This
report covers human rights violations perpetrated by the Israeli occupation
forces against Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories
during the period of January 25-31, 2001.
During this period, the Israeli occupation forces escalated violations
and killings committed against Palestinian civilians, and continued to fire
artillery shells and heavy and medium bullets at Palestinian residential
neighborhoods. During this period, the
Israeli occupation forces shot dead three Palestinian civilians in the Gaza
Strip. They were all killed willfully
and when there were no threats posed on the lives of Israeli occupation
soldiers. On Wednesday, at approximately
14:30 local time, Ismail Ahmed El-Telbani, 50 years old, from the village of
Al-Zawaydeh, was killed when Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire on his
taxi at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction from a distance of 15 meters. At approximately 21:30 local time on the same
day, Israeli occupation soldiers shot dead Saber Fureij Abu Zhaher, 38 years
old, from the area of Johor Al-Diek, in the east of Gaza City, while he was on
his way back home. On Monday, at
approximately 10:15 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers shot dead Mohammed
Nafez Abu Mousa, 24 years old, from Khan Yunis, from a distance of about 300
meters.
During
the same period, more than 50 Palestinian civilians, including 17 children,
were wounded with live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets fired by the
Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Among the wounded was Abdullah Mahmoud Abu
Karsh, 21 years old, from Gaza City, who received a live bullet in the head
fired by Israeli occupation soldiers on January 29, 2001. Abu Karsh is still receiving medical
treatment at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.
He is in critical condition.
Furthermore,
the Israeli occupation forces razed more areas of Palestinian agricultural land
and demolished more Palestinian houses and civilian facilities in the Gaza
Strip.
During
the past week, the Israeli occupation forces continued to impose a total siege
on the occupied Palestinian territories.
Israeli occupation forces reinforced by armored vehicles continued to
hold their positions at the entrances of Palestinian cities and on the main roads,
imposing a siege on these cities and isolating areas under the control of the
Palestinian National Authority from one another and from the rest of the
occupied Palestinian territories.
During
the same period, two Palestinian civilians died after the Israeli occupation
forces prevented their transfer to hospital. (For more information about the
siege imposed on the Gaza Strip and its disastrous consequences, see Closure
Update, a report by PCHR on the closure imposed by the Israeli occupation
forces on the Gaza Strip.)
Furthermore,
Israeli occupation forces attacked a number of Palestinian medical personnel,
journalists, and other civilians, including some children.
PCHR
warns that the international community and the High Contracting Parties to the
Fourth Geneva Convention are dealing with the new situation in the occupied
Palestinian territories, which is very serious, as if it were a normal state of
affairs. There has been a kind of
normalization and acceptance by these communities and parties of grave human
rights violations perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces. PCHR warns again of the seriousness of human
rights violations perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces in the occupied
Palestinian territories, and of the conspiracy of silence adhered to by the
international community.
1. Shooting at Palestinian Civilians
In
the afternoon, a number of Palestinian children gathered near a bypass road
used by settlers near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City. Some of them came close to a tank of the
Israeli occupation forces, and one tried to dislodge an Israeli flag put on a
flagpole near the tank. Israeli
occupation soldiers opened fire with medium caliber bullets at the children,
wounding the child Maharan Saleh Abu Wardeh, 14 years old, from Jabalya, with a
medium caliber bullet that penetrated his right thigh and exited his left
one. The child was evacuated to Shifa’
hospital in Gaza City. Medical sources
stated that the bullet tore the bones of the child’s thighs.
Also
in the afternoon, clashes erupted between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli
occupation forces at the southern entrance of Qalqilya. The Israeli occupation forces opened fire on
Palestinian civilians, wounding four, including two children. The wounded were:
1) Samer Jehad A’jjouri, 21
years old, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the chest;
2) the child Mohammed Tawfiq
A’mmar, 12 years old, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
3) the child Mohammed Fathi
Samamra, 12 years old, wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
and
4) Mohammed Sharif Hassanein,
27 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the right thigh.
Also
in the afternoon, clashes erupted between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli
occupation forces at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh. The Israeli occupation forces fired live
ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, and tear gas canisters at Palestinian
civilians, wounding three with live bullets and another nine with rubber-coated
metal bullets. Furthermore, dozens of
Palestinian civilians suffered from suffocation due to inhaling tear gas.
Saturday,
January 27, 2001
In
the morning, at approximately 8:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers
positioned in the vicinity of Netzarim settlement, to the south of Gaza City,
opened fire on a number of Palestinian laborers, who were at their place of
work, 600 meters away from the mentioned settlement. As a result, Mohammed Ramadhan Hussein
Al-A’thamneh, 22 years old, from Beit Hanoun, was wounded with a live bullet in
the left leg. In his testimony to PCHR,
Al-A’thamneh said that he was with about 20 laborers working on building an
amphitheater in the recreation area of the College of Education, when Israeli
occupation soldiers opened fire on them suddenly and with no reason. The soldiers also fired at his colleagues
when they attempted to offer him help.
He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.
In
the afternoon, clashes erupted at the southern entrance of Qalqilya between
Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces. These forces opened fire on Palestinian
civilians and wounded:
1) the child Samer Hisham
Hussein, 15 years old, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
2) E’ssam Abdel-Karim
A’wartani, 41 years old, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the shoulder;
3) the child Shahin Hisham
Salim, 15 years old, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg; and
4) the child Murad Mohammed
Jaber, 13 years old, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the chest.
In
the morning, at approximately 5:30 local time, the Israeli occupation forces
opened fire on a Palestinian Mercedes taxi, wounding one of its occupants,
E’ssam Haidar Ahmed Harazallah, 19 years old, from Gaza city, with a live
bullet in the right side. In his testimony
to PCHR, Harazallah said that he was on his way by taxi from Gaza City to Gaza
International Airport to travel to UAE.
When the taxi crossed the junction of Abu Houli road to the south of
Deir El-Balah, at a branch of Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the
north and south of the Gaza Strip), 100 meters away, Israeli occupation
soldiers positioned on a tank near the mentioned junction opened fire on the
taxi with no reason. The driver
continued on his way until he reached a site of the Palestinian National
Security Forces, where an ambulance was called and Harazallah was evacuated to
Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis.
In
the afternoon, at approximately 13:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers
positioned near Salah El-Din Gate on the border in Rafah fired at the child
Nidhal Omar Al-Moghayar, 12 years old, wounding him with a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the right eye. In his
testimony to PCHR, the child Al-Moghayar said that he was passing on Khaled Ben
Al-Walid Street near Salah El-Din Gate when he heard sounds of shooting by the
Israeli occupation forces. He took
shelter behind a nearby deserted commercial store and started to look at tanks
of the Israeli occupation forces, which were about 30 meters away from him,
near a military site of these forces.
The child felt pain in his right eye and in his head. He said that he escaped from the area though
bleeding. Then, he was evacuated to
hospital. Medical sources stated that he
suffered from bleeding in blood vessels of his right eye as a result of being
wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet.
He did not lose his eye.
In
the evening, at approximately 17:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers
positioned in the vicinity of Netzarim settlement, to the south of Gaza City,
fired at the child Wasfi Mohammed E’issa Shamallakh, 10 years old, from Gaza
City, wounding him with a live bullet in the right thigh. The child was with his father who was farming
his land, about 800 meters to the north of the mentioned settlement. In his testimony to PCHR, the child
Shamallakh said that Israeli occupation soldiers fired at him from a military
jeep at the north of the mentioned settlement.
The child was evacuated to the hospital of the Palestinian Red Crescent
Society in Gaza City.
In
the afternoon, clashes erupted between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli
occupation forces at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh. The Israeli occupation forces fired live
ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at Palestinian
demonstrators, wounding three with rubber-coated metal bullets. Additionally, dozens of demonstrators
suffered from suffocation due to inhaling tear gas.
Also
in the afternoon, similar clashes erupted at the southern entrance of
Qalqilya. A Palestinian civilian was
wounded with a live bullet and another two were wounded with rubber-coated
metal bullets.
Monday,
January 29, 2001
In
the morning, at approximately 10:15 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers
positioned in a military site to the west of Khan Yunis refugee camp, shot at
Mohammed Nafez Mohammed Abu Mousa, wounding him with a live bullet that
penetrated the abdomen, the diaphragm, and the chest. Abu Mousa died as soon as he reached
hospital. An eyewitness who was with the
martyr Abu Mousa when he was shot, said that they were looking at a bulldozer
of the Israeli occupation forces that was razing areas near a military site of
these forces about 300 meters away from them.
He added that Israeli occupation soldiers fired two live bullets, one of
which hit martyr Abu Mousa. There were
no clashes in the area at the time.
In
the afternoon, at approximately 16:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces
positioned on the road between Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, to the south of
Gaza City, and Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City, opened fire
on a number of Palestinian young men who were demonstrating about 150 meters
away. As a result, Abdullah Mahmoud Abu
Karsh, 21 years old, from Al-Remal neighborhood in Gaza City, was wounded with
a live bullet in the head. Abu Karsh was
evacuated to the intensive care unit at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City in
critical condition.
Also
in the afternoon, clashes erupted between Palestinian young men and the Israeli
occupation forces at the southern entrance of Qalqilya. The Israeli occupation forces fired live
ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets and wounded:
1) the child Mohammed Fathi
Haddad, 15 years old, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right hand; and
2) the child Omar Ahmed
Hamad, 15 years old, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right thigh.
In
the evening, at approximately 18:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces
raided the village of Deir Nezham in Ramallah.
A number of Palestinian young men from the village faced these forces by
throwing stones at them. The occupation
forces fired live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets at these young
men, wounding five with live and rubber-coated metal bullets. Among the wounded were:
1) Eihab Hassan El-Tamimi, 16 years old, wounded with a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the head; and
2) Mohammed Yousef El-Tamimi, 20 years old, wounded with a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the left thigh.
