Field Update

On Monday, 30 December 2013, a man was
killed in a family dispute in Jenin, and a girl was killed in Gaza when she
played with her father’s gun in Gaza. 
These two incidents are parts of the phenomenon of the misuse of weapons
and violations of the rule of law prevailing in the occupied Palestinian
territory. 

According to investigations conducted by
the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 14:45 on
Monday, 30 December 2013, a quarrel erupted between Wa’el Zuhair al-Qerem, 34,
from Jalqamous village southeast of Jenin, and one of his relatives on the main
road in the village.  Bystanders were
able to end the quarrel.  Later, the
quarrel between al-Qerem and his relative erupted again near the former’s
house, during which the relative fired at him from a pistol.  He was seriously wounded by a bullet to the
head.  He died upon arrival at Khalil
Suleiman Hospital in Jenin. 

Palestinian security forced arrived at
the area and started searching for the perpetrators who escaped.  The public prosecution opened an
investigation into the incident. 

At approximately 15:30 on the same day,
Leen Mohammed Humaida, 17, from Gaza City, was admitted into Shifa Hospital as
she was injured by a bullet to the abdomen. Half an hour later, she was
pronounced dead.  According to the police’s
spokesman in Gaza, Lieutenant Colnel Ayoub Abu Shaar, preliminary
investigations revealed that the girl was playing with her father pistol, when
a bullet was unleashed hitting her in the abdomen. 

PCHR is deeply concerned over increasing
casualties resulting from the misuse of weapons, and calls upon the Attorney
General in Ramallah and Gaza to investigate these two incidents and to take
necessary action to stop such phenomenon.