Ref:
145/2003

PCHR
strongly condemns the latest assassination attack carried out by Israeli
occupying forces this morning in Gaza City, which left dead 3 Palestinians. 2
of the dead were targeted by Israeli occupying forces for involvement in
attacks against Israeli targets and the third victim was a bystander. PCHR has
repeatedly reiterated its condemnation of the Israeli policy of extra-judicial killings
of Palestinians which constitutes a grave breach of international humanitarian
law. 

 According
to PCHR’s preliminary investigations, at approximately 10:45am, an Israeli
helicopter gunship launched a missile at a civilian car (a white Peugeot) that
stopped at the traffic lights in al-Jalaa’ Street in the center of Gaza. 
The missile hit the front of the car, destroying it and the 2 persons who were
traveling in the car were killed instantly:

1.  Khaled Ghazi al-Masri, 23, from al-Daraj
   neighborhood in Gaza City; and
2. Eyad Fa’eq al-Hilu, 22, from Gaza City

Shrapnel
from the missile hit another civilian car that had stopped at the traffic
lights near the targeted car, killing its driver. He was later identified as
Marwan ‘Abdul Karim al-Khatib, 35, from Gaza City. In addition, 9 passing
civilians were wounded, including one who sustained serious injuries. 

 The
attack came only 2 hours after Israeli fighter jets attacked a building under
construction in the densely populated al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of
Gaza City. The building was largely destroyed and 21 Palestinian civilians were
wounded, including 7 children. PCHR’s fieled worker in Gaza City reported that
most of the wounded were residents of neighboring houses. An Israeli military
spokesman claimed that the attack had targeted a weapons store. Shortly after
the assassination attack, Israeli occupying forces launched a third aerial
attack on an agricultural area, near Gaza City.  No casualties or damage
were reported. 

 PCHR
is concerned at this latest escalation in aerial attacks on Gaza City. 
Such aerial attacks in densely-populated civilian areas are clear evidence of
the Israeli occupying forces’ increasing disregard for civilian life. 
PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of
1949 to take immediate steps to ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.