Tuesday,
January 30, 2001
In
the afternoon, at approximately 15:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces
opened fire on Palestinian civilians from the village of Deir Nezham in
Ramallah when they confronted the razing of agricultural land in the
village. As a result, the child Shaker
Abdel-Mou’ti El-Tamimi, 7 years old, was wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet
in the left ear.
In
the afternoon, at approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers
positioned near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet shot at a number of Palestinian boys
who were demonstrating about 100 meters away.
As a result, Sa’di Mahmoud Abdel-Qader Hemeida, 17 years old, from
Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, was wounded with a live bullet in the
abdomen. He was evacuated to Shifa’
hospital in Gaza City.
At
night, at approximately 23:40 local time, Palestinian civilians and police
confronted the Israeli occupation forces when these forces attempted to burst
into the village of Beit Rima, under the full control of the Palestinian
National Authority, in Ramallah. The
Israeli occupation forces fired heavy and medium bullets at Palestinian
citizens, wounding policeman Yousef Hassan Tobeish, 26 years old, from
Ramallah, with a medium caliber bullet in the right thigh.
Wednesday,
January 31, 2001
In
the morning, at approximately 7:15 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers
positioned in a military site at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, to the south
of Gaza City, opened fire on Fuad Nabhan Ahmed Hejji, 33 years old, from
Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounding him with two live bullets in the
feet. In his testimony to PCHR, Hejji
said that he was with three members of his family riding a cart toward his farm
in the area of Johor Al-Diek, to the east of Gaza City. Because the Israeli occupation forces were
apt to fire on any Palestinian citizen attempting to cross the road between
Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction and Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, he resorted to
Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza
Strip). Hejji traveled toward the middle
area in order to go to his farm via a branch road near Al-Boreij refugee
camp. He added that after he crossed
Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction and was 40 meters to the south of the junction,
Israeli occupation soldiers positioned at the junction fired about 10 live bullets
at him, two of which hit him in the feet.
There were no clashes in the area at that time. His family evacuated him to a clinic in
Nusseirat refugee camp in the middle area where he received medical first aid. He was then transferred by ambulance to
Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.
In
the afternoon, at approximately 14:30 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers
opened fire on a Palestinian taxi that was passing by Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim)
junction while traversing the route from Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the middle
area toward Gaza City. A number of
Palestinian civilians were in the vehicle and on the road in other
vehicles. As a result, the driver
Isamail Ahmed El-Telbani, 50 years old, from the village of Al-Zawaydeh in the
middle area, was killed. Investigations
carried out by PCHR proved that the incident was a new willful murder committed
by the Israeli occupation forces against a Palestinian civilian. In testimony given under oath, one of the
people traveling in the targeted taxi said:
“I
traveled with driver Isamail Ahmed El-Telbani in his orange Mercedes taxi from
my house in Al-Maghazi refugee camp toward Gaza City. I was sitting near him with my 4.5-year-old
child Mahmoud. In the back seat, my
74-year-old mother sat with my 12-year-old son Mohammed. We wanted to go to Gaza City in order for my
mother to receive medical care. When we
arrived at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, the driver slowed down in order to
cross between concrete blocks put on the junction by the Israeli occupation
forces. Before crossing the junction, I
saw a military jeep of the Israeli occupation forces coming from the west, from
the road of Netzarim settlement. It soon
stopped in front of us. Soon, the roof
of the jeep was opened. Then, an Israeli
occupation soldier got out and opened fire on our taxi.”
In
another testimony, a driver of a taxi that stopped behind the targeted taxi
said:
“At
approximately 14:30 (local time), on Wednesday, January 31, 2001, I arrived in
my Mercedes taxi at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction. There was an orange Mercedes taxi in front of
me. Then, a jeep of the Israeli
occupation forces leading a convoy of cars of settlers coming from Netzarim
settlement stopped. An Israeli
occupation soldier emerged from a hole in the roof of the jeep and opened fire
on the mentioned taxi from a distance of 15 meters. The taxi moved back and I, with some other
people, took the driver who was wounded out of the taxi to another car, but the
Israeli occupation forces prevented its passage toward a hospital in Gaza
City. So, we evacuated him to a clinic
in Nusseirat refugee camp, and from there he was transferred to Shifa’ hospital
in Gaza City.”
In
the evening, at approximately 21:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces shot
dead Saber Fureij Abu Zhaher, 38 years old, from the area of Johor Al-Diek, in
the east of Gaza City. The father of
eight children was shot by more than 10 live bullets throughout the body. PCHR’s staff is now investigating the
incident. Initial information, however,
indicated that the incident took place on the road between Al-Shuhada’
(Netzarim) junction, to the south of Gaza City, and Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet,
where the Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks, are always heavily
present, shooting at anyone attempting to cross the road. It is likely that Abu Zhaher was trying to
cross the road, coming from Gaza City toward his house in the area of Johor
Al-Diek, when he was shot dead by the Israeli occupation forces. His passing through the area coincided with
the explosion of a bomb, which was heard in the area. The Israeli occupation forces then opened
fire intensively. As a result, a man and
his son were wounded while they were on the stairs of their house, 700 meters
to the east of the mentioned road. They
were:
1) Nayef Hammad Thabet, 43
years old, from the area of Johor Al-Diek to the east of Gaza City, wounded
with two live bullets in the left arm and the left thigh; and
2) Hammad Nayef Hammad
Thabet, 14 years old, wounded with two live bullets in the right arm.
