This
report covers human rights violations perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) in the period 28 March – 3 April 2002. Since 29 March 2002, Israeli occupation forces have launched
an unprecedented all-out offensive on the West Bank cities. Israeli occupation forces also encroached
into Palestinian National Authority (PNA) controlled areas in the Gaza
Strip. At least 54 Palestinians, mostly
civilians, including five women, six children and two handicapped young men,
were killed, although full information is not yet available. The Israeli offensive has been enabled by
political cover provided by the US government – as demonstrated President
George Bush’s statement that “Israelis have the right to defend themselves by
all available means” – and under a conspiracy of silence by the international
community, which failed to take any concrete steps to ensure Israel’s respect
for the international humanitarian law, especially the Fourth Geneva
Convention.
On 29 March, approximately
200 Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers invaded the compound of PNA
President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and imposed a complete curfew on the
city. They opened fire indiscriminately
at Palestinian civilians, medical personnel, civil defense and journalists and
arrested many Palestinian civilians and security officers. The detainees were taken to local schools,
where they were interrogated. Hundreds
of the detainees were taken to unknown destinations. Later, some of the detainees were expelled to
the Gaza Strip, and said that had been humiliated and subjected to
ill-treatment by Israeli occupation forces. Thousands of Palestinian civilians are facing the prospect of death,
starvation, and disease. Israeli
occupation forces extra-judicially killed a number of Palestinian security
officers, including five members of the Palestinian National Security Force
killed inside an apartment building. Israeli forces arrested some of the wounded. At least 23 Palestinians killed in Ramallah
were buried in a mass grave.
Other West Bank cities,
including Beit Jala, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Tulkarm, Salfit, Jenin and Nablus,
were also subjected to the Israeli full-scale offensive. Israeli occupation forces shelled these
cities and cut electricity and water links. A church in Bethlehem is still under a strict siege by Israeli
occupation forces. Israeli forces have
killed at least 19 Palestinians in these cities, including a woman and her son,
whose evacuation to hospital or burial was prevented.
In violation of international humanitarian law,
especially the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, Israeli occupation forces
attacked Palestinian medical personnel and denied them access to the
wounded. They also reportedly commandeered
ambulances to raid Palestinian houses. They also raided a number of hospitals, especially in Ramallah. Israeli forces arrested five paramedics of
the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
In violation of the right of free expression, and in an
attempt to silence the press, Israeli occupation forces attacked journalists
and media institutions. Four journalists
were wounded by Israeli occupation forces in Ramallah and Bethlehem. On 31 March, they declared Ramallah a closed
military area, preventing journalists from entering the city and ordering those
present to leave. Israeli forces also
seized a number of local television channels and replaced normal programming
with pornographic films as a form of psychological warfare against the civilian
population.
In a continuation of the policy of assassination
formally adopted by the Israeli government, on 30 March, Israeli occupation
forces assassinated two Palestinian civilians in Saida village near
Tulkarm. An Israeli spokesman claimed
that one of the victims was wanted for attacks against Israelis.
In five incidents of willful
killing, Israeli occupation forces shot dead five Palestinian civilians in the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
This week, Israeli forces also tightened the siege
imposed on the OPT. Israeli forces separated Palestinian
areas, transforming them into Bantustans.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupation forces divided the strip into four
isolated zones. A Palestinian patient,
Jaber ‘Abed al-Nabahin, 50, from
al-Boreij refugee camp, died due the abstraction of his access to hospital by
Israeli occupation forces at al-Shuhada junction. An infant also died upon his birth after
Israeli occupation forces at a military roadblock northwest of Bethlehem
obstructed the access of his mother to hospital.
This week, Israeli occupation forces arrested many
Palestinian civilians during house raids.
PCHR reiterates its call for the
international community to immediately intervene to stop violations of human
rights, including war crimes, perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces against
Palestinian civilians. Israeli occupation forces are launching a
full-scale war against the Palestinian people.
The Offensive on West Bank
Cities
Since 29 March, Israeli
occupation forces have conducted an unprecedented all-out offensive throughout
the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). Israeli troops on 29 March invaded
the compound of PNA President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and imposed a complete
curfew on the city.
