The International Community Remains Silent While Israeli Human Rights
Violations Continue in the OPTs
In the past two weeks:
· 32 Palestinians, mostly
civilians, including 6 children, killed by Israeli forces
· 6 other Palestinians
killed in a mysterious explosion apparently planned by the Israeli occupying
forces
· 11 of the victims were
killed in an Israeli incursions into al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City
· Large areas of Palestinian agricultural land in
the Gaza Strip were razed
· Israeli occupying forces continued to use
Palestinian civilians as human shields in military operations
· The Israeli retaliatory campaign continues
against families of wanted Palestinians and those who allegedly have carried out armed
attacks against Israeli targets
· A number of Palestinians were arrested
· The severe siege of the OPT continued
Introduction
In the past two weeks,
Israeli
occupying forces have escalated their illegal military actions against Palestinian civilians
and property, using various kinds of weapons. They invaded
Palestinian areas and destroyed private and public property, while they have
maintained full control over many Palestinian areas in the West Bank for
several weeks. The Israeli military perpetrated more illegal actions and human
rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including willful killings,
shelling of and incursions into Palestinian areas, house demolitions, and
agricultural land leveling. In the past two weeks, 6-19 February 2003, 32
Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 6 children and a woman, were killed
by Israeli forces, and 6 others were killed in a mysterious explosion which the
Israeli army is suspected of being involved in.
In another illegal
military action, on 18 February 2003, Israeli occupying forces killed 11 Palestinians,
including two brothers and their cousin whose bodies were removed from the
ruins of a house. In addition, 5 civilian facilities were destroyed and raided
and a school was damaged, when Israeli forces, reinforced with heavy military
vehicles and helicopters and covered by intense shelling, invaded areas of Gaza
City. 15 Palestinians, including a physician, were injured by Israeli shelling.
Israeli forces shelled
and moved into Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip. They shelled these areas, demolished dozens
of Palestinian houses and razed large areas of agricultural land. In Rafah, Israeli forces demolished 36 houses
near the Egyptian border, south of the town. They also razed approximately 200 donums of Palestinian agricultural
land in Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip.
According to PCHR’s
documentation, in January and February 2003, in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military
have demolished more than 200 Palestinian houses totally or partially,
destroyed approximately 125 industrial workshops and razed more than 1000
donums of agricultural land, which marks an unprecedented escalation by Israeli
occupying forces against Palestinian civilians and property.
In cases of apparent willful killings, in the past
two weeks, Israeli army has killed 8 Palestinians, mostly civilians. In addition, 8 Palestinians, not including
the victims in al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza city, were killed by the Israeli
shelling against Palestinian residential areas. A woman died from a heart attack in Khan Yunis when she escaped from her
house that was subjected to Israeli shelling.
In a continuation of the policy of assassination
officially adopted by the Israeli political and military establishments, in the
period covered by this report, Israeli forces committed two
extra-judicial assassinations, which left dead two Palestinians. A Palestinian from ‘Ein Beit al-Maa’p, west
of Nablus, was assassinated by Israeli forces on 10 February 2002, and another Palestinian from al-Boreij
refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip was assassinated by Israeli forces on 17
February 2003. In addition, 6
Palestinians were killed in a mysterious explosion Israeli occupying forces are
suspected to be involved in.
In violation of international and
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 9 Palestinian houses, including 3 in Nablus and Qalqilya in the West
Bank and 4 in Beit Lahia and Rafah in the Gaza Strip. They also destroyed two houses, which were
under construction, in Beit Lahia.
In violation of
recognized humanitarian and moral standards, on 10 February 2003, Israeli soldiers
at al-Tuffah checkpoint – the entrance of al-Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis –
forced a Palestinian woman, Fatema Mohammed Ahmed al-Najjar, to drink a
poisonous liquid, while she was trying to cross the checkpoint to go to her
house in al-Mawasi area in Rafah. As a
result, she suffered from pains and infections in the throat and lungs.
Israeli occupying forces have maintained
a total siege on the OPT. They have
isolated Palestinian communities from one another. They have partitioned the Gaza Strip into
three separated zones and restricted the movement of people and goods. They have also maintained curfews on some
areas in the West Bank. The Israeli
decision to prevent Palestinians aged 16-35 from traveling has remained in
effect.
The Shelling of and Encroachment into Palestinian
Areas
Thursday, 6 February 2003
At approximately 13:40, Israeli occupying forces
positioned in the vicinity of Salah al-Din Gate on the Egyptian border, south
of Rafah, opened fire at adjacent Palestinian houses. A Palestinian civilian, ‘Awadh Yousef
Barbakh, 70, was wounded by a live bullet in the left leg while he was inside
his house.
Friday, 7 February 2003
At approximately 08:30, Israeli occupying forces, accompanied by a military bulldozer, moved
approximately 200m into Palestinian areas north of “Kfar Darom”
settlement, southeast of Deir al-Balah. The bulldozer demolished a 70-meter-long fence surrounding a site of the
Palestinian Military Intelligence, a 50-meter-long fence surrounding the house
of Mahmoud Radhi al-‘Adini and a 9-square-meter, tin-made room owned by ‘Aziza
Hussein Abu ‘Oweili.
At approximately 09:00, 4 tanks and two military
bulldozers of Israeli occupying forces moved approximately 1000m into
al-Qubtaniya area in the east of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit
Hanoun. They stayed until 16:00, and
razed the following areas of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus and
destroyed an irrigation network owned by Mousa Tawfiq ‘Abdul Hadi Hamad.
2. They
razed a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus and
destroyed an irrigation network owned by ‘Abdul Rahman Tawfiq ‘Abdul Hadi.
3. They
razed a 30-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus and
destroyed an irrigation network owned by Shihda Mustafa Isma’il Hamad and
brothers.
4. They
razed a 17-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus and
destroyed an irrigation network owned by Mohammed ‘Ouda Shabat and
brothers.
At approximately 12:10, Israeli forces in a military
location, known as “al-Nourai,” west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at
Palestinian houses in al-Amal neighborhood. A Palestinian child, ‘Ali Walid al-Shanna, 15, was wounded by a live
bullet in the left arm.
