Field Update

On Tuesday evening, 17 August 2010, armed clashes erupted
between militants from the al-Quds Brigades and others from the National
Resistance Brigades in Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. As a result, two civilian bystanders were
wounded by shrapnel. This incident is part
of the state of security chaos and misuse of weapons currently prevailing in
the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian
Center for Human Rights (PCHR) and testimonies of eyewitnesses, at
approximately 23:30 on Tuesday, 17 August 2010, armed clashes erupted between militants
from the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad Movement, and others
from the National Resistance Brigades, the armed wing of Democratic Front for
the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), near Hamza Mosque in Khuza’a village, east
of Khan Yunis. Clashes erupted after a dispute
between the two parties regarding the eligibility of each party in the
observation area (al-Ribat). The
Palestinian police intervened and ended the clashes, but the clashes started
again after the police had left. Accordingly, the police dispersed the militants and evacuated the
area. The clashes, which continued until
01:00 on Wednesday, 18 August 2010, resulted into wounding two civilian
bystanders by shrapnel. The wounded are:

1) Mahdi Mahmoud Qdeih, 55, wounded by shrapnel in the shoulder
and chest; and

2) Mohammed Nazmi Qdeih, 23, wounded by shrapnel in the left
shoulder.

It should be noted that the militants forced residents of the
area to evacuate it and stay at homes before the clashes erupted; however, some
persons got out of their houses and requested the militants to get away from
their houses, but they refused.

According to information collected by PCHR, the Palestinian
police did not arrest any of the militants who were involved in the clashes.

PCHR strongly condemns wounding civilians and clashes
between military wings of the Palestinian factions, which is part of the state
of security chaos and misuse of weapons currently prevailing in the OPT. PCHR calls upon the Attorney-General to
seriously investigate the eruption of these clashes and use of firearms in
disputes, and bring perpetrators to justice.