Ref.,: 106/2003

PCHR condemns in the
strongest terms the latest assassination by Israeli occupying forces in Gaza
city this afternoon in which at least one Palestinian was killed and at least
25 passersby were wounded, including 7 children.  In the wake of this renewed escalation in
attacks by the Israeli occupying forces on Palestinian civilians, PCHR reiterates
its calls to the international community, particularly to the High Contracting
Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to take immediate measures to
intervene to protect Palestinian civilians. 

According to PCHR’s
preliminary investigations, in an Israeli aerial attack around 15:15 this
afternoon, four missiles were launched at a Palestinian car which was traveling
along a branch road off el-Wahda Street. 
This is a main thoroughfare in central Gaza city and passes through a
crowded civilian commercial and residential area.  The first missile hit the roof of a
three-storey apartment building, approximately 70 metres from the targeted
vehicle.  No casualties were
reported.  Three further missiles hit the
targeted vehicle, a white Mitsubishi, totally destroying it and killing one of
the passengers.  Three additional
passengers were able to escape the burning vehicle.

Emergency personnel arrived
to the area and evacuated the dead and wounded to Shifa Hospital in Gaza
city.  The dead man was identified as
Khader Badawi al-Hosari, 35, from Shejayia neighbourhood in Gaza city.   
Israeli
military sources claimed that the four passengers in the targeted vehicle were
all activists of the Hamas movement.  At
least 20 Palestinian civilians, including 7 children, were also injured in the
attack and were evacuated for treatment to Shifa Hospital.   According to medical sources, at least three
of the wounded are in a critical condition. 

This is the seventh
assassination conducted by the Israeli occupying forces since 21 August
2003.  At least 15 Palestinians have been
killed in these attacks and dozens more wounded.  Six of these assassinations, all by aerial
attacks, were launched in densely populated civilian areas in the Gaza Strip.  In the seventh attack, on 26 August, Israeli
occupying forces opened fire on Rafadia Hospital in Nablus, killing one
Palestinian and wounding two.

The increasingly high numbers of civilian casualties and property damage
reflect the increasing disregard of the Israeli occupying forces for the safety
of non-targeted civilians in conducting these assassination attacks.  According to PCHR investigations, a 17
year-old boy and an 80 year-old man were among those bystanders killed in these
recent attacks.  Dozens of passersby were
also wounded.

PCHR reiterates its
condemnation of the ongoing war crimes, including willful killings of
Palestinian civilians, perpetrated by the Israeli occupying forces throughout
the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 
PCHR is particularly concerned at the increasing
officially sanctioned attacks on civilian areas.  The failure of the international community to
intervene to halt these unlawful attacks, serves to encourage further
violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.