Ref: 48/2020

Date: 18 May 2020

Two Palestinians were killed and 3 wounded yesterday in a family dispute in Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip. . This incident is part of the state of security chaos and proliferation of weapons prevailing in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

According to PCHR investigations, at approximately 06:15 on Sunday 17 May 2020, a family dispute started between Abu-Rawa and Is’eefan families at al-Sekka street, northern Gaza Strip, that involved firearms and white arms. Two people were killed: Abdul-Aziz Othman Abdul-Aziz Abu-Rawa (23), he was shot with a live bullet in the heart; and Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed Is’eefan (39), was shot with a live bullet that entered and exited his waist. Three others sustained wounds that were classified between minor and moderate: Othman Abdul-Aziz Othman Abu-Rawa (53), sustained minor shrapnel wound in the head; Omar Othman Abdul-Aziz Abu-Rawa (26), sustained live bullet in the foot; and Tamam Salama Suliman Is’eefan (60), sustained live bullet in the foot and a cut in her face. The bodies of the killed were transferred to the forensic science department, and the wounded were placed under heightened security.

A large police force, accompanied by an intervention and order task force, immediately arrived at the scene and controlled the dispute, arresting several persons on grounds of the incident and evacuated Is’eefan and Abu-Rawa houses to prevent rekindling the conflict. The police opened an investigation into the incident to identify its circumstances.

PCHR strongly condemns this attack, which is a flagrant attack on the rule of law in the oPt, and calls upon the competent authorities to take strict measures to combat the increase in unlawful firearm use, especially in the recent period, which caused the killing and injury of a number of Palestinians on grounds of social violence.