1. Two Palestinian citizens die as a result of the
siege imposed by the Israeli occupation forces
This
week, two Palestinian citizens died when the Israeli occupation forces
obstructed their transfer to hospital. A
Palestinian woman died last week in similar circumstances.
On
Saturday, January 27, 2001, Hasna Suleiman Dhraghma, 66 years old, from the
village of Al-Lobban in Nablus, died after the Israeli occupation forces
prevented a car transferring her to hospital from crossing a military roadblock
of these forces in the south of Nablus (Hawara roadblock). The Israeli occupation forces prohibited the
passage of the car for 15 minutes despite warnings about the seriousness of the
woman’s health condition (she was suffering from difficulty breathing and from
pains in her chest). The driver of the
car had to travel on a muddy road in order to reach the hospital in
Nablus. Dhraghma died on the way to
hospital.
On
Tuesday, January 30, 2001, in the afternoon at approximately 16:30, Falah Saleh
A’yyash, 67 years old, from the village of Rafat in Salfit, died when the
Israeli occupation forces obstructed his transfer to hospital. The deceased suffered from a heart attack in
the afternoon at approximately 13:15 local time. His family intended to transfer him by a
private car to Rafidia hospital in Nablus.
At 13:40 local time, the car arrived at the junction of the village of
A’zzoun, where a roadblock of the Israeli occupation forces stands. The Israeli occupation soldiers positioned at
the mentioned roadblock prevented the passage of the car after it waited for
more than half an hour. The family was
forced to resort to a muddy road. At
approximately 14:40 local time, they arrived at a roadblock of the Israeli
occupation forces at the junction of the village of Deir Sharaf, but these
forces prevented their passage after another 40 minutes. The family was forced to resort to yet
another muddy road. They arrived at
hospital at approximately 16:15 local time.
A’yyash died 15 minutes later.
This
incident was the third of its kind in one week as E’isha Naji Mohammed Nassar,
28 years old, from the village of Al-Jania in Ramallah, died after the Israeli
occupation forces prevented an ambulance from transferring her to hospital
through a military roadblock of these forces near Doleb settlement to the west
of Ramallah (for more details, see our last weekly report).
2. Shelling of Residential Neighborhoods
Israeli
occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of Netzarim settlement, to the
south of Gaza City, fired heavy and medium bullets at Palestinian houses in
Sheikh E’jlin neighborhood in Gaza City.
The targeted houses are about 2 kilometers to the north of the mentioned
settlement. PCHR’s field officer in the
area reported that bullets made holes 3 centimeters in diameter in the southern
walls of these houses, damaged water storage tanks and an electricity network,
and broke windows. The affected houses
were:
1) The house of Abdel-Razeq Yousef
Khalil Shamallakh, a 400-square-meter, two-story house, in which 30 people
live;
2) The house of Adib Yousef Khalil
Shamallakh, a 400-square-meter, two-story house, in which 13 people live;
3) The house of Mohammed Najib
Yousef Shamallakh, a 400-square-meter, two-story house, in which 10 people
live;
4) The house of Mousa Abdel-Hadi
Abdel-Wahab Shamallakh, a 250-square-meter, two-story house, in which 15 people
live;
5) The house of Younis Hamed Oudeh
Shamallakh, a 300-square-meter, two-story house, in which 12 people live;
6) The house of Riadh Asa’d
Shamallakh, a 400-square-meter, two-story house, in which 15 people live;
7) The house of Dalal Abdel-Hadi
Abdel-Wahab Shamallakh, a 250-square-meter, two-story house, in which seven
people live;
8) The house of Abdel-Wahab Abdullah
Shamallakh, a 250-square-meter, two-story house, in which eight people live;
9) The house of Nemer Mohammed
Shamallakh, a 350-square-meter, two-story house, in which 14 people live;
10) The house of Hassan Ahmed Oudeh, a 300-square-meter, two-story house, in
which six people live;
11) The house of Abdel-Rahman Ahmed Oudeh, a 300-square-meter, two-story
house, in which six people live; and
12) The house of A’zziz Ahmed A’wwad, a 200-square-meter, two-story house,
in which four people live.
Saturday,
January 27, 2001
In the
evening, at approximately 21:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned
in a military site to the west of Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan Yunis fired live
ammunition and artillery shells at Palestinian houses near the market of the
mentioned neighborhood. This action
lasted sporadically until 2:00 local time on the following day. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported
that Mohammed Yahia Khalil Al-Majaydeh, 26 years old, was wounded with a live
bullet in the right foot and shrapnel in the right thigh when he was passing by
the targeted area. He was evacuated to
Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis.
