Field Update

On Tuesday morning, 13 July 2010, Ashraf Mahfouz al-Masri, 39, from
Khan Yunis, died in the European Hospital in Khan Younis from wounds sustained
in a family dispute on Monday evening, 12 July. 

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for
Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 19:30 on Monday evening, 12 July 2010, a dispute erupted
between relatives from the al-Masri family in Jurat al-Lout area, east of Khan
Yunis. One of the parties to the dispute
produced weapons and opened fire. Two
persons from the same family intervened to settle the dispute and were
wounded. The two persons wounded are
Wa’el Mahmoud al-Masri, 30, who sustained light wounds by a bullet, and Ashraf
al-Masri who sustained serious wounds when he was struck by a bullet in the
abdomen. Ashraf was transported to the
European Hospital and admitted into the intensive care unit. At 05:00 on Tuesday, 13 July 2010, he was
pronounced dead. The Palestinian police
issued an order to refer Ashraf to the forensic medicine department in
Gaza. 

PCHR was informed that the Palestinian police have opened
investigations into the incident and arrested one of the persons who opened
fire. The Police are looking for another
suspect. 

PCHR strongly condemns this crime, which is a part of the state of
security chaos plaguing the OPT and demands the office of the Prosecutor
General to open serious investigations into the crime and bring perpetrators to
justice.