Press Release
Israeli occupation troops assassinate a man in Hebron at point-blank range: Significant use of dumdum bullets and targeting of the upper body
Ref: 171/2000
Date: November 17, 2000
Time: GMT 18:00
Palestine Time 20:00
In an extra-judicial killing perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces, a soldier of these forces shot at the head of a defenseless Palestinian civilian from a distance of 0.5m, when there were not any clashes in the area. The soldier apparently did so when the Palestinian man did not follow the orders of soldiers to leave the area without his car, which apparently was to be used later by Israeli undercover units. The occupied Palestinian territories witnessed today more bloody clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces. These forces shot live ammunition, including at times dumdum bullets, at demonstrators, significantly targeting the upper part of the body. As a result, four Palestinian civilians were killed in Gaza, Qalqilya and Halhoul. This morning, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian security men, killing two. The number of Palestinian killed by the Israeli occupation forces since September 29, 2000 has increased to 208, including 72 children, in addition to a German physician who was killed with a shell during the shelling of Beit Jala on November 15, 2000. In the past 24 hours, the Israeli occupation forces continued to shell houses and civilian facilities in some Palestinian cities. They also swept more areas of agricultural land.
1. Shooting at Palestinian Civilians
In the area near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians who demonstrated about 100 meters away from these forces. PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that tanks from the Israeli occupation forces got closer than ever before to Palestinian houses in the area. As a result, Rami E’mad Yassin, 18 years old, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza, was killed with a live bullet in the chest which penetrated his heart. In these clashes, 15 Palestinian civilians were also wounded with live bullets shot by the Israeli occupation forces. Among the wounded are:
1) Eihab Mohammed Al-Najjar, 18 years old, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen;
2) Waw’l Tawfiq Al-Hato, 21 years old, from the area of Gaza Harbor, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the chest;
3) Nabil Eissa El-A’rinin, 18 years old, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the abndomen;
4) Jamal Mahmoud Al-Ghosein, 16 years old, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood in
Gaza City, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the neck;
5) Mohammed Riadh Abu Hayyen, 17 years old, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood in Gaza City, seriously wounded with two bullets in the chest and the right hand;
6) Rabi’ Mohammed El-Aqra’, 17 years old, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the chest;
7) Mohammed A’wni El-Sarafitti, from Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the neck which exited the left side of the chest; and
8) Mohammed Awadh Baker, 16 years old, from the area of Gaza Harbor, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen.
In Khan Yunis, this afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian civilians, wounding 12 with live ammunition and another four with rubber-coated metal bullets. Additionally, dozens of Palestinian civilians, including children and women in nearby houses, suffered from suffocation due to inhaling tear gas used intensively by the Israeli occupation forces. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the Israeli occupation forces were firing from Al-Tuffah roadblock, from
another military post to the northeast, and from two military posts in Neve Dekalim settlement. He added that the distance between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces was 120-130 meters. Among the wounded in Khan Yunis are:
1) Mohammed Walid Abu Warda, 15 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the
thigh that caused a cut in the artery. He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza;
2) Wahba Fayez Salama, 19 years old, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen; and
3) Farid Farouq Abu A’nzeh, 14 years old, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the head.
In Rafah, clashes have broken out since the morning between the Israeli occupation forces and Palestinian civilians near Salah El-Din Gate and Al-Salam neighborhood on the Palestinian-Egyptian border. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that 11 Palestinian civilians were wounded with live ammunition, five of whom were wounded with dumdum bullets. Among the wounded were:
1) the child Mohammed Rmadan El-Shae’r, 14 years old, wounded with two dumdum bullets in the thighs, one of which caused a cut in the artery. He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza; and
2) the child Ahmed Nabil Mattar, 12 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the pelvis that caused a cut in the artery. He was evacuated to the hospital of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Khan Yunis.
In the area near Al-Shuhada’ junction leading to Netzarim settlement, to the south of Gaza City, clashes broke out this afternoon between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces. These forces shot at Palestinian civilians, wounding three with live ammunition, one of whom was hit in the eye but has not yet been identified. He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza in a critical condition.
At about 13:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian civilians who demonstrated at the southern entrance of Qalqiya. As a result, Mahmoud Zayed Sammour, 38 years old, was killed with four live bullets in the chest. PCHR learned that the situation was relatively calm when the Israeli occupation forces intensively shot at Palestinian civilians.
At about 13:30 local time, the Israeli occupation forces shot at dozens of Palestinian demonstrators near bypass road 60 which passes to the east of Hahoul in Hebron Governorate. As a result, Mohammed Abdel-Jalil Abu Rayyan, 16 years old, was killed with a live bullet in the head; and Hamza Abdel-Moe’ti Abu Shekheidem, was killed with two dumdum bullets in the liver, according to sources at A’alia hospital in Hebron.
In the city of Hebron, yesterday evening, Tariq Mohammed Al-Je’beh, 24 years old, was wounded with a medium caliber bullet in the thigh, when he was on the roof of his house. His house is in an area adjacent to the so-called “Beit Hadasa” settlement center. PCHR learned that the mentioned area did not witness any clashes when Al-Je’beh was wounded.
