Security Chaos and Misuse of Weapons

Misuse of Weapons by Armed Groups and Security Personnel

Field Updates

19 April 2009

Three Civilians Injured by Gunmen in Jabalia 

In the evening of Thursday, 16 April 2009, gunmen wearing headscarves of the Izz Addin al-Qassam Brigades – the military wing of the Hamas Movement – fired at, and injured, three civilians in Jabalia town in the north of the Gaza Strip. This incident is a part of the security chaos and misuse of weapons currently plaguing the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights’ (PCHR) investigations indicate that at approximately 21:30 on Thursday, 16 April 2009, gunmen fired at three young men near the al-Sultan apartment building in Jabalia Town. The three young men who sustained different injuries are:

1. Isma’il Mohammed Mousa Dardona, 30, who was wounded by six bullets to the feet and sustained shrapnel wounds;
2. Mus’ab Mohammed Ibrahim Dardona, 29, who was wounded by three bullets to his left leg and 10 shrapnel wounds throughout the body; and
3. Khaled Mohammed Mohammed Dardona, 30, who was wounded by three bullets to the feet.

In addition, a bystander, Yousif Khamis Jneid, 24, was wounded in the feet by two bullets.

One of the wounded civilians, Khaled Dardona, said that gunmen wearing on their heads signs with “Izz Addin al-Qassam Brigades” fired at him and at his two companions from a distance of approximately 5 meters. Khaled told PCHR that he fled to a nearby pharmacy, while his companions fell to the ground and the gunmen continued to fire at them. He added that immediately after the incident, a white Land Rover arrived at the scene, and gunmen in civilian clothes stepped down from the car. The gunmen took him and Isma’il to the car and transferred them to the Kamal ‘Odwan Hospital. Local civilians brought the third wounded civilian to hospital in a civilians’ car.

The full circumstances of the incident have not yet been clarified. Captain ‘Atef al-Louh, Director of Jabalia Police Station, told PCHR that the police have opened an investigation into the incident. Police have checked the scene and taken testimonies from eyewitnesses; however, no significant conclusions have been reached.

PCHR notes with grave concern that this attack forms part of the security chaos and misuse of weapons plaguing the occupied Palestinian territories. PCHR calls on the authorities to continue investigations and to prosecute perpetrators and bring them to justice.