At approximately 15:40, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations between “Neve Dekalim” and “Gadid”
settlements, west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Nimsawi
and Baten al-Smin neighborhoods. Two
civilians, a woman and a child, were wounded:
1. Nidaa’
Tala’at Mohammed Bureika, 9, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen; and
2. Nour
Mohammed Abu Sitta, 26, wounded by shrapnel in the head.
In the afternoon, Israeli occupying forces
indiscriminately shelled Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis, killing a
Palestinian child. In his testimony to
PCHR, the victim’s father said:
“At approximately 16:00 on Friday, 7 February 2003, my
son, Mustafa Ibrahim Abu ‘Edwan, 10, went out of our house in Bani Suhaila
village. He was walking to a bookshop in the center of Khan Yunis to buy some
stationery. A few minutes later, I heard
gunfire coming from “Neve Dekalim” settlement, approximately 3km west
of our village. Five minutes later, I
heard one of my neighbors saying that there was a child on the ground near Bani
Suahila clinic, approximately 100m away from my house. He told me to call an ambulance. While I was calling for an ambulance, a child
came and told me that the child on the ground was my son Mustafa. I hurried out to check what had
happened. I saw a civilian car
evacuating my child. I got into the car
which traveled towards Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. My child was in complete trance. He was bleeding from the head. I first thought that he was injured in a car
accident. When we arrived at Nasser
Hospital, doctors told me that my child had died from his wound. According to doctors, my child was shot by a
heavy caliber bullet in the head.”
At approximately 23:00, medical sources at Shifa’
Hospital in Gaza City declared that Majed Mohammed Hassan al-Salibi, 34, from
Khan Yunis, succumbed to a wound he sustained last month. According to PCHR’s investigation, al-Salibi
and two other Palestinian civilians were wounded, when Israeli forces shelled
and encroached into Khan Yunis refugee camp on Monday and Tuesday, 6 and 7
January 2003. Al-Salibi was critically
wounded by a live bullet in the head. He
was evacuated to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza city where he stayed until he was
pronounced dead.
Saturday, 8 February 2003
Around midnight, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced
with heavy military vehicles, including 3 bulldozers, and covered by intense
shelling, moved approximately 100m into Khan Yunis refugee camp. The bulldozers demolished 7 Palestinian
houses totally and 3 others partially. Palestinian civilians rushed into streets to escape their houses. A Palestinian woman, Su’ad Mahmoud Hussein
Hamed, 65, died from a heart attack during the escape. Also during the incursion, that continued
until 05:00, Shaker ‘Abdul Qader Siam, 74, was wounded by a live bullet in the
right arm, while he was on his way to the mosque.
Following are details of the houses that were
demolished by Israeli occupying forces:
1. They
totally demolished a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which two
people lived, owned by Aamena Mohammed Suleiman Abu Zayed.
2. They
totally demolished a 180-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 3
families counting 30 people lived, owned by Noufal Ibrahim Mohammed Abu ‘Awadh.
3. They
totally demolished a 140-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 14
people lived, owned by ‘Abdul Rahman Hussein Abu Zubaida.
4. They
totally demolished a 120-square-meter, 2-storey house, in which two families counting
12 people lived, owned by Salem ‘Abdul Karim Salem Abu ‘Obaida.
5. They
totally demolished a 180-square-meter house, in which 5 people lived, owned by
Jaber Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Zarqa.
6. They
totally demolished an 80-square-meter, asbestos and tin-roofed house, in which
4 people lived, owned by Fawzi Jaber Abu Zarqa.
7. They
totally demolished a tin-roofed house, in which one person lived, owned by
Kawthar ‘Ali Salama Abu Zarqa.
8. They
partially demolished a 400-square-meter, asbestos and tin-roofed house, in
which 4 families counting 26 people live, owned by Zaki ‘Ali Salama Abu Zarqa.
9. They
partially demolished a 350-square-meter, 2-storey uninhabited owned by Khaled
Mohammed ‘Ali Abu Louz.
10. They
partially demolished a 120-square-meter, 2-storey house, in which 2 families
counting 19 people live, owned by ‘Adnan and Salem ‘Ali Salem Abu ‘Obaida.
At approximately 08:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with two tanks and a bulldozer, moved approximately 1km into
al-Birka area in the south of Deir al-Balah. Until stayed until 09:30 and razed the following areas of Palestinian
agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and
destroyed an irrigation network owned by Sami ‘Atiya Mohammed al-Fallit.
2. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by D’iab
Khalil Rihan al-Fallit.
3. They
razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Saber
Hamid al-Fallit.
4. They
razed a 1-dronum area of agricultural land planted with parleys owned by Mohsen
Ahmed al-‘Aklouk and Mohammed al-Na’ouq.
5. They
razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with parleys owned by Mustafa
Salim Abu Salim.
6. They
destroyed a 10-meter-long fence surrounding a tract of land owned by Saber
Ahmed al-Fallit.
7. They
destroyed a 50-meter-long water pipeline owned by Sabri ‘Abdul Hadi al-‘Aklouk.
8. They
razed a 20-meter-long barbwire fence owned by Naji ‘Abdul Karim.
At approximately 10:00, an Israeli military bulldozer
moved approximately 200m west of Rafah Terminal, south of Rafah. It razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land
planted with vegetables owned by Silmi Zaidan Ibrahim Abu Shallouf.
At approximately 14:00, Israeli forces, reinforced
with heavy military vehicles, moved approximately 200m into al-Salam
neighborhood adjacent to the Egyptian border, south of Rafah. They demolished 3 Palestinian houses over
their contents:
1. A
130-square-meter house, in which 10 people lived, owned by Nihad Mohammed
Mustafa Abu al-So’ud;
2. A
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 5 people lived, owned by
Isma’il Husni Mousa Abu al-So’ud; and
3. A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 4 people lived, owned by
Khalil Ahmed Khalil Salah.