PCHR’s
field officer reported that this particular action caused severe damage to
Palestinian houses as follows:
1) Bullets made holes three
centimeters in diameter in the façade of a 125-square-meter, two-story house,
in which 10 people live, owned by Mohammed Fawzi Mustafa Hillow. In addition, windows were broken and water
storage tanks were damaged. Bullets also
penetrated walls and windows of a sewing atelier on the ground floor of the
house, damaging a sewing machine and cloth.
2) Bullets made holes in the façade
of a 125-square-meter, two-story house, in which three people live, owned by
Hilal Mustafa Hillow. In addition, water
storage tanks were damaged.
3) Bullets made holes in the roof of
a 150-square-meter, tin-roofed house, in which four people live, owned by Akram
Husni Salameh. In addition, water saving
tanks and a television aerial were damaged.
4) Bullets made holes 2-10
centimeters in diameter in external walls of a 125-square-meter, two-story
house, in which nine people live, owned by E’ssam Mohammed Hathat. In addition, windows were broken.
5) Bullets made holes in the roof of
a 250-square-meter, tin-roofed house, in which eight people live, owned by
Mohammed Saber Abu Sweis. In addition,
windows were broken.
6) Bullets broke the asbestos roof
of a 250-square-meter house in which 16 people live, owned by Ahmed
Abdel-Rahman Abu A’rram.
7) Bullets made holes three
centimeters in diameter in external walls of a 250-square-meter, four-story
house, in which 18 people live, owned by Sae’id Abdel-Rahman Abu Shammaleh and
brothers. In addition, windows were
broken.
8) Bullets damaged the asbestos roof
and made holes in walls of the market belonging to Khan Yunis Municipality in
Al-Amal neighborhood.
Sunday,
January 28, 2001
In the afternoon,
at approximately 15:00 local time, armored vehicles of the Israeli occupation
forces passing along the border in Rafah opened fire on Palestinian civilians
and houses in Al-Barazil neighborhood, adjacent to the border. As a result, three Palestinian civilians were
wounded as follows:
1) Ramadhan Mohammed Abu A’rmaneh,
22 years old, wounded with shrapnel in the head;
2) Mohammed Mohammed Abu Dhebaa’, 22
years old, wounded with shrapnel in the left arm; and
3) Ahmed Mohammed El-Salaq, 21 years
old, wounded with a live bullet in the left knee.
In the
evening, at approximately 18:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers opened
fire again on Al-Barazil neighborhood in Rafah, wounding another five
civilians. They were:
1) Mohammed Samir Zannoun, 12 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the
back;
2) Zakaria Mohammed El-Nahhal, 18 years old, wounded with a live bullet in
the left foot;
3) Rabie’ Ali El-Hams, 16 years old, wounded with shrapnel in the left
foot;
4) Mohammed Hassan Jaber, 23 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the
nose; and
5) Zuhair Mohammed Hammad, 46 years old, wounded with shrapnel in the head.
In the
evening, at approximately 20:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces
positioned on the road between Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, to the south of
Gaza City, and Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City, fired
artillery shells and heavy and medium bullets at a post of the Palestinian
National Security Forces, 300 meters to the east of the mentioned road. Additionally, Sabra gas station, near the
targeted post was also hit, and fire broke out in a gas storage tank.
At night,
at approximately 23:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned at
Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, to the south of Gaza City, fired artillery
shells and heavy and medium bullets at the campus of the College of Education
on Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza
Strip). The campus was damaged. In addition, a post of the Palestinian
National Security Forces, 300 meters to the north of the junction, was also
hit. As a result, officer Ayman Amin
Ayyoub El-Shanbari, 32 years old, from Beit Hanoun, was wounded with four live
bullets in the abdomen and a fifth in the left hand. He was evacuated to the intensive care unit
at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City. Sources
at the hospital stated that he was in stable condition.
From
18:30 local time until midnight, Israeli occupation forces positioned in
military sites in the west of Khan Yunis, shelled residential neighborhoods in
the city, wounding a number of Palestinian civilians and causing severe damage
to property. PCHR’s field officer in
Khan Yunis reported that military sites of the Israeli occupation forces to the
west of Al-Amal neighborhood, to the west of Al-Nemsawi (Austrian) neighborhood,
in the vicinity of Neve’ Dekalim settlement and at Al-Tuffah roadblock fired
artillery shells and heavy and medium bullets.
The shelling was intensified at approximately 20:30 local time, when the
Israeli occupation forces fired eight artillery shells from their military
sites to the west of Al-Amal neighborhood at Palestinian houses. These attacks resulted in wounding two
Palestinian civilians. They were:
1) Wessam Kamel Mahmoud Abu Mustafa,
16 years old, wounded with shrapnel of a heavy bullet in the left foot. In her testimony to PCHR, Abu Mustafa said
that she was inside her house in Khan Yunis refugee camp, 300 meters away from
the site of the Israeli occupation forces.
At approximately 20:30 local time, the Israeli occupation forces opened
fire, and a heavy bullet penetrated a wall of the room where she was, and
shrapnel dispersed in the room, wounding her in the foot. She was evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan
Yunis.
