Ref: 60/2013
Date: 8 June 2013
Date: 12:00 GMT
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) calls for an investigation into the events that took place in Beit Lahia on Thursday, 6 June 2013, during a law enforcement mission by the Palestinian police which resulted in the killing of Wissam Abu Sitta and the injuring of 18 others. Of these 18 persons, 8 persons were injured by gunshots while 10 others, including 4 police officers, sustained minor injuries.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 10:30 on Thursday 6 June 2013, anti-drug police officers dressed in civilian clothes raided a house near Beit Lahia Club, Al-Manshiyah Street, Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip belonging to Nasser Khamis Salman in order to arrest his son, Mohammed (19), on charges of possession of drugs. The police officers arrested Mohammed and searched the house. They then raided and searched nearby houses sparking aggravation and verbal altercations between police officers and residents. During this time Mohammed managed to escape custody of the police. Events quickly developed as a number of civilians threw stones at the anti-drug police officers, who then severely beat a number of civilians. In retaliation, police officers then proceeded to use live ammunition on the protestors which resulted in the killing of Wissam Salem Abu Sitta (30). Mr Abu Sitta was hit by a gunshot in his back while he was mediating between both sides. During the course of these events, 5 civilians, including a woman, were wounded by gunshots while 6 others sustained minor injuries. All of them are residents of the area, including 8 members of the Salman Family. Four anti-drug police officers sustained minor injuries during the events, 2 of whom received medical treatment at the hospital. At approximately 15:00, Palestinian police arrested 9 members of the Salman family. Mohammed Nasser Khamis Salman is still at large. Following the spread of the news of the killing of Mr Abu Sitta, a number of civilians blocked all traffic through al-Manshiyah Street and set fire to tires in the area. Other protestors attacked and threw stones at Beit Lahia police station, the Security and Protection Office and Sheikh Zayed police station. In response, police officers fired bullets at the rioters which resulted in the wounding of 3 civilians, including a child, by gunshots.
The Ministry of the Interior in Gaza published a press release on Thursday evening stating the following: “Based on information obtained by the anti-drug service, a number of persons from a family in Beit Lahia are in possession of drugs and Tramadol tablets. Upon this intelligence, an anti-drug police force, accompanied with a police inspector, went to the scene after obtaining an arrest and search warrant from the prosecution of the north.
When the anti-drug police arrived at the scene, they asked permission to enter the wanted house and then searched it. They arrested the wanted person and upon departing the building, a number of family members threw stones from above the buildings at police officers. A number of police officers were injured. As a result, they tactically retreated from the scene and shot in the air in order to disperse the attackers. Meanwhile, Mohammed Abu Sitta arrived at the scene and stopped to talk with the police officers in order to mediate between the police force and the protestors so that they could peacefully organize the handing over of the accused for questioning. However, police officers were subject to shooting by the family of the accused, resulting in the killing of Abu Sitta and infliction of injuries to police officers at the scene.
In light of the above, PCHR calls upon the Attorney General to open a serious investigation into those events and their consequences and determine those responsible for the shooting and the death of Abu Sitta and the injuries of 8 others. PCHR calls also for the publishing of the results of such an investigation and the taking of necessary legal action.