§ Killing, Shelling, Humiliation
According to information received from
LAW – the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the
Environment, the Israeli offensive on Ramallah started on Friday, 29
March. On the first day, five
Palestinians were killed by Israeli occupation forces:
1. Suraida
Farahan Abu Gharbia, 24, killed by several live bullets throughout the body;
2. ‘Omar ‘Abdulhamid Hamayel, 45, from Hufor Malek village near
Ramallah, hit by several live bullets in the abdomen and the pelvis, and bled
to death since ambulances were not able to reach him;
3. Ra’ed
Mohammed ‘Abdullah al-Damissi, 25, a policeman from Ramallah, killed by three
live bullets in the abdomen and the side;
4. Jad ‘Ezzat
Ahmed Dar Salim, 26, a member of the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service,
from Jaba’ village near Jerusalem, killed by a live bullet in the heart; and
5. ‘Alla’ Faze’ ‘Ali Dharaghma, 22, a policeman from Tubas,
killed by a live bullet in the head.
In addition, 20
Palestinians were wounded. One of the
wounded, Shaher Abu Sharar, a member of the Palestinian presidential guard
(Force 17), was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen. He was wounded on Friday afternoon. Ambulances were able to evacuate him to
hospital only in the evening. On
Saturday morning, he was pronounced dead.
In the evening, Israeli
occupation forces besieged and sealed off the Tabun building in the centre of Ramallah,
which includes offices of press agencies, correspondents of television
channels, and banks. On the following
morning, they killed five members of the Palestinian National Security Force
after having arrested them. At 10:30 on
Saturday, 30 March, while Maher al-Shalabi, director of Palestine Online, was
on his way to his office in Tabun building, he discovered bodies of five
members of the Palestinian National Security Force on the third floor of the
building. When he checked the bodies, he
found signs that they had been shot and beaten. Their blood had coagulated, which indicates that they were killed a long
time earlier. Films shown on international
and Arab television channels showed bullet wounds back of the heads of the
victims, apparently inflicted at point-blank range. Blood was seen on walls. This indicates that they were forced to stand
with their faces to the wall before being shot. Films also showed identity cards of the victims thrown on the ground,
which indicates that Israeli occupation forces checked them. The victims are:
1. Khaled Fathi
Mohammed ‘Awadallah, 62, from Jericho;
2. Isma’il
Ibrahim Zeid, 56, from Beit ‘Anan village near Jerusalem;
3. Sa’id
Mohammed ‘Abdulrahman Mahdi, 60, from Gaza;
4. ‘Abdulrahman Tawfiq ‘Abdullah, 58, from Nablus; and
5. ‘Omar Mohammed Mousa, 54, from Jericho.
At approximately 01:30 on
Saturday, 30 March, a number of Israeli tanks besieged al-Natsheh commercial
compound, which includes offices of private, press and political
institutions. They fired artillery
shells and heavy medium caliber bullets at the compound. Ten Palestinians were wounded and fire broke
out in parts of the compound. Ambulances
and fire engines were denied access to the compound. Israeli occupation forces gave all those who
were inside the compound an ultimatum to surrender by 09:00. At 09:00, Israeli occupation forces broke
into the compound under the cover of intense shooting and arrested 30
Palestinians, including Sakher Habash, Secretary General of Fatah Movement.
Israeli occupation forces
directly targeted Palestinian ambulances, obstructing their movement and access
to the wounded. They fired at
ambulances. A number of the wounded bled
to death.
On Sunday, 1 April 2002,
Palestinian ambulances brought bodies of 9 Palestinian martyrs, two of whom
were still unidentified:
1. Hussein Husni
Hussein al-Ashqar, 27, from Qalqilya, killed by a live bullet in the heart;
2. Ahmed Anwar
Killab, 33, from Gaza, killed by several live bullets throughout the body;
3. Jamal Mahmoud
‘Abdulsalam, 25, from Qutna village near Jerusalem, killed by several live
bullets throughout the body;
4. Nader
‘Abdullatif As’ad, 23, from Jama’in vilage near Nablus, killed by several live
bullets throughout the body;
5. Marwan Rustem
Mohammed Shushari, 56, from Jalazoun refugee camp near Ramallah, killed by
several live bullets in the head;
6. Murad Wafiq
‘Awaisa, 22, from Ramallah, killed by several live bullets throughout the body;
and
7. Mohammed
Husni Mohammed Jarroum, 32, from Ramallah, killed by several live bullets in
the head;
On Monday morning, 1 April,
Palestinian ambulances brought to hospital bodies of two Palestinian civilians
killed by Israeli occupation forces, found near Rukab Street at the centre of
Ramallah:
1. Mohammed
Hussein Mohammed, 32, killed by several live bullets throughout the body; and
2. Ayoub Mahmoud
Abu Musallam, 40, from Ramallah, killed by several live bullets in the head.
