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Press Release

The Israeli occupation forces commit a new crime in Bitounia;

Five members of the Palestinian National Security Forces are killed;

The Gaza Strip is shelled by combat helicopters and gunboats

Ref: 24/2001

Date: May 14, 2001

 This morning, at approximately 2:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces committed a new crime of willful killing in Bitounia in the south of Ramallah, when there were no clashes in the area.  Four members of the Palestinian National Security Forces – all of them are from the Gaza Strip and had not been able to come back to the strip due to the total siege imposed on the Occupied Palestinian Territories by the Israeli occupation forces since the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada – were killed.  According to a member of the Palestinian National security forces, who survived the incident, and an eyewitness living in the area, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at an under-construction house, which was seized by the Israeli forces during Al-Aqsa Intifada, in the southwest of Bitounia, opened fire at a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces, approximately 100m away from the aforementioned house.  Israeli occupation soldiers, positioned on a hill, 200m to the west of the aforementioned roadblock, also participated in shooting at the roadblock.  The area did not witness any clashes then.  Two of the six members of the roadblock were guarding and the other four were inside a tin-roofed room preparing food.  Five members were killed with live bullets in the heads and the chests, and the sixth miraculously survived after he sheltered in a hole behind the roadblock.  The five martyrs are:

1)                     Lieutenant Ahmed Mohammed Salman Zaqqout, 26, from Nusseirat refugee camp;

2)                     Soldier Mohammed Mahmoud Ibrahim Daoud, 21, from Al-Boreij refugee camp;

3)                     Soldier Mohammed ‘Ali Rajab El-Khaldi, 22, from Al-Boreij refugee camp;

4)                     Staff Sergeant Salah Ahmed Abu ‘Amra, 32, from Al-Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah, father of five children; and

5)                     Soldier   Ahmed Yousef Abu Mustafa, 22, from Khan Yunis. 

Such escalation came approximately two hours after intensive shelling carried out by combat helicopters of the Israeli occupation forces against the Gaza Strip. On Sunday, May 13, 2001, at approximately 24:00 local time, combat helicopters started to intensively shell several Palestinian security sites and facilities and houses in Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and the middle and northern areas of the Gaza Strip.  A number of security sites and nearby houses were damaged and a number of armored vehicles were destroyed.  Furthermore, a number of Palestinian civilians were injured. 

 In Khan Yunis, shells hit three Palestinian security sites and a residential area in Bani Suhaila village to the east of the city.  PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that two shells fell near two houses in Bani Suhaila village, where no security sites are located.  A number of Palestinian civilians were injured, and the two houses were severely and nearby houses were severely damaged.  The first is a 200-square-meter, two-story house, in which 17 people live, owned by Mohammed Ahmed Hussein El-Qarra.  Its walls, windows and doors were damaged, and four of its residents, including a 5-year-old child, were wounded with shrapnel, and a fifth one nervously broke down.  They were all evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis.  They are:

1)                     Ibrahim Maohammed El-Qarra, 5, wounded with shrapnel in the face and the hands;

2)                     Raja’ Ibrahim El-Qarra, 13, wounded with shrapnel in the right hand;

3)                     Faten Mohammed El-Qarra, 16, wounded with shrapnel in the face and the legs;

4)                     Aamena Ahmed El-Qarra, 47, wounded with shrapnel throughout the body; and

5)                     Safa’ Mohammed El-Qarra, 19, nervously broke down.

The other house is owned by ‘Abed Rabbu Ahmed Hussein El-Qarra.  It is a 200-square-meter, three-story house, in which 8 people live.  Its walls, windows and doors were damaged, and two residents of the house were wounded with shrapnel and were evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis.  They are:

1)                     Munther ‘Abed-Rabbu El-Qarra, 22, wounded with shrapnel in the legs; and

2)                     Tehani Fathi El-Qarra, 30, wounded with shrapnel in the face.

Following is a list of Palestinian houses that were damaged when combat helicopters of the Israeli occupation forces shelled Bani Suhaila village:

Three shells also hit a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Al-Qarara village, to the northeast of Khan Yunis.  The site was severely damaged and two vehicles were destroyed.  Moreover, two members of the site were wounded as follows:

1)                     Ziad Ahmed Abu Hayeh, 26, wounded with shrapnel in the forehead and the left hand; and

2)                     Ashraf Mohammed Abu Sultan, 25, wounded with shrapnel in the forehead.

Furthermore, a number of Palestinian houses were damaged and two Palestinian civilians were wounded.  The two were evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis.  They are:

1)                     The child Mahmoud Riad Hejazi, 2.5, wounded with shrapnel in the face and nervously broke down; and

2)                     Mohammed ‘Aayesh Zayed El-Qedra, wounded with shrapnel in the left hand and foot. 

Additionally, Hekmat Nassar El-Qedra, 35, pregnant in the fifth month, was evacuated to Nasser hospital after she nervously broke down.

Following is a list of Palestinian houses damaged in Al-Qarra village:

Another shell also hit a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area in the north of Khan Yunis.  Two members of the site were wounded as follows:

1)                     Akram ‘Abdel-Qader Abu Suleiman, 22, wounded with shrapnel in the right leg; and

2)                     Ismail Salman Khalafallah, 22, wounded with shrapnel in the right arm.

Additionally, three houses in the area were partially damaged as shown in the following table:

A shell also hit a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Al-Satar Al-Sharqi area in the north of Khan Yunis.  Two vehicles in the targeted site were destroyed, but no injuries were reported. 

 In Gaza City, shells destroyed three Palestinian military vehicles inside Ansar Compound in Al-Remal neighborhood.  In the northern area of the Gaza Strip, shells destroyed two vehicles inside a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Zemmu area in the east of Jabalya.  PCHR’s field officer in the northern area of the Gaza Strip reported that the targeted site is near Palestinian houses.  Windows of a 220-square-meter, two-story house, in which 16 people live, owned by Talal Salameh Abu Fureih, broke.

 Before such shelling, at approximately 23:00 local time, gunboats of the Israeli occupation forces shelled a site of the Palestinian Marine Police in the west of Nusseirat refugee camp, 200m away from the seashore.  The site was hit with 10 shells that made holes 15cm in diameter in its western side.

 PCHR condemns such continued escalation in the use of excessive forces by the Israeli occupation forces.  PCHR calls upon the international community and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to immediately intervene to put an end to crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians and property, and to force Israel to comply with its obligations under the Convention.