Ref: 64/2015
Date: 11 October 2015
Time: 12:00 GMT

Using excessive lethal force in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces killed in less than 12 hours 4 Palestinian civilians: a pregnant woman and her child in an airstrike on their house, and a young man and a child in a shooting incident. Moreover, they wounded 24 civilians, including three children and a woman. Thus, the number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip since Friday afternoon has increased to 11, including two children. In addition, the number of the wounded has reached 91, including 20 children and a woman.

In the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem, for the second consecutive week, Israeli forces have continued to open fire at Palestinian protestors in different areas, and the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since 01 October 2015, has risen to 11 while the number of Palestinians wounded by live and metal bullets has reached 590, including 74 children, six journalists, three women and a physician. Furthermore, dozens of Palestinian civilians have suffered tear gas inhalation or sustained bruises as they were chased by Israeli soldiers.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) regarding the Israeli escalation in the Gaza Strip, at approximately 15:45 on Saturday, 10 October 2015, a group of Palestinian young men and children headed to the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of al-Faraheen area in Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip. Once they approached the border fence, they started throwing stones at Israeli forces positioned behind the fence. Israeli forces sporadically fired live bullets and tear gas canisters in response. As a result, two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were killed and three others sustained moderate wounds. The civilians who were killed were identified as:

1. Marwan Hisham Na’im Barbakh (10), from Khan Yunis, hit by a live bullet to the left shoulder; and
2. Khalil Omer Mousa Othman (18), from Khan Yunis, hit by a live bullet to the chest.

In a heinous willful killing crime, Israeli warplanes raided a house without prior warning while its occupants were inside. As a result, a 5-month pregnant woman and her child were killed, the rest of the family were wounded and the house was completely destroyed.

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 02:10 on Sunday, 11 October 2015, an Israeli warplane fired two missiles at a 160-square-meter house belonging to Yehya Sa’di Mohammed Hassan (26) in al-Zaitoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City. As a result of the explosion that rocked the area, 5-month pregnant Nour Rasmi Mohammed Hassan (26) and her child, Rahaf Yehya Sa’di Hassan (3), were killed. Moreover, Nour’s husband sustained shrapnel wounds throughout his body and fractures to the legs and their son, Mohammed Yehya Sa’di Hassan (5), sustained shrapnel wounds throughout the body. Three others, who are the cousins of Yehya and living near his house, including a child, were wounded. They were identified as:

1. Mohammed Nasser Mohammed Hassan (23), wounded by shrapnel to the shoulder;
2. His sister Salsabeel (12), wounded by shrapnel throughout the body; and
3. Their mother Najah al-Abed Mohammed Hassan (45), wounded by shrapnel to the back.

In shooting incidents, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian protestors in the following areas: east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip; around Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip; and east of Gaza City. As a result, 11 Palestinian civilians were wounded, including three children.

In Hebron in the south of West Bank, on Saturday afternoon, Ibrahim Ahmed Awad (28) was pronounced dead as he succumbed to wounds he had sustained on 08 October 2015 during clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces. Awad was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the head. The clashes between Palestinian civilians and Israeli forces continued in different areas in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem. In occupied East Jerusalem, 30 Palestinian civilians were wounded yesterday; seven of whom were wounded by live bullets and the others sustained rubber-coated metal bullet wounds. Among the wounded were 3 journalists, including a female one. The wounded journalists were identified as:

1. Mona al-Qawasmi (40), a reporter at al-Quds Newspaper. She was wounded by a live bullet wound to the hand as an Israeli sniper fired at her directly.
2. Ali al-Diwani (24), a freelance photojournalist. He was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet wound to the chest; and
3. Feras al-Jo’ba (27), freelance photojournalist. He was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the chin.

Additionally, 27 Palestinian civilians, including four children, were wounded in different areas in Ramallah.

PCHR strongly condemns the use of excessive force by Israeli forces against the Palestinian civilians in disregard for the their lives. PCHR calls upon the international community to take immediate and effective actions to put an end to such crimes and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances, and 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.