On Tuesday morning, 2 April,
Israeli occupation forces started shelling the headquarters of the Palestinian
Preventive Security in Bitounia in the west of Ramallah, using helicopter
gunships, tanks, and heavy machine guns. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli occupation
forces used approximately 60 Palestinian civilians, who were detained in an
adjacent building, as physical shields in their attempts to break into the headquarters,
where 300-400 Palestinians – including members of security services,
administrative employees and their families, and prisoners – were inside. Israeli occupation forces denied the access
of Palestinian ambulances to the headquarters to evacuate the wounded. The Israeli daily Yediot Aharanot on its Arabic web page quoted an Israeli military
spokesman as saying that his forces would allow the access of ambulances to the
headquarters only when wanted Palestinians allegedly were inside the
headquarters, are handed over.
At approximately 12:40, an
Israeli sniper positioned atop of al-Ramouni building, shot dead 45-year-old
Widad Hamed Nemer Safwan, from Qaddura refugee camp, with a live bullet that
entered the left shoulder and settled in the heart. Safwan was on her way to hospital for
emergency medical treatment.
At approximately 22:00,
Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of the headquarters of the
Palestinian President blocked an ambulance of the Palestinian Union of Medical
Relief Committees, which was evacuating two Palestinians who were wounded
inside the headquarters. Israeli forces
forced the medical personnel to get out of the ambulance and handcuffed them
while undoing the bandages of the wounded. At 01:00 on the following day, Israeli forces released the medical
personnel and the wounded but kept the ambulance.
At approximately 23:15,
Israeli occupation forces blocked another ambulance of the Palestinian Union of
Medical Relief Committees while it was on its way to evacuate some Palestinians
who were wounded by Israeli forces.
At approximately 11:00,
Israeli occupation forces positioned near the Arab Bank stopped two ambulances
of the Palestine Red Crescent Society and Ministry of Health. They forced medical personnel to get out of
the ambulances. Then, they confiscated
keys of the ambulances and released the medical personnel.
At approximately 11:25,
Israeli occupation forces blocked an ambulance of Khaled Hospital in al-Ersal
Street. According to a physician of the
Palestine Red Crescent Society, Israeli occupation forces used ambulances in
their raids on Palestinian houses.
In the morning, three
Israeli forces besieged Ramallah and Arab Care hospitals and thoroughly
searched them.
According to sources of the
Palestine Red Crescent Society in Ramallah, Israeli occupation forces arrested
five of the hospital staff while on their way to evacuate the wounded:
1. Arkan Jihad
Khader, from Bethlehem;
2. Khaled Abu
Ghoush, from Ramallah;
3. Zuhdi Mustafa ‘Abdulhafezh, from al-Zawia
village in Nablus;
4. Firas ‘Abdullatif Samara, from
Ramallah; and
5. Lu’ai Jawdat
Rawad, from Ramallah.
At approximately 17:00,
approximately 30 Israeli soldiers moved into Arab Care Hospital at the centre
of Ramallah. They detained the medical
staff and patients. According to Dr.
Edwan Barghouthi, Israeli occupation forces detained approximately 55
Palestinians, including 9 of the wounded, inside the hospital and handcuffed
them. They forced them to lie on the
ground and humiliated them. They
prevented any contact between the hospital and the outside. At approximately 22:00, they left the
hospital.
At approximately 21:00,
Israeli occupation forces besieged al-Nazher Midwifery Hospital. They detained 11 medical personnel and fired
in the vicinity of the hospital, creating an atmosphere of terror. According to Dr. Wa’el Qe’dan of the
Palestine Red Crescent Society in Ramallah, four ambulances moved towards the
hospital. When they arrived there, they
were stopped by Israeli forces, who forced medical personnel to get out of the
ambulances and checked them. Approximately 15 minutes later, Israeli forces ordered the ambulances to
leave the area. According to medical
personnel, they heard sounds of intense shooting at the nearby Dharaghma
building without being allowed by Israeli forces to go there to evacuate any
probable wounded. Dr. Qe’dan added that
an ambulance of the Palestinian Union of Medical Relief Committees was present
in the area at the same time. The driver
remained in the area and attempted to reach the area again. At approximately 22:00, he was detained by
Israeli forces. At approximately 01:30
on the following day, Israeli forces allowed his access to Dharaghma building
to evacuate bodies of two Palestinians whom they shot dead. The victims are still unidentified. According to the ambulance driver, Israeli
ambulances arrived at the area and evacuated 15-20 members of the Palestinian
National Security Force who were inside the building.
In the morning, Israeli occupation
forces blocked five ambulances of the Palestine Red Crescent Society and
obstructed their access to the wounded. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces forced medical personnel to
take their clothes off and arrested them. They also seized the ambulances.
Also in the morning,
approximately 20 Israeli soldiers moved into a medical institution of the
Palestinian Union of Medical Relief Committees and used it as a military post
after severely damaged the interior.
At noon, Israeli occupation
forces arrested Dr. Younis al-Khatib, Director of the Palestine Red Crescent
Society in Ramallah, and eight paramedics near Rammallah park, while they were
on their way towards the headquarters of the Palestinian Preventive Security to
evacuate the wounded. According to
eyewitnesses, Israeli forces took the detainees in military vehicles to an
unknown destination.
At approximately 08:00,
Israeli occupation forces raided al-Rayan buidling in al-Ersal Street,
destroying the front door and elevator with explosives. They seized Amwaj broadcasting corporation
and detained five of its staff, transforming it into a military position. At the same time, Israeli forces seized the
building of the Palestinian Union of Agricultural Relief Committees near
Ramallah Hospital and detained the staff of local, Arab and international
television channels before expelling them in the afternoon. After they seized the television channels,
Israeli forces replaced normal programming with pornographic films.
At approximately 10:45,
Israeli occupation forces opened fire at a car clearly marked as belonging to
the media, used by Egyptian Nile Television. A cameraman, Carlos Yousef Hanzhal, was seriously wounded by a live
bullet in the lower jaw. The scene was
broadcast on television channels worldwide; the footage showed the cameraman
being fired upon the screams of his colleague who was calling for an ambulance. Israeli forces also fired at an ambulance
that attempted to evacuate him.
Throughout the day, Israeli
occupation forces raided offices of a number of local, Arab and international
press and media institutions. On Friday
and Saturday, Israeli occupation forces raided 15 of these offices, closing
some of them:
1. The
Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation;
2. Amwaj Radio
and Television;
3. Al-Nasr Radio
and Television;
4. Al-Manara
Radio and Television;
5. Al-Sharq
Radio and Television;
6. Watan
Television;
7. Wafa (the
Palestinian news agency);
8. Abu Dhabi
Satellite Channel;
9. Dubai
Satellite Channel;
10.Al-Jazeera
Satellite Channel;
11.Yemen
Satellite Channel;
12.Reuters;
13.ABC News;
14.The Turkish
Anatolia News Agency; and
15.CPT.
At noon, Anthony Shadid,
correspondent of the US Boston Globe, was wounded by a live bullet in the shoulder. The Israeli Governmental Press Bureau stated
Shadid was wounded by Israeli forces.
In the evening, Israeli
occupation forces declared Ramallah a closed military area, preventing the
access of journalists to the city. They
also ordered journalists in the city to leave.
At approximately 19:30,
Israeli occupation forces raided Suleiman Rabah commercial building near
Ramallah Park. They raided offices of
the Egyptian Middle East News Agency and detained the Egyptian journalist Ibrahim Jalal
with other residents of the building. When they identified his nationality, they released him. They also checked the offices.
At approximately 11:20,
Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of the headquarters of the Palestinian President
denied the access of four Palestinian cameramen to the headquarters. They attacked, insulted and expelled them.
On Sunday morning, 31
March, Israeli occupation forces invaded Qalqilya from three directions and
seized full control over the city. They
cut electricity and raided Palestinian houses searching for allegedly wanted
Palestinians. At approximately 13:00 on
Monday, 1 April, Israeli occupation forces raided the headquarters of the
Palestinian Union of Medical Relief Committees. They exploded doors and destroyed parts of the headquarters. On Monday evening, Israeli forces raided the
house of Mohammed Rajab al-Aqra’ in Zeid neighborhood. They forced its residents out and destroyed
it.
At approximately 21:00 on
Monday, 1 April, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with 60 tanks and 30
armored personnel carriers, invaded Tulkarm from three directions. At night, they seized full control over the
city. They seized a number of houses,
transforming them into military locations. They also raided the house of Brigadier Mahmoud Mahmoud ‘Awadhallah
Khalil, 60, commander of Tulkarm District in the Palestinian National Security
Force, and took him to an unknown destination and forced his family out of the
house. They besieged the houses of Dr.
Ahmed Abu Baker, Director of Dr. Thabet Thabet Hospital, and Dr. Munther
al-Sayed, and prevented the two from carrying out their medical and
humanitarian mission.
At approximately 02:00 on
Tuesday, 2 April, Israeli occupation forces invaded Bethlehem, Beit Jala, and Beit Sahour, using
approximately 250 tanks and armored personnel carriers, F-16 fighter jets, and
Apache gunships. At approximately 04:30,
they seized full control over the three cities, except the Old Town. In the invasion, which was accompanied by
indiscriminate shelling, 60-year-old ‘Aaboud al-‘Ameri, from Bethlehem, a guard
of a building in Beit Sahour, was killed.
At approximately 10:15,
Israeli occupation forces fired three artillery shells at the house of Khaled
Ibrahim ‘Aabda, 38. He and his mother,
Sumaia Hussein ‘Aabda, 60, were killed by shrapnel. Israeli forces did not allow the evacuation
of the bodies to hospital or their burial. The bodies remained with other residents of the house, including
children, in the same room.
At approximately 11:30,
Israeli occupation forces shelled Santa Maria Church in al-Madbasa neighborhood. A number of priests and nuns were wounded,
including Father Jack As’ad, a Palestinian who holds the Italian citizenship,
who was seriously wounded.
In the afternoon, three
Palestinian gunmen were killed while confronting an invasion by Israeli occupation
forces of a small neighborhood in Bethlehem:
1. Mahmoud ‘Abdulfattah Salah, 30, from
al-Kahder village;
2. Yahia
Da’amsa, 35, from Duheisha refugee camp; and
3. ‘Anan al-Jawarish, 22, from al-Jawarish village.
In addition, 18-year-old ‘Eissa Da’bous, from Bethlehem,
was killed by a live bullet in the head, while he was in front of his house in
the same area.
At approximately 10:45 on
Wednesday, 3 April, two Palestinian gunmen were killed in a churchyard in an
exchange of fire with Israeli occupation forces:
1. ‘Omar Shehada Salahat, 39; and
2. Mousa ‘Awad al-Malihi, 31.
In the evening, three
Palestinians, including two members of the Palestinian National Security Force,
were killed by Israeli occupation forces:
1. Ahmed
Mohammed al-Mughrabi, 26, killed by several live bullets throughout the body;
2. ‘Ezzat Yousef Shahin, 60; and
3. ‘Abdulkhaliq Abu ‘Amra, 27.
Journalists were not immune
to attacks by Israeli occupation forces. On Sunday afternoon, 31 March, Eyad Hamad, a cameraman, was wounded in
the head by Israeli forces. On Monday morning, 1 April,
Majdi Bannoura, a cameraman of al-Jazeera Satellite Channel, was wounded by
Israeli forces, which opened fire at a number of journalists who were covering
Israeli violations in Bethlehem.
Before such offensive on
Bethlehem, on Friday evening, 29 March, Ahmed Ishaq Hamamra, 24, from Duheisha
refugee camp in Bethlehem, was pronounced dead from a previous wound he
sustained on Friday, 8 February, when Israeli occupation forces invaded
Bethlehem and its refugee camps.
At approximately 03:00 on
Wednesday, 3 April, Israeli occupation forces reinforced with 20 tanks and
armored personnel carriers invaded Salfit from two directions under the cover
of intense shelling. They imposed a curfew
on the city.
On Wednesday, 3 April,
approximately 60 Israeli tanks supported by combat helicopters invaded Jenin
from all directions and moved towards its refugee camp. They intensely shelled Palestinian houses. As a result, three Palestinian civilians were
killed while at home:
1. Ruqaia Fathi
al-Jammal, 24, a nurse;
2. Hani ‘Atteya abu Rumeila, 16; and
3. Ziad ‘Aaref Zubeidi, 23, killed
by a heavy caliber bullet in the chest fired by a helicopter gunship.
