only realized that something wrong happened to Sadia when I saw my brother, Rezeq, running towards her! I started to run in the same direction, too. My brother and I carried her to the hospital after we saw her bleeding to death. Everything happened within a wink of an eye!

1 An interview with Nasra Deeb on Tuesday 12 February 2013, at her house in Shuja’iyya, eastern Gaza.

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Around7:10am,an Israeliwarplanefiredfivemissiles towards Al-Toffah Police station nearal-Mahatta mosque, northeast Gaza. These explosions led to the destruction of a building and another four houses, completely. The bombing led to the martyrdom of the 53-year-old citizen, NawalAbdelal,andtheinjuryof10citizens.Thisalso led to the partial damage of tens of houses in the neighbourhood.

4. TestimonyofUthmanAbdEl’al,57,husbandof martyr:1

My wife, my son and daughter, and I were all sleeping downstairs when I left them to the upper floor to watch the news. It was not even minutes when I shockingly found myself under the rubble!

I was quickly transferred to hospital and because my injury was so serious, no one told me anything about my family! After three days, I knew about the martyrdom of my wife.

The house had 11 family members, six of them were injured and my wife was killed. My two young daughters Razan and Shimaa used to stay at their married sister`s house during the offensive. Knowing about mother’s martyrdom, they were shocked.

We never expected that Israeli warplanes would target our house, as we were peaceful civilians! However, Israel was too savage to differentiate between resistant and civilians.

1 An interview with Uthman Abd El’al on Sunday 13 Octo-ber 2013, at her house in Shuja’iyya, eastern Gaza.

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Having lost my wife and two dear people from my family, Mohammed, my son, was killed in the previous offensive too.

Around8:10am, Israeli forcesfired twodronemissilesatAbu-Khusa’shouseinalBuraijcamp,totheMiddleoftheGazaStrip,killingone-year-oldkidIyadAbuKhusaandinjuringmanyotherkidsfromthesamefamily.

5. Testimony of Faten Abu Khusa, 26, mother of the martyr, Iyad:1

Around 8:00 am, many kids were playing in the yard in front of our house when, surprisingly, the yard was bombed! My son, Iyad, was directly killed and my other kid, Sohaib, and his cousin were injured.

We never expected something like that would happen. The area where we lived was so calm, and no resistance worked from there! What do kids do to be killed other than playing!

1 An interview with Faten Abu Khusa on Tuesday 30 Sep-tember 2013, at her house in Burayj Camp, to the Middle of the Gaza Strip.

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Around11:30am,Israelfiredawarningmissiletowardsthe36-year-oldSaleemAbulata’shome.Moreover, it fired F16 missile towards Helles’house,nearAbulata’shouse,whichwaslocatedinShujaya,easternGaza.Thetwobombingledtothecompletedestructionofthetwohouses.

6. Testimony of Bahaa Salim Abulatta, 36,owner:1

At about 10:00 am, an Israeli warplane hit our house in addition to our neighbour’s by two warning missiles. To tell the truth, we were shocked! We really had nothing to do with resistance! The target was my brother’s apartment whose family was made of seven members. He lived in my father’s house until his apartment was fixed. You also had to know that our house was newly built! They destroyed it when even did not stay in there for a good while! But thanks God, nothing happened to any of us. Houses could be easily rebuilt, unlike people.

Around11:30am,F16warplanesfiredamissiletowards a two-storey house that belongs toHellesfamily.ThetargetedhousewaslocatedinShujaya, eastern Gaza.

7. Testimony of Um Mahmoud Helles, 50, mother-in-Law of owner of the house:2

Jehad Helles’s, my daughter’s 23-year-old fiancé’s house was destroyed. This destruction caused grief to my 20 years old daughter who did 1 An interview with Bahaa Salim Abulatta on Wednesday, 10 December 2012, at his house in Shuja’iyya, eastern Gaza.2 An interview with Um Mahmoud Hellis on Monday, 15 September 2013, at her house in Shuja’iyya, eastern Gaza.

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not prepare herself prepared for her wedding party already. My daughter had to delay her wedding party some more time because of the Israeli attack. It was hard to accept to delay it one more time because of the destruction. Despite the fact that my son-in-law was a peaceful citizen who had nothing to do with resistance parties and the fact that his house was completely destroyed, I wholeheartedly thank God that he was still fine as he was sleeping at his house moments before targeting it.

Around11:30am,IsraeligunboatsfiredanumberofshellsatAhmadAlNahal,25,whilebeingonthe beach in Al Shatea camp, western Gaza.These shells led directly to Ahmad’s martyrdom in addition to his 10-year-old relative, Tasnim Al Nahal, and the 46-year-old man, Nasser Al Nahal.Itledtotheinjuryoffivecitizensaswell.

8. Testimony ofHaneenAlNahal, 19, wife ofmartyr Ahmad:1

Ahmed was standing in front of the gate of the house talking to some relatives when we, who were inside the house, heard a very huge explosion. Opening the door, I heard many people shouting and talking about Ahmad’s martyrdom. I could not believe it before seeing it in my naked eyes. And there he was; a dead body. I hugged my three-year-old daughter and my one-year-old son so tight. I knew, at that very moment, that the journey of my life would be so hard, but I also knew that I had to accept my destiny to continue.

1 An interview with Haneen Al Nahal on Tuesday, 12 March 2013, at her house in the Beach Camp, western Gaza.

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9. TestimonyofManalAwad,36,motherofthemartyr Tasnim:1

My children used to go to their grandma’s house to stay at night and spend time with their grandma telling them stories before they go to sleep. I had a strong relation with our in laws.

The day of her martyrdom, Tasnim asked me twice to go to the market. She went. When she went out for the third time, she never come back! She bought what she wanted to buy and when she arrived home, gunboats fired a shell towards our neighbour Ahmad who was standing in front of his house. Tasnim was directly injured in the head, which led to her direct death.

Tasnim was a courageous, hardworking daughter. She was a headworker and in housework as well. She was so responsible, though young. She let her father be an employer after being unemployed for so long. She wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, Ismael Hania, explaining our bad economic situation and that her father really needs a job. She gave him the letter she wrote by herself. While giving him the letter, she said, ‘Please sir, help us! Daddy has to make a living. He doesn’t have a job!’ 10 days later, the prime minister found my husband a temporary job for a year. It was an amazing surprise for us.

This angel who has always helped her family and did well to us despite of her age; this angel we have lost forever.

1 An interview with Manal Awad on Sunday, 7 April 2013, at her house in the Beach Camp, western Gaza.

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10. TestimonyofHudaAlNahal,40,wifeofthemartyr Naser:1

My 19-year-old son, Mohammad, wanted to go fishing. His father refused because of the dangerous situation outside. My husband, however, let him go biking! As my husband went to our neighbour’s house to get the bike from his friend, an Israeli warplane shelled him! He was seriously injured and was transferred to Egypt for medical treatment. He spent 20 days there and died.

It was so hard for me to bear such a responsibility. Taking care of my six kids; 4 boys and 2 girls was never something easy.

1 An interview with Huda Al Nahal on Tuesday, 12 March 2013, at her house in the Beach Camp, western Gaza.

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Around 2:30 pm, an Israeli warplane targetedahousebelongingtoJamalAl-Dalo’swhowere11members;9 fromthesamefamily.Bombingthe four-storey house located in Al-Nasr Street to the north of Gaza, completely destroyed it. The airstrikecausedthedeathof8membersfromtheal-Dalou family. The martyrs were TahaniAl-Dalo,48,herdaughtersYara,16,andRanin,21,herson,Mohammed,30yearsold,andhiswifeSamahSaloha,23,withtheirchildrenthe7-year-old, Sarah, the 5-year-old, Jamal, the 4-year-old, Yusuf,andIbrahimwhowasstill1yearofage.In addition,UmBassam alDalo, 76 years old,was killed. The 31-year-old man, MohammedAl-Aff,whowasvisitingal-Daloufamilyatthattime,hasalsobeenkilledduetothatairstrike.

Adding to that,manypeoplehasbeen injured,oneofwhomisSamah’sbrother,NasirSaloha,aged18,and9others.ThatheavyairstrikealsocauseddamagetosomeadjacenthousessuchasAl-Mozaner family house that caused the death of Abdullah Al-Mozaner, 20, and Amina Al-Mozaner, 83.

11. Testimony of Nasir Saloha, 15, brother of martyr Samah:1

“My sister Samah asked me to buy some food for her children and upon returning back, she insisted I have lunch with them. As we were about to eat, we heard a huge explosion.

I do not know what exactly happened, but I felt something like a thunderbolt, a strong

1 An interview with Nasir Saloha on Thursday, 6 Decem-ber2012, at his house in Al-Nasr area, northern Gaza.

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light flashing everywhere. I did not know the whereabouts, but I = felt I was sinking deep in the sand! I realized, not knowing exactly what was I going on, that I was in danger and I was still alive. I saw a small hole under the rubble from where the light shines. I barely removed the sand and stones away from me. Every stone I remove was accompanied by a new agony and a new injury. Every stone I removed revealed more bleeding in my body.

Although I was severely injured, I did my best to get myself out. Nobody was there to help. I was hardly moving my legs because of my injury, but I finally got myself out from the bombed house. I stopped and had a final look at it to realize what was going on! An ambulance took me and transferred me to Al-Shifa Hospital. I was injured in my head, my feet, and my back. I was laying on the bed at the hospital whenI saw my sister and her kids’ bodies carried by people. All were dead. Until this moment, I still feel shocked! I still cannot believe what happened. It was a nightmare!

having survived this was a miracle. Praise be to God.

12. Testimony ofMahaAl-Baya, 38,mother ofmartyr Samah:1

My daughter Samah lives opposite to my house. The day she was killed, my kids and I were sitting in a room located opposite to Samah’s house when, suddenly, we heard a huge explosion; a very

1 An interview with Maha Al-Baya on Thursday, 6 Decem-ber2012, at her house in Al-Nasr area, northern Gaza City.

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huge one! My kids started crying out of fear when I, unconsciously, stood up to see what happened through the window. Nothing was clear as stones were all over the place and smoke filled the place.

As the explosion was close to my daughter’s house, she came to my mind and I started thinking how was she and how would have she felt about that terrifying bomb. As my husband went out the moment we heard the sound, he came back to tell me that every single person in the building where our daughter, Samah, lives, were killed! I was not able to do anything. I knew later that my son, Nasir, was visiting his sister the moment the house was bombed! Later, I realized that all could do is to thank God for keeping Nasir safe and sound and to pray for Samah to be accepted as a martyr.

13. Testimony of Abdullah Jamal Al-Dalo, 20:1

That unforgettable day, my father and I went to the market to buy items for the house. We did not spend a long time at the market. On our way back to the house, passers-by and neighbours told us the of losing our whole family and house; the news of targeting our house while we were away

I sobbed bitterly. I lost my consciousness. I just was not able to believe what happened.

As we arrived to the destroyed house, people told me about losing my entire family. The house was no more. The house, the kids in the house, women, men, furniture, everything was destroyed. Everything was completely gone.

1 An interview with Abdulla Al-Dalo on Thursday, 6 De-cember2012, at his house in Al-Nasr area, northGaza City.

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14. Testimony of HalahAl-Safadi, 27,Wife ofMartyr Mohammed Al-Aff:1

I did not see my husband much during the offensive. In the last few days of his life, I asked him if he felt something that could happen. He smiled and said, ‘Halah, pray for the best to happen.’

He left me and went out. I received the news of his martyrdom a few moments later. Remembering how he acted before he left me and what he said, I tried to accept his martyrdom, asking Allah to accept him as a martyr.

Around 4:00 am, Israeli warplanes targeted24-year-old citizen Sami Al Ghofair in Al-Montar Street,AlShajaiya, eastGazaCity.

15. TestimonyofNasmaAl-Ghofair,25,wifeofMartyr Sami:2

During the days of the offensive, my husband used to come home from work to have his lunch then go back for work again. I memorised his schedule by heart.

On Sunday, the fifth day of the offensive, Sami went to visit his mother who lives in Al-Montar Street. I used to accompany him, but because I was pregnant, he knew that I was too tired to go with him. While on his way to his mother’s house, an Israeli warplane targeted him and killed him.

1 An interview with Halah Al-Safadi on Thursday, 6 Decem-ber2012, at her house in Al-Nasr area, north Gaza City.2 An interview with Nasma Al-Ghofair on Thursday, 15 De-cember2013, at her house in Al-Montar Street, Shuja’iyya, east Gaza City.

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I remember, a few moments before he went to his mother’s house, he took some important items from our house, and looked at me and said, ‘I’m in a hurry. Forgive me. Do not be sad.’ Although I did not get what he said, I felt something about it! I never understood what he meant by ‘forgive me!’ or ‘don’t be sad!’ or even ‘I’m in a hurry.’.

They took me to hospital to kiss my husband a goodbye. I tried to be strong, not allowing tears to fall and asked God to help me go through that difficult time.

Atabout4:00pm,Israeliwarplanes targetedawaterdeliveryvan.ThecitizensSuhailHamada,42,andhissonAshour,10,whowereridingthevaninBait-Lahyatownwerekilled.

16. Testimony of Nisreen Hamada, 35, wife ofMartyr Suhail:1

My husband owns a water delivery van from which he makes a living. The day of his martyrdom, he intended to go to work after he had lunch. My heart was beating fast that I was feeling something bad might happen. I asked him to stay home, but it was so important to go out, and he promised not to be late. Ashour, my 10-yearold son went with him. After five minutes, I heard a bomb while I was watching Al-Dalo family targeting on TV. While watching, breaking news was talking about targeting a water delivery van. Unconsciously, I screamed thinking about my husband and son! My eldest son, trying to calm me down, told me that the news about targeting a van was wrong

1 An interview with Nisreen Hamada on Sunday, 27 Decem-ber2012, at her house in Jabalia, north Gaza.

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and that it was just an empty farm they targeted. After a while, my sister-in-law called to tell me that my husband was killed! Having no strength to believe, I asked my son, Momin, to go to hospital and make sure. I sobbed bitterly when I received a call from my brother telling me about my husband and my kid’s martyrdom. I pray Allah accepts them as martyrs.

Around5:45pm,IsraelattackedacivilianhousesinDeirAl-BalahGovernorate, to themiddleoftheGaza Strip, killingAtya EidMubarak, 57,andHosamHosseinAbuShaweesh,39.

17.Testimony of Sabreen Atya, 52, Wife of Martyr, Atya:1

On the fifth day of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, my husband went to the mosque to call for Almaghreb prayer, as he always did. After getting used to his voice i, I had no idea that it was his last time to do so.

As he came back home, he spent some time playing with our 10-year-old daughter, Naira, and, left to the mosque, he left early. He was attacked by an Israeli drone missile that split him into two halves. My husband was not the only target. Hosam Abu Shaweesh was with my husband too. In addition, three passers-by were injured in the same attack.

I spent 30 happy years with my husband. The day of his martyrdom, he told me about a dream he had. He said he left us forever and that he was

1 An interview with Sabreen Atya on Tuesday, 15/1/2013, at her house in Nosairat Camp, middle of the Gaza strip.

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sure this dream would come true! Despite the fact that he was laughing when he told me about his dream and that he was joking, I did not feel good after learning about it. In addition, it was true. He left us forever.

18. Testimony of Kareema Mqaat, 35, Wife of Martyr Hosam:1

My husband used to be a construction worker. But he stopped working for the last three years after he was diagnosed from Articular Cartilage Disease..

The day he was killed, he went to the mosque to perform Alfajer prayer then came back home to take his medicine. In the afternoon, he went outside to get some fresh air. He was still nearby when bombardment shook the house!

I shouted at my kids to gather them around then called at my husband. There was no response. I ran towards the door, and there he was with blood all over his body! Seeing the missile that killed my husband, and our neighbour’s body split into pieces, and my husband’s lifeless body, I screamed! I screamed out of fear, out of terror. I screamed for the loss of my husband, the everlasting loss. Motionlessly, I spent much time looking at my kids weeping over their martyred father.

1 An interview with Kareema Mqaat on Tuesday, 15/1/2013, at her house in Nosairat Camp, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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Israeli airplanes fired a drone missile at somecitizens near the Finance Ministry in Tal AlhawatothesouthwestofGaza.Thisledtothemartyrdom of 40-year-old Ahmad Abu Amra and Nabil Ahmad Abu Amra, 28.

19.Testimony of Wafaa Abu Amra, 34, Wife of Martyr Ahmad:1

My husband and his cousin Nabil went to their aunt’s house to check on her. My kids and I were preparing ourselves to sleep when we heard a very strong explosion.

Trying to calm my kids down, I was shocked when my 9-year-old son, said that the man in the TV mentioned his dad’s name as a martyr! I rushed to listen to the news to be certain about what Isaw. My husband and his cousin were dead. I fainted, feeling dizzy and weak, not believing what I saw.

I only regained my consciousness when neighbours and friends came over to my house to console me. It was so hard on me to bear such burden of raising my kids alone. I only pray to God to help me bear the burden and that my husband rests in peace.

20. Testimony of Etaf, 23, Wife of Martyr Nabil:2

That night, Nabil went out with his cousin while my kids were sleeping. He called me to tell that he was fine and that he will not be late.

1 An interview with Wafaa Abu Amra on Tuesday, 12 March 2013, at her house in Tal El Hawa, to the south-west of Gaza City.2 An interview with Etaf Abu Amra on Tuesday, 12/3/2013, at her house in Tal El Hawa, south-west of Gaza City.

