GAZA, August 7, 2006 (WAFA) - Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) said it has published a report on Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) violations against civilians in the Gaza Strip since 25 June 2006 until 31 July 2006.

The report, titled "Reprisals against Civilians", highlights all military operations carried by IOF in the Gaza Strip, which have included: imposing a total siege on the Gaza Strip and isolating it from the outside world, obstruction of the flow of food and medical supplies, destruction of the civilian infrastructure, including the main electricity generation plant, roads and bridges, bombardment of governmental buildings, including the office of the Prime Minster and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior, bombardment of educational institutions, extra-judicial executions of activists of the Palestinian resistance, threats to assassinate senior leaders of Hamas, including the Prime Minister and ministers, limited offensives into Palestinian areas, which have left hundreds of civilian casualties and the destruction of houses and agricultural land, and arresting members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, ministers and political leaders representing Hamas in the West Bank.

Based on investigations conducted by PCHR, the report concludes that military operations that have been conducted by IOF in the Gaza Strip for more than one month, in response to an armed attack by Palestinian militants against an IOF post can only be classified as reprisals and collective punishment against Palestinian civilians not justified by any military necessity.

These operations constitute flagrant violations of international humanitarian law, particularly the 1949 Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.

PCHR has expressed deep shock by the international silence and inaction towards crimes being committed against Palestinian civilians, especially the positions of the Swiss government, the depository of the Geneva Conventions, and European countries.

The Center has further called upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and UN bodies to immediately and effectively intervene to stop grave breaches perpetrated by IOF against the Palestinian civilian population.

A.D. (22:00 P) (19:00 GMT)