Press Release

Two martyrs in the Gaza Strip:

A new Israeli military post and 13 Israeli tanks on the Palestinian-Egyptian border; Salah El-Din Street (the main road connecting the north and south of the Gaza Strip) partially closed

Ref: 156/2000

Date: November 5, 2000

Time: 16:30 GMT

18: 30 Palestine Time

Today, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian civilians who continued to demonstrate for the 38^th consecutive day against the actions of these forces. The Israeli occupation forces killed two civilians in Al-Boreij and Gaza City. Additionally, dozens of Palestinian civilians were wounded during clashes with the Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli occupation forces since September 29, 2000 has increased to 153, including 47 children, with about 4,750 wounded. The past 24 hours witnessed shooting at houses and leveling of agricultural land by the Israeli occupation forces.

The Israeli occupation forces continued to reinforce their presence in the areas of clashes and at points of friction with Palestinian civilians. Gaza International Airport remained closed for the seventh consecutive day while the Israeli occupation forces continued to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories as part of their policy of collective punishment.

In the east of the Gaza Strip, near the borderline to the east of Al-Boreij refugee camp, Palestinian demonstrators gathered to protest the Israeli occupation forces. These forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators and killed Maher Mohammed El-Se’idi, 16 years old, from Al-Boreij, with a live bullet in the head. PCHR’s field officer in the area stated that the Israeli occupation forces started to shoot from 200 meters at Palestinian demonstrators as soon as one demonstrator threw one stone at these forces. The thrown stone did not reach these forces. A sniper shot only one bullet from this long distance which hit the martyr El-Se’idi (proving once again PCHR’s contention that Israel is executing an intentional policy of shoot-to-kill). Another bullet was shot by the Israeli occupation forces and wounded another boy in the foot.

In the area near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City, clashes broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces. These forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators from a distance of 100-150 meters and killed Marwan Khalil El-Ghamri, 27 years old, from El-Shojae’ya neighborhood in Gaza, with a live bullet in the heart. Eleven civilians were wounded with live ammunition shot by the Israeli occupation forces from a distance of more than 100 meters. Among the wounded is Seraj Munir El-Herakli, 23 years old, from El-Shojae’ya neighborhood in Gaza, who was wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen. PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that the Israeli occupation forces resorted to snipers using silencers to shoot at Palestinian demonstrators.

In Khan Yunis, clashes have broken out since the morning between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces near Al-Tuffah roadblock between Khan Yunis city and Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area, under the security control of the Israeli occupation forces. PCHR’s field officer in the city reported that the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators from a distance of about 100 meters and wounded three civilians with live ammunition and another eight with rubber-coated metal bullets. Among the wounded is Ahmed Abdel-hai El-Majaideh, 18 years old, who was seriously wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen. Additionally, dozens of civilians suffered from suffocation due to inhaling tear gas used by the Israeli occupation forces in the area.

Last night, the Israeli occupation forces fired medium and heavy bullets at Palestinian houses opposite to an Israeli military post to the west of Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan Yunis. The military post is about 150m away from the neighborhood. Two Palestinian civilians were wounded while they were at home. They are: Walid Mohammed Abu Jamous, 22 years old, who was wounded with a live bullet in the thigh; and Yasser Yousef Abu El-Sae’id, 27 years old, who was wounded with shrapnel of live ammunition. Façades and windows of shot-at houses were severely damaged and a horse near these houses was killed.

In Rafah, clashes broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces near Salah El-Din Gate on the Palestinian-Egyptian border. The Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators, wounding three with live ammunition. Among the wounded is Ahmed Hassan Oleyan, 19 years old, who was moderately wounded in the head. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the Israeli occupation forces established a new military post to the southeast of Al-Salam neighborhood on the Palestinian-Egyptian border. He added that 13 tanks of the Israeli occupation forces were stationed along the border. This afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces re-established a roadblock at the junction leading to Morag settlement in Rafah on Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip). These forces started to check passing citizens and transportation on both directions of the road.

In the aftermath of escorting the martyr Nahedh Fathi El-Louh, from Deir El-Balah, who was shot dead by the Israeli occupation forces in Tulkarm on November 3, 2000, to his final resting place, clashes broke out between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of Kfar Darom settlement near Deir El-Balah. The Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators, wounding three with live ammunition and one with a rubber-coated metal bullet. Additionally, the Israeli occupation forces’ tanks and armored vehicles have still been stationed at the entrance of the settlement on Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip). At about 17:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces closed the above-mentioned road to passing civilians and transportation in both directions.

In the vicinity of Kfar Darom settlement, early this morning (1:00 local time), the Israeli occupation forces swept a ten-donum area of agricultural land to the south of the settlement that was planted with citrus and guava and owned by El-Ja’farawi and El-Agha families.

In the area near Beith Hanoun (Erez) check point, on the north of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators at 6:00 local time, wounding two with live ammunition. PCHR’s field officer reported that Palestinian laborers working in Erez industrial zone were provoked by the Israeli occupation forces when these forces checked laborers strictly and slowly. Verbal quarrels erupted between the Israeli soldiers and a number of laborers. The Israeli occupation forces shot at laborers and prevented them from entering the industrial zone which is under the control of these forces. Consequently, clashes broke out in the area. The Israeli occupation forces opened fire, wounding another two Palestinians with live ammunition (in addition to the two already hit by live ammunition) and three with rubber-coated metal bullets. Additionally, dozens of civilians suffered from suffocation due to inhaling tear gas used by the Israeli occupation forces.

Most of the cities of the West Bank witnessed similar clashes today between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli occupation forces. The Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators in the cities of Tulkarm, Ramallah, Bethlehem (the village of Taqqou’) and Jenin, wounding seven with live bullets and another nine with rubber-coated metal bullets. Among the wounded is Mohammed El-Shae’r, who was seriously wounded with a live bullet in the chest during clashes in the village of Taqqou’ in Bethlehem. Additionally, dozens of Palestinian civilians suffered from suffocation due to inhaling tear gas used by the Israeli occupation forces.

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1. There was a significant escalation in the use of lethal force by the Israeli occupation forces. As a result, two Palestinian civilians were killed and another 37 were wounded with live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets, some of whom are in serious condition.
2. PCHR’s field officers reported that clashes were at a significant distance, more than 100 meters away from the areas where the Israeli occupation forces were positioned. Maher El-Se’idi was shot dead from a distance of about 200 meters with a live bullet in the head.
3. The Israeli occupation forces continued to resort to shoot-to-kill snipers using silencers.
4. The Israeli occupation forces shot at houses in several areas of Rafah. The safety of civilians was threatened even inside their houses.
5. The Israeli occupation forces continued to close Gaza International Airport and to restrict the movement inside and outside the Gaza Strip.

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1. Establishing without delay an independent commission of inquiry, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1322 (2000), to carry out a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the abuses and killings perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians.
2. Convening a conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention.
3. Immediately providing international protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories in the face of the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces and groups of Jewish settlers who move under the protection of these forces.
4. Use by the EU of effective political and economic means with reference to Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement which calls for the respect for human rights.
5. Providing humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people whose living conditions are increasingly deteriorating because of the continued total siege imposed by the Israeli occupation forces on the entire occupied Palestinian territories.

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