Ref: 18/2014
Date: 22 February 2014
Time: 10:00 GMT

In an excessive use of force, Israeli forces wounded 12 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and a journalist, when they opened fire at dozens of civilians protesting against them on Friday afternoon, 21 February 2014, east of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 13:00 on Friday, 21 February 2014, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of al-Shuhada’ cemetery, east of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters at a group of boys and young men. The group of civilians was protesting at Israeli forces and attempting to throw stones at the Israeli forces near the fence. The clashes lasted until 18:00, in which 12 civilians, including 2 children and a journalist were wounded. Six of whom, including a child, sustained wounds by live ammunition and 2 others sustained wounds by rubber-coated metal bullets.

One of the wounded was Khaled Atef Hassan al-Sabbah (20), from al-Shati’ refugee camp, a photojournalist for many news agencies including Anatolia news agency and the Tunisian al-Mashreq news agency. Al-Sabbah was filming 400 meters away from the clashes when he sustained a bullet wound to the right leg. He had fractures as a result.

The 4 others were hit by gas canisters, including a 15-year-old boy who was hit by a gas canister to the head which caused fractures in his skull. The boy’s injury was serious. Nine of the wounded were taken to Martyr Kamal Odwan hospital in Beit Lahia by PRCS ambulances, while the 3 others were taken to Shifa hospital in Gaza City. Medical sources described their wounds as moderate.

(PCHR keeps the names of the wounded)

PCHR severely condemns these crimes, which once again prove the use of excessive force by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians. PCHR calls upon the international community to take immediate and effective actions and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; to respect and to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances. PCHR also calls upon the international community to fulfill their obligation under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention. These grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions.