Ref: 38/2014
Date: 27 March 2014
Time: 13:00 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) is deeply sorry for the death of 2 sisters as their family house caught fire due to using a candle during the power outage according to the power schedule in the Gaza Strip. PCHR reiterates its warning that the power crisis in the Gaza Strip will result in more catastrophic impacts on all aspects of life, including the civilians’ right to life and security of person.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 22:52 on Wednesday, 26 March 2014, a house belonging to the family of Fat’hi Ahmed Sheikh Eid in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, caught fire due to using a candle to lighten up the house during the power outage. As a result of the fire that burnt the whole bedroom, two sisters: Ghena Fat’hi Ahmed Sheikh Eid (2) and Malak (4) died and their two other sisters: Nada (6) and Shahd (10) sustained serious burns. They were taken to Abu Yusef al-Najjar Hospital and then to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis to receive the necessary medical treatment.

Fathi Ahmed Sheikh al-‘Eid (44), the father of the children, said to a PCHR fieldworker that:
“At approximately 22:52 on Wednesday, 26 March 2014, I was with my brother in his store on the ground floor of my house when neighbors told me that fire broke out in my house and smoke was coming out of it. I immediately headed to the house and saw flames coming from my children’s room. Despite the flames, I managed to rescue my daughter, Nada, but because the flames grew more intense, I could not come back to the room. I lost consciousness and was taken to Abu Yousif al-Najjar Hospital. An hour later, I was told that my two daughters, Ghena and Malak passed away and that Nada and Shahd sustained serious burns. My daughters were taken to Abu Yousif al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah and from there, they were transferred to Naser Hospital in Khan Younis to receive medical treatment.”

PCHR is deeply sorry for the deaths of the two children and:

1. Calls upon all the competent authorities to launch campaigns to raise awareness on using alternatives during the power outages to reduce the catastrophic impacts of the misuse of such alternatives and calls upon civilians to follow the public safety standards and keep children away from the risks of using the power alternatives;
2. Reiterates its warning against the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip due to the power crisis and calls upon the competent authorities to fulfill their obligations towards the Gaza Strip’s population, take practical steps and exert all efforts needed to guarantee a solution for this crisis, which has been persistent for 7 years; and
3. PCHR reminds that political conflict and internal division have aggravated the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip in view of the lack of basic needs, especially electricity supplies, and stresses that the political split means more waste of economic, social and cultural rights along with civil and political rights of the Gaza Strip’s population.