Field Update

Three Palestinians, including two children and
a woman, were wounded and 15 houses were damaged when an explosive device blew
up in a farm near a residential neighborhood in Deir al-Balah yesterday after
dawn.  In a separate incident, an old man
was killed, as he shot himself by mistake while he was playing with a gun in
al-Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah.  These
incidents are part of the state of security chaos and misuse of weapons
prevalent in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt).

According to investigations conducted by the
Palestinian Center of Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 03:00 on Sunday, 20
November 2011, an explosive device exploded in a farm located on a street near
Deir al-Balah refugee camp. The farm belongs to Hosam Abu ‘Ebaid Abu Samra,
52.  15 houses were damaged as a result
of the explosion.  Three Palestinians,
including two children and a woman, were wounded by shrapnel of

the windows, while they were asleep.  The wounded are:

1. Ahmed
‘Isam al-Bhaisi, 6, was wounded in the face and hand;

2. Ameena
al-‘Abed Salman, 11, was wounded in the face and ear; and

3. Mozna
Jaber Abu Samra, 28, was wounded in the face and head.

They were transported to al-Aqsa Martyrs
Hospital in Deir al-Balah for treatment. 
The police arrived at the scene and conducted investigations.  A team of explosives engineers was called to
identify reasons for the explosion.

In a separate incident, yesterday, Abdul Hameed
Hassan Sayed Ahmed, 73, from al-Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah, was killed due
to an injury in the stomach.  Ahmed was
wounded while he was playing with a gun at home.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR,
at approximately 16:00 on Sunday, 20 November 2011, Abu Yusef al-Najjar
Hospital in Rafah admitted Abdul Hameed Sayed Ahmed, 73, due to injuries caused
by a bullet wound to the stomach. Doctors decided to transfer him to the
European Hospital in Khan Yunis due to the seriousness of his condition.  Ahmed underwent surgery in the European
Hospital, however, he was pronounced dead at 21:00.

According to preliminary investigations
conducted by the police, Ahmed was wounded by a bullet shot from a machine gun
by mistake when he was playing with it at home. 
PCHR was informed that the police would initiate an investigation in to
the incident following the funeral.

PCHR is gravely concerned over the increase of
incidents resulting from playing with guns and the violation of the rule of law
that are part of the state of security chaos and misuse of weapons prevailing
in oPt.  PCHR calls upon the concerned
bodies to take the necessary measures to ensure the non-recurrence of such incidents.