2) Eyad Khalil Mansour El-Astal, 30
years old, wounded with shrapnel of an artillery shell in the legs and the
right hand. In his testimony to PCHR,
El-Astal said that at approximately 20:30 local time, an artillery shell fell
near him when he was passing along a road.
He added that he was wounded and fainted.
Furthermore,
Palestinian houses were severely damaged as follows:
1) The shelling made holes two
centimeters in diameter in a wall of a 150-square-meter, one-story house, in
which five people live, owned by Kamel Mahmoud Abu Mustafa (see the wounding of
his daughter above.)
2) The shelling made holes 2-3
centimeters in diameter in walls of an 80-square-meter, one-story house, in
which eight people live, owned by Ibrahim A’wwad Abu Yousef.
3) An artillery shell exploded in
front of a grocery owned by Mohammed Salem Abu Mustafa, making holes in its
façade.
4) The shelling made holes in walls
of housing buildings owned by Al-Farra Company, and destroyed a number of
windows.
5) The shelling made holes 2
centimeters in diameter in walls and destroyed a number of windows of a
distribution center of UNRWA.
6) The cemetery of Khan Yunis was
hit with three artillery shells and heavy and medium bullets that made holes in
its fence.
Monday,
January 29, 2001
In the
evening, at approximately 17:00 local time, armored vehicles of the Israeli
occupation forces passing by the borderline in Rafah fired heavy and medium
bullets at Palestinian houses in Al-Barazil neighborhood, adjacent to the
borderline. As a result, two Palestinian
civilians were wounded with shrapnel of bullets while they were on the street,
50 meters away from the borderline. They
were:
1) Bassem Rajeh El-Nahhal, 22 years old, wounded with shrapnel in the right
leg; and
2) Mohammed Khalil Abu Taha, wounded with shrapnel in the right shoulder.
In the
evening, at approximately 20:00 local time, after the shooting of one live
bullet was heard, whose source was unknown, Israeli occupation forces
positioned in military sites in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement and at
Al-Tuffah roadblock, to the west of Khan Yunis refugee camp, fired artillery
shells and heavy and medium bullets at Palestinian houses in the west of the
mentioned refugee camp. This action,
which lasted until 3:00 local time on the following day, caused severe damage
to some houses and civilian facilities as follows:
1) An artillery shell fell onto an electricity generator, destroying it and
cutting electricity in the area.
2) An artillery shell penetrated Al-Shafe’i mosque, making holes 20
centimeters in diameter in walls, and bullets damaged water storage tanks.
3) Three artillery shells hit a 130-square-meter, two-story house, in which
11 people live, owned by A’adel Salem Abu Obeida, making holes 20 centimeters
in diameter in its walls. Residents of
the house left it a few months ago because it was frequently shelled by the
Israeli occupation forces.
PCHR’s
field officer added that some other houses in the west of Khan Yunis refugee
camp were damaged, but he had not been able to reach the area. Residents of these houses left them a few
months ago because of frequent shelling.
1. Attacks on Palestinian Medical Staff, Journalists,
and Other Civilians
Thursday, January 25, 2001
Late at night, Israeli occupation forces beat medical personnel of the
Palestinian Red Crescent Society while they were on duty in clearly marked
medical uniforms and ambulances. PCHR
learned that Al-Bireh medical aid center was informed at approximately 22:30
local time that some Palestinians were wounded in the village of Sarda, to the
north of Ramallah, when the Israeli occupation forces burst into the village. Soon, an ambulance, driven by Talal
Abdel-Malek Abu E’ideh, and accompanied by Naji El-Barghouthi, went to the
village.
Israeli occupation forces stopped the ambulance on a road to the west of
the village and ordered the two to get out of the ambulance, forcing them to
kneel on the ground for an hour and a half, during which soldiers strictly
checked the ambulance and disconnected its communication equipment. A press release by the Palestinian Red
Crescent Society stated that Israeli occupation soldiers beat the two. Due to the very cold weather and being beaten
by the soldiers, the driver suffered from cramps in his legs and hands and from
severe pains in the chest. Occupation
soldiers prevented his evacuation to hospital.
The press release added that another ambulance went to the area after
communication with driver Abu E’ideh was cut.
Personnel of the second ambulance received the same treatment by Israeli
occupation soldiers. At approximately
00:45 local time on the following day, Israeli occupation soldiers allowed two
of the medical personnel to leave the area and to transfer driver Abu E’ideh to
hospital. The fourth man was released at
approximately 1:30 local time.
Saturday, January 27, 2001
In the morning, at approximately 11:30 local time, Israeli occupation
soldiers positioned at Al-Tuffah roadblock, in the west of Khan Yunis, arrested
E’mad Mohammed Fayyadh, 22 years old, from Khan Yunis, who suffers from
psychological problems. The occupation
forces detained him inside a military site near the mentioned roadblock. They released him at approximately 5:00 local
time on the following day after they beat him.
He was evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis. It was clear that he suffered from bruises
all over the body.