In the evening, two Palestinian
civilians were killed by Israeli occupation forces:
1. Mohammed ‘Omar Hawashin, 12; and
2. Walid Khaled
Masharqa, 24, killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the head.
At approximately 21:30 on
Wednesday, 3 April, around 250 Israeli tanks invaded Nablus from all
directions. Israeli snipers took
position atop of Palestinian buildings in the city. Palestinian gunmen confronted the invading
Israeli forces, which shelled Palestinian houses. Two Palestinians were killed:
1. Sadiqa ‘Ukasha, 56; and
2. Mohammed
Ibrahim Shehada Abu Hatab, 35.
In an excessive and
disproportionate use of forces, in the morning, Israeli occupation forces fired
an artillery shell at a mentally handicapped Palestinian civilian, killing him
instantly. According to PCHR’s
investigation, at approximately 01:00, Ziad ‘Abdullatif Suleiman Wadi, 40, from
Khan Yunis refugee camp, was walking near a settler road west of “Morag”
settlement, north of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. As soon as Israeli soldiers in the vicinity
of the settlement noticed him, they fired an artillery shell at the area where
the man was walking, killing him instantly. Israeli forces kept his body until noon, when they delivered him to the
Palestinian side through Tal al-Sultan checkpoint in Rafah. According to Palestinian medical source, the
victim was hit by an artillery shell in the abdomen.
At approximately 16:00,
Israeli occupation forces in a military location at the entrance to al-Mawasi
area in the west of Rafah for no apparent reason opened fire at Palestinian
houses in Tal al-Sultan neighborhood. Two Palestinian children were wounded:
1. Mohammed Ahmed
Joudeh, 15, wounded by shrapnel in the face; and
2. Kayed ‘Abdul’alim al-Hams, 16,
wounded by shrapnel in the head.
At approximately 15:30,
Israeli occupation forces moved into some areas in the north of Beit Lahia
apparently to terrify Palestinian civilians. They moved towards the main road opposite to the American School,
approximately 800m south of “Dogit” settlement. They opened fire at a roadblock at the Palestinian Marine Police, but no
casualties were reported. They closed
the main road and intensely fired at the area. At the same time, Israeli heavy military vehicles moved approximately
700m into the area southeast of “Dogit” settlement. They took position on a nearby hill until the
following morning. In the meanwhile, a
number of Israeli tanks moved towards the Bedouin Village and took position in
the area for some hours.
At approximately 16:00,
Israeli occupation forces, accompanied by a bulldozer, moved approximately 100m
into Wadi al-Salqa village, east of Deir al-Balah. They demolished a 100-square-meter house
owned by Riad al-Agha, who used it as a summer cottage.
At the same time, Israeli
occupation forces, accompanied by a bulldozer, moved approximately 100m into
al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis. They demolished a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, owned by
Nassim Salman al-Masri.
At approximately 19:00,
Israeli heavy military vehicles moved approximately 1km into the Palestinian
National Authority controlled al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis. They fired three flechette shells at three
Palestinian houses, causing severe damage. PCHR’s field worker in Khan Yunis reported that Israeli forces searched
the area using dogs, and that the area did not witness any incidents when the
incursion took place.
At approximately 21:00,
Israeli occupation forces positioned at al-Matahen military checkpoint, north
of al-Qarara village in Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses and farms in the
village. Then, Israeli occupation
soldiers, accompanied by dogs, three tanks and a bulldozer, moved approximately
300m into the village. They gathered
residents of the area aged 15-50 in the yard of the village and interrogated
them for two hours. They also thoroughly
searched Palestinian houses, claiming that a Palestinian gunman fired at an
Israeli military location. Before their
withdrawal, Israeli forces destroyed the lower floors of two apartment
buildings of al-Farra Company. PCHR’s
field worker in Khan Yunis reported that the upper floors of the building were
also severely damaged.
At approximately 09:00,
Israeli occupation forces invaded Bal’a village, northeast of Tulkarm. They opened fire at Palestinian houses. Two Palestinian civilians were wounded while
at home, one of whom was in serious condition.
