Press Release
Four Palestinian civilians killed in today’s clashes:
Israeli occupation forces fire at a deaf child
Ref: 147/2000
Date: October 27, 2000
Time: 17:00 GMT
19:00 Palestine Time
This afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces escalated their criminal acts and abuses against Palestinian civilians who continued their protests throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. The Israeli occupation forces fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, and tear gas canisters at Palestinian demonstrators. As a result, four Palestinian civilians, including a 15-year-old deaf child, were killed and dozens, including a number of children, wounded in the head, chest and abdomen. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to reinforce their positions between Palestinian cities and in points of friction with Palestinian civilians. In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation forces continued to sweep Palestinian agricultural land; they have swept an area of 847 donums so far throughout the Gaza Strip. The Israeli occupation forces have stationed tanks and armored vehicles on the main road between the north of the Gaza Strip and its south (Salah El-Din street), and have established military roadblocks on the mentioned road.
This afternoon, clashes broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces near the area of Erez – under the control of these forces – in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli occupation forces fired live ammunition, sometimes using silencers, at Palestinian demonstrators and killed Jaber Ahmed Jaber Al-Meshal, 23 years old, from Al-Shati refugee camp, with a bullet in the chest. Additionally, 18 civilians were wounded by live ammunition and two wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets.
In Khan Yunis, clashes broke out this afternoon between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces near an Israeli military post to the west of the refugee camp of Khan Yunis and near Al-Tuffah roadblock between Khan Yunis city and Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area, which has been under a strict Israeli military siege since the beginning of this month. PCHR’s field officer reported that nine Palestinian civilians were wounded by live ammunition and 25 wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets. Additionally, more than 30 Palestinian civilians, including some children, suffered from fainting and asphyxia due to inhaling tear gas.
In Rafah, clashes broke out this morning between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces near Salah El-Din Gate on the Palestinian-Egyptian border, and near Tal Al-Sultan road block in the west of the town, separating it from Al- Mawasi (agricultural) area. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators in the two areas of clashes and wounded seven of them with live ammunition and another two with rubber-coated metal bullets, including Asa’d Jamil Al-Leddawi, 18 years old, who was hit by one of these bullets in his eye.
In Qalqilya, this afternoon, clashes broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces. These forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators and killed a deaf 15-year-old child, Bashir Saleh Shalawi, with several bullets to the abdomen.
In Tulkarm, the Israeli occupation forces fired at Palestinian demonstrators and killed Ahmed Mohammed Qassem, 25 years old, with several medium caliber bullets in several parts of his body.
In Ramallah, the Israeli occupation forces fired at Palestinian demonstrators and killed Ghassan Yousef Awaisa, 26 years old, from Al-Zhahirya and resident of Ramallah, with a bullet in the chest. This evening, the Israeli occupation forces’ tanks shelled some neighborhoods of Ramallah, causing severe damage to a number of buildings.
PCHR has learned that similar clashes broke out this afternoon in Jenin. The Israeli occupation forces fired at demonstrators and wounded the child Fadi Amin Al-Harioush, 15 years old, with a live bullet in the head. The child was evacuated to Jenin hospital and then to Nablus hospital in critical condition. Additionally, eight Palestinian civilians were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets and dozens were hurt due to inhaling tear gas in these clashes.
In Nablus, the Israeli occupation forces and Jewish settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians. Yesterday evening and this morning, Jewish settlers fired at Palestinian civilians in the village of Hares while they were cultivating olives. Seven Palestinians were wounded.
In Hebron, clashes broke out between the Israeli occupation forces and Jewish settlers on one side and Palestinian demonstrators on the other side, specially, in El-Shalla street, El-Takrouri neighborhood and the refugee camp of Al-Fawwar. A number of Palestinian civilians were wounded in these clashes.
The Israeli occupation forces have reinforced their presence on the main road between the north of the Gaza Strip and its south (Salah El-Din street) at the following points:
Early this morning, the Israeli occupation forces swept a three-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables as well as olive, guava and palm trees. The swept tract of land is owned by the heirs of the deceased Mezyed Zeidan Dhoheir. The Israeli occupation forces’ bulldozers also destroyed an agricultural pool and irrigation networks. Yesterday evening, the Israeli occupation forces’ bulldozers swept a seven-donum area of agricultural land, planted with citrus trees and owned by Fuad Al-Ja’farawi, in the vicinity of Kfar Darom settlement.
PCHR condemns the killings and abuses perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces since September 29 in the occupied Palestinian territories which have resulted in the deaths of 127 Palestinians, including 38 children. More than 3,600 Palestinians have been wounded. Many of these casualties are in critical condition.
PCHR asserts that Israel’s efforts to reinforce the position of its occupation forces between Palestinian cities and at points of frictions adjacent to Palestinian residential areas as well as the continued attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories are a source of permanent threat to the security and safety of Palestinian civilians.
PCHR reiterates its call to the international community and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to immediately intervene to halt serious abuses and killings perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians. In addition, these parties should intervene to stop the continued attacks on Palestinian land and property. PCHR calls for providing international protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories, as it is the only way to stop the Israeli occupation forces’ crimes and to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
