Security Chaos and Proliferation of Small Arms

Misuse of Weapons by Armed Groups and Security Personnel

Field Update

16 March 2006

1 Citizen killed and 6 injured in military action and misuse of weapons

Over the past few days, the Gaza Strip witnessed a number of security chaos incidents, of the nature of misusing weapons by armed groups or security personnel.

The most serious incident occurred at approximately 17:10 on Wednesday, 15 March 2006. Mohammad Mohammad Naser Ayesh Abu Asi (17) was killed due to the explosion a home-made grenade he was playing with in Zaitoon area in Gaza City.

PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that the youth Mohammad Abu Asi was with 4 of his friends in the eastern part of Zaitoon neighborhood in Gaza City. He was playing with a homemade grenade. It detonated in his hand; and he suffered serious injuries. He was taken to Shifa Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The youth arrived at the hospital suffering from serious shrapnel wounds in the upper part of the body.

In another incident, 3 citizens were injured to the east of Rafah, as an armed group attempted to fire home made rockets at Israeli targets. PCHR’s initial investigation indicates that at approximately 09:00 on Wednesday, 15 March 2006, a home made rocket exploded while a group from the Popular Resistance Committees tried to fire it at Israeli targets. The explosion injured two members of the group, and a citizen who was standing outside his house. The injured were taken to Mohammad Yousef El-Najjar Hospital in Rafah. The Centre learned that the injured civilian is Mohammad Atallah Abu Odwan (21), who suffered shrapnel injuries in the left forehead, as he was standing outside his house. His condition is serious; and he was transferred to the European Hospital in Khan Yunis.

At approximately 05:30 on Tuesday, 14 March 2006, Yousef Mohammad Sa’id Abu Thuraya (59) was injured with a bullet wound to the head, as his son was playing with a weapon inside the house, located in the Be’ea Street in Deir El-Balah. He was taken to Al-Aqsa Martyr Hospital, where his injury was classified as minor.

At approximately 23:30 on Friday, 10 March 2006, Osama Hasan Abu Jazar (16) was injured by a bullet in the left foot. The bullet was fired by mistake from a firearm belonging to a member of the Palestinian Preventive Security Force as the victim was sitting with a group of youth in Tal El-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah. Abu Jazar was taken to Mohammad Yousef El-Najjar Hospital in Rafah, and then to Shifa Hospital in Gaza due to the severity of his injury.

At approximately 11:10 on Wednesday, 8 March 2006, Mohammad Shafiq Abu Hasanein (20) was injured by a bullet in the left foot. The injury came as he was playing with his personal firearm inside his house near Yafa medical Center in Deir El-Balah. He was taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where his injury was classified as moderate.