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Turning the radio on to listen to the news, I never expected that the news of my husband’s martyrdom would be the first listen to! I did not actually believe it, as I talked to him minutes ago! I burst into tears.

That very moment, all I thought of was my life and how it would be. How I would raise three daughters and one son without him! God help me bear the responsibility.

Atabout9:50pm,anIsraeliwarplaneattackedNasser family’s house in Jabalia camp, north Gaza,killingJalalMohamadNasser,37,andhis7-year-old sonHusseinNasser.

21. Testimony of Mariam Nasser, 35, Wife of Martyr:1

After taking a nap in the late afternoon, my husband woke up and spent some time playing with our kids. As our house was so close to the police station that Israel always stroke, the whole house shook when the station was bombed.

Still not knowing the exact target, my husband went upstairs to the roof to see the exact place of the explosion. Hussein, my 7-year-old son followed his father to the roof.

I went to see my other sons, Alaa and Mohammed, in their room. I made sure they were all fine. I went to the roof to call my husband and son for it was too dangerous up there. Climbing the stairs, not arriving to the roof of the house yet,

1 An interview with Mariam Nasser on Sunday, 27/12/2012, at her house in Jabalia, northern the Gaza Strip.

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we heard a very huge bombing! I knew it was my house. I knew it was the roof.

My husband’s body was lying. Every part of his body was in a separate place. My son was bleeding, but his injury was so serious. I lost them both. Rest in peace, dears.

Around 11:30 pm, the Israeli occupying warplaneshadtargetedoneofthecitizensnearAlshohadaafieldinAlshatecamptothewestofGaza. This led to the martyrdom of 35-year-old Imad Abd Alkareem Abu Hamda.

22. Testimony of Hanade Abu Hamda, 34, Wife of Martyr:1

My husband was used to going out at night to meet up with friends. On the day of his martyrdom, I was quite afraid to stay in my house; my kids and I went to my in-laws family, to stay the night at their house.

My kids were trying to sleep when I received a call from a relative asking for my husband. He knew already where my husband was, but he wanted to make sure. When I told him he was not, he told me that Imad was hospitalized after being targeted by a drone missile

Not believing what the man on the phone said, I went to see my husband! His injury was too serious that he passed away three hours later. I pray he rests in peace.

1 An interview with Hanade Abu Hamda on Tuesday, 12/2/2013, at her house in the Beach Camp, western Gaza City.

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Nearly at 12:15 am, the Zionist occupation warplanesfiredamissileatMohammedSalamaJendia, 31, when he was standing near thecrossroad of Al-Juma’a market in Al-Shejayaneighborhood eastern Gaza what caused hismartyrdom.Ithastobementionedthathewasmentally ill.

1. Testimony of Sohair Jendia, 30, Wife of Martyr:1

My husband was suffering from a mental disorder and he was walking down the streets of our town. Nearly at 1:00 am, he went out. A warplane targeted him killing him immediately. Our neighbours saw him and rushed to tell us. It was shocking. My son was only one month old. I changed his name to Mohammed so he carries his father’s name after him. Nearly at 3:00 am, the Zionist occupation warplanes fired a warning missile followed by another missile from an F16 plane on a house belonging to Abu Zoor family in Al-Zaytoon neighbourhood leading to the martyrdom of three members of the family and one of the neighbours. The martyrs were Sahar Fadi Abu Zoor, 20, Nesma Helmi Abu Zoor, 21, Mohammed Eyas Abu Zoor, 5, and Ahed Hamdi Al-Qatati, 34. In addition, almost 15 members of Abu Zoor family were injured.

1 An interview with Sohair Jendia, on Thursday 14/2/2013, at her house in Al-Motar Street in Al-Shejaya neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.

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2. Testimony of Mohammed Abu Zoor, 52, Owner of the House:1

During the days of the offensive, we stayed as other Palestinian families did in our houses to protect ourselves from attacks against civilian objectives. On the 19th of November at dawn, I heard screaming sounds. I asked my wife to see what was happening outside, so she looked out from the window and found that my brother’s family was going through a massive panic and rushing out of the house. I went out to know what was happening exactly! I found them leaving their house quickly because of a drone-warning missile fired at them. I went out and thought quickly of how save them and how I could help my brother’s 25-member family! My own house was partially destroyed after being hit by another warning missile. Going to see what happened to my house, I found my wife hanging in the ceiling of the destroyed part! I rushed to save her. I felt like my heart stopped and I was not able to do anything. I was not able to think. When I got into the house to save my wife, I found my granddaughter, Shahd, one-year old, and grandson, Mohammed, three-month old, under the rubble screaming and crying. That very moment, I lost my consciousness. I hurried to lift the stones and get them out. I was loudly crying not believing what I was seeing in front of my eyes. My grandchildren were not the only ones under the rubble. It was a great shock when I found my sons Mosab and Ahmad under the rubble, too. After an hour, Sahar, my daughter-in-law was found dead under the rubble.1 An interview with Mohammed Abu Zoor, on Tuesday 4/12/2012, at his house in Al-Zaytoon Neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.

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I do not think there was room in my heart to find that my son Mohammed, 10 years old had serious injuries, Nisma, my niece, and Mohammed, my nephew were dead, and almost other 15 members from our family and mine were injured.

3. Testimony of Hanaa Abu Zoor, 48, Wife of Fouad Abu Zoor:1

We were sleeping when we heard sounds of powerful bombing on Azam family’s house that was directly next to our house. Moments later, our house was bombed by a drone missile. We were not able to do anything because of the screaming and crying of children and women in addition to the thick smoke coming out of our house. When we wanted to go downstairs, we found that the walls were falling apart. When we reached the street to go to my in-law’s house, our house was bombed by an F16 missile, seriously injuring my daughter Hanadi, 13-year old. She was in Egypt for treatment. She was hit by eight fragments in her belly and I didn’t see her till now. My son was killed due to shelling and his wife was injured. No one was safe.

4. Testimony of Rasha Al-Qatati, 30, Wife of Martyr Ahed:2

When Abu Zoor family’s house was bombed, my husband, Ahed, went to see what was happening. We heard the voices of screaming at the time of the bombing at night. My husband reached our neighbours’ house and started rescuing their 1 An interview with Hanaa Abu Zoor on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, at her house in Al-Zaytoon Neighbourhood, eastern Gaza City.2 An interview with Rasha Al-Qatati on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, at her house in Al-Zaytoon Neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.

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children and wives, as a huge concrete wall fell on him leading to his martyrdom. When the bombing ended, no one knew that Ahed was killed as we stayed looking for him for hours until we found him under the rubble. Screaming and crying was all I did when I saw him! Ahed was performing his midnight prayer. Exactly at 2:30 am when bombing took place, he slept at his brother’s house near ours and was reciting, ‘God is all I need. He is my only guardian.’ Abu Zoor Family was bombed, so he went to save them and never came back. My daughter Aysha, 12 years old, went through a tough situation and was injured in the head. Being at the hospital to get her treatment, she saw her father on the ground lying beside other martyrs! She was psychologically shocked.

Nearlyat3:00am,Israeliairplanesfiredamissileat a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Khaleel Azam, 55, in Al-Zaytoon neighbourhood, easternGaza.Thiscameafterfiringthreedrone-warning missiles, which caused a completedestructiontothehouseandinjured15membersof the family.

5. TestimonyofKaleelAzam,33,OwneroftheHouse:1

When warning missiles were fired at our house, we rushed quickly to protect ourselves and our children from the attack; we took nothing from our houses. We were attempting to leave when shelling started that we weren’t able to protect ourselves! I was holding my child when he fell down due to the

1 An interview with Khaleel Azam on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, at his house in Al-Zaytoon Neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.

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loud sounds of the continuous bombing. My child, in addition to other eleven members of my family, were injured, but thanks God, their injuries were light. I went with my family to my neighbours’ stores for shelter. We were almost sixty people including women, children, elders and men. Minutes after we sat down, our houses were bombed by a third missile. Seconds later, a fourth missile from an F16 aircraft was fired leading to the destruction of the houses completely.After Israel was done, we started making sure everybody was fine. Thanks God, those injured were in good conditions.

6. Testimony of Siham Aza, 60:1

My house consisted of four apartments. It was completely destroyed and I went out without taking anything from my official papers such as my identity, my children’s certificates and clothes, not even our laptops; nothing!

7. TestimonyofKhalidAbuQuake,19:2

On the sixth day of the aggression on the Gaza Strip at 3:00 am, my brother and I were talking and watching the news moment by moment and did not sleep all day long. We suddenly heard voices of screaming and sounds of bombing nearby; I called my uncle’s house to know what was happening and found out that the bombing targeted our house and our neighbour’s at the same time.1 An interview with Siham Azam on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, in her family’s house in Al-Zaytoon Neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.2 An interview with Khaled Abu Quake on Sunday, 2/12/2012, at his house in Al-Zaytoon Neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.

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My uncle told me that the house of Azam family that was next to ours was bombed, and I heard sounds of glass falling and voices of screaming. Our children were crying, so my family and I decided to go out to my sister’s house in Al-Zaytoon and to stay there! Our house, our uncle’s, our car and all our properties were destroyed because of the heavy bombing. In addition, as we were not able to take anything with us when we left the house, because of the difficulty of the situation and the intensity of bombing, we had nothing to remember from our house!

Nearly at 5:05 am, the Zionist occupation warplanesfiredamissileatavegetablescartledbyadonkeyinAl-AtatraareainBeitLahyanearKhaleelOdaMosque,killingMohammedAbdul-Rahman Al-Atar, 51, immediately.

8. TestimonyofSabreenAl-Atar,17,Daughterof Martyr:1

During the offensive and because our house was in the centre of events, we were staying in my cousin’s house which was located at the end of our street. The day my father was killed, my mother asked him, ‘Where are you going?’ He said, ‘I will come back home,’ we told him that it is early in the morning and too dangerous to go out, but he insisted to go. My father’s cousin, Mohammed Al-Atar, was preparing potato crops to get them to the market in a truck; my father stopped for a while to help him. He went home afterwards. A few moments later, we 1 An interview with Sabreen Al-Atar on Wednesday, 12/2/2013, at her house in Al Atatra area near Khaleel Oda Mosque, northern Gaza City.

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heard a sound of explosion in the area. My mother was sleeping when the explosion happened. Waking up terrified, my mother heard my father’s cousin saying, ‘Al- Abed was killed!’ My mother screamed. I was the first to get outside. I saw my father lying at the entrance of the house bleeding. I knew he was killed.

Nearly at 7:30 am, amissilewasfired at threecitizens while driving their vegetable van inShaikh Ajleen area immediately killing them.The martyrs were Ameen Zohdy Bashir, 41,Tamer Rushdy Bashir, 31, and Rasheed ElianAbu Amra, 51.

9. Testimony of Samar Bashir, 28, Wife ofMartyr Tamer:1

My husband Tamer was working in a grocery store for 20 years. The morning of his martyrdom, he went out at 7:30 am to the field to gather vegetables before going to his store, in Al-Shaikh Ejleen area, to sell them. His cousins and his neighbour, Ameen Bashir, who work with my husband, were with him. Moments later, Israeli warplanes bombed the car they were driving in Al-Berka Street in front of the house.

10. TestimonyofHaleemaBashir,63,MotherofMartyr Ameen:2

My son Ameen went out in the morning at

1 An interview with Samar Bashir on Thursday, 21/1/2013, at her house in Al-Berka Street near Al-Berka Mosque, Dair Al-Balah, middle of the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Halema Bashir on Thursday, 21/1/2013, at her house in Al-Berka Street near Al-Berka Mosque, Dair Al-Balah, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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7:00 am with his friend Tamer to work at selling groceries. 15 minutes later, Israeli warplanes bombed Tamer’s car. As Amen was with him, he was injured by shrapnel and was still bleeding. Ameen had two daughters. His wife gave birth to them after eight years of marriage. Batool, 5, and Leen, 3, who had to be raised without a father. I will do my best to make sure they have a good life.

The last thing he said to me was, ‘Do you want me do anything mom? Pray for me.’ I never knew these words were going to be his last.

11. Testimony of Ghalia Abu Amra, 50, Wife of Martyr Rasheed:1

My husband works in agriculture. Monday morning, 19th Nov 2012, he went to his land for work. On his way home, he found no taxi to take him due to the horrible situation, but the sons of Bashir family, who also were in their land and wanted to leave, drove him back. Ten minutes later, the car they were driving was hit and all were martyred.

Receiving such news, I was not, really, able to control myself! It was a shock to me. How it would feel to lose your 35-year-old life companion! I pray he rests in peace.

Nearly at 8:20 am, an Israeli warplane fired a missile towards a land next to the house of Al-Astal family, western Khan-Younis, southern Gaza. This led to the martyrdom of Omar Mohmoud Al-Astal, 16, and Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Astal, 40.

1 An interview with Ghalya Abu Amra, on Thursday 21/1/2013, at her house near Abu Thar Mosque, Dair Al-Balah, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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12. Testimony of Sanaa Al-Astal, 43, Mother of Martyr Omar:1

My children and I woke up at Dawn Prayer as usual. I started preparing breakfast when Omar, my 16-year-old son, came to me and said, “I’m in a hurry, mom, and I am hungry!” I quickly prepared a sandwich for him and asked him not to go far, because warplanes and drones were hovering all over the sky. He took the sandwich and went out.

Minutes later, parplanes fired a missile nearby. My sons went out to see what happened. My 12-year-old son came to me screaming and told me that the target was the land next to our house. It never meant anything to me as hitting lands is safer than hitting people.

Minutes later, people were shouting and saying things I could hardly understand. Their sounds were unclear, but understood that two people were killed in that airstrike. Only then did I know it was my son, Omar, and my brother in law were the victims! It was hard to believe it was over, that I used to have a son who is no longer there! It was hard to believe, hard to bear, and hard to accept.

1 An interview with Sanaa Al-Astal on Sunday 25/11/2012, at her house in the western side area of Khanyounis, southern the Gaza Strip.

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Nearly at 10:30 am, Israeli warplanes fired amissile on a civilian car near Alaa Al-Deen petrol stationinTalAl-Hawaneighbourhood,southernGaza city, killingMohammedRyadShamalkh,24, from Al-Shejaya neighbourhood, easternGaza City and moderately injuring the car’sdriver.

13. TestimonyofRehabShamalkh, 48,Motherof Martyr:1

Mohammed was the middle in the family. Everyone loved him and he was the closest to my heart as he was a twin to my other son who I lost while giving birth to. Having an appointment with his friend, he kissed his nephew a goodbye and hugged him as if he knew it was going to be his last moments among us. He left. Minutes after his departure, we heard a sound of a powerful explosion moments later, my eldest son, Abu Ryad, 35, came to tell us that it was Mohammed who was targeted As they brought the corpse home, I was in a total shock. His body was all burned severely. All I felt was something strange in my soul, as if I was no longer in my body.

1 An interview with Rehab Shamalkh, on Wednesday 13/ 12/2013, at her house in Al-Shaikh Egleen area, western the Gaza Strip.

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Nearly at 2:10 pm, Israel had fired a missileat a civilian vehicle belonging to Hosam Fayz Hamdan, Abul-Jawad, 32, in front ofAbdulBari Supermarket in Jabalia, killinghim and completely burning his body. The bombing coincided with the passing of a carthat had the same features of the targeted car andwasdrivenbyDoctorMohammedKhaleelJuda, 67, the director ofAlAwdaHospital fortheunionofhealthwork committees inTal al-Za’tar, Jabalya, who was with doctor Ya’qubMohammed Muheisen, 35, from Al-Saftawineighbourhood and Director of Medicine Stores atthesameunion.Theyhadfinishedtheirworkandwereheadingtotheirhouses.Thetargetingcaused serious damages to the car in addition to damaging three shops in the area.

14. TestimonyofGhazalaAbdul-Jawad,Motherof Martyr Hosam:1

After Noon Prayer, I went to my daughter’s house in the next building to make sure she was fine. I was about to leave when my son, Hosam, arrived after a long day of work. ‘Please, don’t go to work after this day! The situation is getting harder and harder every hour,’ I told him. He said that he was going to his room to take some rest for he was so tired. When I checked on my daughter and other relatives, I went back home. Asking my daughter in law about Hosam, she said, ‘My father came to visit me so Hosam went with him after he left.’ Knowing that he was fine, I went back to my daughter’s house. When I arrived to her house

1 An interview with Ghazala Abdul-Jawad, on Wednesday 12/2/2013, at her house, northern the Gaza Strip.

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again, I heard a sound of a big explosion. I found a bunch of people who gathered at the entrance of the building. I heard something like ‘Hosam’- someone uttering my son’s name! I felt something strange in my heart, something I cannot describe. I rushed home to find that my daughter in law’s brother was there. When I saw him, I certainly knew something was wrong! I asked him about Hosam. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said! I was not able to believe. I was too afraid to lose him. I only pray he rests in peace.

Nearlyat3:00pm,IsraelfiredamissiletowardsAl-Shorooq Tower in the middle of Gaza cityleadingtothemartyrdomofSalemBolesSwelim,53,wholivednexttothetower.

