Security Chaos

Field Update

15 March 2007

Murdered Woman’s Body Found in the Northern Gaza Strip

PCHR’s  preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 16:00 on Wednesday, 14 March 2007, the body of Dalal Ibrahim Issa El-Bahtiti (30) was brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The woman was a resident of Sheja’ya Quarter in Gaza City. The body was found in the Sudaneyya area in the northern Gaza Strip. Medical sources stated that the woman was killed by a bullet to the head.

The police have opened an investigation into the incident. However, the victim’s brother stated that the killing was motivated by clan disputes.

It is noted that the bodies of 3 women were found in Gaza City and the Northern Gaza Strip on 26 and 27 February 2007, under similar circumstances.[1]

PCHR strongly condemns these crimes, and:

–         Calls upon the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), represented by the Attorney-General, to seriously investigate these crimes, and bring the perpetrators to justice; and

–         Points that these crimes are a continuation of the security chaos plaguing the Occupied Palestinian Territory;