Field Update

On Tuesday evening, 17 August 2010,
the body of Jabreya Abu Qeinas, 62, was brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Abu Qeinas was shot by unknown gunmen when she was with her husband near
their house in al-Jalaa’ street in the center of Gaza City. This incident is part of the security chaos
and misuse of weapons plaguing the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

According to investigations
conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) and testimonies
given by eyewitnesses, at approximately 21:15 on Tuesday, 17 August 2010,
unknown gunmen traveling in a grey Hyundai car, without a license plate, opened fire from a close
range at Jabreya Abu Qeinas, 62, while she was sitting with her husband near
their house near al-Ghifari crossroads in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, in center
of Gaza City. Abu Qeinas was wounded by
several bullets into the chest. She was
immediately transferred to al-Shifa Hospital, but she died on her way.

It should be that the
Attorney-General’s officer accused Abu Qeinas of working in witchcraft, but she
was pronounced innocent by a competent court on 27 May 2010.

PCHR strongly condemns this attack
which is part of the security chaos and misuse of weapons plaguing the OPT and
calls upon the office of the Attorney General to open a serious investigation
into this attack and to bring perpetrators to justice.