Ref: 64/2020

Date: 13 July 2020

Time: 12:00 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns with the strongest terms the terrible crime that occurred on Sunday, 12 July 2020, in Rafah, and led to the murder of a Jaber Fadel ‘Abed al-Rahman al-Qeeq (57), formerly imprisoned by Israel. PCHR demands competent authorities to open an investigation into the crime and prosecute all those who contributed, conspired or carried out the attack.  PCHR also warns of the repercussions of these crimes on the rule of law and its implications on civil peace.

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 20:00, Jaber al-Qeeq, a retired brigadier-general with the Palestinian police, was dead upon arrival at Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital after being shot by a pistol in his chest from a very close distance and stabbed with a sharp tool in his neck, causing  an incised wound (15 cm) . Al-Qeeq’s body was transferred to the Forensic Medicine Department in Gaza City to identify the cause of death

A gunman opened fire at al-Qeeq and stabbed him in his neck with a sharp tool on al-Tairan Street, near al-Qeeq’s house located in al-Sa’oudi neighborhood, west of Rafah, after luring him into an ambush through a call on his mobile phone. The perpetrator fled with two others who accompanied him using two motorbikes.

Later, the spokesperson  for the Ministry of Interior and National Security in the Gaza Strip, Iyad al-Buzum, said that the police opened an immediate investigation into the incident, and still do all efforts to arrest the perpetrators. The Ministry’s website published pictures of those suspected of committing the crime.

It should be noted that al-Qeeq was detained in Israeli prisons for his activities in the first Intifada and was released after the PA assumed power in the Gaza Strip. It is believed that the crime was committed on ground of al-Qeeq’s activities in the first intifada (1987-1993).

PCHR condemns the murder of al-Qeeq and demands competent authorities to take the necessary measures to stop the phenomenon of proliferation of weapons and maintain citizens’ security and safety.