Field
update

On Tuesday 07 May 2013, five civilians sustained
shrapnel wounds, as a gun exploded when a civilian fired it into the
air to celebrate a wedding party of the Hanon family, in the centre of Balata refugee
camp, in the east of Nablus.  This incident is demonstrative of
the regular violations of the rule of law, including the misuse of weapons,
which occur in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

According to the investigations conducted by the
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 21:30 on Tuesday,
07 May 2013, five civilians sustained shrapnel wounds, when a gun exploded as a
civilian fired it into the air to celebrate a wedding party of the Hanon family
in the centre of Balata refugee camp, in the east of Nablus, in the northern West
Bank. The shooter sustained shrapnel wounds in the head and arm and was
transported to Rafedya Hospital in Nablus. 
However, he left the hospital before receiving medical treatment.  In the evening of the same day, the
Palestinian police arrested him.  The four
other injured persons were also transported to Rafedya hospital in order to
receive the necessary medical treatment. 
Medical sources described the wounds of one of them as serious, while the
injuries of the others were said to be minor.  The injured civilians
were identified as:

1- Mohammed Jamal al-Ja’bari (24), from Al-Yamon
area in Jenin. He sustained shrapnel wounds in the neck and jaw.  The medical sources described his wounds as
serious;

2- Sameh Mohammed Shmasna (23), from Nour
Al-Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm.  He
sustained shrapnel wounds in his back;

3- Anas Hakam Abu Nafesa (23), from Barqa
area in Nablus.  He sustained shrapnel wounds in his neck; and

4- Abdullah Sati Arafa (24), from Askar refugee
camp in Nablus.  He sustained shrapnel
wounds in the bottom of his back.

PCHR condemns this incident, which is
demonstrative of the state of security chaos and the regular violations of the
rule of law in the oPt. PCHR calls on the Attorney General to open an
independent investigation into the incident and to bring the perpetrators to
justice.