15. Testimony of Soha Swelim, 44, Wife ofMartyr:1

Israeli warplanes targeted Al-Shorroq Tower that is next to our house. The sound of bombing was very powerful, so I went out quickly to ask about the place of bombing. I came back after three minutes to our bedroom to find my husband lying on bed. He was shaking. I knew he was not fine. Not knowing what was wrong with him, we transferred him to the hospital. He died. Doctors told us that his death came because of heart stroke resulting from the power of the explosion. I guess it happened to my husband because he was a heart disease patient. He was taken to his grave from the church on Tuesday noon 20 November 2012. We never expected he would leave us so suddenly! As he was the only breadwinner.. Losing him was a big loss.

1 An interview with Soha Swelim on Sunday, 13/10/2013, at her house in Qasam Street, Gaza city.

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Nearly at 3:20 pm, the Israeli aircrafts targeted alandinwesternNusieratCamp,leadingtothemartyrdomofAyedRadi,48,andtheinjuryoftwoothers.

16. Testimony of Amal Radi, 43, Wife of Martyr Ayed:1

My husband was in an agricultural land close to the coast when a drone directly fired a missile at him. He was wounded in the head, chest and belly. I was home. I stood on the balcony and saw an ambulance. Something from inside told me that it was him! I told my sister-in-law that the ambulance was transferring someone from our house, but I dared not say it was my husband. My feeling was assured when I saw our neighbours gathering around our house. I knew my husband was killed. I never expected things like that could ever happen to him. He did not go out much during the offensive. He was so careful! I feel sorry for my mother-in-law. My husband was her second son to lose in Israeli offensives!

1 An interview with Amal Radi, on Sunday 29/11/2013, at her house near the cost, block 10 in Abu Mhadi land near Abu Baker Mosque, Nusierat Camp, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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Nearly at 3:50 pm, a missile was fired at Al-Moghraqa village, to the middle of Gaza, in front of the house of the citizen Ameen Al-Malahi, 24, leading to his martyrdom immediately.

17.Testimony of Ramadan Al-Malahi, 58, Father of Martyr Ameen:1

On that day, my son went out in front of the house after Aser Prayer and sat with his brothers. After half an hour, he left them and went to the nearby middle of the sandy road to do something. It was when we heard a big explosion that shook the house. It was Amen, my son. His legs and body were apart. My other son carried him quickly to Al-Moghraqa clinic where an ambulance took him to the hospital. We knew he was dead the moment we saw him. ‘Allah yerhamo.’ Rest in peace.

1 An interview with Ramadan Al-Malahi, on Tuesday 19/1/2-13, at his house in Al-Malalha neighborhood in the Wadi road, Al-Moghraqa-Zahra town, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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Nearly at 4:20 pm, Israel fired twomissiles atMedia office on the first floor of Al-ShorooqTower in Al-Remal neighbourhood in themiddle of Gaza city leading to the martyrdom of Ramez Najeeb Harb, 34, from Al-Shejayaneighbourhood. It led also to the destruction of theofficeandcauseddamagestomostofficesandmedia associations in the tower. Three citizenswere wounded.

18. TestimonyofMahaHarb,29,WifeofMartyrRamez:1

I was in my family’s house that is close to Al-Shorooq Tower, in Remal area, middle of Gaza city, when I heard the strike, I stood on the window and saw ambulances and young men transferring injured people and martyrs. My brother’s wife came next to me and said, ‘Maha, they say Ramez was injured.’ I didn’t even expect nor did I imagine that he could be injured! I took my cell phone to call him and check on him, but before I called, my father came to the room and said, ‘Your husband was injured and his injury became worse. I am sorry for your husband, dear. I am so sorry.’ I collapsed the moment I was told he was gone. I and my three kids Obayda, Ahmed and Omar, went back home. I do not know how to answer my five-year-old son when he asked, ‘When will I see my dad? Where? How?’ He misses his father a lot! Ramez wasn’t a typical father and a typical husband only. He was a compassionate spouse, a compassionate father. He used to take care of the slightest details of the family. He was amazing.

1 An interview with Maha Harb, on Friday 15/3/2013, at her house in the Nafaq Street, eastern Gaza City.

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His loss left a massive emptiness in our family that grows every day.

Nearlyat4:40pm,adronemissilewasfiredataland next to the house of Zidan Tabil in Nusierat Camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip. The bombing led to the collapse of the house’s ceiling andwalls on the citizenMahammedTabil, 25,killing him immediately.

19.Testimony of Sharefa Tabil, 57, Mother ofMartyr:1

At around 5:00 pm, a missile fell in the land next to us and its fragments were scattered in the house. We were all sitting in the hall and were surprised with the shells! The ceiling fell down on my son Mohammed resulting in fractures in his skull and chest! He died soon after. His father went along with his brother to console our neighbours who lost their son earlier, and after they came back from mourning, Mohammed was killed and the mourning was held in our house. They came to console us! I do not know how an innocent mentally disabled person such as my son would be killed! I miss his presence a lot; he was mama’s boy. Around 6:00 pm, a warplane fired a missile towards a number of citizens in an agricultural land next to Abu Eyada Family in Buraij Camp, middle of the Gaza City, leading to the martyrdom of some people who were around. Martyrs were Arkan Abu Kmail, 24, and Ibrahim Mahmoud Al-Hawajri, 25.

1 An interview with Shrefa Tabil on Sunday, 29/9/2013, at her house in Camp (5) near Abdullah Azam, Nusierat Camp, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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20. Testimony of Harbi Abu Kmail, 45, Father of MartyrArkan:1

My son Arkan went out as Aser payer was getting near with his friend Ibrahim Al-Hawajri. An hour later, we heard a sound of explosion in a land close to the house followed by calls and screams People who were near went to the source of the sound. Smoke was rising from between the trees in the land, and it never came to my mind that my son was there. 15 minutes later, the sounds of the loudspeakers in mosques started calling the names of martyrs. My son was one of them. Then I went to Al Aqsa Hospital in Dair Al-Balah and knew that he was killed immediately. I prayed to God to accept him as a martyr, knowing that Arkan was married and had two children: Harbi, 4, and Islam, 3.

21. TestimonyofRanaAl-Hawajri,27,SisterofMartyr Ibrahim:2

On Monday morning, my son woke up as usual and went out to do Dawn Prayer. He came back and had his own stuff done. He sat with us for nearly an hour and a half and it was like a farewell. He went out later and never came back. When the bombing took place, I felt that he was in danger as he works in the military as lieutenant. Half an hour later, we received the news of his martyrdom. My mother could not handle the news and fell down saying, ‘God is all I need; He is my guardian. God be with you, son.’

1 An interview with Harbi Abu Kmail, on Tuesday 19/1/2013, at his house situated behind Mays Al-Reem Hall, Buraij Camp, middle of the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Rana Al-Hawajri on Tuesday, 19/1/2013, at her house situated behind Mays Al-Reem Hall, Buraij Camp, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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Around7:25pm, Israelfiredamissile towardsthe house of Fouad Khaleel Hijazi, 46 years,northern Abu Hussain schools in Jabalia Camp leading to a complete destruction of the house, killing him, in addition to two of his children:Mohammed, 4, and Sohaib, 2. Seven of the house residents were injured; four children and twowomenwere amongst them.Wounds of two ofthemweredescribedascritical.13citizenswereinjuredaswellfromthepeopleofthesamearea.

22. Testimony of Mostafa Hijazi, 20, Son ofMartyr Fouad:1

On the sixth day of the attack on the Gaza Strip, our house was directly bombed by an F16 missile without a warning! This led to the martyrdom of my dad. My brothers Mohammed and Sohaib were playing on bicycle next to my father, and the rest of the family was busy watching the news to be surprised by the bombing of our house. After we were certain of my father and my two brothers’ martyrdom, we found that my mother was wounded, but we were not able to move. She is now in Cairo getting treatment as her injury is critical with fractures in the shoulder and concussion. The rest of the family members were, too, injured with different wounds. I was wounded. My injury was in my head, which made me un-capable of going with my mother in her treatment journey. There was no site for resistance next to our house to be targeted. I bet! My father used to work as a watchman in one of the schools and was not part of any resistance faction! Why to target our house and to destroy it! Why!1 An interview with Mostafa Hijazi on Thursday 10/12/2012, in front of his destroyed house northern Abu Hussain Schools in Jabalia Camp, northern the Gaza Strip.

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Our life after losing my father, I could tell, became very hard as he was the only breadwinner and I am still a student and have no work. However, despite my tragedy and my family’s, our people will keep resisting. It is the starting point to free the land from the Zionist occupation. Long live resistance.

Around 7:40 pm, Israeli warplanes targeted agroup of civilians during a family visit northern Nusieratcampkillingtwoofthem;oneofwasachild.ThemartyrswereOsamaWaleedIbrahimShada, 18, and Khaleel Ibrahim Shada, 45, in additiontotheinjuryofhiswife.

23. Testimony of Waleed Shada, 42, Father of Martyr Osama:1

The warplane targeted a road near my father’s house next to a charity in Camp (5) where Osama was with his 60-year old uncle and his uncle’s wife Wasfia Shada, 54. They were in a family visit to my father’s house. On their way home, the occupation warplanes fired a missile directly towards them killing them immediately. Once I knew about the news, I went into a shock and never get out of it.

24. TestimonyofIbrahimShada,19,SonoftheMartyr, Khaleel:2

My father and my cousin’s martyrdom news came to us as a thunderbolt. Once I knew the news

1 An interview with Waleed Shada on Wednesday, 20/1/2013, at his house in Camp (5) near Abdullah Azam, Nusierat Camp, middle of the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Ibrahim Shada on Wednesday, 20/1/2013, at his house in Camp (5) near Abdullah Azam, Nusierat Camp, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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I went out to the killing scene, and the ambulance transferred them to Al Aqsa Hospital by then. So, I went there quickly. I knew they were dead. I pray to God to accept them as martyrs.

Nearly at 10:00 pm, the Israeli warplanesfiredanF16missileatahousebelongingtoAl-Nasasra Family, northern Rafah City. This led to itscompletedestruction, thekillingofbrothersMohammed,19,andAhmedAl-Nasasra,17,andtheinjuryofTawfikMamdohAl-Nasasra,50,hiswifeAmaniAl-Nasasra, 43, and their childrenSakhr,13,Fatma,7,Lama,4,andSama,2.5.

25. TestimonyofNajahAl-Nasasra,37,AuntofTwoMartyrs:1

Martyrs Mohammed and Ahmed were in a family visit to our house until 9:00 pm that evening, then they left to their house where their father, his wife and their siblings were. Around 10:00 pm, we heard a sound of an explosion close to our house. We didn’t expect that bombing targeted on my brother Tawfik’s house, because he wasn’t called nor warned to evacuate the house especially that the martyrs along with their father lived a very simple life and hadn’t any relation with the resistance. They all were working in farming! After we had heard the sound of the explosion, we went out to see what happened and found my brother’s simple house levelled to ground. Twelve people were in that house and they all were sleeping when the house was attacked. The father, 50, got two fractures in the foot, and he was killed. Their stepmother, Amani Al-Nasasra, 43, 1 An interview with Najah Al-Nasasra on Sunday, 9/12/2012, at her house in Al Naser neighborhood near Al-Masmia School, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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was injured in her face and lost her eyesight. Their daughter, 21, was not injured, thanks God! Zainab, 15, and Fida, 12, were fine as well. Shaker, 13, was critically injured. He behaved as a seven-year-old child due to his injury; he got injuries in his chest and his spleen was eradicated. Fatma, 7, was injured in her head. Lama, 4, had three fractures and burn in her face. Sama, the two and a half year-old girl, had burns in her feet.

But for martyrs Mohammed and Ahmed, we found Mohammed asleep in his bed, wrapped in his blanket. The bombing threw both of them 130 meters away from home and there were no signs of injuries or scratches.

Nearly at 11:20 pm, an Israeli drone fired adrone missile and four other missiles werefiredfromanF16warplaneonacaronitswayto Khanyonis, southern Gaza Strip. This led to the martyrdom of Hosam Al-Deen Ibrahim Al-Zaini,26,andSaidAl-DeenMahmoudSadik,26.MahmoudSha’at,22,wascriticallyinjuredthathedidnot live long.Hewas the thirdmartyr.

26. TestimonyofNadaAl-Laham,47,MotherofMartyr Hosam:1

When his married sisters heard the news, they called me but I did not tell them the truth. An hour later, one of his friends called his sister Badria to tell her about her brother’s martyrdom, she was at home and started crying. After I had heard the news of his martyrdom I prayed that God would give my patience and reward me with something good in my 1 An interview with Nada Al-Laham on Thursday, 29/11/2012, at her house near Al-Quba Mosque, khanyouis, southern the Gaza Strip.

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calamity. It was hard to bring him for farewell, so I went to Nasser Hospital along with his sisters to say goodbye. I left my heart there with the last look I had at my son. Thanks God for everything.

27.Testimony of BadriaAl-Zaini, 29, Sister ofMartyr Hosam:1

I was at my family’s house for my former knowledge about my brother’s injury due to hitting his car. On Wednesday, at the middle of the night, I was sitting with my father when I received a call from Hosam’s friend telling me about his martyrdom. The only thing I could do was screaming and saying, ‘Hosam was martyred!’ It was never easy to get the truth of losing him forever!

28. Testimony of Haiam Al-Abadla, 38, Mother of Martyr Mahmoud Sha’at:2

Since the beginning of the offensive, I did not leave the radio listening to news about my son Mahmoud and to check on him. I remember his speech with me and what he wanted from me when he was preparing to travel. I asked him to delay his travel in order to attend his brother Mohammed’s wedding, and he said, ‘aren’t you afraid that I get martyred?’ Fate made his departure quick, and the place that was prepared to hold Mohammed’s wedding became the place to hold Mahmoud’s mourning.

1 An interview with Badria Al-Zaini on Thursday, 29/11/2012, at her house near Al-Quba Mosque, khanyouis, southern the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Haiam Al-Abadla on Saturday, 24/11/2012 at her house in Al-Qarara area, Khanyonis, southern the Gaza Strip.

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29.Testimony of the Mother of Martyr Saif Sadik:1

That day Saif asked me to prepare lunch for him and his friend and went to his work as usual. At lunchtime, he came and had lunch with his friend. After lunch, my son Mohyi Eldin went out surprised. He told me, ‘I’ve never seen Saif eating like this before.’ Minutes later, Saif went out, kissed my hand and said, ‘Thank you for your delicious food, mama.’

Saif prepared himself and went out. I saw him after Ishaa Prayer and did not know it was going to be the last moments with my son. He went out again and told me he will not be late. A few hours later, nearly at 11:00 pm, Mohyi Edin entered the house and called on me. His voice was faint that I hardly got what he said! I looked at him; he was crying. He told me that Saif was martyred. Israel killed him! I did not believe his words and told him that Saif was still fine. Moments of silence passed. I prayed to God to grant me patience for my second calamity after my husband’s sickness. I read some verses of the holy Quran. A few moments passed when my family and neighbours came to my house. I realized it was true that Saif was gone. I knew my son’s life on earth was over.

1 An interview with Om Saif-ddin Sadik on Thursday 29/11/2012, in the martyr’s house in Jalal street, Khanyonis, southern the Gaza Strip.

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About 3:00 am, the Israeli airplanes fired adrone-warning missile towards the Khulyfamily’s house in al Zaytoon neighbourhood, easternGazaCity.Afterawhile,thehousewasbombed by an F16 missile. Three hours later, warplanesfiredonemorewarningmissileatthesamehouse.Tenminuteslater,twomoremissileswere fired at the same house again, resultingin a total destruction of the house and massive damages to the nearby houses. As a result, 18 Palestinianswereinjured,includingfourwomenandfivechildren.Inaddition,twoapartmentsofAlSerhyfamilywerecompletelydestroyedandother twoapartmentswerepartiallydestroyed,injuring 20-year-old Zakaria Al Serhy.

1. TestimonyofOsamaAl-Khuly,40,OwnerofDestroyed House:1

Exactly at 3:00 am, the Israeli Shabak called my eldest brother Ayman and told him we have to evacuate our 7-storey house in five minutes to be targeted. My brother wanted to talk to the person on the other side, but he shouted at him saying: ‘don’t talk, son of bitch!’ and hung up the line. It was still 3:00 am, which meant people were still sleeping. It meant it was still dark outside and Israel was so intelligent in choosing the suitable time! Ayman told us to take things seriously and to hurry up. It took us only a few minutes to evacuate the house to leave everything behind. While evacuating, they attacked the house by a drone missile, but thanks God, it did not cause harm to any of us. Staying in the street waiting our house to be 1 An interview with Osama Al-khuly on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, in front of his destroyed house in Zaytoon neighborhood, east of Gaza City.

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destroyed, we received another call. That time they wanted to make sure no one was inside so that they could fire another F16 missile to destroy the house!

41 people lived in our 7-storey house. We were still waiting and it was still dark. Five minutes later, two drone missiles were fired at the apartments while we were watching. It seemed like a scary movie to me in front of our eyes. Five minutes later, a very huge explosion resulting from an F16 missile was heard, and in a blink of an eye, the whole house was gone. Three hours later, at around 6:00 am, they fired three other missiles at the house. We were still in the street, watching. You know how it feels when you stand opposite to your house, never feeling safe, and watch it being destroyed. Ambulances, civil defence forces, and policemen were in the area in case someone gets hurt. As we made sure Israel finished destroying our house, we went to see it. We lost everything, even feelings. You know what nothing means! We lost 40-year old memories, my certificates, our 7-storey-house, our money, the memories in every room of the house with my wife, kids and siblings, all vanished. On the next day of the announcement of ceasefire, I went to a lawyer to sue Israel for the crime of bombing our house in that horrible way. I hired a lawyer in Gaza, another one from the occupied territories of 1948, and a third one from Israel, for we wanted to know why they did that terrible thing to our house. It was strange that the house got bombed though it did not belong to any faction of the Gazan freedom fighters nor was there any fighter launching rockets near the house so that Israel could have a justification to target and hit

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it with that amount of missiles that turned it into ashes. One thing makes me endure it all. My family members being all fine.

