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| PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights PRESS RELEASE |
|
Ref: 96/2005
Date: 09 August 2005
Time: 10:30 GMT
International Organizations Staff Kidnapped in Gaza
In the context of the ever-deteriorating internal security situation, three UNRWA staff members were kidnapped by an armed group in Khan Yunis, but Palestinian security services were able to free them after one hour. This incident was preceded by a series of similar incidents, including shooting at the offices of the ICRC in Khan Yunis. The ICRC decided to close these offices and suspend its field activities in the Gaza Strip as a result.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 12:15 on Monday, 8 August 2005, a number of masked gunmen, who were traveling in a civilian car, chased an UNRWA jeep, in which two UNRWA international staff members and a driver were traveling in Khan Yunis. The gunmen fired a number of live bullets at the tires of the jeep and forced the driver to stop. They then kidnapped the UNRWA staff members, taking them and their jeep towards the al-Sikka area in Khan Yunis. Immediately, Palestinian security services chased the kidnappers. An exchange of gunfire erupted between the two sides, but the kidnappers were able to escape towards a house in the area, where they held the three kidnapped UNRWA staff members. Following intervention by some public figures in the town, the hostages were released. The kidnappers were able to escape, however.
The three UNRWA staff members who were kidnapped are:
1. Christina Blunt, British;
2. Stefan Ziegler, Swiss; and
3. Rasmi Ba’lousha, Palestinian.
As a result of the exchange of fire between the kidnappers and Palestinian security services, two civilian bystanders were wounded:
1. Jamal Hisham Barbakh, 28, wounded by a live bullet to the right knee; and
2. Basheer ‘Awad al-Masri, 45, wounded by a live bullet to the left thigh.
This incident occurred in the context of tension that had spread over Khan Yunis since Sunday afternoon, 7 August 2005, when the Palestinian Preventive Security Service (PSS) arrested Suleiman al-Farra, Director of the Media Office at the Secretariat of the Central Committee in Fatah. A number of gunmen gathered near the headquarters of the PSS and opened fire in the air. At approximately 15:30, gunmen broke into and seized control over the headquarters of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in the al-Amal neighborhood of Khan Yunis and demanded al-Farra’s release. A number of other gunmen rushed into the streets, where they forced traders to close their shops and set fire to tires. At approximately 19:00, the gunmen left the headquarters of the Palestine Red Crescent Society but soon after, at approximately 19:30, a number of gunmen moved towards the Municipality of Khan Yunis and attempted to seize control over its offices. These gunmen attacked some journalists who were near offices of the Municipality. One of the gunmen threw a sound bomb at the journalists, injuring one of them, 32-year-old Nahid ‘Abdul Hadi al-Khatib. The gunmen managed to take control over the offices of the Municipality and demanded al-Farra’s release. They remained there until 22:30.
In another apparently related development, at approximately 21:00 on Sunday, 7 August 2005, a number of unknown gunmen fired at the offices of the ICRC in Khan Yunis. They also threw a number of home-made hand grenades near the offices. No casualties were reported, but the offices were damaged. Subsequently, the ICRC decided to close its offices in Khan Yunis and to suspend its field activities in the Gaza Strip, due to the increased security risks for their staff.
PCHR is increasingly concerned at the deteriorating internal security situation and attacks on the rule of law, including kidnappings that have targeted internationals in the Gaza Strip:
1. PCHR calls upon the Palestinian National Authority to take strict measures, in accordance with the law, to stop such attacks and bring their perpetrators to justice.
2. PCHR believes that the failure to take effective measures against perpetrators of kidnapping crimes recently, has served to encourage the recurrence of such crimes.
3. PCHR regrets the decision that the ICRC was forced to take with regard to the closure of its offices in Khan Yunis and the cancellation of its field activities in the Gaza Strip. PCHR appreciates the safety concerns for ICRC and other international staff in the current climate, however, which has led to this decision. The necessity to take such action before the implementation of the Israeli “Disengagement Plan” in the Gaza Strip is regrettable, as more intensive activity by the ICRC and other international organizations will be required in the Occupied Palestinian Territory during this period.
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Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
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