Field Update

Yesterday afternoon, 13 June 2017, a woman was killed in her house in al-Shuja’iyah neighborhood in Gaza City, after being shot with a bullet to the neck.  In another incident, a civilian, from al-Zahrah Housing Project, was found dead yesterday morning due to being shot with a bullet to the head near Gaza Valley Bridge.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), on Monday afternoon, 12 June 2017, R. S. ‘A. (27), from al-Sha’af neighborhood, east of Gaza City, arrived dead body at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City after being shot with a bullet that penetrated her neck.  Her husband turned himself in to the police after she was killed, claiming that a bullet mistakenly unleashed from his own gun in his house and immediately killed his wife.  Ayman al-Batniji, Spokesperson of the police, said to PCHR that the police detained the husband and questioned him.  Al-Batniji added that the husband will be referred to the public prosecution to complete the investigation and identify the incident’s circumstances.

In a separate incident, yesterday morning, Tariq Ibrahim al-Sharif (49), from al-Zahraa’ Housing project in the central Gaza Strip, arrived dead body at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah,  due to being shot with a bullet to the head.  Ayman al-Batniji, Spokesperson of the police, said to PCHR’s staff, that the police was informed of a dead body found near Gaza Valley Bridge in al-Moghraqah area.  The police immediately arrived at the scene, where they found al-Sharif dead due to being hit with a bullet that entered and exited his head.  A gun was also found beside him.  Al-Batniji added the police opened an investigation into the incident as the Preliminary information indicates it was a suicide while the investigation is still open and ongoing to identify the circumstances.

PCHR condemns these two incidents and calls upon the Attorney General to investigate seriously both incidents, identify their circumstances, publish the results c, and take the necessary measures to prevent such violations.