HTML clipboard
Press Release
In a very serious escalation, Israel shells a clinic with surface to surface missiles, killing a Palestinian physician
Ref: 14/2001
Date: April 10, 2001
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) expresses its profound concern regarding today’s serious escalation by Israel. PCHR calls upon the international community to intervene immediately and to put an end to Israeli violations against Palestinians and attacks against the Palestinian National Authority in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
At approximately 9:30 local time, Israel shelled two Palestinian security buildings with Surface to Surface missiles launched from inside Israel, from locations east of the Gaza Strip. As a result, a Palestinian physician was killed and 20 others were wounded. The wounded were evacuated to hospitals in the Gaza Strip for treatment. Furthermore, a number of buildings and facilities were severely damaged.
In the morning, two missiles launched from inside Israel from locations east of the Gaza Strip and adjacent to its northern area, were seen hitting a clinic in a Palestinian Marine Police compound at the seashore in Beit Lahia. Wae’l Khweiter, 28, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, a physician of the Palestinian Military Medical Service, died as a result of his abdominal and chest wounds. Additionally, Colonel Ghassan ‘Anabtawi, 50, from Al-Nasser neighborhood in Gaza City and a member of the Palestinian Military Medical Service, was wounded with shrapnel throughout the body. His ten-year-old child ‘Obeida, who was with her father at the time of the shelling, suffered a nervous breakdown. PCHR’s field officer in the northern area of the Gaza Strip reported that the clinic, a Palestinian Military Medical Service ambulance, and a civilian car were all destroyed.
At the same time, a third Surface to Surface missile, also launched from inside Israel east of the Gaza Strip, was seen hitting a building of the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service located in the center of the city of Deir El-Balah. As a result, 18 members of the Service were wounded and evacuated to Shifa’, Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospitals for treatment. PCHR’s field officer in the middle area of the Gaza Strip reported that the 300-square-meter, two-story building was severely damaged.
The wounded were:
1) Yahai El-S’eidni, 36, from Nusseirat refugee camp, who was wounded with shrapnel in the left leg;
2) Ahmed El-Shoreihi, 30, from Al-Maghazi refugee camp, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right hand;
3) Taher Ya’qoub ‘Ayash, 25, from Al-Remal neighborhood in Gaza City, who was wounded with shrapnel in the head and the right thigh;
4) ‘Abdullah Fathi ‘Eid, 24, from Deir El-Balah, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right thigh;
5) Nabil Ibrahim El-Rantisi, 35, from Deir El-Balah, who suffered from burns in the face and the hands;
6) ‘Emad ‘Ali El-Zore’e; 28, from Deir El-Balah, who was wounded with shrapnel in the head and burns in the face and the hands;
7) Hani Abu Hani, 36, from Al-Nasser neighborhood in Gaza City, who was wounded with shrapnel in the hands and the feet;
8) ‘Essam ‘Abdullah El-Moqayad, 34, from Sheikh Rdawan neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with shrapnel in the left hand and leg;
9) ‘Abdullah Abu Rekab, 36, from Deir El-Balah, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right leg;
10) Wessam Sabbah, 22, from Al-Maghazi refugee camp, who was wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;
11) ‘Abdullah Saleh El-Bashiti, 39, from Al-Maghazi refugee camp, who was wounded with shrapnel in the left foot;
12) Bassem ‘Abdel-Rahim Sa’id, 27, from Al-Maghazi refugee camp, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right leg;
13) Khaled Yousef Shehadeh, 30, from Gaza City, who was wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;
14) Hashem El-Mohashesh, 25, from Nusseirat refugee camp, who suffered from a break in the left foot;
15) Tawfiq El-Qrinawi, 36, from Nusseirat refugee camp, who suffered from bruises in the legs;
16) Sameh Ahmed Younis, 25, from Khan Yunis, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right leg;
17) Younis El-‘Azayzeh, 23, from Deir El-Balah, who suffered from bruises in the right foot; and
18) Mohammed Hussein Baker, 31, from Deir El-Balah, who was wounded with shrapnel and received bruises in the right thigh.
PCHR reiterates its condemnation of Israeli violations against Palestinians and attacks against the Palestinian National Authority. PCHR especially condemns the targeting of Palestinian medical personnel and clinics, in blatant violation of international humanitarian law. PCHR also calls for immediate international intervention and the provision of immediate international protection for the Palestinian people.
