Press Release
The Israeli occupation forces continue to kill Palestinian civilians:
Three martyrs in Hebron, Gaza and Al-Bireh
Ref: 141/2000
Date: October 21, 2000
Time: 15:30 GMT
For the 23rd consecutive day, the Israeli occupation forces have continued their aggressive actions and murders against Palestinian civilians who have continued their protests throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. The number of Palestinians who have been killed by the Israeli occupation forces has increased to 111 martyrs, including 29 children under 18. In addition, more than 3,200 Palestinians, more than one third of whom are children, have been wounded.
In the vicinity of the settlement of Kfar Darom, in the middle of the Gaza Strip, clashes have broken out since the morning between Palestinian demonstrators, children and boys, and the Israeli occupation forces who have responded firing live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets at the demonstrators. This afternoon, the child Omar Ismail Omar Al-Boheisi, 16 years, from Deir El-Balah, was shot dead by a bullet in the heart, and Rami Atallah, 23 years, from Deir El-Balah, was wounded by a bullet in the chest, and has been put into the intensive care unit at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza. PCHR’s field officer in the mentioned area reported that 4 other Palestinians were wounded by bullets of the Israeli occupation forces which used silencers in firing at demonstrators.
In Khan Yunis, clashes have broken out since the morning between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces near an Israeli military outpost to the west of the refugee camp of Khan Yunis. PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that 19 were wounded by live ammunition fired by the Israeli occupation forces. One of the wounded, the child Mohammed Fawzi Al-Najjar, 13 years, was wounded by a bullet in the head, and was evacuated to Sheifa’ hospital in Gaza. Medical sources of the hospital stated that the child was in a very critical condition. Additionally, Yasser Mamdouh Al-Fadi, 17 years, and Sufian E’zzat Abu Jamee’, 20 years, were wounded by bullets in the abdomen and were evacuated to the intensive care unit at Nasser hospital. PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the Israeli occupation forces were firing live ammunition at demonstrators using silencers. He said that he saw some demonstrators being wounded without hearing the sound of firing. He added that 66 people were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets, and that dozens, mostly children, were hurt due to inhaling tear gas fired by the Israeli occupation forces throughout the area, and at the houses near the Israeli military outpost.
In the area of Erez, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, clashes have broken out since the morning between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces who have responded firing live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets at the demonstrators. As a result, 8 people have been wounded by live ammunition, and 32 have been wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets. PCHR have learned that one of the wounded, the child Yousif Sami Baracat, 13 years, from Al-Thouam area, was wounded by a bullet in the eye and was evacuated to the intensive care unit at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza. Additionally, the child Ahmed Al-Shorafi, 12 years, from Jabalia, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head and was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in a very critical condition; and Mahmoud Ali Al-Hourani, 19 years, from A’amer quarter, was wounded by a bullet in the head and was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital.
In Rafah, clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces, which are firing live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas bombs, are still continuous. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the point of clashes was the area near Salah El-Din Gate on the borders with Egypt. Four people were wounded by live ammunition fired by the Israeli occupation forces, and dozens of civilians were hurt due to inhaling tear gas.
This afternoon, in the West Bank city of Hebron, Fayez Mohammed Hissein Al-Qeimari, 30 years, was killed by a Dum-Dum bullet in the head fired at him by the Israeli occupation forces. Eyewitnesses stated that the martyr Al-Qeimari was in an area under the control of the Palestinian National Authority away from the point of clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces. They added that one of the snipers of the Israeli occupation forces fired at him from nearly a 200-m distance.
In Al-Bireh, clashes broke out this afternoon between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces, which responded firing live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets. The child Majed Ibrahim Hassan Hawamdeh, 15 years, from Al-Tireh, was killed by a bullet in the head fired by the Israeli occupation forces. Additionally, 10 Palestinian were wounded in these clashes.
Yesterday evening, the Israeli occupation forces’ tanks and combat helicopters shelled quarters in Beit Jala, Beit Sahour and the village of Za’tara. Some housed were severely damaged and an electricity generator was destroyed.
PCHR welcomes the recent Resolution of the UN Commission on Human Rights on October 19, which stromgly condemned the violations of human rights committed by Israel against the Palestinian people, and called for implementing THE Resolution through:
“End”