At approximately 18:00,
Israeli occupation forces invaded Kufor al-Lubbad village, east of
Tulkarm. They opened fire at Palestinian
houses and members of the Palestinian National Security Force. A member of this force, ‘Aadel Hassan Darabi’, 27,
from Dura village in Hebron, was wounded by shrapnel in the neck.
At approximately 01:30,
Israeli heavy military vehicles coming from “Morag” settlement, north of
Rafah, approximately 300m into Gizan al-Najjar area in the south of Khan
Yunis. They besieged the house of the
heirs of Saleh Mohammed al-Sha’er and forced its residents out. Then, they raided the house accompanied by
dogs and using one of the sons as a physical barrier. When they left the house, they arrested four
men:
1. Mohammed
Saleh al-Sha’er, 34;
2. Ibrahim Saleh
al-Sha’er, 36;
3. Yousef
Suleimna al-Sha’er, 36, released later; and
4. Ra’ed Salah
al-Sha’er, 24, released later.
At approximately 15:00,
Israeli occupation forces moved into Ya’bad village, south of Jenin, and opened
fire at Palestinian houses. Mohammed
Yousef al-Qalaq, 22, was killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the abdomen, while
he was near his house.
In a continuation of the policy
of assassination formally adopted by the Israeli government, on Saturday night,
30 March, Israeli occupation forces assassinated an activist of the Islamic
Jihad and willfully killed his cousin in Tulkarm.
According to investigation
carried out by LAW – the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human
Rights and the Environment, at approximately 22:00, an undercover unit of
Israeli occupation forces in a civilian car moved into Saida village in
Tulkarm. They raided the house of Ahmed
Fathi Mahmoud ‘Ajaj, 32. Israeli
soldiers got out of the car and opened fire at the house. When ‘Ajaj attempted to escape, they wounded
him with a live bullet in the foot. When
he fell, Israeli soldiers shot him dead with several live bullets in the head,
the chest and the abdomen from a very close distance. As soon as he heard sounds of shooting at his
cousin’s house, ‘Azmi ‘Aadel Mahmoud ‘Ajaj, 34, went out to check what happened
to his cousin. Israeli soldiers arrested
him and took him towards the body of his cousin. When he saw the body he shouted. Then, Israeli soldiers severely attacked him
with sharp tools and shot him dead from point-blank range. He was hit by a live bullet in the head and
several live bullets in the abdomen. He
was not an activist of any political party.
At approximately 13:00,
after the funeral procession of Zaid Wadi, who was killed by Israeli occupation
forces on the previous day, a number of Palestinian boys threw stones towards
Israeli forces positioned in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement,
west of Khan Yunis. Israeli forces fired
at the demonstrators wounding two:
1. Mubarak ‘Ali al-Hindi, 16, wounded
by two live bullets in the legs; and
2. ‘Ezziddin ‘Ali Hajjaj, 15, wounded by a live bullet in the left
thigh.
In an excessive use of
forces, at approximately 15:30, Israeli occupation forces opened fire at Zhafer
Mohammed Kumail, 26, from Qabatya village in Jenin, while he was near a park at
Deir Abu Dha’if junction. He was wounded
by three live bullets in the leg, the side and the chest. Israeli forces prevented his evacuation to
hospital for three hours. He bled to
death.
In the afternoon, an
apparent willful killing, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in a military
location near Salah al-Din Gate at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, shot
dead 14-year-old Hamada Akram Mohammed al-Seiqali, from Khan Yunis, with two
live bullets in the chest and the right leg. According to eyewitnesses, the area did not witness any clashes, when
Israeli forces fired at a number of Palestinian children who were playing
approximately 100m away. The victim was
visiting his sister, who lives in Rafah.
At the same time, an
Israeli tank moving on the road linking al-Matahen junction, north of Khan
Yunis, and “Gush Qatif” settlement block, fired at a number of Palestinian civilians
who were crossing the road towards Khan Yunis. Fatema Ahmed al-Astal, 35, was wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in
the left land.
At approximately 17:00,
Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” settlement,
northwest of Khan Yunis, fired at a number of Palestinian children who were
playing in the space between the settlement and al-Amal neighborhood. Nahedh Mohammed Muhsen, 13, was wounded by a
live bullet in the back.
