Ref: 91/2011

On Saturday morning, 27 August 2011, offices of
the Union of Health Work Committees (UHWC) in Gaza City were stormed and
robbed. 

According to investigations conducted by the
Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), unknown persons broke into UHWC’s
offices near Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. They entered offices of the Department of Programs and Project and the
Department of Health Centers. They stole
5 computer sets and two computer screens. According to PCHR’s observation, there were no signs of breaking
doors. The police arrived at the scene
and opened an investigation.

Following this attack, UHWC issued a press
release, in which it considered that the computers were stolen “apparently for
the purpose of obtaining information saved on them.”

It is worth noting that offices of several NGOs
in the Gaza Strip were subject to similar attacks in the past, without the
perpetrators having been identified. The
last of such attacks took place on 19 July 2011, when unknown persons stormed
offices of the Educational Guidance Association in Jabalya refugee camp. They broke two doors, a computer set, a
router, a fax machine and a mental intelligence test bag, and stole a digital
camera. In another attack, on 19 August
2010, unknown persons stormed the offices of the Research Department in Gaza
Community Center belonging to Gaza Community Mental Health Program. They stole a computer set, a printer, two
USBs and a router.

PCHR condemns this attack, which is part of the
state of security chaos prevailing in the Palestinian Territory, and calls upon
the Public Prosecution to investigate it and unveil the perpetrators.