Yesterday evening, at about 19:00 local time, Yousef Suleiman Awwad, 25 years old, from the town of Beit Ommar near Hebron, was killed with a live bullet in the head that was shot by a soldier of the Israeli occupation forces from a distance of about 0.5 meters, according to an eyewitness. According to testimony by this eyewitness, who was accompanying Awwad on their way back to the town of Beit Ommar, Israeli occupation troops at the entrance of the town ordered them to stop their car, which Awwad was driving, and get out of the car. Then, these troops ordered the two to leave the area and give up the car, but Awwad refused to leave and insisted that he take his car. A soldier came close to him and shot at his head from a distance of about 0.5 meters. He immediately died, and the Israeli occupation troops hastily left the area. This extra-judicial killing provides more evidence of willful killing to be added to the criminal acts and cold-blooded killings perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against defenseless Palestinian civilians. Additionally, this appears to be one further case in which a murderer will go unpunished. This crime proves the fact of the daily, permanent threat posed by the Israeli occupation forces to the lives and safety of Palestinian civilians, which will not come to an end as long as these forces remain in the occupied Palestinian territories. Furthermore, it is one more example of the need for international protection for these civilians.
At about 1:00 local time this morning, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian security men near the refugee camp of Aqbat Jaber in Jericho, killing Khaled Abdullah Salama, 35 years old, a member of the Palestinian National Security Service, with a live bullet in the chest. Also killed was Hassid Mohammed Qarwan, 45 years old, a member of the Palestinian National Security Service, with live bullets throughout the body.
This afternoon, in the city of Al-Bireh, clashes broke out between the Israeli occupation forces and Palestinian civilians. The Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian civilians, wounding a number of them, including three who were seriously wounded with live ammunition in the head.
Another Palestinian civilian was wounded with a live bullet in the head in the village of Senjil, which has been under curfew for four days.
2. Shelling and Shooting at Houses
Last night, the Israeli occupation forces stationed at a military post along the northern border of Gani Tal settlement shelled houses in the area of Al-Satar Al-Gharbi in Khan Yunis. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis, who visited the shelled area, reported that shells hit the house of Mustafa Oleyyan Al-A’qqad, causing severe damage to the house. A fuel station which provided gas for houses, owned by Abdel-Majid Abdel-Hadi, was also hit with heavy and medium bullets, and a disaster could have taken place. Façades of some houses were hit with heavy and medium bullets. The houses and fuel station hit are near a post of Force 17 (President’s guards), which was hit and severely damaged.
3. Sweeping of Agricultural Land
Yesterday, at about 16:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces swept a strip of agricultural land in Al-Salam neighborhood in Rafah, to the west of Rafah Border Crossing. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that this sweeping included a 54-donum area of agricultural land 700 meters long and 50-100 meters wide. The sweeping included:
1) A three-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
A’dnan Fayez Suleiman Al-Romeilat. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
2) A two-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds, owned by Mahrous Suleiman Abu Fatema.
3) A ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds, owned by Fayez Suleiman Salem Al-Romeilat.
4) A six-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds, owned by Fawzi Fayez Suleiman Al-Romeilat.
5) A three-donum area of agricultural land planted with almonds, owned by the heirs of Suleiman Salman Abu A’yyad.
6) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms, olives and almonds, owned by Abdel-Hamid Shoreiqi Hamad Qeshta.
7) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms, olives and almonds, owned by Salem Shoreiqi Hamad Qeshta.
8) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms, olives and almonds, owned by Shoreiqi Hamad Qeshta.
9) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms, olives and almonds, owned by Fathi Shoreiqi Hamad Qeshta.
10) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms, olives and almonds, owned by Subhi Shoreiqi Hamad Qeshta.
11) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms, olives and almonds, owned by the heirs of Mansour Shoreiqi Hamad Qeshta.
PCHR’s field officer added that the Israeli occupation forces cut the water line which provides Al-Shoka neighborhood in Rafah with water. As a result, more than 300 families have been deprived of drinking water since yesterday evening.
Yesterday, at about 22:00, the Israeli occupation forces swept 71.5 donums of agricultural land on the eastern side of Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip), in an area about 600 meters to the south of Kfar Darom settlement, and 300 meters to the north of the junction leading to Kissufim Crossing on the Green Line. PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that the sweeping took place until 4:00 local time this morning and included:
1) An 11-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms and olives, owned by Ahmed Mahmoud Abu Sarsour. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
2) A 13-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms, olives, citrus and guavas, owned by Salama Nasrallah Abu A’mra.
3) A seven-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms and vegetables, owned by Abdel-Azziz Khalil.
4) A two-donum area of agricultural land with greenhouses planted with vegetables, owned by Mohammed Khali Abu Asad. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
5) A 2.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by
Shukri Salem. In addition an irrigation network was destroyed.
6) A two-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms and olives, owned by Saleh Ibrahim Abu Al-Hessein. In addition, a pool and an irrigation network were destroyed.
7) A 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms, on a part of which a greenhouse planted with vegetables was established, owned by Ali Mohammed Shahin.
8) A 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Mahmoud Ali Shahin.
9) A one-donum area of agricultural land planted with palms, owned by Ahmed
Mohammed Baraka.
10) A five-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by
A’aida Al-Ja’farawi.
11) An eight-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by
Ahmed Al-Lahham.
The Israeli occupation forces continued to reinforce their presence throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. In the Gaza Strip, tanks and armored vehicles of the Israeli occupation forces have been 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. Since yesterday morning, the Israeli occupation forces have closed Salah El-Din Street near Kfar Darom settlement, preventing the movement of Palestinian citizens and transportation in both directions.
The road is still closed. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to isolate Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area in the west of Rafah and Khan Yunis. They have imposed a sea siege on the southern area of the Gaza Strip since November 10, 2000, preventing fishermen from entering the sea.
Yesterday, the Israeli occupation forces closed all branch roads of Salah El-Din Street leading to Rafah Border Crossing. This increases the suffering of citizens in Rafah, and prevents the access of farmers to their agricultural land adjacent to Rafah Border Crossing on the Palestinian-Egyptian border.
The Israeli occupation forces have continued 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.
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PCHR reiterates its call for the international community to immediately intervene to stop the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians. PCHR calls in particular for:
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.
“End”