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Press Release
Israeli offensive in Gaza strip continues, killing 7
Date: 6 March 2002
Ref: 31/2002
Widespread ground, sea, and air attacks by Israeli occupation forces throughout the Gaza strip in the past 24 hours has resulted in the deaths of at least 7 Palestinians. PCHR is alarmed at the dramatic deterioration in the human rights and humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), especially in light of recent announcements by the Israeli government that it intends to escalate attacks against Palestinian targets.
Israeli forces in the past 24 hours have attacked Gaza city, Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza strip, and Rafah, Abassan, and al-Qarara in the southern Gaza strip. They have repeatedly fired on emergency medical personnel attempting to evacuate the wounded, in violation of international humanitarian law. More details on the rapidly evolving situation will be available in PCHR’s next Weekly Report, to be issued on 7 March.
According to PCHR’s investigation, an Israeli military gunboat this morning bombarded a Palestinian Marine Police patrol on the coastal road in a civilian area northwest of the town of Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza strip, injuring 4 officers. The officers died of their injuries after Palestinian ambulances attempting to evacuate them were fired upon by Israeli forces. The four killed were:
Jamil Samih Jamil Sabagh, 37, from Rafah
Maher Fuad Hamada, 20, from al-Tuffah neighbourhood in Gaza city
Ahmad Frej Abu Taher, 28, from Khan Yunis
Eid Khalil al-Qumer, 35, from Jabalya
Israeli occupation forces also attacked Abassan village east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza strip, demolishing houses while firing intensely. Three Palestinian civilians were killed:
Mufida Muhammed Abu Daqa, 47, shot in the head while searching for her son outside her house
Abdel Ghani Abdel Rahman Abu Daqa, 57, hit by bullets throughout the body at close range after obeying orders from Israeli troops to exit his house. Abu Daqa died after Palestinian ambulances were prevented from evacuating him for several hours by Israeli occupation forces.
Jamal Mohammed Abu Hamad, 27, shot in the chest while standing by his house
In Gaza city and Khan Yunis, Israeli combat aircraft attacked a number of PNA facilities located in densely populated civilian residential areas, severely damaging two schools. In Gaza city, the al-Nour Centre for the Blind, run by UNRWA, was severely damaged when an Israeli F-16 fighter bombarded the nearby General Directorate of the Palestinian civil police. In Khan Yunis, Israeli Apache helicopter gunships bombarded a Palestinian security outpost, severely damaging the Kemal Nasser boys’ secondary school nearby.
PCHR is deeply concerned at the dramatic deterioration in the human rights and humanitarian situation and reiterates its call for the international community, especially the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to take immediate and effective steps to secure protection for Palestinian civilians in the OPT. PCHR further notes that the regular targeting of medical personnel and wanton destruction of civilian facilities by Israeli occupation forces are violations of international humanitarian law.
