Ref: 23/2014
Date: 01 March 2014
Time: 11:00 GMT

In excessive use of force, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian suffering from a mental disorder when they opened fire at her on Friday, 28 February 2014, as she approached the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. The woman bled to death and was found only the following morning. In a separate incident Israeli forces wounded a Palestinian civilian when they opened fire at dozens of civilians protesting on Friday afternoon, east of Jabalia village, in the northern Gaza Strip.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 21:00 on Friday, 28 February 2014, Israeli forces positioned along the border fence, east of Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire at Amena Attiya Mahmoud Qudeih (57), from Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, who is suffering from a mental disorder, when she approached the border fence. As a result, the aforementioned person sustained a bullet wound to the left side. An ICRC ambulance arrived later following coordination with the Israeli forces. They searched for the body until 02:30, but to no avail. They returned at approximately 06:30. After the initial search came to a halt a number of her relatives went to the area and found her body near the border fence. She sustained a bullet wound that entered her left side and exited from the right one. They carried her and ran over 400 meters away. They then transported her by a cart for around other 200 meters where they reached Khuza’a village. An ambulance arrived and took her to Gaza European hospital.

Her brother said to PCHR’s fieldworker that the diseased had been suffering from a mental disorder for 15 years. She went out to attend a wedding party of a family member near her house in Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. She lost her way and approached the border fence, east of Khuza’a village, where she was fired at by Israeli forces.

At approximately 14:45 on the same day, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of al-Shuhada’ cemetery, east of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group of youngsters near the fence using live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets. Khaled Waleed al-Nimnim (20), from Jabalia village, sustained a bullet wound to the left leg. He was taken to Kamal Odwan hospital and his wound was described as moderate.

PCHR severely condemns these crimes, which once again prove the use of excessive force by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians. PCHR calls upon the international community to take immediate and effective actions and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; to respect and to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances. PCHR also calls upon the international community to fulfill 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.