In an apparent willful
killing, at approximately 05:00, Israeli occupation soldiers in a military jeep
shot dead Ghaleb ‘Abdulfattah al-Haj, 35, mentally handicapped, from
Bal’a village, northeast of Tulkarm, while he was walking on a road linking
between Tulkarm and the southern villages of Jenin. He received several live bullets throughout
the body.
Also at approximately
05:00, in an apparent willful killing, Israeli occupation forces at Salem
military roadblock, west of Jenin, shot dead 22-year-old Baha’ Khaled
al-Sharqawi, from al-Zababda village, east of Jenin, after having arrested and
handcuffed him. His body was delivered
to the Palestinian side at 11:00. He was
still handcuffed and he received three explosive live bullets in the left eye,
the neck and the left leg.
At approximately 13:00,
after the funeral procession of Hamada al-Seiqali who was killed by Israeli
occupation forces two days earlier, a number of Palestinian boys threw stones
at Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement,
west of Khan Yunis. Israeli forces fired
at the demonstrators, killing 14-year-old Fayez Kaled Salah, with a live bullet
in the neck.
At approximately 15:45,
Israeli occupation forces shot dead 36-year-old Hamza Mahmoud ‘Abdulmun’em Abu Ramuz, from
Hebron, with two live bullets in the head and the chest, while he was on his
way to his work at al-Shallala Street. The area was completely calm when Israeli forces opened fire.
At approximately 13:00,
Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement,
west of Khan Yunis, fired at Palestinians who were participating in the funeral
procession of Fayez Salah who was killed by Israeli forces on the previous
day. Two children were wounded:
1. ‘Abduljabbar Zakaria Barbakh, 11, wounded by shrapnel from
live bullets in the right hand; and
2. Ahmed Yousef
al-Lahham, 12, wounded by shrapnel from live bullets in the left knee.
At approximately 16:00,
Israeli occupation soldiers in a military jeep on ‘Attil-Baqa road, north of
Tulkarm, shot dead 18-year-old Akram Fadhel Khalifa, from ‘Ejja village, south of
Jenin, with 12 live bullets in the abdomen. Israeli occupation forces claimed that Khalifa was on his way to carry
out a suicide bombing.
On Tuesday morning, 2
April, a number of settlers opened fire at a Palestinian truck at a Palestinian
truck that was traveling from Ramallah to Jenin. ‘Alla’ Hatem Fayez ‘Abdulhai, 19, from Deir
Abu Dha’if village, northwest of Jenin, was killed by a live bullet in the
head.
This week, Israeli occupation forces arrested a number
of Palestinians. The arrests took place
in the following circumstances:
1. At international border crossings, under the control of Israeli
occupation forces.
2. At Israeli military roadblocks on main and branch roads at the entrances
to Palestinian cities and villages.
3. In Palestinian towns and villages, often during house raids.
4. During incursions into Palestinian controlled areas.
The following are significant arrests that took place
this week:
At noon, Israeli occupation
forces arrested Salah Zhaika, 45, Secretary of Fatah Movement in Jerusalem, at
Imperial Hotel. They also arrested
Nasser Qous, 35, who used to work as a bodyguard of Faisal al-Husseini in the
Old City.
At approximately 02:00, 18
Israeli heavy military vehicles moved into Kubar village, northwest of
Ramallah, and arrested 18 Palestinians.
At approximately 03:00,
Israeli occupation forces moved into ‘Azzoun village near Qalqilya and imposed a
curfew. Then, they raided houses and arrested
11 Palestinians.
Note: a number of Palestinians were
also arrested during incursions into Palestinian cities, villages and refugee
camps. See the section of shelling of,
end encroachment into Palestinian National Authority controlled areas.
*****
PCHR calls:
1. Upon the international community to provide immediate and independent
international protection for the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories.
2. Upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949
to reconvene in order to take effective measures to protect Palestinian
civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in accordance with their
obligations under Article 1, to ensure the respect of the Convention.
3. Upon the international community to investigate and prosecute those
believed to have committed war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
before international courts.
4. Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence, expand its activities, and
intensify its field observations throughout the Occupied Palestinian
Territories.
5. Upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israeli
Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights.
6. Upon the international community to provide humanitarian and medical
assistance for the Palestinian people, whose living conditions are continuing
to deteriorate as a result of the continued siege imposed by Israeli occupation
forces on the entire Occupied Palestinian Territories.
