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Press Release
Another bloody day in the Occupied Palestinian Territories:
Four Palestinians killed and more than 100 injured by Israeli forces
Ref: 55/2001
Date: 29 September 2001
Since this morning, the Gaza Strip has witnessed bloody clashes between Israeli occupation forces and Palestinian civilians, who organized peaceful marches protesting the 34-year Israeli occupation on the first anniversary of the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada. According to PCHR’s field information, Israeli occupation soldiers fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, and tear gas canisters at demonstrators, mostly schoolchildren. The excessive use of forces by Israeli occupation forces has resulted in the killing of two Palestinian civilians, one of whom was 17 years old, and around 90 injuries. Two other Palestinians died from previous injuries.
PCHR has confirmed that all deaths and injuries that took place in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip today were a result of excessive shooting by Israeli occupation forces at Palestinian civilians.
There have been clashes at five sites in the Gaza strip, many of them ongoing since this morning: near “Kfar Darom” settlement, near Al-Tuffah checkpoint in Khan Yunis, near Shuhada’ junction, at Al-Mentar crossing, and at the Erez industrial zone.
Since this morning, clashes have been ongoing between dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli occupation forces near “Kfar Darom” settlement. An 18-year-old Palestinian civilian, Khalil Yousef Ibrahim Fayadh, from Deir El-Balah, was killed by a live bullet in the head, and 32 people, mostly children, were wounded, some critically. Among the wounded was 10-year-old ‘Abdel-Majid Ghazi Shahin, from Deir El-Balah, who was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the chest. He was evacuated to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City. Ahmed Yousef Abu Mandil, 16, from Al-Maghazi refugee camp, was also evacuated to Shifa’ Hospital after he was paralyzed by a live bullet in the back.
Near Al-Tuffah roadblock and “Al-Nouria” military site, Israeli soldiers opened fire on demonstrators, wounding 12, mostly children, with live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets. Among the wounded was 17-year-old Ussama Fathi El-Ghalban, who was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh and was evacuated to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City.
Near Al-Shuhada’ junction, south of Gaza City, Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire on dozens of civilian demonstrators, wounding 11 with live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets. Additionally, dozens more suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Near Al-Mentar Outlet, east of Gaza City, demonstrators threw stones while 200m away from Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the entrance to a settlement road leading to the Green Line. Israeli soldiers responded with live ammunition and rubber-coated bullets, wounding 11, mostly children. Additionally, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Dozens of Palestinian civilians demonstrating near Erez industrial zone in the northern Gaza Strip were also fired upon by Israeli occupation soldiers. Twenty-three people, mostly children, were wounded. Additionally, dozens of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
At approximately 14:15 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned in settlements in the center of Hebron, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets on Palestinian houses in the city. A 51-year-old Palestinian civilian, Rebhi Mahmoud Ahmed El-Bayedh, was killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the heart. He was near his house in Al-Zawia neighborhood when Israeli soldiers suddenly opened fire on the area. Additionally, 15 Palestinian civilians were injured by shrapnel from artillery shells and live bullets.
This morning, Ahmed Mohammed ‘Awaja, 25, from Rafah, was pronounced dead at Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City from a wound he received in the head three days ago. Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and bulldozers, had moved into Block “O” area and Qeshta neighborhood, adjacent to the Egyptian border south of Rafah. During the shelling and incursion, which lasted up to 04:00 local time on Thursday, September 27, 2001, three Palestinians were killed and 16 were injured, three critically. ‘Awaja was among those critically injured. He received a heavy caliber bullet in the head. Since then, he had been in the intensive care unit at Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City until his death.
In the morning, Muhsen Fahed ‘Arafat, 17, from Qarawat Bani Zeid, 17, was pronounced dead at Ramallah Hospital from a previous wounded received more than a week ago. ‘Arrar was wounded by two live bullets in the neck and the right hand when Israeli occupation soldiers fired at Palestinian civilians who were demonstrating at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh on September 21, 2001. He remained in the intensive care unit at Ramallah Hospital until he was pronounced dead. According to medical sources, a live bullet penetrated the neck into the lungs, the diaphragm and the spleen.
PCHR strongly condemns the excessive use of forces by Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians, which constitute grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and are thus war crimes. PCHR considers the silence of the international community and the failure of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal obligations as essential reasons for the Israel’s continued impunity in its unlawful use of force against Palestinian civilians. Consequently, PCHR reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to take immediate steps to ensure that Israel fulfills its obligations under the Convention, and to provide immediate international protection to the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
