Ref: 66/2003

On Tuesday, 13 May 2003, in
a serious escalation in military activity, Israeli occupying forces invaded
Khan Yunis refugee camp reinforced with more than 100 heavy military vehicles
and supported by Apache gunships. The 4-hour military operation left 26
Palestinian houses totally destroyed and more than 30 others damaged. The
operation was accompanied by intense shelling of Palestinian residential areas,
terrifying innocent Palestinian civilians, especially children, women and old
and handicapped people, who escaped from their homes in search of refuge.  Approximately 20 Palestinians, including 6
children, were also wounded. 

According to PCHR’s
investigation, at approximately 21:30 on Tuesday, 13 May 2003, more than 30
Israeli heavy military vehicles, including 3 bulldozers, moved into al-Sad
al-‘Aali and al-Qatatwa in the northwest and west of Khan Yunis refugee camp.
The Israeli military vehicles moved from two directions: from the so-called
“al-Nouria” military location, west of the camp, and from military
locations in the vicinity of al-Tuffah military checkpoint and “Neve
Dekalim” settlement.  Two US-made
Apache gunships flew over the area to cover the incursion.  Israeli forces also fired flare bombs.  According to eyewitnesses, dozens of Israeli tanks
moved from other directions and surrounded the entire Khan Yunis district. 

Israeli occupying forces
shelled houses in al-Sad al-‘Aali and al-Qatatwa areas.  Israeli forces deployed in the quarter of the
Abu Mustafa family and called on the residents of the area through megaphones
to evacuate their houses, signaling that they would
be demolished.  Israeli soldiers then
planted explosives in two houses belonging to the Abu Mustafa family and
detonated them.  As a result, 11 neighboring
houses were totally destroyed and more than 30 others
were severely damaged.  Soon after,
Israeli military bulldozers totally demolished 9 houses and 2 others partially.
The electricity and telephone towers and branch roads on al-Bahar Street, the
refugee camp’s main street, were severely damaged.  

In al-Qatatwa area in the
west of the camp, Israeli occupying forces totally demolished 4 houses.  They also fired a shell at a store of
foodstuffs located below a 5-storey apartment building owned by Fayez ‘Ouda Abu
‘Akar.  The store totally was
severely damaged. 

At approximately 23:45, an
Israeli helicopter gunship launched a missile at about 50 Palestinian
civilians, including women and children, who escaped from their home to seek
refuge when they thought that Israeli forces had withdrawn from the area.  As a result, 16 civilians, including 6
children, were injured. One of them, ‘Alaa’ Mohammed Madhi, 16, sustained
serious injuries.  According to residents
of the two areas, Israeli occupying forces withdrew at approximately 01:00 on
Wednesday, 14 May 2003, leaving widespread destruction. According to medical
sources, ambulances faced difficulties in attending the wounded as Israeli
forces were firing indiscriminately. 

The Israeli military
operation left 36 families (247 civilians) homeless and the homes of more than
30 families (200 civilians) were severely damaged.

PCHR reiterates its
condemnation for the daily violations of human rights, which constitute war
crimes, perpetrated by Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian
civilians.  PCHR expresses concern for
the failure of the international community to provide protection for
Palestinian civilians and property.  PCHR
asserts that the silence of the international community towards violations of
international human rights and humanitarian law in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories serves to encourage Israeli occupying forces to escalate such
violations against Palestinian civilians who are protected under the Fourth
Geneva Convention of 1949. 

PCHR calls upon:

1. The international community to provide immediate
protection for the Palestinian civilian population.

2. The High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention of 1949 to take steps to halt the recent escalation of Israeli
aggression.

3. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to
immediately visit the Occupied Palestinian Territories to witness the violations
of Palestinian civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. 

4. Humanitarian organizations to provide immediate aid
for the victims of violations of human rights perpetrated by Israeli occupying
forces. 

The Israeli policy of
forcible migration adopted against Palestinian civilians, which includes the
systematic demolition and destruction of houses, has had a disastrous impact on
the thousands of Palestinian civilians who have been made homeless as a result.
Destruction of civilian property throughout the world should be considered a
war crime, whose perpetrators should be brought to justice in accordance with
international humanitarian law.