Press Release

Israeli occupation forces shell houses and kill Palestinian civilians:

Ambulances and flour trucks are hit with shells;

Four Palestinian civilians killed;

Amnesty International Mission denied access to the Gaza Strip

Ref: 180/2000

Date: November 25, 2000

Time: 17:30GMT

19:30Palestine Time

Today, the Israeli occupation forces escalated their human rights violations and killing of Palestinian civilians. A Palestinian laborer from Khan Yunis was killed with a shell while he was unloading a truck loaded with food supplies. Another three Palestinian civilians were killed in Jenin and Nablus with live bullets shot by the Israelki occupation forces. In an attempt to hide conceal these deplorable actions, the Israeli occupation forces denied access to the Gaza Strip of the Amnesty International Mission team, headed by Louise Hodgekin. This is the second consecutive day that AI has been denied access despite advance coordination undertaken by the office in London for the past four day. This morning, the mission waited on the Israeli side of Erez Checkpoint for several hours without being able to enter the Gaza Strip. The past 24 hours witnessed the firing of shells and heavy and medium bullets at Palestinian civilians and houses in Khan Yunis. PCHR is deeply worried by the lethal use of force, especially the firing of shells and live ammunition at Palestinian civilians. This Israeli-perpetrated escalation of violence is made more grave by the fact that the international community watches the massive human rights abuses committed by the Israeli occupation forces without taking crucial steps to put an end to such violations and thereby save the lives of Palestinian civilians.

This afternoon, at about 16:25 local time, the Israeli occuption forces, positioned at Al-Tuffah roadblock in Khan Yunis, fired shells at the Khan Yunis refugee camp. One of the shells hit Tayseer A’dnan Hammad Abu Al-A’rraj, 18 years old, in the chest, killing him. Eyewitnesses said that Al-A’rraj was unloading a container loaded with flour, more than 250 meters away from the military post of the Israeli occupation forces. PCHR’s field officer reported that another shell penetrated the side of the container, making a hole 18 centimeters in diameter. Splinters of shells wounded another two laborers; they are:

1. Rae’d Fayez Abu A’kkar, 18 years old, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body; and
2. Hammad Fayez Abu Al-A’rraj, 18 years old, wounded by shrapnel in the feet.

Another shell hit an ambulance of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, which was 150 meters away from the military post of the Israeli occupation forces. As a result, driver A’wni Hamdan Al-Agha, 47 years old, and nurse Sami Ibrahim Abu Namous, 30 years old, were wounded by shrapnel throughout the body. Additionally, another 25 civilians were wounded, some seriously, as a result of shrapnel from shells. Shells also caused damage to an ambulance of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.

PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the area did was not witnessing any clashes when the Israeli occupation forces suddenly fired shells at Palestinian civilians. This incident is a serious escalation by the Israeli occupation forces. These forces are firing shells not only at houses and civilian facilities, but also directly against Palestinian civilians.

PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis added that nine Palestinian civilians were wounded in the area (Al-Tuffah roadblock) this morning, when the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators. Another Palestinian civilian was wounded near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, when the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators this afternoon.

In Jenin, this afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators near Al-Jalama roadblock, killing Amjad A’zmi Husni, 21 years old, from Jenin, with a live bullet in the abdomen.

In the village of A’rrabeh in Jenin, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian civilians, killing Abdel-Mone’m Mohammed Ezziddin, 17 years old, with a live bullet in the head.

In the area near the refugee camp of Balatta in Nablus, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators near Nablus-Al-Quds street, killing Fuad A’dnan Doweikat (Hammad), 27 years old, with a live bullet in the back that reached the heart. PCHR learned that another 16 Palestinian civilians were wounded with bullets during clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces, including journalist Rebhi El-Kobri, who was wounded with three rubber-coated metal bullets while covering clashes at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh.

Yesterday evening, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Ziad Khali Abu Jazar, 22 years old, from Rafah, wounding him critically with several live bullets in the chest, the left arm, the left thigh and the left leg. He died half an hour after being evacuated to hospital. According to an investigation carried out by PCHR’s staff, Abu Jazar was physically handicapped as a result of weakness in the legs. He lived in the area where the incident took place. He was not participating in clashes with, or activities against the Israeli occupation forces, when he was shot by a tank positioned at Salah El-Din Gate on the Palestinian-Egyptian border in Rafah. An eyewitness said: “On Friday, November 24, 2000, at about 19:00 (local time), I was in the consolation house of the martyr Najib Qeshta in Qeshta neighborhood, about 200 meters away from Salah El-Din Gate on the borderline with Egypt. I was looking towards the south (the Gate). I noted sounds of shooting (about 20 live bullets). I think they targeted the military post of the Israeli occupation forces there. Shortly after that, I saw a young man coming from a branch road to the west of Omar Ben El-Khattab Street, walking slowly. I heard sounds of shooting and saw red flashes of live bullets shot by the Israeli tank, wounding the young man who was about 150 meters away. The young man fell to the ground. Shooting at the young man and around him was intensive and lasted for one minute. I saw another young man going toward the wounded young man to offer help. The Israeli occupation forces shot at the second young men. He flattened himself on the ground. Shooting stopped (later it was known that the second young man was not injured). One minute later, I, with seven young men, who were in the consolation house, went toward the two young men and two civilian cars followed us. We evacuated the two young men to the clinic of Al-Joneina neighborhood. It was then that I realized that the wounded young man was a physically handicapped relative of mine. About half an hour later, a physician told us that he had died.”

