Israeli Forces escalate war crimes in
the OPT
· 17 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 2 children and woman,
were killed by Israeli forces
· 14
of the victims were killed in extra-judicial assassinations
· Israeli
forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas
· More
than 29 houses were destroyed in Rafah and large areas of agricultural land
were razed in throughout the Gaza Strip
· Indiscriminate
shelling of Palestinian residential areas continued
· Israel
continues its campaign of retaliation against the families
of wanted Palestinians and those who allegedly carried out armed attacks
against Israeli targets, resulting the destruction of 3 houses in the West Bank
· More
Palestinians were arrested
· Continued
siege on Palestinian communities; Israeli forces fired at Palestinian civilians
crossing checkpoints and Rafah terminal was closed
Introduction
Israeli occupying forces have escalated hostile military actions against
Palestinians, especially extra-judicial assassinations and have continued to
conduct illegal actions and human rights violations against Palestinian
civilians, including collective punishment, shelling of and incursions into
Palestinian areas, house demolitions and agricultural land leveling. This week 12-18 June 2003, 17 Palestinians, mostly
civilians, including 2 children and a woman, were killed by Israeli
occupying forces.
In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial
assassination officially adopted by Israeli occupying forces against
Palestinian political and field activists of the Intifada, this week in the
space of 24 hours, Israeli occupying forces carried out 3 assassinations, which
left dead 11 Palestinians, including 3 who were allegedly wanted by Israeli
authorities. One of the victims was killed
together with his pregnant wife and child. Two of the assassinations took place on Thursday, 12 June 2003. In addition, 3 civilians, including a child,
died from wounds they had sustained in previous assassination attempts. This brings the number of Palestinians killed
in assassination attempts carried out by Israeli occupying forces in the past
two weeks to 30, including 23 civilian bystanders. In addition, dozens of others were wounded. Despite international criticism and
condemnation of Israeli war crimes, in particular extra-judicial
assassinations, the Israeli government and its occupying forces escalated these
crimes, claiming that they would deter Palestinian armed attacks against
Israeli targets. The Israeli Chief of
Staff Moshe Yalon confirmed this escalation and was quoted on the Arabic
website of the Israeli daily Yediot Aharanot’s, as saying that in order
to bring about security, Israel has been forced to act pre-emptively and that
the policy would increase political pressure on the various Palestinian
factions, leading to enhanced security for Israel.
This week, Israeli occupying forces conducted a
series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying forces
conducted 9 incursions into Palestinian areas, during which they destroyed 29
Palestinian houses and razed more than 140 donums[1] in
Rafah. They also razed more than 50
donums of agricultural land in Beit Hanoun and Deir al-Balah. These actions have caused further deterioration
in the economic situation in the Gaza Strip.
In violation of international humanitarian law, which
prohibits collective punishment, Israeli forces took retaliatory measures
against families of Palestinians who have carried out attacks against Israeli
targets in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and those wanted by Israeli
forces. In this context, they destroyed 3 houses in the West Bank.
In 2 cases of apparent willful killing, 2 Palestinian
civilians were killed by Israeli occupying forces in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip. A third civilian also died from a
previous wound inflicted by Israeli occupying forces a week earlier.
Israeli occupying forces continue to maintain a total
siege on the OPTs. They have isolated
Palestinian communities from one another and this week Israeli occupying forces
restricted movement of Palestinians on Salah al-Din Street (the main road
between the north and south of the Gaza Strip). They repeatedly closed Abu Houli and al-Matahen checkpoints on this road
for several hours, during which they checked Palestinians and searched their
vehicles. They also restricted the
movement of journalists and medical personnel and closed the coastal road
linking the central and northern Gaza Strip. On 16 and 17 June 2003, Israeli forces closed Rafah Terminal on the
Egyptian border, prohibiting the movement of travelers and goods. In the West Bank, Israeli occupying forces
erected more checkpoints and roadblocks, further restricting the movement of
Palestinians.