Also at approximately 14:00, 4 Israeli heavy military
vehicles moved approximately 200m into Block O in Rafah refugee camp. An Israeli military bulldozer demolished 3
Palestinian houses:
1. A
130-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 5 people lived, owned by
‘Awni D’ib Hussein al-Mallahi;
2. A
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 10 people lived, owned by
Mohammed Mahmoud Daoud; and
3. A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 2 families counting 18 people
lived, owned by ‘Aatef Mahmoud Daoud.
At approximately 19:20, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with two tanks and a bulldozer, moved approximately 400m into
al-Ja’farawi area in the southeast of Deir al-Balah. They razed these areas of Palestinian
agricultural land:
1. They
razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and destroyed
an irrigation network owned by Mohammed Suleiman al-Fallit.
2. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and destroyed
an irrigation network owned by Sami Salim Abu Thawaya.
3. They
razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and wheat and
destroyed an irrigation network owned by Hani Ibrahim al-Fallit.
4. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with wheat owned by Sami
Mohammed ‘Ali al-Fallit.
5. They
razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and destroyed
an irrigation network owned by Maher al-Sayed al-Fallit.
6. They
razed a 500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with palms and
olives owned by Yousef Mahmoud Shahin.
7. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and destroyed
an irrigation network owned by Khaled Mohammed al-Fallit.
8. They
uprooted 7 olive trees and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Suleiman
Sha’ban al-Fallit.
9. They
uprooted 6 palm trees and 5 olive trees and destroyed a 5-meter-long fence
owned by ‘Emad Salem al-Fallit.
At approximately 21:00, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west
of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis refugee camp. Three Palestinian civilians were wounded:
1. Hisham
‘Abdul Qader Siam, 38, wounded by shrapnel in the face;
2. Yousef
Mahmoud al-‘Oweini, 23, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen; and
3. Wa’el
Mahmoud al-‘Oweini, 32, wounded by shrapnel in the right hand.
Sunday, 9 February 2003
At approximately 11:15, Israeli occupying forces at
the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian
houses and farms in al-Farahin area in the ‘Abasan village. An artillery shell exploded in the room of a
120-square-meter house owned by ‘Abdullah Mahmoud Abu Daqqa. The room was burnt, but no casualties were
reported.
At approximately 18:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved approximately 200m into Block O in Rafah refugee camp. They demolished 8 Palestinian houses:
1. A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which two people lived, owned by
Hussein ‘Abdullah ‘Abdul Qader al-Mughayar;
2. A
200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 5 families counting 25 people
lived, owned by Hassan ‘Abdullah ‘Abdul Qader al-Mughayar;
3. A
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 4 people lived, owned by
Samir Hassan ‘Abdullah al-Mughayar;
4. A
200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 4 families counting 26 people
lived, owned by ‘Abdul Mo’ti Zaki ‘Owaida.
5. A
170-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 3 people lived, owned by
Jalal Sa’id ‘Abdul Hadi ‘Owaida;
6. A
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 3 people lived, owned by
‘Aatef Ahmed Sa’id ‘Owaida;
7. A
140-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which two families counting 13
people lived, owned by Faiza Hamza Isma’il Noufal; and
8. A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which two families counting 7
people lived, owned by Jihad Mohammed Baraka.
At approximately 20:00, Israeli tanks positioned west
of Tal al-Sultan neighborhood in the west of Rafah opened fire at Palestinian
houses in the neighborhood. A
Palestinian child, Mohammed Khaled ‘Awaja, 13, was wounded by a live bullet in the
left shoulder.
At approximately 20:15, Israeli forces positioned at
the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian houses in Block
O in Rafah refugee camp. Two Palestinian
civilians were wounded:
1. Ra’ed
Na’im Fusaifes, 19, wounded by shrapnel in the feet; and
2. Mohammed
‘Eid al-Akhras, 16, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.
Tuesday, 11 February 2003
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a military bulldozer, moved
approximately 100m into al-Salam neighborhood adjacent to the Egyptian border,
south of Rafah. The bulldozer demolished
a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 3 families, counting 20
people, lived, and a 1300-square-meter cow farm owned by Hassan Mahmoud
Mohammed al-Khawaja. PCHR’s field worker
in Rafah reported that the house and farm had already been evacuated because of
the constant danger the area is subjected to.
At approximately 14:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a military bulldozer, moved
approximately 100m into Block L in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian
border. The bulldozer demolished a
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 15 people lived, owned by
Majed Mohammed Ahmed al-Agha and rented by Rezeq ‘Abdul ‘Aziz al-‘Absi.
At approximately 17:00, Israeli forces, reinforced
with heavy military vehicles, moved into Qalqilya. They surrounded the house of ‘Abdullah
Ibrahim Yassin in Abu ‘Obaida Street, claiming that they were searching for
wanted Palestinians. Israeli forces
opened fire at houses and the market. The market was crowded with people on the first day of the Islamic
feast. A Palestinian child, Husni Majdi
al-Ghoul, 8, was killed by several live bullets in the chest, while he was
playing with his friends near his family’s house. In addition, 6 civilians were wounded:
1. Fathi
Hussein Jibara, 50, seriously wounded by shrapnel in the pelvis;
2. Mousa
Abu Sha’ar, 24, wounded by shrapnel in the jaw and the right hand;
3. ‘Orwa ‘Omar Suleiman, 19, wounded by a live bullet in the right leg;
4. Mohammed
‘Abdul Rahman Hassayen, 28, wounded by shrapnel in the left leg;
5. Ahmed
Adib Silmi, 15, wounded by shrapnel in the right foot; and
6. Mohammed
Tarabiya, 23, wounded by shrapnel in the right shoulder.
Wednesday, 12 February 2003
Early in the morning, Israeli occupying forces killed
two Palestinians with fletchette shells and live bullets, claiming that the two
attempted to infiltrate the settlements in the northern Gaza Strip.
