Press Release

Israel imposes war over Intifada

Combat helicopters and gunboats of the Israeli occupation forces shell Gaza:

Two Palestinian civilians killed and dozens more wounded

 Ref: 175/2000

Yesterday, at approximately 18:00 local time, combat helicopters and gunboats of the Israeli occupation forces began a violent shelling of cities and villages in the Gaza Strip. The bombardment lasted for more than three hours during which electricity was cut to several neighborhoods of Gaza City. More than 1.2 million people of the Gaza Strip endured a terrifying night that was even worse than the one experienced October 12, 2000, when the Israeli occupation forces first shelled the Gaza Strip from the air and the sea. Hundreds of thousands of people left their houses fearing they might be injured by shells that were seen in the sky, targeting both civilian and security buildings and facilities. Sounds of explosions were heard throughout the Gaza Strip. PCHR considers the latest escalation by the Israeli occupation forces, which included the shelling of cities and continued shooting at Palestinian civilians, to be a grave implementation of aggressive military operations against the Palestinian people.

Yesterday, the Israeli occupation forces escalated their military actions against Palestinian civilians. Consequently, a Palestinian young man from Rafah was shot dead and dozens more were wounded in areas of clashes. In addition, a 69-year-old Palestinian civilian from Rafah died from inhaling tear gas about a week ago. Field information indicates that the Israeli occupation forces targeted the upper part of the body when shooting at Palestinian civilians and that these forces did not use less lethal means to deal with demonstrators. In the past 24 hours, the Israeli occupation forces shelled residential neighborhoods and civilian facilities and swept more areas of agricultural land.

Note: This daily press release was supposed to be issued yesterday evening as usual, but it was delayed because of the shelling of the Gaza Strip and the cutting of electricity. At the time of this press release, it was not possible to wholly cover the damages resulted from yesterday’s shelling. This damage will be detailed in this evening’s press release.

In Rafah, the Israeli occupation forces shot dead Ibrahim Ahmed Hssan Othman, 17 years old, with a live bullet in the heart. This incident took place at about 16:30, when a number of Palestinian boys gathered 100 meters away from a settlement line that links Jewish settlements in Rafah and those in Khan Yunis. An eyewitness stated that the Israeli occupation forces shot rubber-coated metal bullets when there were no clashes. Then, Palestinian boys started to throw stones at these forces. Soon, a sniper of these forces shot two live bullets at Palestinian boys, killing Othman, and wounding the child Nemer Zuhair El-Basiouni, 15 years old, with a live bullet in the arm.

Yesterday, at about 10:30, a bulldozer of Rafah Municipality was passing through Khaled Ben El-Walid street, about 70 meters away from Salah El-Din Gate on the Palestinian-Egyptian border. The Israeli occupation forces willfully shot at the bulldozer when the area was not witnessing any clashes, according to the driver of the bulldozer, Fathi Hamdan El-Shae’r, who also asserted that the shooting was from a gun provided with a silencer. The shooting resulted in the wounding of Rafat Abu Lebdeh, 30 years old, a worker of Rafah Municipality, with a live bullet in the shoulder; and the child Mohammed Zourob, 14 years old, who was passing by the area, with a live bullet in the thigh.

In Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, yesterday morning, Hamed Jaber Mohammed Al-Qotatti, 69 years old, from Rafah was pronounced dead from inhaling tear gas used by the Israeli occupation forces on November 16, 2000. PCHR learned that Al-Qotatti was in his daughter’s house near Salah El-Din Gate in Rafah, when he inhaled tear gas. He was evacuated to Nasser hospital with difficulties in breathing. He was put in the intensive care unit until he died yesterday.

In Khan Yunis, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian civilians, wounding seven with live ammunition. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that yesterday afternoon, Akram Ahmed, 28 years old, a schoolteacher, was wounded with a live bullet in the testicle that also hit the thigh, when he was leaving Al-Shafe’iy mosque, about 150 meters away from a military post of the Israeli occupation forces adjacent to Neve Dekalim settlement. PCHR’s field officer added that Ahmed was shot by a gun provided with a silencer. Another six Palestinian civilians were wounded with live ammunition shot by the Israeli occupation forces. Four of the wounded received bullets in the upper part of the body; they are:

1. Ibrahim Hassan El-Moqannan, 15 years old, critically wounded with a live bullet in the head that penetrated his eye. He was evacuated to Nasser hospital;
2. Rae’d Bashir Al-Najjar, 22 years old, critically wounded with a live bullet in the chest; and
3. Wae’l Joma’a Barhoum, seriously wounded in the pelvis.

In the area near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City, the Israeli occupation forces fired live bullets and shells at a number of Palestinian civilians, wounding 18. Among the wounded was press photographer Marwan Fares El-Ghoul, 38 years old, from Al-Shati refugee camp, who was 30 meters away from a tank of the Israeli occupation forces, covering clashes between these forces and Palestinian civilians. It was clear to these forces that El-Ghoul was a journalist, as he was wearing a special uniform and carrying his camera on his shoulder; however, they willfully shot at him, wounding him with a bullet in the foot. This sort of attack against journalist has become commonplace in the past few weeks. Others among the wounded were:

1. Sami Jamal El-Sowayer, 20 years old, from Al-Daraj neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a shell that cut his right foot and hit him in with splinters in the chest;
2. Zuhair Mustafa El-Lahham, 17 years old, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood in Gaza City, seriously wounded with splinters of a shell in the head;
3. Asa’d Khalil El-Sheghniwi, 22 years old, from Al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the head;
4. Hussein Baker El-Ne’izi, 17 years old, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the neck that caused complete paralysis;
5. Qassem El-Baraqoni, 16 years old, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen; and
6. Rae’d Ziad Sbeita, 14 years old, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood in Gaza City, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the chest.

Yesterday, at about 18:00 local time, combat helicopters and gunboats of the Israeli occupation forces started a violent shelling of cities and neighborhoods in the Gaza Strip. Such shelling lasted for more than three hours and targeted both civilian and security facilities and buildings. PCHR’s field workers are currently gathering information about the damage and losses caused by this escalation by the Israeli occupation forces. This violence directed at Palestinian civilians has become a part of the daily life of Palestinian civilians. As was mentioned above, our daily report of this evening will detail the shelling of the Gaza Strip. The following part of the report will detail shelling and shooting by the Israeli occupation forces 24 hours before yesterday’s shelling.

At Sunday midnight, the Israeli occupation forces shelled a number of residential neighborhoods in Khan Yunis. This shelling with heavy weapons lasted from 12:30 local time until Monday morning, and was from Neve Dekalim settlement, in the west of Khan Yunis, and Gani Tal, in the northwest of Khan Yunis. A number of Palestinian houses were hit with heavy and medium bullets, causing severe damage to walls and windows. Bullets also hit internal parts of these houses. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that some of the targeted houses are 300 meters away from Gani Tal settlement, and others are in the center of Khan Yunis, 2-3 kilometers from the mentioned settlement. PCHR’s field officer added that no injuries were reported. The buildings that got the most severe damage were:

1. The house of Mahmoud Abdel-A’zziz Kellab: water reservoirs on the roof were hit and windows were destroyed.
2. The house of Mahmoud Ahmed El-Dawahidi: water reservoirs on the roof were hit with bullets and windows were destroyed.
3. A medium caliber bullet hit the headquarters of the ICRC in Khan Yunis; specifically, the room of the representative of ICRC, Amal Al-E’deini.
4. A two-story building in the center of Khan Yunis, owned by the Al-Agha family, was hit and pockmarked with holes in external walls.
5. A bullet penetrated the roof of a watch maintenance shop, about three kilometers to the south of Gani Tal settlement, owned by Nabil El-Halabi.
6. Houses owned by the families of El-Aqqad, El-Astal, Wafi, El-Majayda and El-Khatib were severely damaged.

Yesterday morning, the Israeli occupation forces started to sweep large areas of agricultural land on the western side of Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip), 200 meters to the south of Kfar Darom settlement. They swept 50 donums of agricultural land planted with palms, owned by Ne’mat Al-Agha. The sweeping also included a 12-square-meter room used as a place for meetings, owned by Ahmed Abdel-Majid Abu Meghasib.

From Sunday, at about 22:00 local time, until Monday morning, the Israeli occupation forces swept areas of agricultural land, 300 meters to the south of Kfar Darom settlement. PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that the sweeping included:

1. A 30-donum area of agricultural land planted with oranges, owned by Abdel-Qader Abdel-Rahman Abu Bashir; and
2. A seven-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Yousef Abu Bashir.

The sweeping also included areas of agricultural land 500 meters to the north of the junction leading to Kissufim Crossing on the Green Line. This sweeping included:

1. A three-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Hammad Abu Haddaf; and
2. A four-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Sae’id Abed Rabbo Abu Haddaf.

No changes have taken place concerning the reinforcement by the Israeli occupation forces of their presence throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. In the Gaza Strip, tanks and armored vehicles of the Israeli occupation forces are still stationed on Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip), near the roads leading to Gush Qatif settlement block and the settlements of Kfar Darom and Morag, and on the road leading to Kissufim Crossing in the east. Yesterday morning, the Israeli occupation forces closed Salah El-Din Street near Kfar Darom settlement, less than 24 hours after it was reopened. Palestinian civilians have been facing difficulties in moving between the north and south of the Gaza Strip. PCHR’s field officers reported that they have been resorting to a branch road of Salah El-Din Street, to the east of Kfar Darom settlement. Yesterday afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces allowed the passing of Palestinian civilians, but on foot. These civilians were forced to walk a distance of more than 1 kilometer before resuming their travel from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip and vice versa.

As a result of closing Salah El-Din Street and the alternative branch road, this morning, the Israeli occupation forces obstructed the passing of an ambulance in which a 4-year-old child, injured in a car accident, was being evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City. The ambulance was blocked at a roadblock of the Israeli occupation forces, in the area of Kfar Darom settlement, for six hours. Later, they allowed its passing through Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area.

Also yesterday afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces completely closed Al-Tuffah roadblock between Khan Yunis City and Al-Mawasi area with cement blocks. Palestinian civilians on their way from Khan Yunis City to their houses in Al-Mawasi area have been checked and humiliated by the Israeli occupation forces at the mentioned roadblock. Cars also have been prevented from passing, so Palestinian civilians, including the elderly, have been forced to walk a distance of more than three kilometers from the roadblock to their houses.

In Rafah, all branch roads leading to Rafah Border Crossing have been closed since November 16, 2000. This increases the suffering of residents of Rafah and obstructs the access of farmers to their agricultural land near the Border Crossing on the

Palestinian-Egyptian border.

The Israeli occupation forces have continued to isolate Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area in the west of Rafah and Khan Yunis, causing a deterioration in the living conditions of residents.

The Israeli occupation forces have continued to impose a sea siege on the southern area of the Gaza Strip since November 10, 2000, preventing Palestinian fishermen from going out to sea. A number of fishermen stated that they have not been able to remove their nets from the sea since November 9, 2000. They believe that these nets will be damaged by the extended delay.

The Israeli occupation forces have kept up their actions of collective punishment by continuing to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories and by closing Gaza International Airport and Rafah Border Crossing.

1. Establishing without delay an independent commission of inquiry, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1322 (2000), to carry out a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the abuses and killings perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians.
2. Convening a conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention.
3. Immediately providing international protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories in the face of the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces and groups of Jewish settlers who move under the protection of these forces.
4. Use by the EU of effective political and economic measures with reference to Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which calls for the respect of human rights.
5. Providing humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people whose living conditions are increasingly deteriorating because of the continued total siege imposed by the Israeli occupation forces on the entire occupied Palestinian territories.