Ref: 25/2011

Between Thursday 24 March and Tuesday 29 March 2011, a number of projectiles
struck a house belonging to Ahmed al-Batsh, a wood factory and a soft drinks
factory. Six Palestinians, including an infant, were wounded; one seriously. Heavy
material damage was also caused to the property. The Palestinian Centre for
Human Rights (PCHR) calls upon the government in Gaza to open serious
investigations into these incidents and to take all measures necessary to
protect civilians and their property.

According to an investigation conducted by
PCHR, at approximately 02:30 on Tuesday, 29 March 2011, a projectile exploded
on a house belonging to Ahmed Kheir al-Batsh, 62, in the al-Salam
neighborhood of Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip. Hanin Khalil al-Batsh, 22,
sustained shrapnel wounds throughout her body. Her baby Ashour al-Batsh, seven
months old, also sustained shrapnel wounds in the back, neck and head. A neighbor, Raed Johar al-Batsh, 35,
sustained shrapnel wounds to the head as a result of the glass windows in his
house shattering from the blast. The projectile penetrated the window in a room
located in the western part of the second floor in the house. It exploded in
the northern wall of the room causing a hole. The house was heavily damaged and
the glass of the windows in three of the neighboring houses shattered. It
should be noted that a site used by members of one of the Palestinian factions
is located to the southwest of al-Batsh’s house.

Earlier, at approximately 01:30 on Saturday, 26
March, a homemade projectile exploded in a soft drinks factory belonging to the
Murtaja Company located in the al-Zaytoon neighborhood in the east of Gaza City.
A store, covering approximately five dunums, which is used to store plastic
materials was also totally destroyed, and several pieces of equipment in the
factory were damaged. No casualties were reported.

In a third incident that took place at
approximately 12:00 on Thursday, 24 March 2011, a homemade projectile
exploded in a wood factory owned by Bseiso and Alami Industry and Trade Company
in al-Zaytoon neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. Three workers were wounded
as a result, one of them seriously. The wounded are: 1. Khaled Mazen Hamada,
25, who sustained serious shrapnel wounds to the head; 2. Adel Ibrahim
al-Nemnem, 46, who sustained shrapnel wounds to the head; and 3. Zaher Zuheir
Tafesh, 33, who sustained shrapnel wounds in his right hand. The explosion also
caused heavy damage to the factory and to a Mercedes car belonging to the
factory owner.

In view of the above, PCHR:

1. Calls
upon the government in Gaza to open serious investigations into the
circumstances of the three reported incidents and to take measures necessary to
protect Palestinians and their property.

2. Notes
that members of the Palestinian resistance continue to store explosives or to
treat such explosives in locations close to populated areas. This poses a major
threat to the lives of the Palestinian civilians and constitutes a violation of
both International Human Rights Law and the International Humanitarian Law.