Ref: 03/2014
Date: 9 January 2014
Time:10:44 GMT
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) demands the Attorney General in Gaza to seriously investigate the killing of a woman and 2 children in 2 familial disputes yesterday in Gaza and Jabalia. All were killed as a result of the use of firearms. PCHR calls upon the government in Gaza to take the necessary measures to put an end to the use of firearms in personal and familial disputes.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR and statements of eyewitnesses, at approximately 10:30 on Wednesday, 08 January 2014, a familial dispute erupted between Abu al-Khair and Qasem families in al-Zaitoun neighborhood, east of Gaza City. The dispute escalated with the use of firearms. As a result, Sohair Fo’ad Abu al-Khair (34) sustained a bullet wound to the shoulder while she was at home, and Mos’ab Mazen Azzam (10) sustained a bullet wound to the chest while he was with his peddler father. In addition, Jawad Majed Abu al-Khair (18) sustained a bullet wound to the lower back. The victims were taken to Shifa hospital in the city, where medical sources pronounced Sohair and Mos’ab dead. The Palestinian police arrived immediately, initiated an investigation and arrested a number of suspects.
In a separate incident, at approximately 16:20 the same day, Salim Abdul Hay Abu Eita (14) was admitted to Kamal Odwan hospital in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip. He was pronounced death upon arrival as a result of a bullet wound to the head. According to investigations conducted by PCHR and statements of eyewitnesses, a dispute about playing children erupted between Safi and Ghrayeb families in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip. The dispute escalated quickly to throwing stones by the two parties to the dispute. One of the parties then used a firearm and opened fire randomly. As a result, Abu Eita was shot dead. It should be noted that Abu Eita used to live in al-Zahra area, south of Gaza City, and was visiting his grandfather in Jabalia. The Palestinian police arrived, initiated an investigation and arrested the persons suspected of opening fire.
PCHR strongly condemns the killing of the woman and 2 children due to the use of firearms in familial disputes, which is part of the state of the misuse of weapons and assault on the rule of law in the occupied Palestinian territory, and:
