Filed Update 

26 April 2023

Yesterday, a citizen was killed, and 9 others were injured, including 3 seriously wounded, during a family dispute, where shooting occurred, in al-Maghazi refugee camp in Central Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the day before, 9 persons were injured; one of them was shot with 2 live bullets during a family dispute, where shooting occurred in Dir al-Balah.  Those incidents are part of state of misuse of firearms, security chaos, and assault on the rule of law in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 13:30 on Tuesday, 25 April 2023, a family dispute erupted between members from (G) family in al-Maghazi refugee camp in Central Gaza Strip, where sticks and sharp tools were used. The dispute developed into shooting that killed (R. M. J.) (45) after being shot with 2 live bullets in his chest and left foot. Moreover, 9 other persons from the same family sustained various injuries and were evacuated to al-Aqsa Hospital in Dir al-Balah. Medical sources described the injuries of 3 of those wounded as serious, including 2 sustaining abdominal injuries. Two of those injured were referred to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, including one seriously injured, while others’ injuries were deemed moderate and minor. The police rushed to the scene, controlled the dispute, opened an investigation into it, detained those accused of shooting, and confiscated the firearm used in the dispute. The dispute erupted 6 months ago between 2 persons from the same family and then developed into one of them assaulting the other with a sharp tool in his face “a cutter”. All attempts to resolve the dispute failed until it was renewed yesterday.

The Police Spokesperson in Gaza, Colonel Ayman al-Batniji, said that the police detained a number of persons involved in the dispute, and two suspects of the shooting were identified, and the police could detain one of them while they work on detaining the other. Al-Batniji added that the incident is still under investigation.

In a pervious incident on Monday, 24 April 2023, a dispute erupted between members from (K) family in Dir al-Balah, where sticks, sharp tools and firearms were used. As a result, 9 persons were injured; one of them was shot with 2 live bullets in his lower limbs.

The police rushed to the scene, managed to control the dispute, opened an investigation into the incident, detained those accused of the shooting, and confiscated the firearm that was used in the incident.

PCHR calls upon the authorities to take serious and immediate action to cease the state of misuse of firearms and impose the rule of law in order to maintain civil peace, especially in light of the recent ongoing murders in the oPt.