Field Update 

At dawn, a girl was killed after being hit with a live bullet in a family dispute in al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City. This incident is part of the proliferation of weapons and assault on the rule of law in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

According to investigation conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 01:00 on Thursday, 27 July 2017, Duha Husam Salem al-Sahbani (11), from al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City, arrived as a dead body at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Duha was hit with a live bullet that entered the back and exited the neck, due to the use of firearms in a family dispute occurred between al-‘Amoudy and al-Qayid families.
The Ministry of Interior in Gaza published a press statement on its website for Ayman al-Batniji, Spokesperson of the Palestinian Police in Gaza, saying that Duha was mistakenly killed after being hit with a live bullet by armed persons during a family dispute between al-‘Amoudy and al-Qayid families in al-Sabra neighborhood. He added that Duha was killed while she was on balcony. Al-Batniji confirmed that the police immediately arrived at the scene and controlled the dispute. A number of persons involved in the family dispute were arrested while other firearms were confiscated. Moreover, an investigation was opened into the incident to find out the causes of the family dispute and identify the circumstances of the killing of the girl.

PCHR condemns this crime which led to the death of Duha and calls upon the Attorney General to open a serious investigation into this and publish the results in public.  PCHR is also concerned over the increasing number of victims due to the use of firearms and so calls upon the competent authorities to take all necessary measures to end the proliferation of weapons and maintain civilians’ security and safety.