al-Daya: 30 Family Members Killed in their Four Story Building in Gaza
On 6 January 2009, at 6:00 Am, an Israeli War Apache bombed and destroyed a four-story
home, located in the neighborhood of Al Zaytoun, South East of Gaza City. The home belonged
to the al-Daya family: tragically, all thirty members—predominantly women and children—were
killed and buried under the rubble.
In fear of the air and sea bombings that have struck Gaza, Mr. Fayez, the family’s grandfather,
and his wife Khitam, had brought together their children and their families for safekeeping. Of
the thirty family members killed, eighteen were children.
It is clear that Israeli targets are predominantly civilians in the areas they indiscriminately and
randomly shell. Many other families shared the fate of the al-Daya’s Family due to Israel’s
indiscriminate bombing and shelling, including: the families of Ba’lousha and Salha of the
Jabaliya Refugee Camp; the family of Abu-‘Eisha of the Refugee Camp of al-Shate’; and the
families of Al Samouni and Nimer in the neighborhood of Al Zaytoun in Gaza City.
Since its (so called) unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Israel has, on various occasions,
entirely cut off the Strip from electricity, water, fuel, medical supplies. In addition, it has closed
the border and checkpoints in front of Palestinian civilians. These are practices that only a
military occupation could impose on a civilian population. Israel, clearly, is in full and effective
control of the Gaza Strip: its borders, checkpoints, airspace, sea, power, water, and even
electro-magnetic frequencies including population registry. For the record, Gaza is considered
to be one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
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