2. Testimony of ZakariaAl Serhy, 20, HouseResident:1

At 3:00 am, my family and I were sleeping in the house when all of a sudden we heard a lot of noise outside the house. I looked from the window to see what was going on. I saw women and children from Al-Khuly family screaming out so loud and leaving the house as they talked about Israel’s plan to shell the house.

I asked one of the women what was wrong, and she told me the whole story! Going back to my family, I told them that the Israeli Shabak called our neighbours and asked them to evacuate as they were going to target their house. I told my family to hurry up and evacuate so quickly as well, as our house was very close. We were all in the street with Al Khuly family.

Our neighbour’s house was destroyed, two apartments in our house were destroyed belonging to me and my father. In addition, my father’s workshop and my small hair salon were all destroyed. Destroying the stores, I thought how my family could make a living, especially that we were 50 family members! God help us bear the burden.

1 An interview with Zakaria Al-serhy on Sunday, 2/12/2012, at his house in Zaytoon neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.

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Atabout3:15am,theIsraelimilitarywarplaneslaunched amissile towards a land inDahdouhStreet in Tal el Hawa neighbourhood, westernGaza City, resulting in the death of one-year-old Rama Imad Al-Shindy.

3. Testimony of Mother of Martyr Rama:1

At that night, the bombing was so violent and constant. We could not sleep until 3:00 am. I tried to help my kids sleep by telling them a story. They did. However, a sudden and a huge explosion awakened them up, 15 minutes later!

We got up freaked out! My five-year-old daughter was screaming. I tried to calm her down and asked her to cover her head and try to sleep again. After a little while, we learned that a land was targeted in Dahdouh Street next to our house. And again, another huge explosion happened. That time, the windows of my house got broken, my husband was injured, and Rama started screaming.

I looked at her and made sure she was fine. Out of fear, I looked at her again, her eyes were open and her body was lifeless! She was not breathing. Taking her to hospital, her grandpa learned from doctors that she had a shock and her heart stopped beating. ‘You’ve lost the girl, already. We’re sorry,’ they told him.I was speechless.

1 Pillar of Cloud and childhood assassination Book, Eu-ro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights, November 2012, P 39.

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Around7:00am,Israelidronesbombedagroupof people who were on Barrawi Street in BeitLahiaarea,killingBilal JihadBarrawi, 22.

4. TestimonyofWafaaBarrawi,41,MotherofMartyrBilal:1

On the day my son Bilal was killed, we were at home listening to the news on the cell-phone’s radio service for electricity was off. While listening, the mobile rang; it was my son’s friend. He talked to my husband and told him that Bilal was injured and was taken to Al Awda Hospital in Tal El Zaatar area in Jabalia Camp.

Rushing to the hospital, my husband and I waited about 10 minutes outside the room where Bilal was having an urgent surgery, as they told us. I prayed a lot for his safety.

His condition was so serious that they asked me to go back home and if anything happens, they’ll call me. I went back home leaving my son and nephew there. My cousin Nabila, 45, came to me crying. That moment, I knew it was over. I knew I’ve lost my son.

1 An interview with Wafaa Barrawi on Wednesday, 12/2/2013, at her house near Al-barrawi oil station, Bait Lahia, north-ern the Gaza Strip.

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Around7:35am,adronemissiletargetedagroupofpeoplewhowerewalkingnearthewatertankofAtattrahareainBeitLahiatown,resultinginthemartyrdomofYahaAkramMaaroof,20.

5. Testimony of Fatima Maaroof, 50, Mother of MartyrYahya:1

Early in the morning, Yahya got up and went out. He used to work as a farmer, harvesting and selling vegetables. At 9:00 am, I was at home preparing breakfast when I heard my husband and one of my sons yelling. They rushed out of the house. I followed them. People told me that Yahya was injured by a drone missile. My husband and son went to Kamal Udwan Hospital after they received a phone call from one of Yahya’s friends, telling them he was there. He was injured in the head and the back, and in his belly. Soon after, he died. Around 3:00 am, Israeli airplanes fired a drone missile at a land in Moghraqa area near Al-Huda mosque, killing Mahmoud Riziq Zahhar, 30, at his house yard. His three-year-old son, Ahmed, was injured, as well.

6. Testimony of Mariam Zahar, 28, Wife of Martyr Mahmoud:2

During the Israeli aggression, My kids and I used to go to my sister’s house for it was dangerous and scary to stay in my house. On Saturday night, 1 An interview with Fatima Maaroof on Wednesday, 12/2/2013, at her house in Atatra area, near Al-Farooq Mosque, Beit Lahya, northern the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Mariam Al-zahar on Saturday, 23/1/2013, at her house near Al-Huda Mosque in Moghraqa, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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November 19, he came back home and phoned me to come back. As my kids and I arrived, he asked me to prepare dinner. He was playing with the kids and we stayed at home all night long.

By dawn, he went to the mosque to perform Al-Fajr prayer then went to our land, which was located next to our house, to feed his sheep.

At 8:00 am, I was cleaning the house when a huge explosion happened! It targeted the land, I thought to myself. I took my kids and went out to the farm. I was shocked seeing my husband lying on the ground, dead. I was in my last month of pregnancy when that happened. I named my new baby boy, Mahmoud, after his father. I pray he rests in peace.

Around9:15am,anIsraelidronefiredamissileataPalestinianandhiskidinAlwahaareanearthe International American School of Gaza, killingYahyaAwad,14,andinjuringhisfather,MohammedAwad,43,whosuffered frombonefractures and amputating his foot.

7. TestimonyofMohammedAwad,43,fatherofMartyrYahya:1

I used to go fishing. It was my hobby. One day, my son Yahya insisted on coming with me. It was too dangerous outside that his mother said ‘no!’ He nagged so much so his mother and I allowed him to come. He was indescribably happy. The next day, we went fishing together at 6:30 am in Alwaha area, northern Gaza City.

1 An interview with Mohammed Awad on Sunday, 7/4/2013, at his house in Abu Iskandar street, Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, west of Gaza City.

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We were fishing when a flock of swallows covered the view in front of us. It was first time for Yahya sees this kind of birds! He was so happy. I told him I’d hunt one for him. I had to set my hunting net up high. I went to bring some palm fronds to set the net for the birds, and when they went a few meters far, Israeli warplanes fired a missile towards me.

I don’t know what happened. I just found myself in the hospital lying on the bed. The last scene I remember was my son running on the beach out of fear when I was not able to save him. What a shame! While in the hospital, I knew I had lost my right foot and most importantly, I lost him; I lost Yahya.

8. Testimony of Huda Awad, 36, Mother ofMartyr Yahya:1

At 9:30 am, I received a phone call from Al Awda Hospital ambulance telling me that my husband Mohammed was in the Operations Room. Though the person on the phone was telling me about my husband and how serious his injury was, I asked him about my son! He gave no information about him, claiming that he did not know anything.

After a while, the doctor called again. This time he told the truth, but not the whole truth. He told me that Yahya, my dear son, was in Kamal Odwan Hospital yet claimed that he knew nothing about his condition.

1 An interview with Huda Awad on Sunday, 7/4/2013, at her house in Abu Iskandar street, Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, west of Gaza City.

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Well, I wasn’t able to wait a single moment. I hurried to Al Awda Hospital to check on my husband then rushed to Kamal Odwan Hospital where my son was. I found him. He was killed!

The missile cut the whole right side of his body. His brain was out of his head. I could not believe what I saw. The way my child’s body was torn and ruptured was so miserable, so unbelievable!

This son, though nine years old, was the most intelligent among my kids. He memorised half of the holy Quran by heart. He was excellent at school. He was a child of high morals. It was so hard to lose him, but I still thanked God for this destiny. I wish Allah accept my son as a martyr. ‘Allah yerhamo’, rest in peace.

Around12:00pm,Israeliwarplanesfiredamissileat a citizen who was walking in MokhabaratStreet, northern Gaza City. This led to the death of Abdulrahman Mostafa Hamad, 32 years old.

9. Testimony of Mohammed Hamad, 38, Brother of Martyr Abdulrahman:1

Israeli warplanes targeted my brother Abdulrahman while he was walking in Mokhabarat Street. He was directly killed! Abdulrahman was a distinguished engineer and a person of \ high morals. He memorized the holy Quran. Everybody who knew my brother missed him so much, even kids. He was so sweet to everybody. I wish he rest in peace.1 An interview with Mohammed Hamad on Sunday, 13/10/2013, at his house to the west of Al-Oyoon Hospital, near Al-Quds Open University, Gaza.

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Around 1:40 pm, Israeli warplanes launched a missile towards a group of Palestinians who were near Salam mosque in Nazzaz Street in Shijaiyah neighbourhood, eastern Gaza City, killing Ameen Mahmoud Al-ddadah, 29, and Owda Arafat Al-shandy, 18.

10. Testimony of Fatima Al-ddadah, 24, Wife of Martyr Ameen:1

The day my husband was killed, we prayed the Noon Prayer together. I looked him in the eyes and said, ‘Don’t know why, but something from inside feels something vague might happen. Is this the last time to see you?’

It was a strange feeling, indeed. He just smiled at me and left the house to work. At about 2:00 pm, I received the news of his martyrdom. It happened when he was walking near the house. An Israeli missile was fired towards him. He was killed.

That time, I was in my ninth month of pregnancy, and delivered after exactly 12 days of his martyrdom. It was a baby boy. We named him Ameen after his father.

1 An interview with Fatima Al-dadah on Monday, 11/3/2013, at her house near Asmaa bin abi Bakr Mosque, Tofah neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.

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11. TestimonyofLubnaAl-shindy,37,MotherofMartyrOwda:1

During the offensive, we rented a storehouse where we could spend the night and go back home during daytime. We were quite afraid because in the 2008 Israeli aggression, my husband was injured when Israel targeted Al-Hayah family. His injury was so severe. Thus, we did our best to stay in a safe place. My husband said, ‘I do not want any harm to happen to my kids. What happened to me in 2008 was never easy. I don’t want them to suffer.’

On Tuesday, my 18-year-old son Owda had his breakfast at his auntie’s house and came back home at about 11:30 am. He spent some time with us and went out for a while. He was killed meanwhile.

The moment he left the house, I heard a huge explosion! It was him! I knew it was him but never thought he would be killed.

Everyone told me that Owda was injured. I was not able to believe my ears. I just didn’t want that to happen! But that moment, when they informed me about his injury, I said, ‘No! My son was killed. I knew it.’

I was in a miserable condition that they all insisted on convincing me that he was still fine. My uncle came to me and said, ‘Owda is fine.’ I looked him in the eyes and said ‘no’. I knew he was lying to me. That moment, I really prayed for God to grant me patience. I really needed it.

1 Aninterview with Lubna Al-shindy on Thursday, 3/10/2013, at her house near Al-Salam Mosque, Shijaiya neighbor-hood, west of Gaza.

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Around 3:30 pm, Israeli warplanes fired twomissiles towards two civilian vehicles near theFuture Club in Sabra neighbourhood, Gaza City. SixPalestinianswere in the cars, four of themwerefromthesamefamily,includingatwin.Allof them were killed! The martyrs were SubhiNimrDoghmush,29andhistwinbrotherSalah,AhmedJamilDoghmush,30,ZakiSaeedQadada,42, Mosaab Mahmoud Rushdi Doghmush, 25, andMohammedMohammedBakir, 27.

12. Testimony of Mahdiya Doghmush, 58, MotherofTwoMartyrsSalahandSubhi:1

Salah and Subhi had their lunch, prayed, and then went, each one driving his own car, accompanying by their cousins and friends, to their friend’s house, Ahmed, to condole his family. Subhi took his cousins, Ahmed and Mosaab during the time that Zaki Qadada and Mohammed Bakir were with him.

A while later, I heard a huge explosion. I felt something scary inside me and my heart started beating really fast that I found myself out in the street looking for my sons! The first thing that caught my eye was Salah’s burning car! I screamed and rushed to save Zaki; he was still alive. Next to me was a man who was trying to get Saleh out. He was already killed. Looking around, I saw Subhi. I thought he was fine and I saw people carrying him to the ambulance

I lost control over myself seeing my kids dying. I prayed to God to save them, or at least one

1 An interview with Mahdiya Doghmush, on Monday, 18/2/2013, at his house in Al Sbra neighborhood, Gaza.

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of them. After a while, I heard the news of their martyrdom on the radio. Subhi and Salah were the youngest and my only sons. They have just finished building their houses intending to get married. Rest in peace, dear sons!

13. Testimony of Abu Khader Dughmosh, 61, Father of Martyr Musab:1

On the day of his martyrdom, my son Musab and I prayed Dawn Prayer at the mosque. On our way home, I asked him to walk next to the wall so that Israeli drones do not spot him. I was so afraid the Israeli drones spot and attack him as they always did to civilians. We arrived home safe and sound. A feeling of concern occupied me that day, though. At noon, we received the news of the martyrdom of our neighbour, Ahmed. I was so worried that I called my son and asked him to come home quickly, but he never came; I went to the mosque to see them there, but could not find him!

It was afternoon already when a strong explosion was heard nearby and saw a big column of black smoke rising into the sky so close to our house. I quickly called my son, but there was no answer. I called my other son to ask about him. Someone answered me but it was not Ahmad. He said, ‘the owner of this cell-phone was attacked by an Israeli missile and he was killed.’

Still shocked, I drove my car so fast to the hospital. They told me that my son, Musab, was in

1 An interview with Mahmoud Dughmosh, on Sunday, 7/4/2013, at his house in Tal el Hawa, Gaza.

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the operation room, but I knew it was much worse than that. At exactly nine pm, I received confirmed news about Musab’s martyrdom. That very moment, the journey of bearing the burden of ultimate loss started. The journey of his 20-day-old baby girl and his young wife. God help us bear it.

14. TestimonyofAbeerDughmosh, 27,WifeofMartyr Ahmed:1

My husband was sleeping at home when Musab Dughmosh called him so that they could go to their friend’s house, Ahmed, who was killed hours ago, to condole his family. Salah and Subhi Dughmosh, Zaki Qadadh, Musab Dughmosh and my husband went all together.

At exactly 2:00 pm, I called my husband and asked him if he was coming home early, so I prepare lunch for him, he said, ‘do not worry about me.’ After some time, my son and I went upstairs to the roof of the house to fill water in bottles. We saw smoke rising! I knew it was due to an Israeli attack. I was looking at the target telling my son: ‘God help the family of martyrs,’ when I saw my mother running in the street towards my house! I hurried downstairs to open the door. I opened the door for her and she hugged me.

Every single thing she did that day was strange.

‘Did anyone call you? No one?’ she asked me. I was just looking at her, wondering, what it

1 An interview with Abeer Dughmosh on Sunday, 7/4/2013, at her house in Tal El Hawa, Gaza.

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could be! Then she continued, ‘Where is your husband?’ I told her that he went to his friend’s house and that I called him and, he was fine, and he was coming to have lunch with me. ‘WHAT HAPPENED?” I repeated. My mother said nothing and sat next to me. The bell rang. I opened the door again and there was my neighbour. She hugged me then looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Thank God, dear daughter. Thank God for everything.’ I went crazy what the hell was happening! My mother didn’t want to tell me because I was still tired as I delivered my baby girl only a week ago. I knew what happened anyway. When my neighbour started crying, I said, ‘was it my husband? Had anything bad happened to him! WHAT HAPPENED, people! SAY SOMETHING!’ As there was no answer, I went to my room to call my husband’s friend. He did not answer. I called another friend, and he did not answer as well.

I knew he was killed. I still feel the pain in my heart.

15. Testimony of Rajaa Qadadh, 38, Wife ofMartyr Zaki:1

During the offensive, my husband used to be close to home. However, in the afternoon, the day he was killed, his twin friend, Salah and Subhi Dughmosh, came to our house to take him to go to condole their friend’s family, who was killed in the morning. 10 minutes after his departure, I called him to know if he was going to have lunch with us. He

1 An interview with Rajaa Qadadah on Saturday, 20/4/2013, at her house in Remal neighborhood, Gaza City.

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told me that he already had lunch with his friends. After some time, we heard about his martyrdom! I was shocked.

He left us forever.

16. TestimonyofBayanBakr,23,WifeofMartyrMohammed:1

All I remember that my husband was at home and suddenly rushed out and got into his friend’s car. They left. I didn’t even have the time to ask where he was going to. I thought it was going to be a short ride and he would come back quickly as usual, but it was night already and he did not show up. The power was off that we were not able to follow the news. I was so worried. Next morning, his brother went out to look for him. Not finding him nearby, he went to the hospital to know about his death there.

‘They killed him!’ he told us after he came back home an hour later. I actually needed some time to understand what he was saying! Why! Why did that happen! I have two kids, Islam, a one-year-old girl, and Anas, a four-year-old boy. After knowing that there daddy would never come back, they kept asking me to let them go see their dad! I told them what death meant and what Israel did to their dad. ‘I want to grow up so quickly to bring weapons and fire them at Israel! I want to kill them as they killed dad,’ Anas would tell me every day.