According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately
01:00, Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of
“Elli Sinai” settlement, north of Beit Lahia, shelled Palestinian
areas south of the settlement with fletchette shells and live bullets of various
calibers. Approximately two hours later,
Israeli forces informed the Palestinian side that there were two bodies of
Palestinians who attempted to infiltrate the settlement. An ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent
Society was allowed into the area to evacuate the bodies. A paramedic told PCHR’s field worker in the
northern Gaza Strip that the medical personnel found the bodies approximately
1500m south of the aforementioned settlement, and that the two did not have any
kind of weapons or sharp tools. The two
bodies were evacuated to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza City. At approximately 13:00, they were identified
as:
1. Wajdi
Mohammed Ibrahim Salman, 17, from Jabalya refugee camp, hit by several live
bullets and shrapnel from fletchette shells throughout the body; and
2. ‘Abdul Rahman Mohammed Rabi’ Hamdiya, 20, from Jabalya, hit by several
live bullets and shrapnel from fletchette shells throughout the body.
No organisation declared that the two were members of
their organisation. It is not clear why
the two were present in that area.
At approximately 13:00, Israeli occupying forces
surrounded the house of Kamel al-Khatib, 28, in al-Sikka Street near ‘Ein Beit
al-Maa’ northwest of Nablus to arrest him. A number of Palestinian civilians gathered and threw stones at Israeli
soldiers who responded by opening fire. At approximately 14:30, two Palestinian men, Mohammed Sa’id So’ud, 23,
and Mohammed Hassan Mahmoud Sha’lan, 23, both from the refugee camp, arrived at
the area. So’ud fired at Israeli forces
from a pistol. Israeli soldiers fired
back, wounding him with two live bullets in the right hand and side. Sha’lan then took the pistol and fired at the
Israeli soldiers, who returned fire wounding him as well with a live bullet
that entered the left shoulder and settled in the chest. The two were evacuated to hospital and
underwent surgeries, but efforts to save Sha’lan’s life failed and he succumbed
to his wound at approximately 18:30.
At approximately 17:30, medical sources at Rafidya
Hospital in Nablus declared that ‘Aaref ‘Omar ‘Aref Bisharat, 13, from Tammoun
village, east of Jenin, succumbed to a wound he sustained earlier this
month. According to information
available to PCHR, at approximately 04:00 on Wednesday, 5 February 2003,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with 7 tanks and covered by intense
gunfire, moved into Tammoun village. Two
Palestinian civilians, including Bisharat, were wounded by the Israeli
gunfire. Bisharat was critically wounded
by a live bullet in the head. He received
medical care in Rafidya Hospital until he was pronounced dead.
At approximately 18:30, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a military bulldozer, moved
approximately 200m into Block J in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent to the Egyptian
border. They demolished two Palestinian
houses:
1. A
300-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 4 families counting 22 people
lived, owned by Mohammed Mohammed Hamed Barhoum; and
2. A
200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 8 people lived, owned by ‘Ata
Nemer Mohammed Barhoum.
Thursday, 13 February 2003
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles and a helicopter, moved approximately
1km into Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. They raided the house of ‘Othman Ibrahim Abu Rouk. They searched the house using dogs. Then, they went to the second floor of the
house, where the owner’s son, Ahmed, 28, a policeman, lives with his wife and
two children. Israeli soldiers beat,
handcuffed and arrested him. Upon their
withdrawal, Israeli forces left a statement signed by the Israeli military
command in the Gaza Strip, which stated that the Israeli army carried out a
military operation to arrest what it called “terrorist” Ahmed Abu
Rouk, who was involved in “terrorist activities.”
At approximately 21:00, a number of quakes occurred
near Salah al-Din Gate on the Egyptian border, south of Rafah. The quakes came from explosives planted by
Israeli forces, which claimed to be searching for underground tunnels between the Gaza
Strip and Egypt. A tunnel collapsed over
two Palestinians:
1. Ziad
‘Abed Salam al-Sha’er, 20; and
2. Mohammed
Hamad Hamdan Qeshta, 21, both from Rafah.
The tunnel was located approximately 300m east of
Salah al-Din gate in an area where the families of al-Sha’er and Qeshta
live. After the explosions,
communication with the two Palestinians who were holding mobile phones were
disrupted.
At approximately 23:30, families of the two
Palestinians went to a Palestinian police station in Rafah to inform about the
incident. The Palestinian police
contacted the Palestinian liaison department, which in turn contacted their
Israeli counterparty to conduct a search for the two, but Israeli forces
rejected this demand. At approximately 13:00 on Saturday, 15 February 2003,
Israeli forces allowed the search for the two Palestinians. Two bulldozer of the Municipality of Rafah
and 5 members of the families started to search at the border, under the
observation of Israeli forces. The
search continued until 18:30, but the two Palestinians were not found.
At approximately 13:00 on Sunday, 16 February 2003,
the search was resumed until 19:00, when the bodies of the two Palestinians
were found. The two bodies were moved to
the Rafah Terminal. Israeli forces kept
the bodies until 01:00 on Monday, 17 February 2003.
Friday, 14 February 2003
At approximately 12:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with 3 tanks and a military bulldozer, moved approximately 100m into
al-Mughraqa area, south of Gaza City. They demolished two Palestinian houses and razed areas of agricultural
land:
1. They
totally demolished a 150-square-meter house, which was under construction,
owned by ‘Aayed ‘Ouda Hussein al-‘Aaidi.
2. They
partially demolished a 200-square-meter uninhabited house and razed a
500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Ahmed
‘Abdul Karim ‘Abed Rabbu al-‘Aaidi.
3. They
razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by ‘Abed
Rabbu ‘Abdul Karim al-‘Aaidi.
4. They
razed a 600-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by
Mastour Ahmed al-‘Aaidi.
At approximately 15:00, 5 Israeli heavy military
vehicles moved approximately 200m into Block O in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent
to the Egyptian border. They opened fire
at Palestinian houses, wounding three Palestinian civilians:
1. Mohammed
Fathi al-Bis, 21, wounded by a live bullet in the right knee;
2. Bahaa’
‘Ouda Abu Jazar, 11, wounded by shrapnel in the back; and
3. Baker
Zuhair al-Houbi, 24, wounded by a live bullet in the right leg, while he was in
al-Shaboura area, approximately 1000m north of the border.
In the meanwhile, Israeli military bulldozers
demolished 14 Palestinian houses in the area:
1. A
100-square-meter house, in which two families counting 10 people lived, owned
by Ahmed Mohammed Sa’id Abu Taha;
2. A
120-square-meter house, in which 5 people lived, owned by Mithqal Ibrahim
Suleiman Abu Taha;
3. A
200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 2 families counting 15 people
lived, owned by Hani Mohammed Suleiman Abu Taha;
4. A
150-square-meter house, in which two families counting 8 people lived, owned by
‘Ali Sa’id ‘Abdullah Jouda;
5. A
150-square-meter house, in which two families counting 15 people lived, owned
by Ahmed Sa’id ‘Abdullah Jouda;
6. A
200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which two families counting 16
people lived, owned by Shukri Hassan Salem Jouda;
7. A
150-square-meter house, in which two families counting 8 people lived, owned by
Mohammed ‘Ali Mahmoud al-Atrash;
8. A
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which two families counting 9
people lived, owned by ‘Ali Mahmoud Ibrahim al-Atrash;
9. A
150-square-meter house, in which 5 people lived, owned by Fawzia Ahmed Abu
Jazar;
10. A 140-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which two families counting 9 people lived, owned by Mustafa Isma’il
Ahmed Shaqfa;
11. A 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which one person lived, owned by Zainab Mustafa al-Qassas;
12. A 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which 3 people lives, owned by Munir Fathi Mohammed al-Qassas;
13. A 400-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which 4 families counting 39 people lived, owned by Walid Ahmed Zayed
‘Abdul ‘Aal; and
14. A 220-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which two families counting 14 people lived, owned by Mohammed Salem
Zayed ‘Abdul ‘Aal.
Saturday, 15 February 2003
At approximately 15:00, Israeli tanks moved
approximately 200m into Block O in Rafah refugee camp. They opened fire at Palestinian houses in the
area wounding 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child:
1. ‘Abdullah Mohammed Abu Saleh, 12, wounded by a heavy caliber live bullet
in the thighs, which caused an acute hemorrhage;
2. Hammouda
Husni Abu Taha, 23, wounded by shrapnel in the head and the right leg; and
3. Mohammed
Kamal Abu Taha, 24, wounded by shrapnel in the back and the left leg.
At approximately 23:00, 4 Israeli heavy military
vehicles moved approximately 200m into Block O in Rafah refugee camp, adjacent
to the Egyptian borders. Israeli
military bulldozers demolished 4 Palestinian houses:
1. A
140-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 6 people lived, owned by Ziad
‘Abdul Karim Mahmoud Abu Taha;
2. A
190-square-meter house, in which two families counting 14 people lived, owned
by Mohammed Hamza Isma’il Noufal;
3. A
120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which two people lived, owned by
Ahmed Fayez Mohammed Abu Taha; and
4. A
150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which two families counting 8
people lived, owned by Mahmoud Hamza Hussein Abu Lebda.
Sunday, 16 February 2003
At approximately 12:30, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with armored personnel carriers, surrounded al-Anwar commercial
compound in Sufian Street in the center of Nablus, which includes the office of
Tayseer Khaled. Khaled is a member of the Executive Committee of Palestine
Liberation Organization (PLO) and member of the Political Bureau of the
Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The Israeli army came to
arrest him. An Israeli officer called on
Khaled through a loudspeaker to leave his office and surrender. A number of Palestinian boys and young men
gathered near the building and threw stones at the Israeli forces. Immediately, Israeli soldiers opened fire,
killing 3 passing Palestinian civilians and wounding 18 others. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers
on armored personnel carriers shot dead Ayman Kamal Abu Zant, 17, from Nablus,
with a live bullet in the head at approximately 13:30, while he was passing by
the area. At approximately 14:00,
Israeli soldiers shot dead Mohammed-Samer ‘Abdul Hamid D’ib al-Takrouri, 35,
from Nablus, with a live bullet in the head, while he was traveling in his
car. In addition, Firas Adib Hussein
Mabrouka, 22, was critically wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen. He was evacuated to hospital, but all efforts
made to save his life failed and he succumbed to his wound at approximately
17:00. At approximately 15:30, Israeli soldiers got into the building and
arrested Khaled, 62, and his aide Mohammed Saleh Mansour, 40. They also arrested two other Palestinians,
Ziad al-‘Akka, 25, and Mohammed Ghazi Mousa Fadha, 42. Khaled was the second member of the Executive
Committee of PLO to be arrested by Israeli occupying forces. ‘Abdul Rahim
Mallouh, member of the Political Bureau of the Popular Front for the Liberation
of Palestine, was arrested last year.
At approximately 12:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including a military bulldozer, moved
into Palestinian agricultural areas located south of “Elli Sinai”
settlement in the northern Gaza Strip. They stayed until 16:30 and demolished 3 buildings and razed areas of
agricultural land:
1. They
demolished a 140-square-meter building that served as a summer resort, and
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with carrots owned by Talal
‘Aayesh al-Nounu.
2. They
demolished a 150-square-meter, 2-storey building that included a house and
well, and razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with strawberries
owned by Ibrahim al-Masallami.
3. They
demolished a 120-square-meter building that included a well owned by Shafiq
Kuhail.
4. They
razed a 30-donum area of agricultural land planted with fruits and destroyed a
well owned by ‘Atiya, D’ib and Ahmed ‘Obaid.
5. They
razed a 5-donum area of agricultural land, on which greenhouses planted with
vegetables stood, owned by Mohammed Mahmoud al-Mughayar.
6. They
razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land, on which greenhouses planted with
vegetables stood, owned by Hassan Ahmed ‘Abdul Halim Shahin.
7. They
razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land, on which a greenhouse planted with
vegetables stood, and destroyed a well owned by Ahmed al-Bura’ei.
At approximately 23:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with 8 heavy military vehicles, moved from “Dogit”
settlement in the northern Gaza Strip, crossed the coastal road and took
position near al-Waha (Oasis) resort. Approximately an hour later, about 30 other Israeli heavy military
vehicles moved to the south on the coastal road. They took position near al-Twam square. Israeli combat helicopters that were flying
over the area and the heavy military vehicles opened fire at Palestinian
agricultural areas and at a site of the Palestinian National Security Force in
al-Twam area in Jabaliya. The military
vehicles moved further to the south towards al-Nasser Street in order to
demolish the house of a Palestinian allegedly wanted by the Israeli
forces. As a result of the Israeli
shelling, two Palestinian security men were killed:
1. Khalil
‘Abdul Wahed al-Bakri, 25, a policeman, shot by an explosive live bullet in the
chest; and
2. Mohammed
Sa’id Khader, 27, a member of the Palestinian National Security Force, shot by
several live bullets in the chest, the abdomen and the pelvis while he was in a
site near al-Twam square.
In addition, 9 Palestinians were wounded:
1. Majed
‘Omar al-Majdalawi, 29, seriously wounded by several live bullets in the chest,
the shoulder and the limbs;
2. Mohammed
‘Ata Abu Shinnar, 30, wounded by several live bullets throughout the body;
3. Sami
Ahmed al-Asmar, 27, wounded by a live bullet in the chest;
4. ‘Emad al-Din Abu Nada, 27, wounded by a live bullet in the shoulder;
5. Yasser
Marwan Salama, 26, wounded by a live bullet in the left leg;
6. Mohammed
Asa’ad Hammouda, 16, wounded by a live bullet in the left hand;
7. ‘Ezziddin Nasser Shahin, 12, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand;
8. Dhiaa’
Mohammed Shahin, 55, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand; and
9. Khaled
Eyad Shahin, 12, wounded by shrapnel in the head.
Monday, 17 February 2003
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including two bulldozers, moved into
Palestinian areas located south of “Elli Sinai” settlement in the
northern Gaza Strip. They stayed until
after 16:00, and the bulldozers razed areas of agricultural land and demolished
a number of civilian facilities:
1. They
razed a 20-donum area of agricultural land planted with apples and citrus and
demolished a 140-square-meter summer resort owned by Mahmoud Darwish Mustafa
Hamdouna.
2. They
demolished a 120-square-meter building and destroyed a well owned by Kamel
Harazallah.
3. They
destroyed 4 greenhouses owned by Maisara al-Bura’ei.
4. They
demolished a 24-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with citrus and
vegetables and destroyed a well owned by heirs of Khamis Darwish Mustafa
Hamdouna.
5. They
demolished a 26-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus and apples
and two greenhouses owned by Mahmoud Darwish Mustafa Hamdouna.
6. They
razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with watermelons owned by
‘Ali Suleiman Subeh.
At approximately 16:00, Israeli tanks at the Egyptian
border shelled Block O in Rafah refugee camp. An 86-square-meter flat, in which 6 people lived, owned by Na’el
Mohammed Salim al-Bis, was totally burnt by the Israeli shelling. The flat is part of a 350-square-meter
building, in which 50 people live. Neighbors and firemen were able to control fire and prevent it from
spreading to other flats.
At approximately 19:00, Israeli
soldiers on tanks positioned at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened
fire at Palestinian houses and roads in Block O in Rafah refugee camp. A Palestinian civilian, Bilal Kamal Abu Taha,
16, was wounded by two live bullets in the arms.
Tuesday,
18 February 2003
At approximately 03:45, an Israeli undercover unit,
reinforced with a number of heavy military vehicles, infiltrated Yatta village,
south of Hebron. They surrounded the
house of Mohammed Suleiman Badawi Mur, 28, in Um al-Sader area in the south of
the village. When Mur noticed the
presence of the Israeli forces, he attempted to flee from the house, but
Israeli soldiers opened fire at him. He
was wounded by a live bullet in the left leg, but he walked towards the garden
of a neighboring house owned by Hassan Mahmoud al-Haddar. He fell there bleeding. Israeli soldiers moved towards him and shot
him dead without resorting to less lethal means. He was unarmed and did not
pose any threat to their lives. Mur was
shot by several live bullets throughout the body.
At night, Israeli
occupying forces killed 11 Palestinians, including two brothers and their
cousin whose bodies were removed from the ruins of a house. In addition, 5
civilian facilities were destroyed and raided and a school was damaged, when
the Israeli forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles and helicopters and
covered by intense shelling, invaded areas of Gaza City. 15 Palestinians,
including a physician, were injured by Israeli shelling.
According to PCHR’s investigation and
eyewitnesses’ testimonies, at approximately 22:00, a number of Israeli heavy
military vehicles, supported by helicopters and covered by intense shelling,
moved from Nahal ‘Ouz crossing, east of Gaza City, towards al-Shojaeya
neighborhood in the east of the city. They took position in Baghdad
Street. Approximately an hour later, an Israeli helicopter launched a
missile at a car of the Palestinian General Intelligence near al-Je’el fuel
station on the main road, approximately 2km away from the area of clashes.
Three persons, who were traveling in the car, were killed. The three
security men were chasing a suspicious car when the helicopter launched a
missile at their car.
At approximately 00:30
on Wednesday, 19 February 2003, Israeli heavy military
vehicles moved from the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Jabaliya,
towards Salah al-Din Street. Then, they moved into al-Tuffah
neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. They surrounded a
220-square-meter, 3-storey house in a densely populated area, in which 2 families,
numbering 17 people live. The house is owned by Mohammed Mohye al-Din
al-Qattaa’. Israeli forces raided a neighboring house, owned by Nahedh
al-Hilu, and forced its residents out. They also used al-Hilu as a human
shield. They ordered him to knock on the door of al-Qattaa’s house and
tell its residents to get out as the house would be demolished. Israeli
forces moved the residents of the two houses to a tract of agricultural land
located approximately 50m away, and planted explosives in a turnery workshop on
the first floor of al-Qattaa’s house. At approximately 03:00, Israeli
forces withdrew from the area surrounding the house. Residents of the
area thought that Israeli forces had completely withdrawn, so they moved
towards their homes. Four men from the two families moved towards
al-Qattaa’s house to check what had happened. Immediately, Israeli forces
destroyed the workshop by remote control, approximately 20 minutes after their
withdrawal. Three of the men, including two brothers, were killed and the
fourth sustained burns throughout the body. The house and the workshop
were both destroyed. Al-Hilu’s house was partially destroyed and a number
of neighboring houses were damaged.
