Ref: 104/2012
Date: 3 October 2012
Time: 11:30 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the injuring of two children with live bullets by the Palestinian police while the latter evacuated governmental lands, north of “Um Al Nasser” village (a Bedouin village) yesterday. While emphasizing the need to uphold the rule of law both in principle and practice, PCHR calls upon the government in Gaza to open a credible investigation into the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials, and to publish the investigation’s results.

According to the PCHR’s investigations and statements of eyewitnesses, at approximately 10:00 on Tuesday, 2 October 2012, staff from the Land Authority in Gaza, accompanied by the Palestinian Police, arrived at the governmental lands located to the north of the “Bedouin” village in order to evict the civilians who live in the area, many of them living in houses made of iron sheets. A number of civilians started throwing stones at the policemen and the bulldozer which was leveling the land. The policemen beat these civilians in response, using clubs and sticks, combined with shooting. As a result of the shooting, two children were injured: Eyad Abdel Karim Abu Ghazalah, 16, injured by a bullet in the right leg; and Mousa Said Abu Hashish, 17, injured by a bullet that penetrated both his thighs. The two injured children were transported to Kamal ‘Edwan Hospital in Beit Lahia to receive the necessary medical treatment. The medical staff described their injuries as moderate.

PCHR condemns the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials against the protesters:

1- PCHR calls upon the government in Gaza to prevent the use of live ammunition against civilians by law enforcement officials, unless it is in accordance with the international principles related to distinction and proportionality when using force;
2- PCHR calls upon the government to put in place a code of conduct for the law enforcement officials which is conform international standards related to the use of force;
3- PCHR calls upon the Public Prosecutor to open a serious investigation into the circumstances of the injuring of the children by live bullets, and to publish the investigation’s results.