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Ref: 46/2004

Date: 17 March 2004

Time: 10:00 GMT

6 Palestinians Killed and 15 Others Injured Within a 24 hour Period

In an escalation of violence against Palestinians perpetrated by Israeli occupying forces, 6 Palestinians, including 2 children, were killed and 15 others injured in Rafah and Gaza city in less than 24 hours.  Two of the victims were killed in an extra-judicial assassination carried out by Israeli occupying forces in Gaza city, and the rest were killed by Israeli aerial shelling against Palestinian residential areas in Rafah refugee camp. 

 This escalation came shortly following a meeting of the Israeli cabinet, which took a series of decisions described by Israeli security sources as “a dramatic, accurate response” to the dual bombing inside Israel last Sunday.  PCHR warns that Israeli occupying forces may commit more violence against Palestinian civilians in light of those Israeli statements and large Israeli military deployment around the Gaza Strip. 

 In that context, and in a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial assassinations officially adopted by the Israeli government, on Tuesday, 16 March 2004, Israeli occupying forces carried out an assassination attempt targeting a member of the Islamic Jihad, who survived the attempt.  However, 2 other Palestinians were killed. 

 According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 17:50 on Tuesday, 16 March 2004, an Israeli helicopter gunship launched a missile at a house in the densely populated al-Nasser neighborhood in Gaza city.  According to Israeli sources, the attack targeted Mohammed ‘Ali Kharroub, a member of the Islamic Jihad, who was able to escape after being injured.  However, the attack killed 2 Palestinians:

1.         Husni Nidal al-Salfiti, 24; and

2.         Nasser Yassin, 40, who was with Kharroub. 

In addition, 8 civilian bystanders were injured

 On Wednesday morning, 17 March 2004, Israeli occupying forces, supported by helicopters, attacked Rafah refugee camp. Four Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were killed, 16 other civilians were wounded, and 49 houses were destroyed.

 According to preliminary investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 01:00, dozens of Israeli heavy military vehicles were positioned at the Egyptian border opposite Block O in Rafah refugee camp.  A number of Palestinian civilians and members of the Palestinian resistance gathered in the alleys for the camp, expecting Israeli heavy military vehicles to move into the camp.  At approximately 02:00, an Israeli helicopter gunship launched a missile at them, injuring 6.  Four of the injured were in a serious condition and one of them, Faraj Sa’id Ahmed Abu Jazar, 24, died upon arrival at the hospital.  About half an hour later, the helicopter gunship launched another missile at the area.  Three Palestinian civilians were hit by shrapnel, and one of them, Mahmoud ‘Abdul Fattah Abu Nahel, 32, died instantly as a result.  Israeli heavy military vehicles then moved approximately 300 meters into the camp, opening fire at houses.  Later at approximately 10:00, an Israeli helicopter gunship launched a missile at a number of Palestinian children in a street in the camp, killing two:

1.         ‘Othman Musbah Mowafi, 14; and

2.         ‘Alaa’ Wa’el al-Nujeeli, 15. 

Israeli occupying forces are still deployed in the area, which raises concerns of their future actions in the area.

 PCHR is gravely concerned for this Israeli military escalation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), particularly in the Gaza Strip, which has left many casualties among Palestinian civilians and incurred a large amount of destruction to civilian properties and infrastructure. PCHR believes that the international community’s silence serves to encourage Israeli and its occupying forces to continue committing more violations of international humanitarian law. PCHR calls upon the international community to immediately intervene and prevent further violations against Palestinian civilians. PCHR also reminds the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal obligations and take concrete steps to end grave breaches of the Convention perpetrated by Israeli occupying forces in the OPTs.

Public Document

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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893

PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail:[email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org