1 An interview with Bayan Bakr on Saturday, 20/4/2013, at her house in the Beach Camp, western Gaza City.

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About 3:45 pm, an Israeli drone targeted a group ofpeoplewhowereinBanatStreet,eastofBeitHanoon, resulting in the death of Ayman Rafeeq AbuRashid,29.

17.TestimonyofBawaselEl-ajramy,20,WifeofMartyr:1

Early in the morning, my husband had lunch with us. He told me that he had to go out for some time and come back. He said he would not be late. It was strange when he asked me to take great care after our son and daughter, telling me: ‘take care of yourself, honey!’ It was afternoon already when I felt something strange in my heart. That moment, my father-in-law was talking to someone on the phone when I heard him talking about my husband. I rushed to him and asked if anything wrong happened to Ayman, but he didn’t answer me. He called journalist Omar Awad who worked at Al Aqsa Radio Voice to make sure the news was right.

The moment my father-in-law mentioned the news of my husband’s martyrdom, I got shocked. I could not get losing him forever.

1 An interview with Bawasel El-ajramy on Sunday, 3/2/2013, at her house in Jabalia, northern the Gaza Strip.

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Around 3:45 pm, Israeli warplanes fired amissileatamotorbikebelongingtoacivilian.Itwas on theAirport Street, easternRafahCity.The missile directly hit the motorbike, killingSuliman Abu Sanima, 28.

18. Testimony of Walaa Abu Sanima, 22, Sister ofMartyrShawqi:1

That day, we were watching TV together when we saw scenes of martyrs who were killed in the last attack near our house in the morning. My brother, Shawqi, while watching scenes of martyrs said, ‘You see those martyrs, Walaa? I don’t know why, but I have a so strong feeling that I might be in their place in half an hour, and you’ll watch me on TV!’ ‘What a feeling! What he was talking about!’ I said to myself. I went to complete my work and he went to have a shower.

After some time, I heard a strong explosion! I looked at the watch to realize that it was exactly half an hour! ‘Shawqi!’ I screamed.

Later, I knew that an Israeli drone attacked my brother. The missile caused his leg amputation. He didn’t die directly. The ambulance was late that he spent half an hour bleeding not being able to do anything. He passed away around 4:30 pm. God accept him as a martyr.

1 An interview with Walaa Abu Sanima on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, at her house in Rafah, southern the Gaza Strip.

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Around 4:00 pm, Israeli warplanes fired twomissiles towards a place at Baghdad Street inShijaiah neighbourhood, eastern Gaza. Thatbombardment resulted in the martyrdom of four Palestinians, including 18-year-old girl, YusraBasil Shawwa.Themartyrs were SaqirYousefBolbol,57,TariqAwniHajila,40,andMahmoudMohammed Zuhri, 21.

19.Testimony of Raeda Hajila, 37, Wife ofMartyr Tariq:1

My husband was on his way home from work when Israeli warplanes bombed Hilles family house. A foreign delegation was in the Gaza Strip to check the places that was bombed to find out more information. People thought it would be safe outside thinking that Israel wouldn’t bomb as long as the delegation was in the area. But this was never true.

It was a shock to everyone when the Israeli warplanes attacked Hilles family house. As my husband was on his way, he was injured by fragments. As the ambulance arrived, people carried him to the ambulance trying to save his life. His serious injury didn’t help, though. It was so serious to help him survive!

My husband asked me to look after my kids. He always wished to die as a martyr. God accept his martyrdom.

1 An interview with Raeda Hajila on Thursday, 14/2/2013, at her house, located in Baghdad street, Shijaiya, eastern Gaza City.

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20. Testimony ofNajahMahmoud, 50,Wife ofMartyr Saqir:1

My husband was walking in the street when the bombing of Hilles house family happened. He was injured and if someone was there, he could be saved Nobody dared to go to that place, though. People were afraid it would be bombed once again. When a civilian car came and took him, he was killed already. I could not believe it happened. But thanks God for everything.

21. Testimony of Amal Zuhri, 48, Mother of Martyr Mahmoud:2

I was baking bread when he was sitting next to me. When it was time to pray Aser Payer, he left to the mosque. After he finished praying, he spent some time with his friends chatting in the street.

Mahmoud was kidding telling his friend: ‘You’re stronger than Israel, man! Stand there! Let us see if you can prevent an Israeli missile from hitting me!’ An Israeli missile hit my son! And his friend was unfortunately not able to save him!

None of his friends were injured. They were all safe. People who were killed in the attack were passers-by. This was his destiny, though.

1 An interview with Najah Mahmoud on Thursday, 14/2/2013, at her house, located in Baghdad street, Shijaiya, eastern Gaza City.2 An interview with Amal Al-zuhary on Thursday, 14/2/2013, at her house, located in Mahkama street, Shijaiya, eastern Gaza City.

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22. Testimony of the Neighbours of Martyr Yusra Shawwa:1

When the Israeli warplanes hit an apartment belonging to Shawwa family. Ambulances arrived to the place trying to save the family. Paramedics tried to save Yusra, 18, and her mom who was alone in the apartment as the father was out. As they arrived to Al-Shifa Hospital, the girl’s injury was so serious that she passed away. Her father was in so miserable condition that he was not able to save his daughter. For the mother, that day coincided with the visit of the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmed Dawoud Aughlo; so the mother was treated in Turkey. God helped the father and the whole family.

Around 4:45 pm, an Israeli warplane fired amissile towardsayardof ahousebelonging toRizq Kilany Ashour in Zaytoon neighbourhood, easternGazaCity,killingMohammedIbrahimAshour,8,and injuringfivechildrenwhowereplaying there.

23. Testimony of ReemAshour, 37, Mother ofMartyr Mohammed:2

My son was playing with his cousins in the yard of the house. Although he was not used to offensives in the Gaza Strip as we had been in Gaza three months earlier after living in the United Arab Emirates, he was not afraid of the sounds of missiles and explosions. He insisted on playing with the kids in the early morning. At 4:00 pm, a missile was hit 1 The mother of the martyr is receiving treatment in Turkey. Information were taken from an interview with the neighbors on Thursday 14/2/2013 in Shijaiya, eastern Gaza City.2 An interview with Reem Ashour on Friday, 15/3/2013, at her house in Kishko Street, Zaytoon neighborhood, Gaza.

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at him, leaving his body shattered into pieces. They killed my child. I thank God for granting me patience to tolerate the loss of my beloved boy.

Around5:45pm,amissilewasfiredatablackReno car near Al-Wehda building, eastern Gaza City.Two journalists fromAlAqsaVoiceweretaken to thehospitaland theywerekilled.Themartyrs were HusamMohammed Salama, 30,andMamhoudAliAl-Kumy, 29.

24. TestimonyofBilalAl-Kumy,24,BrotherofMartyr Mahmoud:1

The day he was killed, I saw him practicing his work as a journalist, because I was a nurse working at Al-Shifa Hospital. I was not able to say hi because he was too busy reporting the truth. Moments later, I saw him leaving the hospital with journalist Hussam Salama. They drove a press car together. A short while later inside the hospital, I heard a strong explosion nearby! That very moment, I received a phone call from a friend. ‘Mahmoud was just attacked and was injured,’ he told me. I asked him if he was in the car when he was attacked, and he said yes. I was certain that he was killed!

Mahmoud’s injury was in his head and his right hand was amputated. He was killed the moment of the attack. I called my siblings and told them about our brother. I asked them to take great care of my mother.

1 An interview with Bilal Al-kumy on Sunday, 13/1/2013, at his house in Jalaa Street, Gaza.

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As a doctor who works at a hospital, nothing could be harder than receiving your brother’s dead body. It was much harder than anything you would ever think of. I wish Allah grant my mother, my family and myself patience to bear such a calamity.

25. Testimony of the Mother of martyr Hussam:1

Since the first day of offensive, Hussam left the house for his work at Al Aqsa TV, where he was working as a cameraman and a driver for journalists and correspondents. He used to drive them to places that was attacked so they would be able to report the truth. I had not seen Hussam during that long period but for a few minutes when he used to check on us and his kids, who were with their mother at her parents’ house. On the day of Hussam’s martyrdom, he came back to the house to say a goodbye. After about 10 minutes of his departure, and while his sister was watching news channels, his martyrdom was announced on TV.

The second I heard the news, I prayed and thanked God for everything.

1 An interview with Hussam Salama’s mother on Tuesday, 12/2/2013, at her house in al Sabra neighborhood, north of Gaza City.

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Around6:40pm,amissilewashitatagroupofPalestinianswhowerenearAl-Bukharymosquein Deir Al-Balah town. That resulted in theimmediate martyrdom of Mohammed Mosah AbuAisha,24,andHassanYousefAl-Ostaz,22.

26. Testimony of Entisar Al-Assar, 45, Mother of Martyr Mohammed:1

Early in the morning, I went to the market to purchase some stuff needed for the house. While I was there, the Israeli warplanes hit the Nafaq near the market. Fear filled my heart. I rushed back to my house and prepared lunch for the family who were gathering around the table. After the afternoon prayer, my son Mohammed insisted on taking his wife Hiba Najy to her parents’ house because she was pregnant and he was afraid that their child would get hurt.

When he came back home, his friend called him and warned him of going out because the Israeli warplanes were shelling randomly at people because it was time before the ceasefire started.

It was dinner-time when I went upstairs to his apartment and asked him if he wanted to have dinner so I would prepare it for him. Once he finished eating, his friends called him and told him that they were waiting for him outside. Thus, he went out to meet his friends. After 15 minutes, I heard a strong bomb and I felt something strange happened to my son. I rushed outdoors, I saw my son on the ground motionless!

1 An interview with Entisar Al-Asar on Tuesday, 19/1/2013, at her house in Dier El-balah, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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I remember when people carried him to the ambulance. I was not able to do anything, but waving my hands in goodbye. That day, I was looking at him being carried and my tears rolled down my checks and kept running down my face.

He was waiting for the ceasefire to bring back his wife and continue his life normally but he was gone. He was gone forever! He left, my heart left, and his baby left as well. His wife lost the baby out of grief. It was so hard to lose your son and grandson all at once. I only ask Allah to grant me patience and accept my son as a martyr.

27.Testimony of Mosa Abu Aisha, 50, Father of Martyr Mohammed:1

On my way home after praying al Maghrib Prayer, I met my son Mohammed. He was with his friend. As the Israeli drones were hovering so low over the area, I asked him to stay around and not to go far. He told me never to worry and that he would not be late. I just left him behind when I heard a very loud explosion. I expected the airstrike targeted my son Mohammed. I rushed to see if he was still there. It was true that I found him, but it was also true that I lost him forever!

I thank Allah for granting me patience and serenity. The fact that he said it with a calm and comfortable voice was my one and only condolence. It made me bear such hard moments and accept his loss.

1 An interview with Mosah Abu Aisha on Wednesday, 23/10/2013, in his supermarket in Salam Street, Dier El-Balah, mid-dle of the Gaza Strip.

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28. Testimony of Manal Al-ostaz, 42, Mother of Martyr Hassan:1

Two days before my son’s martyrdom, he had a dream. He came to me and said, ‘Mom, you know what, I dreamed of heaven. I dreamed that I was there; revived.’ He was so happy for the dream, I was afraid, though. The day he was killed, Hassan came back from Aser Prayer and sat with me. I was eagerly waiting for the ceasefire to begin because I was too scared of the dream Hassan had two days ago. In the evening, he told me he was going out and he would not be late. I begged him to take a great care of himself. When I begged him he said, ‘Mom, whatever was destined to happen would happen no matter what,’ I nodded and kissed him a goodbye.

After al Ishaa Prayer, I learned that Hassan was injured. I sat down on the floor. I remembered what he told me two days ago and remembered what he just told me before he left! What a fool! How come I didn’t notice!

Some of his friends called and told me he was taken to hospital after he was targeted with Mohammed Abu Aisha by a drone missile. He uttered the Islamic statement and told the people around him that he was going to die so that they could go aid Mohammed. Rest in peace, my dear.

1 An interview with Manal Al-Ostaz on Tuesday, 19/1/2013, at her house in Dier El-Balah, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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About8:00pm,anIsraeliwarplanetargetedtwoPalestinianswhowerewalkinginastreettothewestofZawayda,inthemiddleareaoftheGazaStrip. This resulted in the martyrdom of Salim Aiysh Abu Settaa, 24, and Mohammed Ahmed Abu Setta, 22.

29.TestimonyofSalwaAbuSetta,45,MotherofMartyr Salim:1

On Tuesday morning, my son Salim went out to perform Dawn prayer and came back home. He spent time with us talking about war and martyrs. After spending good time with us, he told me he was going to visit his sister to check on her. After visiting his sister, he went to visit his friends. He was said goodbye to everyone. After the afternoon prayer, he came home and sat with me again until the evening. He prepared himself for the evening prayers and before going out, he said, ‘Pray for me, mom.’ He smiled. He left.

It was 8:00 pm when we heard an explosion nearby. It was so close that the people’s voices about who was killed were heard. I heard someone talking about my son’s martyrdom and that a drone missile attacked him directly. I knew later that his nephew was with him, too!

I never thought the smile that was drawn on my son’s face was going to be the last! I never imagined, not for a single moment that I could lose my son and grandson together in the same attack. I never believed I would be a mother of a martyr one day.

1 An interview with Salwa abu Setta on Tuesday, 19/1/2013, at her house in Zawayda town, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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The hardest part of losing him was his son who he left behind. Every time he came to me and said, ‘Nanny, when is daddy coming? Didn’t he tell me he would not be late?’ Every time he said that, I couldn’t help but to drop some tears.

30. Testimony of Sabah Abu Setta, 46, Aunt of Martyr Mohammed:1

My nephew came to his grandpa’s house in the evening. I was there and met him. We spent time talking to each other. We laughed a lot. It was as if he was saying a goodbye to all of us. I felt something strange.

It was 8:00 pm when we heard a new explosion. We learned it was near my sister’s house. The hardest moments in my life were when I heard the news of Salim, my brother, and Mohammed, my nephew’s martyrdom especially that I was just talking to Mohammed minutes ago!

It was so hard for my sister, to believe that her son was gone forever. For my father, losing a son and a grandchild was never easy. He stopped talking to anyone and spent his time alone refusing to interact with people! I wish Allah help him bear and accept what happened.

1 An interview with Sabah abu Setta on Tuesday, 19/1/2013, at her house in Zawayda town, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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Around 8:05 pm, the IOFwarplanes fired onemissile at a motorbike of one of the freedomfightersandhisbrother,easternRafahCity.Thisresulted in the martyrdom of Ahmed Abed Abu Mor, 24, and his brother Khalid Abed Abu Mor, 20.

31. Testimony of Ihsan Abu Mor, 34, Sister of Two Martyrs:1

A few moments before he was killed, Ahmed was sitting among us. He apologized for having to leave and said he would not be late. My brother Khalid went with him. They were directly attacked at about 8:05 pm by a drone missile when they were on their bike. We lost two of my brothers. That day was the anniversary of Khalid’s birthday. I do not think I have anything more to say. About 10:00 pm, Israeli warplanes fired a missile towards two kids who were playing near their houses 1000 meters away from the borders, killing Mahmoud Khalid Al-Arja, 16 years old, and Ibrahim Ahmed Hamad, 16.

32. Testimony of Hana Deif AllahAl-arja, 40,Mother of Martyr Mahmoud:2

Mahmoud was the fourth among his siblings. On the day of his martyrdom, he went out with his friend Ibrahim Hamad and I went to my brother-in-law’s house and stayed there until evening.

1 An interview with Ehsan abu Mor on Sunday, 9/12/2012, at her house in Jinena neighborhood, near Al-Quds Open University, Rafah, southern the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Hanan Al-arja on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, at her house near Abu Sanima Mosque, Rafah, southern the Gaza Strip.

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I was still there, when a kid came to me and told me that Mahmoud had been missing for hours now and that they could not find him. I rushed to the house and believed I will find him there, because wherever he went, he always used to come back home before sunset. I arrived home. I did not find him. I knew something wrong happened.

He was found killed by an Israeli drone missile while he was playing with his friend Ibrahim Hamad. It is hard to believe, ‘You have to bear and accept,’ I said to myself.

33. Testimony of Mahmoud Al-Arja, 70,Grandfather of Martyr Mahmoud:1

The news of his martyrdom was so shocking that I rushed to Al-Najjar Hospital walking, though it was a little far. He was so dear to my heart. I loved him so much!

34. TestimonyofNajeyaHamad,60,MotherofMartyr Ibrahim:2

Ibrahim came back home and we had lunch together. I told him I want to visit his uncle who lived next to us and asked him not to go out.

He was not at home when I came back. After some time, I heard ambulance sirens. Nothing came to mind as ambulances always passed near our 1 An interview with Mahmoud Al-arja, on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, at her house near Abu Sanima Mosque, Rafah, southern the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Najya Hamad, on Tuesday on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, at her house near Abu Sanima Mosque, Rafah, southern the Gaza Strip.

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house, but I felt something weird in my heart. They told me that the ambulance was here to take my son and his friend to hospital after they were attacked by a drone missile, and that they both were killed. I really regretted going to his uncle’s house.

Atabout12:20pm,Israelidronesfiredamissilein Deir Al-Balah, near Polytechnic University,resulting in the martyrdom of Mohammed Yousef Badr, 24.

35. Testimony of Aziza Badr, 60, Mother ofMartyr Mohammed:1

I got up in the early morning to find my son Mohammed preparing himself to go perform the dawn prayer. He went out, wishing me a good morning. When he came back, we had breakfast together. After a little time, he told me he was going to the market and asked me if I wanted to accompany him, I said no. Thus, he went alone. After some time, I remembered that I want something from the market, so I went to buy it. At the market, my cell phone rang. Never in my entire life had I imagined that a phone call would inform me about my son’s martyrdom. Never had I imagined losing him in a blink of an eye. I did not believe the call and came back home rushing and the image of my son would not leave me. After I arrived, my house was full of people. That moment, I realized that my son left for good. I still have pain over the loss of my son and all I want 1 An interview with Aziza Badr on Saturday, 23/1/2013, at her house near Salah charity house in Dier El-balah, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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is to have patience on my heart to bear the loss. God be with us.

Atabout6:30pm,theIsraeliwarplanesfiredamissileat twopeoplewhowerewalkingon theAirport Street, eastern Rafah. This resulted in the martyrdom of Mohammed Kamal Abu Odwan, 19 andAbdullah Talaat Ibrahim, 18.

36. Testimony of, Subhiya Abu Odwan, 42,Mother of Martyr Mohammed:1

The day my son was killed, people were talking about a ceasefire. Thus, Mohammed went out to his uncle’s house, and left it half an hour before the ceasefire ended. He was walking with his friend Abdullah Ibrahim when a drone missile attacked them both. They were killed. Israel broke the ceasefire by killing my son and his friend! Rest in peace, dears.

37.Testimony of Talat Ibrahim, 47, Father ofMartyr Abdullah:2

The day they were killed, my son and his friend were helping me do my work. When the power went off, I went upstairs to have some rest. As I left, they left, too. They went out nearby as the ceasefire was in effect. Israel did not waste a minute without committing crimes, though. An Israeli drone fired a missile towards them shattering their bodies into pieces. My son’s injury was serious in the chest and belly .1 An interview with Subhiya abu Odwan on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, at her house in Shokka area, Rafah, southern the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Talat Ibrahim on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, at his house near Al-Shoka school, Rafah, southern the Gaza Strip.

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Atabout7:30pm,theIsraeliairplanestargetedNadir Suliman Salim Abu Mghaseeb, 14, from DeirAl-Balah,themiddleoftheGazaStrip.

38. Testimony of Suliman Abu Mghaseeb, 43, Father of the Martyr, Nadir:1

My son Nadir went out to the nearby store to get some stuff. On his way home, he met some friends, and you know kids love chatting with friends. He spent half an hour with his friends. ‘Never be late,’ I shouted to him when he arrived home! ‘Something bad could have happened to you.’ Half an hour later, while he was at home studying, an Israeli missile attacked a nearby mosque killing my son. Israel killed him. Israel will pay for it one day, I reckon!

39.TestimonyofRaghibAbuMghaseeb,Brotherof Martyr Nadir:2

After coming back from school, my brother, Nadir, and I spent time chatting about school and what teachers said. Then we agreed to go out to play soccer with our friends after finishing homework. While I was studying, I felt so sleepy and did not realize I took a nap except when I woke to the sound of a huge explosion.

I hurried to see what happened.

1 An interview with Suliman abu Mghaseeb on Tuesday, 19/11/2013, at his house near Al-Salqa Valley, Dier El-balah, middle of the Gaza Strip.

2 An interview with Raghib Abu Mghaseeb on Tuesday, 19/11/2013, at his house, near Al-Salqa Valley, Dier El-Balah, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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My dear brother was dead surrounded by blood. Unconsciously, I started to scream! I started to talk to him, ‘Nadir! Nadir, please, answer me. Please, say something!’ Then burst into tears. When the ambulance arrived, I knew it was too late. I knew Nadir had already left us forever.

At about 8:58 pm, the IOF warplanes fired amissile at Abdelrahman Ayish, 34, who waspassing over Sheikh Radwan Bridge, northernGaza. This led to his immediate martyrdom.

40. Testimony of Adla Ayish, 66, Mother of Martyr Abdelrahman:1

Just before the ceasefire went into effect, an Israeli drone fired two missiles at my son! This happened in front of my house. He smiled to me. He went out. He was killed.

The moment I knew about his martyrdom, I could not believe as he was with me just now! I thanked God For horning my son to be one of the defenders of our people.

1 An interview with Adlah Ayish on Sunday, 13/1/2013, at her house in the Bridge Street, near al-Hosary Mosque, northern Gaza.

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Around 6:00 am, the Israeli Occupation Forces attackedAl-Hadiai family’s house, in Nusairatcamp, middle of the Gaza Strip by an F16 missile.ThisledtothemartyrdomofMubarakAbugoula, 24, and the full destruction of Alhadiai family’s house.

1. Testimony of Ibrahim Abugoula, 5, Father of MartyrMubarak:1

My son went out to his work at a farm. After some time, he came back home for lunch and then went back to the farm to complete his work. Soon, we heard a loud explosion.

I started looking for my sons one by one. All were present except Mubarak. When I asked about him, they told me he went to the farm again after lunch.

There was still hope. I went to his uncle’s house to ask if anyone knew something about him. They all said no. On my way home, some neighbours saw me and asked me to quickly call the ambulance. I expected that one of the neighbours was injured, so I called the ambulance. I was shocked to know that it was my son who was killed.

My son was lying on the floor, killed! I did not know how it felt. Nobody did except those who have gone through a similar experience. God accept him as a martyr and help us endure the loss.

1 An interview with Ibrahim Abugoula on Thursday, 21/10/2013, at his house in al Nusayrat Camp, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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Atabout9:00am, the IOFwarplanesattackeda farm belonging to Dabour family in Jabalia, northernGaza, killingMostafaAbuhmaid, 23,whowasworkingat the farm.

2. Testimony of Iman Jomaa, 23, Wife of Martyr:1

I visited my family who lived near the beach. Since the situation was dangerous, my husband was not able to bring me back home. We were apart; each in a different place. The night before he was killed, we spent the whole night talking on the phone.

In the morning, around 6:00 am, I sent him a message, but I got no reply. So, I kept calling and his phone kept ringing. I thought my husband might have kept his phone on the silent mode when he went to sleep. I kept calling for two hours. When I got no answer, I felt so worried!

When I called my mother-in-law to see what was wrong, all I heard was, ‘He died! He died! They killed him!’ She was not in her consciousness. She was not listening to me. She hung up.

I cried bitterly. I just was not able to believe what I just heard. I called Mustafa’s uncle and asked once again about my husband, he said, ‘Dear daughter, to God we belong, and to Him we shall return.’

That was the hardest thing I ever heard in my lifetime.

1 An interview with Iman Jomaa on Tuesday, 27/12/2012, at her house in the Jabalia, northern the Gaza Strip.

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At about 11:00 am, the IOF fired a missileat Shujeia area, eastern Gaza, killing FarisMansour Isbetia, 24.

3. Testimony of Nedaa Omar, 23, Wife of Martyr:1

Two days before my husband’s martyrdom, an F16 missile targeted part of our house. My kids and I went to my family’s house and stayed there. In the last day of the aggression, my kids and I decided to come back home as it would be over so soon. When we arrived, my husband welcomed us. ‘I missed you all like hell,’ he said to us while hugging the kids. My Husband spent a long time playing with Belal. When his friend came to meet him, they went out for a while. Suddenly, as his friend told me later, Fares asked his friend to take Belal away from him. ‘Take the boy, buddy. Take him! I feel something bad will happen!’ No one got what Fares said. No one got such a strange act, but his friend took Belal away from my husband as he asked him to do, not understanding why. As soon as his friend took the boy, an Israeli drone missile attacked my husband; he was 4 meters away from Belal, already! Rushing outdoors, I saw his friend holding Belal in a hand, and Fares’s arm, which was cut off, in the other hand! ‘Where is Faers?’ I screamed, not believing what I was. When his friend pointed at him, I ran toward him screaming for help. I sat in the middle of the street. He was still alive. He looked at me, raised his index finger to soon pass away.1 An interview with Nedaa Omar on Tuesday, 12/2/2013, at her house in Al-Shejaya neighborhood, eastern Gaza City.

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Before Fares’s martyrdom, I remember my son, Belal, asked his father for some money. You kidding, my husband told him, ‘Why did not you wait until I die and take all the money. Sounds a great deal, ha?’ Then he winked at him. It was as if he felt he was going to die so soon.

May my beloved husband rest in peace. I hope one day we could meet in heaven.

Atabout12:20pm,anIsraeliwarplanefiredamissileatanolivefieldinAbsanCity,totheeastofKhanunis, southernGaza Strip.This attackled to the martyrdom of Ibrahim Abunaser, 80, and his granddaughter Ameera, 14. Moreover, hisson,Mohammad,wasinjured.Thishappenedwhiletheyallwereharvestingolives.

4. TestimonyofBasemaAbunaser,39,Motherof Martyr Ameera:1

My daughter Ameera returned home from Egypt after a successful surgery to donate her spinal cord to her nine-year-old brother. She did it to help her brother stay live. In the afternoon, her aunt asked her to call her grandfather and brother who were in the land to have lunch with us. She went to the land and found her grandfather and brother harvesting olives. When she told them that they all are waiting for them at home to share lunch with the family, her grandfather told her that he had to complete his work and asked her to go bring lunch.

When my daughter turned around to go back home,

1 An interview with Basema Abunaser on Saturday, 24/11/2012, at her house in Khanyounis, southern the Gaza Strip.

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her brother shouted, ‘Ameera! Ameera, escape! Quickly! Lower yourself.’ Ameera started running unconsciously but the missile was faster than she was. Ameera, her grandfather, and brother were all in danger. The missile killed my father-in-law and my daughter and injured my son! God help me bear this burden, and be patient.

Around1:45pm,Israeliwarplanesfiredamissileat a group of citizens near al Khuzondar Gas StationinSudanyaarea,northernGaza,killingMohammadAshqar,22,andinjuringthreeothercitizens.

5. Testimony of Um Fayz Ashqar, Mother of Martyr:1

The night before, Mohammed was staying at his friend’s house spending the night with friends when he woke up suddenly and smiled. His friends kept asking him if he had a nice dream, but he refused to tell them anything about it. In the morning, while on his way home, Mohammad was attacked by a drone missile. We did not know about that when it happened. My married daughter called on my phone and asked about her brother, we told her that he was out. She told us that the radio just broadcasted the news of his martyrdom! My husband didn’t believe it. He immediately called our son who works at Al-Shifa Hospital and asked him if he knew anything about it. He said, ‘Yes. I found his dead body.’

1 An interview with Um Fayz Ashqar on Sunday, 16/12/2012, at her house in Al Oyoun Street, west of Gaza City.

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At about 2:10 pm, an Israeli drone attacked agroupofcitizens,whowereinafarmbelongingto Talal Sadi Al-Asali, 48, in the middle of Ahmed YaseenStreet,Jabalia,northernGaza.ThatledtothedeathofTalal,hisson,Ayman,19,andhislittle girl, Abeer,12.

6. Testimony of Tamam Al-Asali, 45, Wife of Martyr Talal:1

After Ayman and Abeer, my kids, my husband and I had lunch, everyone went apart. A moment later, my husband asked for a cup of tea and told me that he was waiting outdoors.

I made tea when I heard a sound of a massive explosion. I hurried at the door of the house to find my husband surrounded by blood and Ayman was killed. That moment, I looked for my daughter but didn’t find her. I was screaming. People carried me to my house and asked me not to go out. I begged them to show me my husband and kid again, but they said, ‘no. Go have some rest!’

I never knew why they prevented me from seeing them. Later, I knew their bodies were so distorted to be recognized. ‘They were faceless,’ they told me.

I was still in a shock that I forgot all about my daughter. It was when I heard one of the women talking about my daughter, Abeer, that I looked her in the eye and asked, ‘What happened to her? Where is she?’ The news of her martyrdom was too havy on me. God! Help me bear it.

1 An interview with Tamam Al-Asali on Sunday, 3/2/2013, at her house in Ahmad Yaseen Street, northern the Gaza Strip.

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Around 2:40 pm, an Israeli warplane fired amissileatagroupofcivilianswhoweregoingtothemosquetoperformAserPrayerinAl-SheikhEjleen area, southwest Gaza city. That attackresultedinthemartyrdomofJoudaShamalkh,31.

7. TestimonyofGhazalaShamalkh,MotherofMartyr Jouda:1

I finished preparing lunch when my son started eating quickly as if he got something urgent to do. He told me he was going out to the mosque. I kissed him goodbye then he left. Minutes later, I heard a massive explosion and felt something in my heart! ‘My son! My son!’ I screamed.

I ran very fast calling for an ambulance. I knew my son’s injury was not too serious that I could help him. It was only a fragment. My son and I arrived to the hospital. I was full of hope that I did not think, not for a moment, about losing him!

A few days later, Jouda arrived home. He was dead. When they brought him, I could not help crying. What made it harder on me was that my son and his wife did not have kids for 8 years. This year, she got pregnant. He passed away when his wife was still on the 7th month of pregnancy. God help her bear the burden of pain and giving birth. May Allah grant us patience, Amen.

1 An interview with Ghazala Shamalkh on Wednesday, 13/2/2013, at her house in Shaikh Ejleen area, western Gaza City

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At around 2:41 pm, a missile was fired atMahmoud Abu-Khousa, 14, in Al-Manara neighbourhoodmiddleGazaCity,whilehewasonhiswayhome,whichledtohisdirectdeath.

8. Testimony of Heba Abu-Khousa, 24, sister of Martyr Mahmud:1

During the offensive, Mahmud decided to invest his time in studying. He opened his bag, brought out his books, but did not find the pen. He went to buy a new one and did not know that that pen would be the reason for his death.

9. Testimony of Mohamad Abu-Khousa, Brother of Martyr Mahmud:2

When I heard the airstrike, I hurried out to see what happened. I saw Mahmud lying on the ground. He was injured. I unconsciously carried him to the hospital. On our way, he looked at me, smiled, sighed and… I tried to save him. I really tried my best but alas! He took his last breath in front of me. I saw him dying in my arms!

1 An interview with Heba Abu-Khousa on Tuesday, 25/12/2012, at her house, western Gaza City.2 An interview with Mohamad Abu-Khousa on Tuesday, 25/12/2012, at his house, western Gaza City.

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AtAround3:00pm,IOFwarplanehitamissileatalJeelPressOfficeonthe6thfloorinNematower, southern Gaza City. This led to themartyrdomoftwo-year-oldchild,AbdulrahmanMagdi Naem and the injury of bothMahmudMagdiNaem,15,andSamiNaem,16,whowerein the same building.

10. Testimony of Um Ahmad Naem, Mother of Martyr Abdulrahman:1

Abdulrahman was playing with his two-year-old nephew and his brothers and cousins inside the house. At 3:00 pm, an Israeli airstrike by an F16 warplane happened, I though the target was my house! Especially when I rushed to Abdulrahman to find him lying on the floor, killed! I carried him, tried to talk to him, tried to make him move, but I was powerless, ‘they killed him! They killed my kid!’

Later we knew that the target was the 6th floor in Nema tower, where we live. The attack was so massive that it affected my apartment, killed my son and caused the injury of Mahmud, my 15-year-old son, who stayed at hospital till he got recovered. Samil, 16, my nephew suffered from serious injury . He is now in a good condition,. God help us bear the burden of loss and grant us patience. Amen.

1 An interview with Um Ahmad Naem on Tuesday, 12/2/2013, at her house in Al Wihda Street, Gaza City.

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Around4:20pm,anIsraelidronefiredamissileat three-year-old girl Reham Mohamad Al-NabaheenwhileplayinginfrontofherhouseinNuseirat refugee camp, middle of the Gaza Strip. It immediatelyledtothekid’sdeath.

11. Testimony of Samah Al-Nabaheen, 36, Mother of Martyr Reham:1

Reham and I were together minutes before a fragment hit her in the head and killed her. I was injured too. Reham was the youngest among my kids. Everyone in the family loved her, I loved her the most, as well. My kids, Nafeth, 10, and Islam, 7, were so sad for their sister’s loss and could not believe their sister left forever. God grant us patience. Amen.

Around4:30pm,theIOFwarplanestargetedagroupofcitizensinBeitLahyatown,killingFadiMousa Al-Qatnany, 29, an injuring six morecitizens, twoof themwerechildren.

12. TestimonyofBasmaAl-Qatnany,46,Motherof Martyr Fadi:2

I was at home. My husband and I went out to Tal El Thahab area around 4:00 pm to buy some stuff. We heard a massive explosion! I unconsciously yelled. While in the car, I heard the breaking news of targeting Al-qatnany house. We changed our destination to Kamal Odwan Hospital because that house was my house! 1 An interview with Samah Al-Nabaheen on Tuesday, 30/9/2013, at her house in Camp (5) near Abdullah Azam, Nusierat Camp, middle of the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Bassma Al-Qatnany on Wednesday, 12/2/2013, at her house in Salatine St., Beit Lahya, northern the Gaza Strip.

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We arrived to the hospital before the ambulance that carried injuries, my son was one of them. After ten minutes, the first ambulance arrived. Fadi was inside. I rushed to see him when huge hands from the back stopped me. ‘His injury is so serious, no one is allowed to enter with him,’ a doctor said. He got inside the ambulance where my son was and transferred him quickly to Al-Shifa Hospital. So I went back home.