Extra-Judicial Assassination
In a continuation of the assassination policy declared by the Israeli
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Monster Shaul Mofaz, targeting
Palestinian political leaders and activists, Israeli occupying forces committed
3 extra-judicial assassinations in less than 24 hours. These attacks left 11 Palestinians dead. 3 of the victims were the intended targets of
the Israeli forces, while the other 8 were non-targeted civilians. One of the intended victims was killed along
with his pregnant wife and young child.
At approximately 15:50 on Thursday, 12 June 2003, an Israeli helicopter
gunship launched 5 missiles at a civilian car that was traveling along al-Jalaa’
Street in central Gaza City. 4 missiles hit the car, killing all occupants.
The occupants were later identified as Yasser Mohammed ‘Ali Taha, 31, from
al-Boreij refugee camp, and his 7-month pregnant wife, Islam ‘Abdullah Taha,
25, and their baby, Khawla, 18 months.
Taha had been wanted by the Israeli authorities for many years due to
his alleged involvment in the military wing of the Hamas movement. In
March 2003, Israeli occupying forces raided Taha’s family home during an
incursion into the al-Boreij camp, in the central Gaza Strip. His 65-year-old
father and three of his brothers were arrested during the raid, but Taha managed
to escape. The family home was destroyed during the incursion.
Taha’s father and brothers remain in Israeli detention.
5 non-targeted Palestinians were also killed in the attack,
including one who later died from his wounds, and more than 20 were
injured. The wounded were transferred to Shifa hospital in Gaza City,
several of whom remain in a serious condition, according to medical
sources. Several children were among the wounded. The 5 bystanders
killed were identified as:
1. Jihad
Jasser al-Saudi, 36, from al-Shaghaf area in Gaza;
2. Ahmed
Mohammed Samour, 30, from al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza;
3. Sa’ed
Ziad Ghabayen, 30;
4. Mohammed
Khalil Matar, 34, from al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza; and
5. Salim
Sa’id Salha, 41, from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza, who succumbed to his
wound on Friday, 13 June 2003.
The fifth missile launched by the Israeli helicopter gunship missed the
targeted car and hit the family home of ‘Abdul Fatah ‘Abdullah Nijem, located
only a few meters from where the car was hit. No injuries were reported.
On Thursday evening, Israeli occupying forces shot dead two
Palestinians, one of whom had been wanted by Israeli forces due to alleged
activities in the military wing of Islamic Jihad.
According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 21:50, an Israeli
occupying forces undercover unit traveling in a Palestinian registered civilian
vehicle (Mercedes 410), entered the al-Dabbous quarter in the east of the
northern West Bank town of Jenin. The
car stopped in front of the house of Fadi Tayseer Jardat, 23, from Seilat
al-Harthiya village and resident of Jenin. Jaradat was having coffee at the door of the house together with Saleh
Suleiman Ibrahim Jardat, 33, also from Seilat al-Harthiya village. Immediately, members of the undercover unit,
who were wearing military uniform, got out of the car and opened fire at the
men. Both were hit by several live
bullets. Approximately 5 minutes later,
2 Israeli military jeeps arrived and Israeli soldiers moved the men into one of
the jeeps and then left the area. At
approximately 23:00, the information department of the Palestinian Red Crescent
Society received a phone call from an Israeli officer who informed them that the
bodies of 2 Palestinians had been deposited in the Sabah al-Khair neighborhood
in the northeast of Jenin. An ambulance was
immediately dispatched to the area. Approximately
10 minutes later, the ambulance brought the bodies to Dr. Khalil Suleiman
Hospital in Jenin. According to the
field worker of the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and
the Environment (LAW), who was coincidentally at the hospital when the bodies
arrived, there were signs of bruising on the faces and necks, and injuries on
the bodies as a result of being pulled along the ground. Saleh Jardat was hit by 5 live bullets in the
head, neck, chest and abdomen, while Fadi Jardat was hit by 3 live bullets in
the neck, chest and right hand.
At approximately 19:50 on Friday, 13 June 2003, 2 Israeli helicopter
gunships, accompanied by an F-16 fighter jet, launched 3 missiles at a civilian
car (grey Mazda) that was traveling near ‘Abu ‘Eida crossroads in the densely
populated al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City. Fu’ad Yousef ‘Abdullah al-Liddawi, 26, from Jabalya refugee camp, a
member of Hamas was driving the car, and one of his colleagues was traveling
with him. Al Liddawi’s colleague was
able to jump from the car as the first missile hit. The other 2 missiles also hit the car, killing
Al-Liddawi. In addition, 28 passing
Palestinian civilians were wounded, including 11 children.
3 Palestinian Civilians Die from Wounds Sustained in Previous
Extra-Judicial Assassinations
At approximately 12:00 on Thursday, 12 June 2003, medical sources at
Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City declared that Yassin Subhi Murtaja, 52, succumbed
to a wound he had sustained on the preceding day. Murtaja was wounded during an assassination
carried out by Israeli occupying forces in al-Shojeya neighborhood in Gaza City,
which targeted 2 members of the military wing of the Hamas movement. The 2 targeted Palestinians and 6 bystander
civilians, including 2 brothers and 2 sisters, were killed. In addition, 35 civilians, including Murtaja,
were wounded.
At approximately 09:55 on Sunday, 15 June 2003, medical sources at
Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City declared that Amal Nemer Salem al-Jarousha, 8,
from al-Remal neighborhood in Gaza City, succumbed to a wound she sustained in
the failed assassination attempt carried by Israeli occupying forces on
Tuesday, 10 June 2003, which targeted Dr.’Abdul ‘Aziz al-Rantisi, a leader of the
Hamas movement. The assassination
attempt also killed a female bystander and one of Dr. al-Rantisi’s
bodyguards. In addition, more than 30 passing
civilians, including al-Jarousha, were wounded. According to medical sources, the child was hit in the head by shrapnel.
On Wednesday morning, medical sources at Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City
declared that Hamed Mohammed Habboush, 60, from al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City,
died from a previous wound to the head he had sustained in the same failed
assassination attempt.
Shelling of, and Encroachment into Palestinian Areas
Thursday, 12 June 2003
At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced
with about 20 heavy military vehicles, including bulldozers and 2 helicopters, moved
approximately 300m into Block J in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian
border. Israeli soldiers raided a
4-storey house owned by ‘Azmi al-Jamal. The soldiers mounted the roof and transformed it into a military
post. Then, the bulldozers, covered by
intense shelling, demolished a number of houses, razed areas of agricultural
land and destroyed electricity and water supplies. The incursion continued until approximately
06:00, during which 2 Palestinian civilians were wounded:
1. Ahmed
‘Abdul Karim ‘Aashour, 24, wounded by shrapnel in the right knee; and
2. Mahmoud
Falah Ghanem, 23, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen.
The Israeli bulldozer totally demolished 3
Palestinian houses:
1. A
250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Ayman ‘Abdul Wahab Taleb
al-Zatma, in which 3 people lived; and
2. A
160-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by ‘Ata ‘Abdul Ghani Khamis
al-Jazzar, in which 9 people lived; and
3. A
170-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Yousef Ibrahim Yousef
al-Jazzar, in which 3 people lived.
They also partially demolished 11 other houses. In addition, they razed areas of agricultural
land:
1. They razed an 800-square-meter area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus owned by Fathi Ahmed Mohammed
Abu Naja.
2. They razed an 850-square-meter area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus owned by Mohammed Ahmed
Mohammed Abu Naja.
At approximately 11:00, Israeli occupying forces at
military locations on the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at
al-Brazil neighborhood. A Palestinian
child, Bilal Shukri Shehada, 14, was wounded by a live bullet in the left
leg. PCHR’s field worker in Rafah
reported that the child was wounded when he was near his house, approximately
400m away from the source of fire.
At approximately 11:15, Israeli occupying forces on
the Israeli border, east of Gaza City, opened fire at a Palestinian Military
Intelligence site near the industrial zone of al-Mentar crossing, wounding Rami
‘Abdul Jawad Jouda, 23, from Jabalya refugee camp, by a live bullet in the
head.
Friday, 13 June 2003
At approximately 07:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with an armored military bulldozer, moved approximately 300m into
Boba’ area in the southeast of Deir al-Balah. They razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives and
destroyed a water pump owned by Amin Naji al-Qedra.
2. They
razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and fruits
owned by Fadhel Younis al-Qedra.
3. They
razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Kamal
Younis al-Qedra.
At approximately 19:30, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations in the vicinity of “Gush Qatif” settlement block,
west of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian houses in Tal aal-Sultan neighborhood
in the west of the town. A Palestinian
child, Asa’ad Sa’di ‘Awadh, 11, was wounded by a live bullet in the left hand,
while he was near his house, approximately 400m away from the source of
fire.
Saturday, 14 June 2003
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including 2 bulldozers, moved approximately
700m into Palestinian areas in the southeast of Khan Yunis. They razed areas of Palestinian agricultural
land, demolished 3 houses, a bird farm and 3 greenhouses:
1. They
razed a 30-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, figs and vegetables,
on which, 3 greenhouses planted with tomatoes stood; demolished an 80-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house; and destroyed an irrigation network, an agricultural
pool and agricultural equipment owned by ‘Abdullah ‘Abed ‘Abdullah Jarghoun.
2. They
razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and demolished a
60-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house and a 700-square-meter bird farm owned
by Mohammed Mansour Ibrahim Jarghoun.
3. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and demolished a
60-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house owned by Isma’il Mohammed Ibrahim
Mo’ammar.
4. They
razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by the heirs
of Hisham Mikki and farmed by Kamel Mohammed Isma’il ‘Aashour.
Approximately 2 hours later, Israeli occupying forces
resumed the destruction of land and houses after having moved to the south
towards the northeastern part of Rafah. They called on residents of the area and farmers to evacuate their
houses and farms. Immediately, Israeli
military bulldozers razed large areas of agricultural land, demolished 7 houses
and destroyed 11 greenhouses, a central water tank, a number of agricultural
pools and a grocery shop:
1. They
razed a 13-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and peaches, on
which 3 greenhouses planted with tomatoes stood, demolished a 150-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house and destroyed an irrigation network, an agricultural pool
and agricultural equipment owned by Suleiman Hassan Suleiman Abu Mo’ammar.
2. They
razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and figs, on
which 3 greenhouses planted with tomatoes stood, demolished a 120-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house and destroyed an irrigation network and a room designed for
a water motor owned by Suleiman and Nahedh Mohammed Suleiman Abu Mo’ammar.
3. They
razed a 12-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, demolished a
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, a grocery shop and a resort, and
destroyed an irrigation network and an agricultural pool owned by Fadhel
Mansour Suleiman Abu Mo’ammar.
4. They
razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, demolished a 100-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house and destroyed an irrigation network owned by ‘Adnan Mansour
Suleiman Abu Mo’ammar.
5. They
razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, on which 2
greenhouse planted with tomatoes stood, demolished a 120-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house and destroyed an irrigation network, an agricultural pool,
a room and agricultural equipment owned by Amin Mansour Suleiman Abu
Mo’ammar.
6. They
razed an 11-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and vegetables,
demolished a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house and destroyed an
irrigation network, an agricultural pool and agricultural equipment owned by
Ziad Mansour Suleiman Abu Mo’ammar.
7. They
destroyed a water tank that provided water for 60 donums of agricultural land
in the area owned by Jihad Mansour Suleiman Abu Mo’ammar.
At approximately 15:30, 2 tanks and an Israeli military
jeep moved into ‘Askar refugee camp, east of Nablus. They opened fire at Palestinian houses. Soon, a number of Palestinian children and
young men gathered and threw stones towards the Israeli military vehicles. Israeli soldiers fired at the stone throwers,
killing 19-year-old Khaled ‘Adnan Saqer with a live bullet in the chest. In addition, 2 children were wounded:
1. Ahmed
Salah Mohammed al-Madani, 17, wounded by a live bullet in the right leg; and
2. Na’im
Mahmoud ‘Abdul Salam, 11, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left
leg.
Sunday, 15 June 2003
Early in the morning, an undercover unit of Israeli
occupying forces shot a Palestinian civilian in the northern Gaza Strip town of
Beit Hanoun for no apparent reason. He
was wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh. Due to the Israeli military siege imposed on
the town for more than 5 weeks, his family was not able to evacuate him in a
prompt manner and he died upon arrival at the hospital.
According to eyewitnesses, at approximately 01:00, an
undercover unit of Israeli occupying forces infiltrated the northern Gaza Strip
town of Beit Hanoun, which has been under an Israeli military siege for more
than 5 weeks. In the meanwhile, Ra’fat
Ahmed Hassan al-Za’anin, 30, was watching television in his house. Soon, he heard one of his neighbors calling
on him. In response Ra’fat, accompanied
by his cousin, exited the house to investigate what was occurring outside. Upon opening the door, he was approached by
his neighbor, Khaled Abu ‘Amsha, who appeared to be in an excited and
bewildered condition. Abu ‘Amsha told
him that an undercover unit of Israeli forces was about 70m away from the
house. As Al-Za’anin was ushering his
neighbor into the house, Israeli soldiers, who were either monitoring them or
suspected their movement, fired at
al-Za’anin, his cousin and his neighbor. Al-Za’anin was wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh, while his
cousin and neighbor were not hurt. Al-Za’anin’s brothers then exited the house to check on what was going
on. As they tried to pull their brother
into the house, Israeli soldiers fired at them, preventing them from pulling
their brother to safety. One of the
brothers, Mohammed, 23, was wounded by a live bullet in the right arm. Due to the strict siege imposed on the town,
the evacuation of al-Za’anin to the hospital took about half an hour. He was suffering from an intense hemorrhage. As a result, he died upon arrival at the
hospital from a loss of blood.
At approximately 07:30, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced by heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved
approximately 300m into the Boba’ area in the southeast of Deir al-Balah. They then razed the following areas of
Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They razed 1-donum area of agricultural land
planted with palms and olives owned by Ibrahim ‘Abdullah Khattab.
2. They razed 1-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives owned by Nassir Ahmed Abu ‘Amra.
3. They razed 500-square-meter area of agricultural
land planted withy olives and palms owned by Suleiman Ibrahim Abu ‘Amra.
4. They razed 2.5-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives and palms and demolished an empty 60-square-meter animal
farm owned by Mohammed Nemer Bashir.
5. They
razed 2-donum area of agricultural land, on which a greenhouse planted with
vegetables stood, owned by Jaber Nemer Bashir.
6. They
razed 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Ahmed
Nemer Bashir.
At approximately 13:30, Israeli soldiers positioned
on top of tanks guarding military engineers (who were working on a separating
fence on the Egyptian border south of Rafah) opened fire at Palestinian houses
in al-Brazil neighborhood adjacent to the border. Three Palestinian civilians were wounded:
1. Shehada
‘Abdullah al-Khatib, 32, seriously wounded by 2 live bullets in the chest;
2. Rami
Isma’il ‘Olayan, 19, wounded by shrapnel in the chest and the limbs; and
3. Mustafa
al-Dib, 19, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen.
At approximately 15:00, Israeli heavy military
vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved approximately 400m into Palestinian
agricultural land to the south of “Kfar Darom” settlement, southeast
of Deir al-Balah. They then razed the
following areas of agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Humaid
Hamdan al-Fallit.
2. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Jamal
Hamdan al-Fallit.
3. They
razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Khaled
Yousef al-Fallit.
4. They
destroyed a 100-meter-long fence owned by Khaled Mahmoud Abu Shahin.
At approximately 16:30, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with 2 military bulldozers, moved approximately 200m into the east
of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. During the next 2 days they razed the following areas of Palestinian
agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Mohammed Mohammed Abu ‘Ouda.
2. They
razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Suleiman
Mohammed Abu ‘Ouda.
3. They
razed a 5.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by heirs
of ‘Abdul Latif Mohammed Abu ‘Ouda.
4. They
razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by heirs of
Hassan Mohammed Abu ‘Ouda.
5. They
razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by ‘Abdul
Raziq Mohammed Abu ‘Ouda.
6. They
razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by Mohammed
Hassan Abu ‘Ouda.
7. They
razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus owned by ‘Abdul
‘Aziz Mohammed al-Zwaidi.
Monday, 16 June 2003
At approximately 12:30, Israeli occupying forces in a
military location in the Tal Zo’rob area in the southeast of Rafah opened fire
at Palestinian houses in the Zo’rob neighborhood. A Palestinian civilian, ‘Abdullah Na’im
Mohammed Zo’rob, who was participating in a funeral, approximately 500m away
from the source of fire, was wounded by a live bullet in the left foot.
At approximately 17:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved approximately 200m into Palestinian areas north of Rafah Terminal at the
Egyptian border. They then razed the
following areas of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with eggplants and destroyed
an irrigation network and an agricultural pool owned by Sami Ibrahim Qeshta nd
farmed by Musallam Zaidan Abu Shallouf.
2. They
razed a 7-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and fruits
and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Ahmed Eshtayan Abu Shallouf.
3. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Hassan Mohammed Abu Jarad.
4. They
razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by ‘Abed Rabbu Mohammed Abu Jarad.
5. They
razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an
irrigation network owned by Musallam ‘Awad Abu Jarad.
Tuesday, 17 June 2003
At approximately 15:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including 2 bulldozers, moved into
al-Salam and al-Brazil neighborhoods in Rafah, adjacent to the Egyptian
border. They then demolished 2
uninhabited Palestinian houses:
1. A
220-square-meter, 3-storey house owned by Akram and Karim Kamel Darwish; and
2. A
220-square-meter, 3-storey house owned by Yousef Hamed Bahloul.
Wednesday, 18 June 2003
At approximately midnight, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with 20 tanks and covered by intense shelling, moved approximately
200m into Zo’rob neighborhood in Rafah, adjacent to the Egyptian border. Israeli soldiers raided 3 Palestinian houses
that were empty during the incursion. They then planted explosives inside the three houses and destroyed them:
1. A
300-square-meter, 2-storey house owned by Riad Hussein ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Zo’rob, in
which 24 people (3 families) lived;
2. A
175-square-meter, 3-storey house owned by Ra’fat ‘Ouda Mohammed Zo’rob, in
which 18 people (2 families) lived; and
3. A
200-square-meter, 2-stoery house owned by ‘Abdul Mon’em Shehta Saleh Zo’rob, in
which 15 people (4 families) lived.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including 2 bulldozers, traveled from
the eastern junction of Beit Lhia on Salah al-Din Street in the northern Gaza
Strip (where they had been positioned for more than one month) approximately
700m on Beit Lahia main road until they reached the site of the Palestinian
Military Intelligence facility at the entrance of Tal al-Za’tar area. Israeli soldiers raided the house of Mohammed
‘Abdul ‘Aziz ‘Eissa Sabbah, and detained the eight residents of the house in
one room as they searched the residence. They then mounted the roof of the house and opened fired into the
surrounding streets and neighboring areas. Two Palestinian security men were wounded:
1. Samih
Mohammed Abu Fares, 24, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen; and
2. Na’el
‘Omar Abu Raya, 26, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen.
At the same time, other Israeli forces moved more
than 600m south on Salah al-Din Street. Israeli military bulldozers demolished the gate and parts of the fence
surrounding a concrete factory. They
also damaged an under-construction, 3-storey building in the factory, as well
as the electricity and telephone systems of the facility.
