Ref: 49/2015
Date: 01 August 2015
Time: 11:30 GMT

In another crime involving use of excessive force, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian child and wounded another civilian after directly firing at them when they were near the coastal border fence, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. Investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) indicate that the shooting violate the principles of necessity and discrimination, and the use of force was excessive, especially that the victims were unarmed civilians. Moreover, Israeli forces shot both victims in the upper parts of their bodies.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 18:40 on Friday, 31 July 2015, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of civilians, who were walking near the coastal border fence. As a result, Mohammed Hamed ‘Adel al-Masri (16), from al-Manshiyah Street in Beit Lahia, was killed by a bullet that penetrated the left underarm and exited the right underarm. Additionally, Mohammed ‘Omer ‘Abdullah al-Shen (21), from al-Daraj neighborhood in Gaza City, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg and was then taken by an ambulance to Kamal ‘Edwan Hospital. His condition was described as moderate.

PCHR strongly condemns this crime which further proves the continued use of excessive force by Israeli forces against the Palestinian civilians in disregard for their lives. Furthermore, PCHR calls upon the international community to take immediate and effective actions to stop the israeli crimes and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances, and their obligation under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention. These grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions.