CAIRO: In a press statement issued Thursday, Human Rights Watch called on Egypt and Israel to open their borders to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and permit civilians to seek refuge from the conflict. "There is no place safe for civilians in Gaza at this time, said Fred Abrahams, senior emergencies researcher at HRW. "It is imperative that borders not be closed to people fleeing for their lives. "For Israel and Egypt to continue blocking the evacuation of severely wounded people is not only unlawful but heartless, said Abrahams. HRW said Egypt allegedly allowed a total of 154 wounded persons through Rafah, including 54 wounded on Dec. 30 and 31, 2008. In another press statement on Wednesday, HRW also urged the United Nations Security Council to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate alleged laws-of-war violations in Gaza. The investigation should tackle Israel's Jan. 6 attack near a UN school housing displaced persons in the Jabaliya refugee camp, as well as other alleged abuses by Israel and Hamas. "There must be a serious and independent investigation into the shocking loss of civilian life that took place near the UN school and that has characterized this conflict, said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at HRW, "only the Security Council can provide the kind of impartial inquiry that can determine what happened. "The consistent failure of both Israel and Hamas to investigate past allegations of laws-of-war violations by their forces underscores the need for an international investigation into this incident as well as other alleged laws-of-war violations by both parties to this conflict, HRW said. It also urged the UN commission of inquiry to make its findings public, as well as offer recommendations for holding accountable all persons found responsible for serious laws-of-war violations. An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) statement released on Jan. 6 said an initial inquiry indicates that: a number of mortar shells were fired at IDF forces from within the Jabaliya School. In response to the incoming enemy fire, the forces returned mortar fire to the source. The UN officials responsible for the school have refuted such claims. Mouin Gasser, a 45-year-old teacher, witnessed about four strikes hit around the school, and he could not distinguish the type of shell, HRW said. I was 15 meters away from the school gate and I saw the people running towards me as soon as the sound of the shelling began. I could not distinguish what kind of shelling it was because all of them took place around the same time, Gasser was quoted as saying. With the ongoing attacks as well as Israel s restriction of access for international media and human rights monitors since early November, HRW is unable to conduct full independent research on this and other incidents. Israel blocked access entirely since the fighting began on Dec. 27, HRW said. Of the 1.4 million population, 750,000 are dependent on the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for food aid, including 94,000 particularly vulnerable "special hardship cases, such as the chronically ill, the disabled, the elderly, and the very young, the statement said . Israeli restrictions on fuel and industrial diesel have had a particularly grave impact, limiting the electricity that is required for Gaza's hospitals, water-pumping stations, sewage-treatment facilities, and other infrastructure essential for the well-being of Gaza's population, HRW said.