PCHR, according to investigations carried out by its staff, asserts that the shooting of Abu Jazar is an example of willful killing, added to the long record of the Israeli occupation forces’ human rights violations against Palestinian civilians. PCHR reiterates its assertion that the Israeli occupation forces continue to threaten the lives and safety of Palestinian civilians, especially in the areas near military posts of these forces.

Yesterday afternoon, tanks of the Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement and Al-Tuffah roadblock between Khan Yunis city and Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area – an area under the control of the Israeli occupation forces – opened fire from their heavy and medium weapons on Palestinian civilians in the west of the refugee camp of Khan Yunis, which is 150-200 meters away from military posts of the Israeli occupation forces. Shells and heavy and medium bullets were fired. People in the area were terrified and were forced to abandon their houses under extremely heavy fire. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that a number of Palestinian civilians were wounded with live bullets and shrapnel from shells. Among the wounded were:

1. Ossama Ibrahim Abu Namous, 25 years old, wounded by a live bullet in the head;
2. Hassan Jaber Abu Radwan, 20 years old, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen;
3. Anwar Ali Abu Obeida;
4. Fuad Mahmoud Hneideq, 38 years old, wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh, while he was moving his children out of his house;
5. A’aref Salem Abu Obeida, 34 years old, wounded by a live bullet in the pelvis;
6. Ma’rouf Ali Abu Obeida, 30 years old, wouunded by shrapnel in the right foot;
7. Mohammed Khali Abu Louz, 30 years old, wounded by shrapnel in the left leg;
8. Mohammed Tawfiq Shorrab, 24 years old, wounded by shrapnel in the foot;
9. Kamal Joudeh Jad El-Hassan, 34 years old, wounded by shrapnel in the hand;
10. Saber Hassan Abu Obeida, 35 years old, wounded with by shrapnel in the feet;
11. Mohammed Shukri El-Babli, 28 years old, wounded by shrapnel in the foot;
12. Ahmed Abdel-Qader Ibrahim, 18 years old, wounded by shrapnel in the face;
13. Tawfiq Jaber; 45 years old, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand; and
14. Mowaffaq Abdel-Qader Ibrahim, 24 years old, wounded by shrapnel in the face.

Houses in the west of Khan Yunis refugee camp were severely damaged as a result of the shelling. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported the damage as follows:

1. The house of brothers Ibrahim and Abdullah Shoreiqi Abu Obeid, a 300-square-meter, four story house, in which 18 people live, was hit with eight shells that made holes 10 centimeters in diameter in the walls of the western and southern façades. In addition, windows were broken and a number of external doors were hit with bullets that caused a fire that burned some of the furniture.
2. The house of A’adel Salem Abu Obeid, a 160-square-meter, two story house, was hit with four shells that made holes 10 centimeters in diameter in the walls of the western and southern façades, broke windows and destroyed water reservoirs on the roof.
3. The house of brothers Hussein and Jehad Hassan Abu Khureis, a 300-square-meter asbestos-roofed house, in which four people live, was hit with heavy bullets that made holes three centimeters in diameter in the walls, and destroyed windows. In addition, a civilian car of the family was hit.
4. The house of Salim Abed Salim Abu Ammouneh, an 80-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which four people live, was hit with heavy bullets that made holes three centimeters in diameter in the walls, and destroyed the roof and a water reservoir on it.
5. The house of brothers Jaber and Nabil Ali Abu Shoqeir, a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 15 people live, was hit with heavy bullets that made holes three centimeters in diameter in the external walls, and destroyed the roof and penetrated internal walls, causing severe damage to furniture. Bullets also penetrated a water reservoir and a satellite reception network on the roof.
6. The house of Ibrahim Atteya Abu Namous, a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 20 people live, was hit with heavy bullets that made holes in the roof and a water reservoir on it.
7. The house of Khaled Abu Louz, a 200-square-meter, two story house, in which ten people live, was hit with a shell that made a hole 10 centimeters in diameter in the external wall, and broke windows. PCHR’s field officer could not reach the house to check the damage.
8. The house of Kamel Mohammed Abu A’kar, a 180-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 13 people live, was hit with heavy bullets that made holes in the roof and water reservoirs on it.
9. The house of Ibrahim Ali Mohammed Abu Awadh, a 120-square-meter, three-story house, in which 22 people live, was hit with heavy bullets that made holes 3-4 centimeters in diameter in the walls, broke windows and furniture. In addition, water reservoirs on the roof were hit with bullets.
10. The house of Shehadeh Ali Abu Awadh, a 120-square-meter, two-story house, in which 15 people live, was hit with heavy bullets that made holes 3-5 centimeters in diameter in the walls, and broke windows.
11. The house of Mohammed Salim Abu Ammouneh, a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which seven people live, was hit with heavy bullets that completely destroyed the roof.
12. The house of Rae’d El-Battash, a 90-square-meter house, in which eight people live, was hit with a shell that penetrated water reservoirs and hit the roof, making a hole 10 centimeters in diameter.
13. The house of Abed Hussein Boreis, a 300-square-meter, three-story house, in which ten people live, was hit with heavy bullets that made holes in the external walls of the second and third floors, and broke windows and furniture.
14. The house of Mohammed Hassan Abu Rezeq, a 160-square-meter, two-story house, in which 12 people live, was hit with heavy bullets that made holes 3-5 centimeters in diameter in the walls, and destroyed the asbestos roof of the second floor, windows and internal doors.
15. The house of Khaled Mohammed Hassan Abu Rezeq, a 140-square-meter house, in which 10 people live, was hit with heavy and medium bullets that made holes 3-5 centimeters in diameter in the external walls. Some of the bullets penetrated internal walls and caused damage in furniture.
16. The house of Fuad Mahmoud Honeideq, a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house in which 10 people live, was hit with a shell and heavy bullets. The owner was wounded (see names of the wounded above). PCHR’s field officers were not able to reach the house because of the dangerous situation in the area.
17. The house of Subhi Radwan Abu Elwan, a 120-square-meter, two-story house, in which nine people live, was hit with bullets that made holes in the walls and doors. Bullets also penetrated water reservoirs and a satellite reception network on the roof.
18. The house of Omar Mustafa Hejjo, a 70-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which five people live, was hit with bullets that made holes in the roof.
19. The house of Jamal Al-Oweini, a 120-square-meter, two-story house, in which six people live, was hit with a shell.
20. The house of Nasser Al-Oweini, a 100-square-meter, tin-roofed house, in which nine people live, was hit with shrapnel from a shell that made holes 5 centimeters in diameter in the roof.

Also yesterday, at about 22:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire from their military post in Gani Tal settlement, in the northwest of Khan Yunis. They fired at Palestinian houses 300 meters away from the military post. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that these forces fired heavy and medium bullets at houses inside the refugee camp of Khan Yunis, 2 kilometers away from the military post. This caused severe damages to the following houses:

1. The house of Mahmoud Ahmed El-Dawahidi, a 160-square-meter, two-story house, in which 14 people live, was hit with bullets that made holes 3-4 centimeters in diameter in the external and internal walls, broke windows and penetrated water reservoirs. A civilian car near the house was also hit with bullets.
2. The house of Mahmoud Abdel-Azziz Kellab, a 170-square-meter, two-story house, in which 12 people live, was hit with bullets that made holes in the external and internal walls, doors and windows. Furniture was also destroyed.
3. The house of Khaled El-Faqa’awi, a 250-square-meter, three-story house, in which 20 people live, was hit with bullets that made holes 3-4 centimeters in diameter in the external and internal walls, and broke windows.
4. The house of Fuad Abdel-Hamid Zaqqout, 2 kilometers away from the mentioned military post of the Israeli occupation forces, was hit with a heavy bullet that made a hole 5 centimeters in diameter in a wall of one room, burning furniture.

The Israeli occupation forces have continued to reinforce their presence in Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area in Khan Yunis, which is under the control of these forces. Yesterday evening, 20 tanks entered the area from Gush Qatif settlement block. Military posts of these forces around settlements are in direct friction with the refugee camp of Khan Yunis and Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area. Al-Mawasi area is still under strict siege that borders on a curfew situation. Al-Tuffah roadblock, which separates this area from Khan Yunis city, is still closed.

Yesterday evening, at about 21:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to sweep areas of agricultural land and to demolish civilian facilities on the eastern side of Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip), 70 meters to the north of the junction leading to Kissufim Crossing on the Green Line. As soon as these forces completed the sweeping, settlers of Kfar Darom settlement brought three caravans and put them on part of the swept land. The sweeping, which lasted until 5:00 local time this morning, included:

1. A canned vegetables factory, established on a two-donum area of land, owned by Abdel-Rahman Khalil Abu Bashir. Losses are estimated at US$1million.
2. A four-donum area of agricultural land, on which four greenhouses planted with vegetables were established (owned by the above-mentioned citizen).
3. A 12-donum area of land ready for planting, owned by Sami A’aed Abu Haddaf. In addition, an irrigation network and under-construction greenhouses were destroyed. A 20-square-meter pool and a water pump were also destroyed.