During their incursion
into the neighborhood, Israeli forces destroyed a turnery workshop, a factory
of plastic tools and a washing facility. A number of neighboring houses
and workshops were damaged.
Israeli forces also
raided the Dar al-Arqam private school. They destroyed parts
of the fence and doors of classrooms, laboratories and administration
rooms. They also confiscated some equipment.
As a result of Israeli
indiscriminate shelling, 5 Palestinian civilians were killed and 15 others,
including a physician, Ra’ed Marwan al-Safadi, who was providing medical aid
for the wounded, were injured. According to eyewitnesses, medical
personnel were not able to reach the area until 05:00.
Those killed by
Israeli forces during this invasion were:
1. ‘Ali Abu al-Khair, 25,
from the
al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, a member of the Palestinian General
Intelligence;
2. Eyad ‘Aabed, 27, from al-Shojaeya neighborhood
in Gaza City, a member of the Palestinian General Intelligence;
3. ‘Abdul Rahim Abu
al-Naja, 28, from Rafah, a member of the Palestinian General Intelligence;
4. Tamer Darwish al-Qattaa’, 23, from al-Tuffah
neighborhood, killed by the destruction of a workshop;
5. ‘Alaa’ Nahedh al-Hilu,
20, from al-Tuffah neighborhood, killed by the destruction of a workshop;
6. Sa’id Nahedh al-Hilu, 19, from al-Tuffah
neighborhood, killed by the destruction of a workshop;
7. ‘Aamer Hammouda
al-Daya, 23, from al-Shojaeya neighborhood, shot by several live bullets in the
head;
8. ‘Abdul Rahman Fawzi
al-Qassas, 25, from al-Shojaeya neighborhood, shot by several live bullets in
the head and the chest;
9. ‘Abdul Karim Sha’ban
Bakroun, 23, from al-Shojaeya neighborhood, shot by several heavy caliber
bullets in the head and the chest;
10. Munther Marwan al-Safadi, 25, from al-Tuffah
neighborhood, shot by a live bullet in the chest; and
11. Mohammed Salim Abu Sahloul, 28, from
al-Shojaeya neighborhood, hit by shrapnel and several live bullets throughout
the body.
Wednesday, 19 February 2003
At approximately 01:30, Israeli occupying forces
moved into the center of Nablus. Then,
they moved into the old town. They
opened fire at houses and seized two schools in Ras al-‘Ein neighborhood near
the old town and transformed them into military locations. Israeli soldiers intensively deployed the
areas. This Israeli military operation
left dead two Palestinian civilians.
In an apparent willful killing, Israeli soldiers shot
dead Nasser Mustafa So’ud Abu Safiya, 32, while he was on his way to his work
in the old town of Nablus. He died
before the eyes of his father.
According to information available to PCHR, at
approximately 06:00, while Abu Safiya and his 70-year-old father were on their
way to their work in al-Yassamina area in the old town, an Israeli infantry
unit stopped them. Israeli soldiers
checked their identity cards and beat the father. Then, Israeli soldiers ordered the son to
leave the area without his father. When
he was approximately 40m away, Israeli soldiers opened fire at him, wounding
him with 3 live bullets. He died before
the eyes of his father few minutes later. His body was evacuated to Rafidya Hospital. According to medical sources, the victim was
shot by 3 live bullets, one in the left thigh that caused an internal
hemorrhage, one in the artery of the left leg and the third in the right
ankle.
At approximately 12:30, an Israeli sniper fired at
15-year-old Mohammed Rabih al-Saber, killing him with a live bullet in the
right shoulder, while he was on the roof of the Abu Zant apartment building in
the Ras al-‘Ein neighborhood. His body
was evacuated to hospital. According to
medical sources, the child was shot from a close distance by a live bullet in
the right shoulder, which penetrated the chest and settled in the right
thigh. I addition, 7 Palestinian
civilians, including 4 children, were wounded by the Israeli gunfire.
At approximately 10:30, Israeli occupying forces in
military locations at the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Khan Yunis,
opened fire at Palestinian agricultural areas in ‘Abasan village. A Palestinian civilian, Ahmed Hammad
al-Daghma, 20, mentally disturbed, was wounded by a live bullet in the pelvis,
while he was approximately 500m away from the border.
At approximately 11:30, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including two military bulldozers,
moved north of “Kfar Darom” settlement in the southeast of Deir
al-Balah. The bulldozers demolished a
440-square-meter, 3-storey house, in which 2 families, counting 10 people
lived, owned by Ahmed Khalil Abu Samra. The house was located approximately 20m away from “Kfar Darom”
settlement. PCHR’s field worker in the
central Gaza Strip reported that Israeli forces had warned Abu Samra on 28
Jnauary 2003 to evacuate his house as it would be demolished. He rejected this order before the Israeli
Supreme Court, which ordered a temporarily stop to the demolition. However, later, the Israeli attorney general
approved the demolition. Two days before
the demolition, Abu Samra was told by Israeli forces to evacuate the
house.
Extra-Judicial Assassinations
In a continuation of the policy of assassination
officially adopted by the Israeli political and military establishments, in the
period covered by this report, Israeli occupying forces committed two
extra-judicial assassinations, which left dead two
Palestinians.
At approximately 01:30, Israeli occupying forces
surrounded the house of ‘Ali Qassem Mohammed Mabrouk, 58, in ‘Ein Beit al-Maa’
refugee camp, west of Nablus. They
forced the 69 residents of the house and two other houses owned by Mabrouk’s
brothers out. Israeli soldiers broke
into the house and searched it. They
asked Mabrouk about his son ‘Emad, 25, allegedly wanted by Israeli forces for
his activities in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Then, Israeli soldiers mounted onto the roof
of the 3-storey house and apparently found the son hiding there. According to what his father saw on his son’s
body and what a medical report of Rafidya Hospital in Nablus mentioned, he was
stabbed with sharp tools and was shot by several live bullets throughout the
body. An Israeli military spokesman
claimed that Israeli forces killed an activist of the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine as he attempted to escape when they wanted to arrest
him. Mabrouk was married and the father
of two children. He worked in a sweet
shop in Nablus.
