Ref: 132/2007
Date: 02 October 2007
Time: 11:00 GMT
PCHR Calls for Investigating the Injury of a Woman and her Son
PCHR calls for investigating the circumstance surrounding the use of gunfire by the Executive Force and moderate injury of a woman and serious injury of her son in Gaza City. The Centre calls upon the dismissed government to issue clear instructions regulating the use of force, including firearms, by law-enforcement personnel that respect relevant international standards.
The Center’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 11:00 on Monday, 1 October 2007, a large Executive Force contingent raided the houses of Ehab Ghanem El-Ghoul (32) and his brother Mahmoud (24) located in Salah Khalaf Street in northern Gaza City. The Force searched the houses and ruffled furniture and house belongings under the pretext of searching for weapons. During the search and argument broke out between the Force and the family members. The Force members beat the family members and insulted them.
In a related development, the Force fired indiscriminately outside the house, resulting in the injury of 2 persons as neighbors gathered around the target houses. The injured are:
– Yosra Rabah Abu Sharekh (55), injured by shrapnel in the right hand.
– Tayseer Ibrahim Abu Sharekh (23), seriously injured by a bullet in the chest.
Tayseer was taken to the Intensive Care Unit in Shifa Hospital due to the severity of his injury.
Ehab El-Ghoul informed PCHR that 27 vehicles of the Executive Force arrived to search his house and that of his brother. He added that they ruffled and damaged furniture, and beat his mother Jamila El-Ghoul (50) and 3 other family members.
PCHR strongly condemns the abduction and torture of Issa Hammad, and:
– Calls upon the dismissed government to investigate the attack and prosecute the perpetrators.
– Calls upon law-enforcement personnel to show restraint and to respect the law to ensure respect of international human rights standards and the safety of civilians.