When I arrived, there was no house entrance and there was no door. I knew that they attacked my son while he was in front of the house. Minutes later, I knew about the injury of other 11 neighbours; two were my sons Abdul Aziz, 24, and Omer, 21.

While at home, I received a call from my brother-in-law, Jihad Al-qatnany, 42. He talked to me about Fadi’s condition. I felt something bad was going on, I actually felt it from the beginning, and I prayed that God grant me patience for whatever was going to happen.

At 9:00 pm, the ceasefire was declared. I immediately took a car and went to visit Fadi. 10 minutes later, his uncle came out from inside and said, ‘I’m sorry. His body was so weak. We tried our best to save him.’

I knew I was going to lose him the moment that doctor stopped me from behind and told me that I could not see my son. I do not remember that I gave any reaction that day. I just closed my eyes and thanked God.

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Atabout4:40pm,anIOFdronefiredamissileat Abu Kmeel house in Buraij Camp, to themiddleof theGazastrip.Theattack led to themartyrdom of Ahmed Mohammed Abu Kmeel, 31, his brother Sadi, 26, Nidal Mohammed Hassan,32,MohammedSalamaAbuEatawi,36,andRamiAbedRabuObied,30,whowereinsidethe house!

13. Testimony of Mona Salman, 51, Mother of Martyr Nidal:1

After losing my son-in-law, Mahmoud, and my daughter-in-law, Mariam, on November 20, I received the news of the death of my own son, Nidal. I consoled my wife for losing our kids. After some time, a heavy airstrike was heard somewhere. My heart started beating feeling something bad happened. My 32-year old son Nidal arrived home after performing Hajj to Mecca, when the aggression started. I was not able to visit him at his house due to the dangerous situation. I could not see him for 17 whole days before he died! I was patient, though. I really wished to see him after he performed Hajj. I thank Allah for granting me patience and acceptance.

14. Testimony of Fidaa Obied, 30, Wife of Martyr Rami:2

Since the first day of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, I left home to my family’s 1 An interview with Mona Salman on Saturday, 23/1/2013, at her house in al Moghraqa, middle of the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Fidaa Obied on Monday, 30/9/2013, at her house in al Moghraqa, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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house because I lived in Al Mughraqa, which was a dangerous area. And because I was in my ninth month of pregnancy, I really needed a safer place to stay in. After five days, while in my family’s house, an airstrike happened causing a so huge explosion. Sometime later, I received a call informing me about my husband’s injury!

I did not know what my reaction could be had my brother not hidden the truth and told me my husband was killed. I was left until the next day without knowing the truth of my husband’s martyrdom.

The morning of the next day, my brother gave me a ride to my house. When we arrived, he stopped me, looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Listen! You hear me? I’m sorry for this, but… You might never see your husband again. Go inside now. People are waiting for you. They came to console you.’ He hugged me tightly and let me go in.

That was the hardest thing that happened to me in my lifetime. I gave birth to Rami after my husband was killed. I wish he rest in peace.

15. TestimonyofWafa’AbuEatawi,28,WifeofMartyr Mohammed:1

When the aggression started, I stayed in my family’s house because I lived in a dangerous area. On the last day of the aggression, I heard the news that a house in the area where I lived was shelled. After some time, while in my family’s house, I learned that it was my house, and I knew that my

1 An interview with Wafa’ Abu Eatawi on Monday, 30/9/2013, at her house in al Moghraqa, middle of the Gaza Strip.

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husband and his friends were staying inside the house. I knew he was gone; I knew he was killed. When my father came to tell me about his martyrdom, I thanked God. I thank God for granting me patience, acceptance and honour for being a wife of a martyr. 15 days later, I discovered I was pregnant. Since then, I decided to name my new baby after his martyred father. May he rest in peace.

16. TestimonyofSihamShahwan,53,MotherofTwoMartyrsSadiandAhmed:1

Two days prior to my sons’ death, my son Ahmed suggested we could out of the house because it was destroyed in 2008 during the aggression. So most of the family and I went to my family’s house, my son, Sadi, went to his aunt’s house, and Ahmed stayed at home. On the last day of the aggression, at about 4:00 pm, I called Ahmed, who stayed at home, and made sure he was fine. At around 4:30 pm, I learned from the news that my husband, 3 sons, 2 daughters were all killed! I knew my house was destroyed.

After a while, Duaa, my married daughter, called me. She was crying bitterly! ‘Hey!’ I said to her. ‘We’re all fine. We got out from the house. All of us are fine. The news was wrong!’ “I calmed her dawn, but I was feeling something strange; something frightening. “Next morning, I received the news of my two sons’ martyrdom, Sadi and Ahmed. You know how it feels when you assure yourself everything is alright, but later you discover otherwise. 1 An interview with Fayza Shehadah on Sunday, 27/12/2012, at her house in Al-Sikka Street, Jabalia Refugee Camp, north of the Gaza Strip.

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They brought them to the house for me to see them. Thanks God who granted me patience to look at them and kiss them a goodbye. When they left, I talked to God. I told Him, ‘Thank you Allah for giving me the honour of being a mother of two martyrs. Please make it easy for me to bear and accept. I love you.’ I remember one time before their martyrdom, we were talking about marriage. I said to Sadi, ‘When will I see my grandchild, ha?’ He laughed and told me that he and his brother would marry in heaven! I said, ‘No! I want to see you kids first, then go where you may, you both.’ We laughed from our hearts that day. We were happy. They always visit me in my dreams, and I always see them happy. I once remember I saw them in my dream, and when I woke up, I was smiling. I felt happy that every time I see them, they seem to be at ease. Sadi and Ahmad were more than brothers. They were close friends; one soul in two bodies. They lived together, and left together, as well. God grant them heaven and grant us patience. Amen.

At approximately 5:05 pm, Israeli occupation warplanesbombedagroupofcitizenswhowerenear themosque ofAl-Bashir, in the northeastof Tal Al-Zatar, northern Gaza. This led to the martyrdom of Ibrahim Mohammed Shehadeh, 23,andtheinjuryofonemore.

17.Testimony of Fayza Shehadah, 55, Mother of Martyr:1

On the day of his martyrdom, Ibrahim, my 1 An interview with Fayza Shehadah on Sunday, 27/12/2012, at her house in Al-Sikka Street, Jabalia Refugee Camp, north of the Gaza Strip.

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23-year-old son, performed Al Maghreb Prayer then called his wife on her cell phone and told her that he was coming to visit his mother; I was in my mother-in-law’s house already.

My son was still on his way when his wife and I heard a sound of a huge explosion in the area. ‘It was one of my sons! I bet it’s one of them!’ I said unconsciously. My brother, Iyad, looked at me, said nothing, and turned to where the radio was. He opened it at the local stations announced my son’s martyrdom: Ibrahim!

I cried.

It’s never the idea of martyrdom, I always loved to be a mother of a martyr; it’s the idea of loss. Losing a person you spent 23 years bringing up, and to be proud of wherever you go… this loss is never bearable. The only reason one accepts loss is that God chose him as a martyr.

My daughter-in-law was pregnant with twins. When he was killed, she rushed to the hospital and on her way she fell down. Her twins were at risk. She lost one and the other was saved. I pray to Allah to save the child, accept my son as a martyr, help my daughter-in-law bear the burden and grant us all patience and acceptance. A m e n .

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At approximately 6:30 pm, Israeli occupation warplanesfired amissile at two civilianswhiletheywerewalkingnearapark,inAl-Shokatownto the east of Rafah. This led to their immediate martyrdomofMohamedKamelAbuIdwan,19,and Talaat Ibrahim Abdullah, 18.

18. TestimonyofSubhiaAbuIdwan,42,Motherof Martyr Mohamed:1

On that day, people were speaking about a ceasefire, so Mohammed left to his uncle’s house as the truce was going to start within half an hour. On his way to his uncle’s house, he walked with his friend, Abdullah Ibrahim, when a drone missile attacked them directly. I know he should not have gone out until the truce officially started, but I believe this was his destiny. I pray Allah accept my son as a martyr.

19.Testimony ofTalaat Ibrahim, 47,Father ofMartyr Abdullah:2

The day of my son’s martyrdom, he was working with me at home. The power went off, so I went upstairs while Abdullah left with his friend, Mohamed Abu Idwan near Al-Shawka Park half an hour before the truce commenced. They were gone. At about 7:30 pm, the Israeli occupation warplanes targeted child Nader Sulaiman Salem Abu Maghasib, 14, from Deir Al-Balah, to the

1 An interview with Subhia Abu Idwan on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, at her house in Al-Shawka town, near Abu Hijazi factory for stones, Rafah, southern the Gaza Strip.2 An interview with Talaat Ibrahim on Tuesday, 4/12/2012, at his house next to Al-Shawka Elementary School, Rafah, southern the Gaza Strip.

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middle of the Gaza Strip, which led to his direct martyrdom.

20. Testimony of Sulaiman Abu Maghasib, 43, Father of Martyr Nader:1

My son Nader went to a shop close to our house to buy something. On his way back, he stopped to talk to his friends about school and lessons need to be revised, as they were preparing themselves for exams. After half an hour, he left them. On his way home, a drone missile attacked him and directly killed him.

1 An interview with Sulaiman Abu Maghasib on Tuesday, 19/11/2013, at his house near Al-Salqa Valley, middle of the Gaza Strip.

Appendixes

Appendix(1)Journalists’ Testimonies

Append

ixes

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Translation of the French Report1

Testimony:MediaCoverageofGazawithFrenchjournalistCarolynBorgert

I Will not Keep Silent

(Gaza) Firing has stopped since three days. The last group of journalists left this morning, and the hotel was all mine. Strangely, yet miserably, the Gaza Strip has returned to its normal life.

Back to my bed, I opened my Twitter and Facebook accounts where I have received many incompatible messages. I can hear the sound of waves. It’s cold outside; I stayed in my bed because my window has been broken due to an Israeli air strike, last Thursday, near the hotel where I used to stay.

The manager of the hotel covered the broken window with plastic, but it was freezing cold that that plastic cover was of no good.

As I published a photo of little students in a classroom, which has one empty bench that relates to a martyr-kid who has been killed by Israel, people around the world started criticizing me disparately. Some accused me of being very prejudiced against Israel for publishing that photo which shows the savagery of Israel, others accused me of being the spokeswoman of Hamas!

That was to make me laugh, but I was so tired to laugh.

1 http://rue89.nouvelobs.com/2012/12/03/couvrir-gaza-sous-les-insultes-je-ne-me-tairai-pas-237525#

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ConstructionandBodiesDestruction

I have been here since a week. I really dream of a warm, hot shower, but I’m in Gaza: salty water and electricity are always out.

As I had a tour throughout the Gaza Strip, it was noticeable that life was back to streets. Yet, it was also clearly noticeable that the amount of destruction Israel left behind was so huge.

While I was withdrawing some money from the bank, I saw a man sitting on the sidewalk with truncated legs. He was one of the injuries due to Israeli’s last aggression on the Gaza Strip. Here, you could see the effects of the aggression, not only on constructions, but on people whose bodies and hearts have been injured, as well.

ShockandCoffee

I was having my cup of coffee with a youth rapper, Antara. I heard about him when I was in Lebanon.

‘Not being able to move and travel freely is more than enough to let you go nuts,’ he said.

This guy has travelled to Europe many times for music revivals. When the aggression started on the Gaza Strip, he was able to leave Gaza to a place elsewhere in the world; safer and securer. But he refused.

IWASSHOCKED!

How was he, along with many other Gazan

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musicians, able to stay in the Gaza Strip while being under attack in the time that it was so easy for them to have a visa and leave?! Why didn’t he leave!

Never have I, in my lifetime, witnessed such bravery. Elders, youths, women, men, and kids; all are courageous, tigers here in Gaza.

I remember the driver, Mohammed, who asked me about the reason behind my coming to the Gaza Strip.

‘I’m from Bethlehem, the West Bank,’ he said. ‘My family members and my relatives are all there; my parents, siblings, wife and my 3 kids. I haven’t seen them since 2002 except for two times at the Erez Crossing for only one hour.’

‘TakeMewithYou,’SaidtheLittleKid

Thousands have become homeless in only some minutes that kids were not able to take even some of their toys upon leaving their houses. UNRWA opened its schools as shelters for most of these people.

While I was walking in the school’s corridor, there was about 2000 people, every 60 people in one room; the number of kids was huge!

About 1/3 of the people were under the age of 18.

I was still walking in the corridor when a little, soft voice followed me from behind saying, ‘Take me with you.’ It was Maram, a little 4-year-old kid appealing me to take her to a safer place for I am a ‘foreigner’!

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In the same night, Israel struck near \ the hotel where I used to stay. As Israel attacked a lot of media centres, almost all journalists gathered in two hotels located on the Mediterranean Sea near Gaza Port to be surprised by a new Israeli air strike only a few meters away from the hotels. The hotels’ windows have been broken due to that. Thus, I had to sleep in a windowless room! Safe in the room, I heard that Israel attacked a big playground! What makes it horrifying is that I have videotaped in that place only few hours ago! This couldn’t be a place where Hamas could be found! It’s only a playground and I was just there!

NoLegalJournalist!

Next day, nearby, I saw the remains of a journalist’s car belonging to Al Aqsa TV, which was attacked by an Israeli air strike. After that, three other journalists have been attacked by different air strikes, two of them were Hosam Salama, 30, and Mahmoud Al-Koumi, 29; two cameramen who were on their way to Al-Shifa Hospital to take photos of the injuries and martyrs who were killed by Israel. Is it a crime to be a journalist? Is it a crime to show the truth? Mohammed Abu Aisha, 24, is another journalist who has been attacked after an hour by an Israeli air strike on his press car! I remember how Israel started to justify its savage crime by saying, ‘they were not legal journalists!’ And the world kept silent not commenting a word on what happened as if it’s not a crime to kill journalists!

Does speaking and writing the truth threaten Israel’s security and kill Israelis, only because Israel does not like it? Is telling the truth a crime?

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Most of the foreign channels, which were in the Gaza Strip during the aggression, were in need of a lot of technology and human resources to complete their work. I can hardly say that the Palestinian groups were of high-techniques while being under a so-hard situation.

Talking about the Palestinian groups, journalists, producers, cameramen and acousticians all became reporters and newsmen due to the situation they lived. Do not they deserve the same respect a foreign journalist gets from the world? Are not they respectable people! Does the fact that they take photos for the people who were injured and killed by Israel make them less respectable people!

ManyLikedMyWorkNot

Many people elsewhere in the world criticized my work and did not like it because, as they used to tell me, they needed “true information” about what happened in the Gaza Strip! Was I lying! That was the truth and I didn’t say one single thing out of my head!

If the fact that what really happened in the Gaza Strip makes no good to Israel in front of the world, am I to change the facts and tell lies to satisfy Israel! When I say that the life in the Gaza Strip is so hard and inhumane to be lived, it’s not that I’m telling lies or not telling the truth!

Any foreign journalist can come to Gaza, see the bare truth, and tell lies. Any journalist can easily do that. Any journalist, in front of the world, can easily deny the fact that many families in the Gaza Strip have been miserably living because

199


of the closure that has been imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2005. Many can easily deny the fact that thousands of kids and women have been killed due to the massive Israeli airstrikes, farmers have lost their farms after being shovelled by Israeli bulldozers, hospitals with no pharmaceutical, and many refugees who have lost their homes! I could never do that, though.

I was born to tell the truth!

I Get Money to Be a Witness!

To cover the situation of the Gaza Strip is to fight for the truth and to fight for justice. It saddens how every piece of information from the Gaza Strip is transformed immediately to adjudication claiming that it is a lie only because its source is Gaza. Those people that are hurt by the truth are the same people who say that Gaza is inhumane! Western governments apply human rights only when it suits them! And to tell the truth, I’m here in the Gaza Strip, paid. So it’s that I can say whatever I want since I’m paid! But I’m here to tell what I see in front of my own eyes, to tell it any way, even if it did not satisfy them. The truth has to be revealed. I was raised in a society where a journalist is a free man who has the right to say whatever he wants. I will not abandon principles of telling the truth for being threatened! If it requires the journalist to falsify the truth in order to become a legal journalist, I am so proud to complete my work telling the truth being an illegal journalist.

I will not keep silent!

Appendix(2)Weapons Used

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Weapons Used in Operation Pillar of Defense 1

ReportonMilitaryMunitionsthatwereusedinOperation Pillar of Defense

The Israeli military forces has used, in the recent aggression on the Gaza Strip, unlimited variety of weapons and military ammunition that destroyed human beings, stones and trees. Here we bring information about some of the weapons and ammunition used in the aggression.

First: the general-purpose bombs.

• MK80Bombs

These bombs were used to destroy buildings and facilities. They were used in the destruction of homes, police headquarters, farmland and open areas. They had half of their weight of explosive material, and there were several weights and sizes as follows:

Mk83bombGeneral Specifications: Weight: 1014 lbs 460 kg Length: 3 meters Diameter: 35.7 cm Stuffing: Tritonal Filling weight: 202 kgMk84bombGeneral Specifications: 1 Translated from the Arabic Report on Military Munitions that were used in Operation Pillar of Defense

203


Weight: 2039 lbs 925 kg Height: 3.28 meters Diameter: 45.8 cm Stuffing: Tritonal Filling weight: 429

M117Bomb It is an unguided bomb, dropped from warplanes. It has been used extensively in the recent aggression on the Gaza Strip, especially in open areas and farmlands that have been targeted more than once. There has been dealing with more than one bomb that did not explode.