Shooting at Palestinian Civilians
Sunday, 15 June 2003
The morning of the 15th, medical sources at Rafidya Hospital in Nablus
declared that Nabil Ahmed Yousef Jardat, 25, from Seilat al-Harhtiya village,
west of Jenin, succumbed to a wound he sustained by Israeli occupying forces a
week earlier.
According to information available to PCHR, at approximately 14:30 on
Sunday, 8 June 2003, Israeli soldiers on
a tank positioned at the entrance of al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin, fired at
a civilian car traveling along a muddy road on its way towards Jenin. Two Palestinian civilians who were traveling
in the car were wounded:
1. Tariq Ziad Ahmed Jaradat, 25, wounded
by a live bullet in the head; and
2. Nabil Ahmed Yousef Jaradat, 25,
seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head.
The latter was evacuated to Rafidya Hospital in Nablus, but all efforts
by the medical personnel to save his life failed.
Wednesday, 18 June 2003
At approximately 14:30, Israeli soldiers in a military observation tower
at Abu Houli military checkpoint on Salah al-Din Street, south of Deir
al-Balah, fired at a civilian car in which 3 Palestinian civilians were
traveling. Two of the occupants were
wounded:
1. Ra’fat Rabi’ al-Muzayen, 33, wounded by
a live bullet in the head; and
2. Hamza Khalil al-Buhaisi, 25, seriously
wounded by a live bullet in the back.
Collective Punishment against Families of Wanted Palestinians and Those
Who Have Carried out Armed Attacks against Israeli Targets
In violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits
collective punishment, Israeli forces took retaliatory measures against the families
of Palestinians who have carried out attacks against Israeli targets in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories and those wanted by Israeli forces.
At approximately 01:00 on Friday, 13 June 2003, Israeli occupying
forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a bulldozer, moved
into the Jabal al-Rahma area in the southwest of Hebron. They surrounded a 120-square-meter house
belonging to the family of ‘Abdul Mo’ti Shabana, who carried out a bombing in
Jerusalem on 11 June 2003. Israeli
soldiers forced the 7 residents of the house out and the bulldozer demolished
it completely. They also arrested
Shabana’s three brothers: Bahjat, 26; Mohammed, 28; and Munir, 36.
At approximately 04:00 on the same day, Israeli occupying forces moved
into Dura village, west of Hebron. They
surrounded a 170-square-meter, 2-stoery house belonging to the family of Anas
Kamal Masalama, who is currently being detained by these forces. Israeli
soldiers then forced the 18 residents of the house (3 families) out, planted
explosives inside the house and destroyed it.
At approximately 02:00 on Wednesday, 18 June 2003, Israeli occupying
forces moved into Jaba’ village, south of Jenin. They surrounded a 140-square-meter, 3-storey
house owned by Ibrahim Hassan Slama, whose three sons are detained by Israeli
forces. Israeli soldiers forced the 13
residents of the house (2 families) out. Then, they planted explosives inside the house and destroyed it with the
family’s possessions still inside.
* * * * *
PCHR calls:
1. Upon the international community to
provide immediate and independent international protection for
the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
2. Upon the High Contracting Parties to
the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to reconvene to take effective
measures to protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories, in accordance with their obligations under article 1 and article
146, to ensure respect for the Convention.
3. Upon the international community to
investigate and prosecute before international courts those believed to have
committed war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
4. Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence,
expand its activities, and intensify its field operations throughout the
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
5. Upon the European Union to activate
Article 2 of the Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides that Israel
must respect human rights.
6. Upon the international community to
provide humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people, whose
living conditions are continuing to deteriorate as a result of the continued
siege imposed by Israeli occupation forces on the entire Occupied Palestinian
Territories.
“END”
Public
Document
**************************************
For more
information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 –
2825893
PCHR, 29 Omer
El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail:[email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