Sunday, January 28, 2001
At approximately 12:30, Israeli occupation forces severely beat the
child Ra’afat E’issa Abu E’isheh, 14 years old.
The child used to work as a seller of goods after school in the market
of Hebron, which is under the control of the Israeli occupation forces. In his testimony to the Palestinian Society
for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), the child Abu
E’isheh said that Israeli occupation soldiers in the middle of Hebron
interrupted his way and took him by force to a corner in the old city. There, three soldiers beat him with their
feet and the butts of their guns for half an hour. The child fainted and remained on the ground
until an ambulance evacuated him to A’alia hospital in Hebron. According to a medical report, the child
suffered from severe bruises all over the body and severe injuries in the right
shoulder. The child still suffers from a
wound with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg, fired by the Israeli
occupation forces on December 9, 2000.
In the afternoon, at approximately 13:00 local time, Israeli occupation
soldiers positioned at a military roadblock on the road of the village of E’in
Qenya, to the west of Ramallah, beat Dhuha El-Shami, a camerawoman of Watan
Channel in Ramallah. They also
confiscated her camera. Israeli
occupation soldiers also detained journalist Ashraf Kutkut for half an hour,
giving him a notice to go to the Israeli intelligence department in Hebron, his
area of residence. The staff of Watan
Channel was covering practices of the Israeli occupation forces against
Palestinian civilians at the mentioned roadblock.
Monday, January 29, 2001
In the morning, at approximately 8:00 local time, three military jeeps
of the Israeli occupation forces moved from the road leading to Netzarim
settlement, to the south of Gaza City, to the coastal road, between Gaza City
and the middle area. They stopped a
white Toyota, which was traveling from Gaza City to the middle area. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli occupation
forces took one of the car’s occupants out of the car and ordered him to
kneel. He was then taken to one of the
jeeps. Next, two tanks of the Israeli
occupation forces came to the area. All
these forces moved toward Netzarim settlement, taking the car with them. Later, it was made clear that the arrested
man was Nasser Maso’ud A’yyad, 33 years old, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in
Gaza City, an officer of Force 17 (the President’s guards) of the Palestinian
National Authority.
2. Razing of Agricultural Land and Demolition of
Houses
In
the morning, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze areas of
agricultural land in Sheikh E’jlin area in Gaza City, 700 meters to the north
of Netzarim settlement. These forces:
1) Razed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with figs, grapes, and vegetables owned by
Abdel-Razeq Yousef Shamallakh.
2) Demolished a
50-square-meter, two-story building on the mentioned razed land, whose first
floor contained a well and a store of agricultural tools, and whose second
floor was a summer resort for the family.
3) Razed a 40-donum area of
agricultural land planted with figs and grapes, owned by Maher Ismail
Shamallakh. In addition, an irrigation
network was destroyed. It is worth
mentioning that on January 20, 2001, the Israeli occupation forces razed a
30-donum area of agricultural land planted with grapes, figs, and vegetables
owned by the same citizen.
In
his testimony to PCHR, one of the owners of the razed areas said that they were
not able to reach their farms because the Israeli occupation forces were
shooting at everybody they saw in the area.[1] He added that he went to his land in the
morning, when some other farmers where on nearby farms, but Israeli occupation
soldiers suddenly opened fire on them.
They all escaped and no injuries were reported. It appears that the Israeli occupation forces
started to raze these areas, after they opened fire on the Palestinian farmers,
in order to drive them away from the area.
In
the morning, at approximately 9:30 local time, the Israeli occupation forces
started to raze more areas of agricultural land to the north of Dogit
settlement in the north of Beit Lahia.
PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that the Israeli occupation
forces:
1) Razed an eight-donum area of agricultural land on which greenhouses
planted with vegetables stood, owned by Salameh Hammouda Abu Halima.
2) Demolished a 120-square-meter, two-story building, whose first floor
contained a well and a store of agricultural tools, and whose second floor was
a summer resort for the family of Ibrahim Mousa Al-Moghrabi. The demolished building stood on an area of
land owned by Al-Moghrabi, which was razed about two weeks ago.
3) Demolished an 80-square-meter, one-story building that contained a well
and a store of agricultural tools, owned by Mohammed, Zeid, and Ibrahim Daoud
Hamada.
4) Started to raze a 55-donum area of agricultural land planted with
vegetables, guavas, olives, and citrus, owned by Nazhir Abdullah Abdel-Hadi
Mohanna. They also uprooted cypress
trees surrounding this tract of land.
The
Israeli occupation forces resumed razing areas of agricultural land, which
started on the previous day, to the north of Dogit settlement in Beit
Lahia. This time they included areas of
agricultural land to the south of Elli Sinai settlement. These forces razed areas of agricultural land
between the mentioned settlements as follows:
1) Concluded razing a tract of land owned by Nazhir Abdullah Abdel-Hadi
Mohanna. PCHR’s field officer in the
area reported that a 270-square-meter, three-story building, which contained a
well and a summer resort, standing on the razed tract of land, was threatened
with being demolished.
2) A 19-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Mohammed, Zeid, and Ibrahim Daoud Hamada.
Also
in the morning, a bulldozer of the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of agricultural land in the area to the south of Khan Yunis. This action, which lasted until 20:00 local
time, included razing:
1) A three-donum area of agricultural land, on a part of which two
greenhouses planted with vegetables stood.
The remainder was planted with olives and palms owned by Abed Hafezh
Al-Najjar.
2) A four-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by
Ramadhan Hafezh Al-Najjar.
3) A four-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by
Khader Hafezh Al-Najjar.
4) A four-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by
Abdel-Mou’ti Ramadhan Hafezh Al-Najjar.
Monday,
January 29, 2001
In
the afternoon, at approximately 13:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces
resumed razing areas of agricultural land in the south of Khan Yunis, adjacent
to Morag settlement. PCHR”s field
officer in Khan Yunis reported that these forces opened fire on anyone
attempting to reach the affected area, and that a muddy road Palestinian
farmers used to use to reach their farms was closed off. PCHR’s field officer added that the Israeli
occupation forces razed:
1) A 17.5 donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by
Ahmed and Mohammed Hammouda Al-Masri.
2) A 15-donum area of unplanted agricultural land owned by Salim Al-Najjar.
3) A one-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and olives
owned by Ahmed Hamdan Al-Masri.
Tuesday,
January 30, 2001
In
the morning, the Israeli occupation forces continued to raze more areas of
agricultural land and to level areas which were partially razed in the past
days in the area between Dogit and Elli Sinai, to the north of Beit Lahia. PCHR’s field officer in the northern area of
the Gaza Strip reported that the Israeli occupation forces were establishing a
new settlement road, 1,300 meters long between the two settlements. Due to action of this sort, all main and
branch roads leading to agricultural lands and houses between the two
settlements have been cut. Palestinian
citizens are unable to reach their houses and land by car. PCHR’s field officer in the northern area
reported that some Palestinian farmers dismantled their greenhouses, fearing
that they would be destroyed by the Israeli occupation forces. In addition, some citizens evacuated their
furniture from their houses, fearing that their houses might be demolished.
Also
in the morning, the Israeli occupation forces resumed razing areas of
agricultural land in Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area of Al-Qarara, to the north
of Khan Yunis. They razed areas of
agricultural land near Tal Qatif settlement to the east of the coastal
road. PCHR’s field officer in the middle
area reported that this action lasted until the morning of the following day
and included:
1) A 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with guavas, palms, and
citrus owned by Omar Ahmed Al-A’badleh.
In addition, an agricultural pool, a well, and a water pump were
destroyed.
2) An eight-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat, figs, and
grapes owned by Mousa Ahmed El-Astal.
3) A 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with guavas and palms owned
by Sha’ban Radhwan Al-A’badleh.
4) A nine-donum area of agricultural land planted with figs and grapes
owned by Qassed Mohammed El-Astal.
At
night, at approximately 23:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started
to raze more areas of agricultural land and demolish civilian facilities to the
east of Gaza City on both sides of the road between Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim)
junction and Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet.
PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that this action was resumed
on Wednesday, January 31, 2001. The
Israeli occupation forces are still closing the area. According to initial information that was
available to PCHR, this particular action included the following:
1) Demolishing the first floor of Safadi concrete factory, while the second
floor continued to stand on concrete poles.
All offices on the first floor were destroyed, and a guardroom, the
fence of the factory, and compounds of construction raw materials were
demolished.
2) Demolishing an iron factory owned by Fuad Nemer El-Samneh. The factory was established 10 months ago
before it was demolished and its machines destroyed. In his testimony to PCHR, El-Samneh estimated
losses at about US$ 2 million.
3) Demolishing all buildings of Abu Jebbeh fuel station. Only machines of fuel provision remained
untouched.
4) Destroying electricity towers one kilometer along the road.
5) Demolishing the fence of Sabra gas station, owned by Mohammed
Sabra. In addition, offices annexed to
the station were also demolished.
****
PCHR
reiterates its call for the international community to immediately intervene to
stop the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupation
forces against Palestinian civilians.
PCHR calls in particular for:
1. Establishing without delay
an independent commission of inquiry, in accordance with UN Security Council
resolution 1322 (2000), to carry out a thorough and comprehensive investigation
into the abuses and killings perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces
against Palestinian civilians.
2. Convening a conference of
the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to ensure
Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention.
3. Immediately providing
international protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian
territories in the face of the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the
Israeli occupation forces and groups of Jewish settlers who move under the
protection of these forces.
4. Use by the EU of effective
political and economic measures with reference to Article 2 of the Euro-Israel
Association Agreement, which calls for the respect of human rights.
5. Providing humanitarian and
medical assistance for the Palestinian people whose living conditions are
increasingly deteriorating because of the continued total siege imposed by the
Israeli occupation forces on the entire occupied Palestinian territories.
For
more information on the Al-Aqsa Intifada see:
www.pchrgaza.org
[1] For
more details, see the incident of the wounding of a child in this area on January
28, 2001, under “Shooting at Palestinian Civilians.”
