Operation Days of Penitence Fatalities

Over 100 people, many of whom were allegedly armed and engaged in combat, can be considered Operation Days of Penitence Fatalities, killed during an Israeli military operation in the northern Gaza Strip between September 30, 2004 and October 15, 2004. The actual number is disputed. Several tallies are available at Operation Days of Penitence. The Israel Defense Force attacked the Palestinian towns and refugee camps of Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and Jabalia in response to Qassam rocket attacks on Israeli settlements in Gaza and on Israeli communities. A Qassam rocket attack on September 29, 2004 killed two Israeli children ages 3 and 5 in the Negev town of Sderot.

Israeli Fatalities

In addition to the two Israeli children, Dorit Insu, 3, and Yuval Ababeh, 5, killed by a Qassam rocket prior to the launch of "Operation Days of Penitence", Shulamit Batito, 36, of Nisanit Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip was also killed during this period. Batito was shot and killed while jogging near Elei Sinai, another Jewish settlement in Gaza. A farmworker from Thailand, employed by Israelis to work for a Jewish settlement in Gaza, was killed in a car bomb explosion. Two Israeli soldiers were also killed during the two-week military operation.

Palestinian casualties

Reports indicate that 133 Palestinians were killed during the operation. Some sources claim that 87 militants were among the fatalities.

According to Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, 133 Palestinians (including 31 children) were killed by IDF forces during Operation Days of Penitence through October 15. The Al Mezan Center reported that 417 Palestinians, including 138 children, were injured during the Israeli offensive. Names, ages, and addresses of each Palestinian fatality, militants and civilians, are available on their website, though not combat status (militant or civilian). [http://www.mezan.org/site_en/press_room/press_detail.php?id=295 (Al Mezan Center for Human Rights)] [http://www.mezan.org/site_en/resource_center/mezan_publications/detail.php?id=95] .

Palestinian Fatalities

The 133 reported Palestinian fatalities during "Operation Days of Penitence" ranged in age from 4 years old to 77 years old. The average age among the Palestinian fatalities was 24.5 years old. Most of those killed were reportedly residents of Jabalia refugee camp, the largest refugee camp in Gaza. The lists that follow were reproduced from data provided by the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights. Some Israeli sources dispute the accuracy of these figures.

ee also

*Israeli-Palestinian conflict
*Violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
*Palestinian political violence
*State terrorism

External links

* [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/489479.html Gideon Levy: Killing children is no longer a big deal]
* [http://www.mezan.org/site_en/resource_center/index.php?type=Monitoring%20Reports Al Mezan Center for Human Rights Monitoring Reports]
* [http://electronicintifada.net/bytopic/300.shtml Israeli raid on northern Gaza (28 September-15 October 2004)] (Electronic Intifada)
* [http://www1.idf.il/DOVER/site/mainpage.asp?sl=EN&id=7&docid=34314.EN IDF statement regarding Operation Days of Penitence] (October 10, 2004)
* [http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2004/10/Behind+the+Headlines+-+Fighting+the+Kassams+-+1-Oct-2004.htm Israeli MFA statement regarding the reasons for Operation Days of Penitence]
* [http://www.isracast.com/Transcripts/061004a_trans.htm Sderot Blitz]