Press Release

Palestinian man dies from earlier wound:

Heavy artillery, gunboats, and killing become part of daily life;

Gaza Strip split into Bantustans

Ref: 181/2000

Date: November 26, 2000

Time: GMT 18:00

Palestine Time 20:00

This morning, a young man from Gaza City died from a previous wound caused by a live bullet in the head shot by the Israeli occupation forces on November 21, 2000. The past 24 hours witnessed a significant decrease in clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces; however, these forces continued to shoot at Palestinian demonstrators, wounding four with live bullets in the head in Gaza and Jenin. This afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces shelled Khan Yunis for the second time in less than 24 hours. Yesterday evening, gunboats of the Israeli occupation forces participated in the shelling of houses in Beit Lahia in the north of the Gaza Strip. In the meantime, the Israeli occupation forces continued to reinforce their presence in the Gaza Strip, and to separate the north and south of the Gaza Strip. This contributes to further deterioration of the economic and social situation of Palestinian civilians.

• Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

This morning, Asa’d Khali El-Shaghnoubi, 22 years old, from Al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City, died from a previous wound caused by a live bullet in the head on November 21, 2000. Israeli occupation forces shot El-Shaghnoubi during clashes near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet.

This afternoon, the area of Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet witnessed clashes between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces. These forces shot at Palestinian civilians, wounding three with live bullets in the head. The three wounded are in critical condition. They are:

1. Ahmed Muheisen Shehadeh, 16 years old, from Jabalya refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet in the head;
2. the child Bassam Mohammed El-Ta’ban, 15 years old, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the eye; and
3. an unidentified child, about 14 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the eye.

In the village of A’rrabeh in Jenin, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators at the entrance of the village, wounding Khaled Ahmed Kalboush, 24 years old, with a live bullet in the head. He is in critical condition.

This afternoon, tanks of the Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Al-Tuffah roadblock between Khan Yunis city and Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area – an area under the control of the Israeli occupation forces – shelled Palestinian civilians and houses in the west of the refugee camp of Khan Yunis, which is 150 meters away from military posts of the Israeli occupation forces. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that a shell hit the house of A’adel Salem Abu Obeid, a 160-square-meter, two-story house, causing a fire to break out in the house. This is the second time that this house has been shelled in less than 24 hours. Residents of the house, like the rest of the residents in the area, left the house as a result of the continued shelling of houses in the area by the Israeli occupation forces.

Yesterday evening, at about 20:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired shells and live bullets at several houses in El-Seyafa area in the north of Beit Lahia. They fired these shells from several military posts in Dogit settlement and from another military post near the sea, to the west of the mentioned settlement. PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that gunboats of the Israeli occupation forces, opposite to the targeted area, also participated in shelling the area, which lasted until 22:00 local time.

Houses in the area were severely damaged as a result of the shelling. The damage incurred follows below.

1. The house of Ahmed Kamel Abu Khousa, a 100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 11 people live, was hit with six shells that made holes 10 centimeters in diameter in the walls, shortly after the residents evacuated the house. PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that a child was slightly injured by shrapnel from shells.
2. A shell fell in the house of Mohammed Salem El-Dao’ur, a 160-square-meter, one-story house, in which 12 people live. The shell made holes and damaged internal walls. Bullets also penetrated external walls. No injuries among residents were reported as they hastily left the house when the shelling began.
3. Bullets penetrated the external walls and windows of the house of Sae’id Mohammed Salem El-Dao’ur, a 180-square-meter, one-story house, in which 11 people live.
4. Bullets penetrated windows of the house of Mahmoud Ramadan Ahmed Foreij, a 110-square-meter, two-story house, in which two people live. Windows and the asbestos roof of the second floor were destroyed.
5. Bullets penetrated the external walls and windows of the house of Majed Mohammed Hussein El-Shafe’iy, a 170-square-meter, one-story house, in which 23 people live.
6. Bullets hit cooling equipment and walls of a flower-cooling facility, owned by Hassan Ali Nassar Abu Heleil. Work in the facility completely stopped.
7. Eight shells fell onto a building holding a well and water pumps. The building and its equipment were severely damaged.

The Israeli occupation forces have continued to reinforce their presence throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. In the Gaza Strip, tanks and armored vehicles of the Israeli occupation forces are still stationed on Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip). This road and its branch and agricultural roads have been closed by the Israeli occupation forces near Kfar Darom settlement. This has divided the Gaza Strip into isolated areas. Internal restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians inside the Gaza Strip can be detailed in the following:

1. A heavy presence of Israeli occupation troops reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles at the junction that crosses the western Rafah-Khan Yunis road, leading to the east to Morag settlement in Rafah, and at the junction leading to Gush Qatif settlement block (known as Oraybeh road). The Israeli occupation forces re-closed the area.
2. A heavy presence of Israeli occupation troops reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles on the part of Salah El-Din Street between the junction leading to Gush Qatif settlement block in the west (Al-Matahen junction) and the junction leading to Kissufim Crossing on the eastern borderline. The road has been completely closed since November 19, 2000.
3. A heavy presence of Israeli occupation troops reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles near Kfar Darom settlement on Salah El-Din Street, to the southeast of Deir El-Balah.
4. A heavy presence of Israeli occupation troops reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles on the road branching from Salah El-Din Street, near the northern side of Kfar Darom settlement which goes to the east and then to the south around the settlement. Palestinian civilians usually resort to this road when Salah El-Din Street is closed, but the Israeli occupation forces have closed this road since November 19, 2000. In the past three days, the Israeli occupation forces have opened the road between 10:00-12:00 and 16:00-18:00 local time. Palestinian citizens have been forced to wait for hours to travel along this road.
5. A heavy presence of Israeli occupation troops reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles at the junction on Salah El-Din Street leading to Netzarim settlement (Al-Shuhada’ Junction). The Israeli occupation forces have continued to close the road leading to the settlement and the coastal road parallel to Salah El-Din Street, prohibiting the movement of Palestinian civilians on the two roads. The Israeli occupation forces have also continued to close the road branching from the above junction going to the east and then to the north towards Gaza City, at its northern end (Al-Mentar road).
6. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to close the coastal road between Gaza and Rafah opposite to Gush Qatif settlement block, prohibiting the movement of Palestinian civilians on the road.
7. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to close the road between Khan Yunis city and its Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area – under the control of these forces – since November 20, 2000. These forces closed the mentioned road with cement blocks.
8. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to close the road between Rafah city and its Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area at these forces’ roadblock known as “Tal El-Sultan roadblock,” to the west of the city.
9. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to close all roads branching from Salah El-Din Street, through which Palestinian farmers go to their agricultural land in Rafah near Rafah Border Crossing.

The Israeli occupation forces have continued to impose a sea siege on the southern area of the Gaza Strip since November 10, 2000, preventing Palestinian fishermen from going out to sea. The Israeli occupation forces have kept up 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.