Bombspecifications:The bomb is dropped from warplanes; it’s unguided, working on the technique of inertial (free fall) and is an American-made. The weight of the bomb, including detonator and fins is 820 pounds (371 kg) Weight of the explosive material is 403-pound 183 kg The type of explosive material is Minol - Tritonal Length is 2.16 meters to 2.06 meters M117 and M117 R’s Diameter is 40.8 cm. It has been used by the Israeli air force in the war duing the 2008-9 Offensive on the Gaza Strip in 2008-2009, as well as during Operation Pillar of Defense.

M117 Bomb M117 Bomb that did not explode.

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• JDAMGuidedSmartBombs

They are guided bombs, routed through GPS and were used extensively in targeting security headquarters, homes and facilities that need accuracy to be hit, and the bomb is origionally one of the bombs of general purpose, such as MK80 bombs. Moslty used bombs are JDAM GBU 31, which depends on MK84 warhead .

• GBUBombs(LGB)

These bombs are of the very strong type to penetrate the military fortifications buried beneath the surface of the earth and destroy them without showing raised destroying remarks on the surface.They have been used in bombing the tunnels area in Rafah, as the ability of these bombs to penetrate the soil is up to a depth of 30 meters and 6 meters in cement. They are so accurate in trageting and they are very smart bombs. Laser is used to direct them.

The weight of some of these bombs is about 2291 kg, and the weight of the explosive material is 295 kg. The rest of the body of the bomb is made from thick metal.

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• 2000SpiceTargetedBomb

It is a guided bomb that was used for the first time in the bombing of a home under construction in east of Bureij with at least one bomb. The bomb is of Israeli production. It is of steering system and control devices installed on one of the general-purpose bombs, MK84.

Bombspecifications:

1- bomb is produced by Rafael company. 2- weight of the bomb is in 2000 pounds (907 kg.)3 -weight of explosive material is 429 kg 4- type explosive material is Tritonal 5-Final range of bomb is 60 kilometers 6- bomb is controlled via TV filming, infrared rays as well as GPS

Second: guided missiles.

The Israeli forces accurately used several types of guided missiles that are anti-armor to attack Palestinian citizens through the Apache, helicopters, vehicles, and drones. These missiles have been used to assassinate resistance fighters in cars and targeting homes and offices of journalists, as what happened in the Shawwa and Hosary buildings.

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The Israeli military forces used several types of guided missiles, precision anti-armor and individuals to attack Palestinian citizens through the Apache helicopters, vehicles, and drones. These missiles have been used to assassinate resistance fighters in cars and targeting homes and offices of journalists, as what happened in the Shawa and Hosari Tower.

1. HellfireMissile

GeneralSpecifications:Anti-tank missile of the American production in 1971.Missile has a weight of 45 to 50 kg approx.Missile has a length of 163 cm. Missile diameter is 17.8 cm.Warheads filling weigh high bombing weighs 9 kg. Missile range over 8000 meters.Missile speed of Mach 1.3 is equivalent to 425 meters per second.Type of engine fuel is solid.Fired from Apache helicopters offensive and Land- land platforms.

2. Nimrod missile

Zionist air force used Nimrod missile in the bombing of houses, apartments, offices, the press, as happened in the bombing of the Zionist airstrike

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of Al Aqsa channel in Al-Shorroq Tower, and these missiles are sophisticated and far-reaching.

GeneralSpecifications:Anti-tank missile and aircraft of the Israeli production. Missile reaches over 26 km. The length of the missile 2.6 meters. Missile diameter is 18 cm. Weight of 100 kg. Laser-guided type guidance. Launch pads and ground pads mounted on helicopters.

3. Guided missile Delilah

It is a very sophisticated drifter missile developed for the American cruise missile, and has been used in the Battle of Hijart Al-Sjeel for the first time, where they were targeting residential Tower in Nuseirat and site of resistance.Themissilespecifications:The missile is drifter produced by the Zionist military industries.Full weight of the rocket 250 is kg.Warhead weight is 50 kg. 250 km range of the missile.Type directive television infrared + GPS.Launch system and ground planes and ships.

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Third: dime bomb fired by reconnaissanceplanes. They are bombs dropped from reconnaissance planes and are controlled by laser, it was extensively used in the recent aggression on the Gaza Strip, especially in assassinations, where they were targeting the leader martyr Ahmed Jabari by this type of bomb, and also the Zionist air force used bombs in warning citizens to evacuate their homes, and these bombs rely on a large number of fragments of metal tungsten that are very small.

TechnicalSpecifications:State Manufacturer: Israeli-makingLength: 72 cm.Diameter: 103 mm.Warhead explosive: weighs 2270 grams.Explosive material: HV10 Weighs 1500 RamFragments: fragments contain heavy metal “dime.”The size of the fragments: there are in two sizes, one 2 × 4 × 4 mm and another 4 × 4 × 4 mm.

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Fourth: artillery shells.

Zionist occupation forces used artillery to target different areas in Gaza Strip during the 2012 offensive where these shells were fired from several modes as follows:

• Artillery shells, 155mm.

Missiles fired from howitzers stationed east of Gaza Strip which targeted eastern and near the border areas, and which weigh about 35 kg and has almost a range of 20,000 meters projectile and there are several types depending on the purpose of use, such as high-explosive shells and smoke-shells (white phosphorus).

• Tankshells.

Zionist troops used tank shells in the border areas north and east of such as anti-tank missiles and anti-personnel shells and flares.The shell of anti-personnel and armor M329- APAM-MP-TAn anti-personnel shell was used during the 2012 offensive by tanks stationed east and north of Gaza.General specifications of the shell:

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Produced by Israel Military Industries (IMI)The latest anti-tank shell which targets individuals and light shielding.Caliber projectile 120 mm and 105 mm.Contains six sub-munitions, each of which contains 500 cubic High density of the metal tungsten.At the launch of the missile in the pattern of anti-personnel mines, the missile launches over the top of the six target munitions and explode in the arena]But while the missile launches in the pattern of anti-tank, the sub-munitions six, explode simultaneously, penetrating 5 mm of shielding homogenized.

Setup/ Documentation Committee - Engineering explosivesOfficer/ Hazem Abu Murad-Chairman of theCommitteeAssistant A/ Ahmed Osman-memberAssistant A/ Mohammed Jibril-member

Appendix(3)Martyrs statistics

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Martyrs statistics by Ministry of Health- Gaza

SN Name Age Gender

1 Ahmad Sa’id Khalil Al-ja’bari 52 male

2 Runan Yusuf Jalal Arafat 7 female

3 Mohammed Hamed Subhi Al-hums 28 male

4 Heba Adel Fadl Al-mushharawi / At-turk 19 female

5 Mahmoud Hamad Abu-swawin 61 male

6 Omar Jehad Ali Al-mushharawi 4 male

7 Hanin Khaled Ahmad Tafesh 1.5 female

8 Habes Hasan Awad Mesmeh 29 male

9 Wa’el Hayder Sai’d El-Khalban 26 male

10 Hesham Mohammed Ahmad Al-khalban 26 male

11 Mohammed Hani Ibrahim El-Kasih 18 male

12 Esam Mahmoud Ahmad Abu-ma’za 22 male

13 Khaled Mahmoud Mohammed Abu-naser 23 male

14 Rani Mahmoud Abdulrahman Hammad 28 male

15 Marwan Abdulrahman Abu-qumsan 52 male

16 Walid Mahmoud Adulrazaq El-abadlah 2 male

17 Odai Jamal Abdulnaser Naser 16 male

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18 Fares Ahmad Deyab El-basyoni 8 male

19 Mahmoud Ra’ed Mohammed Sa’dallah

4 Male

20 Ayman El-abd Hasan Abu-warda 24 male

21 Tahrir Zeyad Mohammed Salman 22 female

22 Ima’el Khatab Omar Khandil 23 male

23 Yunis Khamel Yunis Tafesh 55 male

24 Mohammed Talal Said Salman 28 male

25 Hasan Salem El-hayla’ 29 male

26 Zeyad Farhan Sulayman Abu- jalal 23 male

27 Ahmad Mohammed Ghdou’ Abu-jalal 34 male

28 Amjad Mohammed Ghdou’ Abu-jalal 25 male

29 Khaled Khalil Ali Esh-sha’er 26 male

30 Ayman Rafiq Hasan Salim 26 male

31 Ahmad Osama Mohammed El-atrash 24 male

32 Mohammed Saleh Eshtawi El-lolhi 24 male

33 Awad Hamdi Hasan En-nahal 31 male

34 Abdulrahman Salem Samarah El-masri 25 male

35 Mokhles Mahmoud Odwan 30 male

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36 Osama Mosa Hasan Abduljawad 27 male

37 Ali Abdulhalim Ali Mana’ma 13 male

38 Ashraf Hasan Es-sayyed Darwish 12 male

39 Mohammed Mahmoud Omar Yasin 21 male

40 Osama Yusuf Mansour El-qadi 26 male

41 Ahmad Salem Salama Ben Sa’id 60 male

42 Hani Abdulmajid Salem Bra’em 31 male

43 Ali Hasan Ali Ben Sa’id 25 male

44 Samaher Khalil Mahmoud Qudayh 28 female

45 Mohammed Sabri Oda E’widat 25 male

46 Tamer Khaled Ahmad El-humri 26 male

47 Sa’deyya Mohammed Aydi Ed-dib 26 female

48 Jamal Mohammed Jamal Ed-dalo 5 male

49 Abdullah Mohammed Ramadan El-mozanar

20 male

50 Suhaylah Mahmoud Yasin Ed-dalo 50 female

51 Samah Abdulhamid Eshaq Ed-dalo/Saloha

25 female

52 Tahani Hasona Ahmad Ed-dalo 46 female

53 Ibrahim Mohammed Jamal Ed-dalo 0.11 male

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54 Yusuf Mohammed Jamal Ed-dalo 5 male

55 Amina Matr Hassan El-muzanar 80 female

56 Sami Emad Sobhi Al-ghafir 20 male

57 Mohammed Bakr Aref El-of 33 male

58 Sarah Mohammed Jamal Ed-dalo 4 female

59 Suhayl Ashor Mohammed Hamada 42 male

60 Ashor Suhayl Ashor Hamada 7 male

61 Ateya Abd Mohammed Mubarak 58 male

62 Husam Husain Mohammed Abu-shawish 38 male

63 Jumana Salama Ibrahim Abu-os’ifan 1.5 female

64 Tamer Salama Ibrahim Abu-os’ifan 3 male

65 Nawal Faraj Mahmoud Abdulal 52 female

66 Iyad Yusuf Ahmad Abu-khosa 1 male

67 Mosa Mahmoud Jum’a As-sumayri 76 male

68 Ahmad Osam Sami En-nahal 27 male

69 Tasnim Zuhayr Mohammed En-nahal 9 female

70 Ahmad Mahmoud Ahmad Abu-amra 42 male

71 Nabil Ahm,ad Oda Abu-amra 28 male

72 Mohammed Iyad Fu’ad Abu-zoor 4 male

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73 Sahar Fadi As’ad Abu-zoor 20 female

74 Mohammed Salama Sa’di Jundeya 31 male

75 Ahed Hamdi Ima’il Qutati 37 male

76 Nesma Hulmi Salem Abu-zoor 20 female

77 Amin Zuhdi Ibrahim Bashir 41 male

78 Tamer Rushdi Mohammed Bashir 31 male

79 Rashid Alyan Ateya abu-amra 51 male

80 Ibrahim Mohammed sulayman El-astal 46 Male

81 Omar Mahmoud Mohammed El-astal 14 male

82 Jalal Mohammed Saleh Nasr 36 male

83 Husain Jalal Mohammed Nasr 6 male

84 Abed Mohammed Abed El-atar 51 male

85 Sayfueddin Mahmoud Sulayman Sadeq 27 male

86 Husamueddin Ibrahim Mohammed Ez-zayni

30 male

87 Mahmoud Sa’id Sulayman Abu-khater 26 male

88 Abdullah Harb Salem Abu-khater 21 male

89 Mohammed Reyad As’ad Shamalaq 23 male

90 Ramadan Ahmad Mahmoud 21 male

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91 Rama Emad Mohammed Ash-shandi 1 female

92 Mohammed El-qasir 20 male

93 Ranin Jamal Mahmoud Ed-dalo

22 female

94 Ramez Najib Mosa Harb 29 male

95 A’ed Sabri Mohammed Radi 48 male

96 Amin Ramadan Mordi Malahi 24 male

97 Husam Fayez Hamdan Abduljawad 32 male

98 Salem Boles Salem Swaylem 53 male

99 Mohammed Zaydan Zayed Tubayl 25 male

100 Ibrahim Mahmoud Mohammed El-hawajri

34 male

101 Arkan Harbi Jamal Abu-khumail 24 female

102 Osama Walid Ibrahim Shuhada 17 male

103 Khalil Ibrahim Abdulaziz Shuhada 53 male

104 Suhayb Fu’ad Khalil Hujazai 2 male

106 Mohammed Fu’ad Khalil Hujazai 3 male

107 Fu’ad Khalil Ibrahim Hujazai 46 male

108 Ahmad Tawfiq Mamdoh En-nasasrah 18 male

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110 Mohammed Tawfiq Mamdoh En-nasas rah

20 male

111 Belal Jehad El-barawi 22 male

112 Yehya Akram Ma’roof 17 male

113 Yehya Mohammed Awad 17 male

114 Abdulrahman Mostafa Abdulrahman Hamad

31 male

115 Mohammed Abed Rabu Yusuf Badr 24 male

116 Fares Mansour Ahmad Subayta 20 male

117 Mahmoud Rezeq Salman Ez-zahar 30 male

118 Amin Mahmoud As’ad Ed-dada 29 male

119 Husam Mohammed Abdulrahman S a l a m a

30 male

120 Mahmoud Rezeq Kilani Ashor 54 male

121 Saqr Yusuf Khalil Bulbul 57 male

122 Tareq Awni Mustafa Hajila 40 male

123 Mahmoud Mohammed Husain Zuhri 21 male

124 Yusra Basl Murtada Esh-shawa 18 female

125 Mahmoud Ali Ahmad El-komi 29 male

126 Ahmad Jamil Hamdan Dugmosh 30 male

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127 Sobhi Nemer Mohammed Dugmosh 29 male

128 Salah Nemer Mohammed Dugmosh 29 male

129 Ayman Rafiq Mohammed Abu-rashed 33 male

130 Mohammed Mosa Abu-eisha 24 male

131 Hasan Hasan Yusuf El-ostaz 22 male

132 Mos’ab Mahmoud Rushdi Dugmosh 22 male

133 Salem Ayesh Husain Abu-sittah 32 male

134 Mohammed Ahmad Sa’id Abu-sittah 21 male

135 Ibrahim Ahmad Mahmoud Hamad 16 male

136 Ahmad Aabed Ibrahim abu-mor 24 male

137 Khaled Aabed Ibrahim Abu-mor 20 male

138 Mahmoud Khalil Mahmoud El-arja 16 male

139 Shawqi Sulayman Abu-sunayma 28 male

140 Fares Mansour Ahmad Esbayta 25 male

141 Mostafa Awad Abu-humidan 23 male

142 Mohammed Adnan El-ashqar 22 male

143 Ayman Talal Sa’di El-asali 17 male

144 Talal Sa’di El-asali 45 male

145 Abir Talal Sa’di El-asali 10 female

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146 Mubarak Ibrahim Abu-ghola 24 male

147 Mahmoud Ateya Abdulrazeq Abu-khosa 13 male

148 Abdulrahman Majdi Ramada Na’im 2 male

149 Ibrahim Mahmoud Abu-nasr 80 male

150 Reham Maher En-nabahin 13 female

151 Mohammed Mohammed Bakr 27 male

152 Amira Abu-nasr 14 female

153 Ahmad Awad Abu-e’leyan 14 male

154 Ibrahim Mohsen Shuhada 20 male

155 Sa’di Mohammed Abu-kumail 26 male

156 Rami Abed Rabu Obayd 30 male

157 Mohammed Salama Abu-e’taywi 33 male

158 Nedal Hassan 32 male

159 Ahmad Abu-khumail 31 male

160 Mohammed Khamel Abu-edwan 18 male

161 Abdulrahman Amer Aayesh 32 male

162 Ahmad Samih Ja’roor 31 male

163 Mohammed Jamal Ed-dalo 29 male

164 Yara Mohammed Ed-dalo 15 female

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165 Emad Abdulkharim Abu-hamda 35 male

166 Ahmad Isma’il Abu-mosameh 29 male

167 Odah Arafat Esh-shendi 17 male

168 Fadi Mosa Al-qitnani 28 male

169 Khamal Mohammed Mqat 23 male

170 Ahmad Sulayman Abu Nuqayra 61 male

171 Zaki Sa’id Qudada 41 male

172 Joda Sulayman Shamalaq 31 male

173 Basem Salem Esh-sha’er 26 male

174 Abdullah Tal’at Ibrahim 18 male

175 Ahmad Ali Mushharawi 20 male

176 Sabah Mohammed Skafi 40 female

177 Husam El-homs 37 male

178 Naser En-nahal 46 male

179 Mahmoud Sha’et 22 male

180 Nader Abu-moghayseb 14 male

Appendix(4)Pictures

Women for Palestine Center is an Islamic media center

for women. It focuses on portraying the struggle of Palestinian

women under the Israeli occupation. It raises awareness around

the world about the Palestinian women through different ways

and in various languages.

Departments:

• Editorial Department

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