Ref: 48/2006

Date:  06 June 2006

Time: 11:30 GMT 

Two Palestinians Extra-Judicially Executed by IOF in Jabalya

On Monday evening, 5 June 2006, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) extra-judicially executed two members of the Palestinian Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and wounded two other members, as well as two civilian bystanders, in Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 19:20 on Monday, 5 June 2006, an IOF aircraft launched two missiles at a civilian car (a yellow Skoda) that was traveling on Salah al-Din road to the east of Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip.  Four members of the PRC were traveling in the car.  The first missile hit the front of the car, killing one member of the PRC and seriously wounding another, who died later in hospital.  Before the second missile was dropped, the two other members, who had been sitting in the back seat, managed to escape but were wounded in the blast.  Two civilian bystanders were also wounded.  The two members of the PRC who were killed were:

1.      ‘Emad Mohammed ‘Asaliya, 26, from Jabalya refugee camp; and

2.      Majdi Tayseer Hammad, 29, from Beit Lahia housing project. 

The other two members who were wounded are:

1.      Isma’il Lafi Abu Jarad, 28; and

2.      Ahmed Lafi Abu Jarad, 26.

The two civilian bystanders who were wounded are:

1.      Ameen al-‘Abed al-Jamal, 27, wounded by shrapnel to the left leg; and

2.      Ahmed ‘Abdullah al-Jamal, 24, wounded by shrapnel to the arms. 

This latest attack confirms Israeli official statements indicating that Palestinian activists will continue to be targeted, implementing of a series of decisions taken by the Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz to stop the launching of locally made rockets at Israeli towns.  IOF admitted responsibility for this attack.  According to PCHR’s documentation, IOF have committed eighteen extra-judicial executions since the beginning of 2006, which have killed fifty-four Palestinians, including fifteen non-targeted persons.  This number includes six children.

PCHR strongly condemns this latest attack and is gravely concerned over the recent escalation in Israeli attacks on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).  PCHR asserts that such crimes serve to aggravate tensions in the region and threaten the lives of Palestinians.  PCHR calls upon the international community to immediately intervene to stop such crimes, and reiterates its calls for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to meet their obligations to ensure protection for Palestinian civilians in the OPT.

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