A medical report issued by Rafidya Hospital in Nablus
mentioned that upon checking, there were injuries in the face, the left ear,
the chest, the abdomen and the limbs. There were also fractures in the skull, the lower jaw, the right hand,
the left forearm, the nose, the right thigh and the left leg. There were shrapnel in the head, the chest,
the abdomen, the pelvis and the right thigh.
On Monday morning, 17 February 2003, Israeli
occupying forces assassinated Riadh Hussein Abu Zaid, 33, from al-Boreij
refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, who allegedly was wanted by these
forces for being a member of the Hamas movement.
According to PCHR’s investigation and eyewitnesses’
testimonies, at approximately 10:30, while Abu Zaid was traveling from
al-Boreij to Gaza City on the coastal road, accompanied by an unidentified
person, an Israeli undercover unit in a truck erected a sudden check
point at the crossroads between “Netzarim” settlement and the coastal
road. As soon as Abu Zaid arrived,
Israeli soldiers opened fire at his car, killing him. Soon, a number of Israeli military jeeps came
to the area. Israeli forces took Abu
Zaid’s body and arrested the other person who accompanied him. Then, they withdrew to the
“Netzarim” settlement.
Approximately two hours later, the Israeli daily Yediot
Aharanot reported on its Arabi web
site, that according to Israeli security sources, a special military unit fired
at Riadh Abu Zaid, a prominent activist of Hamads movement in the Gaza
Strip. It added that Israeli soldiers
tried to arrest Abu Zaid in al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip,
but he attempted to escape, so the soldiers fired at him. Israeli sources asserted that Abu Zaid was
critically wounded, but he died later after he had been evacuated to an Israeli
hospital. The same newspaper quoted the
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz as saying: “After the explosion of
the tank in the weekend, I said that we would act in our full capacity. It is time to act not talk.”
Shooting at Palestinian Civilians
Thursday, 6 February 2003
In an apparent willful killing, in the evening,
Israeli occupying forces shot dead a 25-year-old Palestinian civilian while he
was on his way back home from his work. According
to information available to PCHR, at approximately 17:00, while ‘Abdul Baqi
Mohammed ‘Abdul Baqi Musallam, 25, from Talfit village, southeast of Nablus,
was on his way back home from his work in Israel, using an agricultural road in
Kherbat Jibara area, south of Tulkarm, Israeli occupying forces shot him dead
with a live bullet in the heart. A few
minutes later, an ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent Society passed by the
area. Israeli soldiers stopped the
ambulance and ordered its staff to evacuate the victim’s body. At approximately 18:00, the body was brought
to Dr. Thabet Thabet Hospital in Tulkarm. According to medical sources,
Musallam was shot by a live bullet in the heart. An Israeli military spokesman claimed that
Israeli forces that were on-duty in the area noticed a Palestinian man in the
area. The spokesman added that they
thought he looked suspicious, so Israeli soldiers ordered him to stop, but he
did not obey the order, and consequently they shot him dead. The spokesman did not indicate whether
Israeli forces had found any weapons on the man. The medical personnel who evacuated the body
to hospital stated that they did not see any weapons near the body.
Sunday, 9 February 2003
At approximately 11:00, after 3 Palestinian gunmen
had blown up the car they traveled in near an Israeli military location near
al-Matahen junction, north of Khan Yunis, Israeli occupying forces at
al-Matahen checkpoint on Salah al-Dain Street opened fire at Palestinian
civilians and cars waiting at the checkpoint. Two Palestinian civilians were wounded:
1. Mahmoud
Hassan Abu Houli, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the head; and
2. Hamad
Ahmed al-Sha’er, 35, wounded by a live bullet in the back.
Monday, 17 February 2003
At approximately 11:00, Israeli occupying forces at a
military checkpoint at the entrance of Habla village in Qalqilya fired without
any prior warning at a number of Palestinian civilians who were walking on an
agricultural road towards Qalqilya. A Palestinian
civilian, Eyad ‘Abdul Karim Abu Hamed, 24, from Qaliqlya, was seriously wounded
by a live bullet in the abdomen. According to eyewitnesses, Abu Hamed was wounded when he was on a horse
cart. The horse was also killed by a
live bullet.
Collective Punishment Measures 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 families of Palestinians who have carried out
attacks against Israeli targets in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and
those wanted by Israeli forces.
At approximately 03:00 on Friday, 7
February 2003, Israeli occupying forces moved into Beit Fourik village, east of
Nablus. They surrounded the house of
Mohammed Mahmoud Mohammed Hanani, 55. They forced the 7 residents of the 110-square-meter house out and
destroyed it. Hanani is the father of
‘Anan Hanani, 20, who carried out an armed attack against an Israeli military
location on al-Tour Mount in Nablus on 6 February 2003.
At the same time, Israeli occupying
forces, reinforced with armored military vehicles, moved into Til village,
southwest of Nablus. They surrounded the
house of ‘Abdul Rahim Mohammed Hamad. They forced the 6 residents of the 250-square-meter, 2-storey house out
and destroyed it. Hamad is the father of
Ahmed Hamad who carried out an armed attack against Israeli occupying forces in
the Jordan Valley last year.
At approximately 23:30 on Thursday, 13
February 2003, two tanks and a number of military jeeps of Israeli occupying
forces moved into the western area of Tulkarm. They surrounded the Hammouda building in al-Haddadin Street. Israeli soldiers opened fire at the building
and called through loudspeakers on Mahmoud ‘Awadh Kulaibi, 21, from Shweika
area in Tulkarm, and Fu’ad Sawalha, 25, from ‘Assira village, north of Nbalus,
to leave the building and surrender. Approximately an hour later, the two Palestinians surrendered and
Israeli soldiers arrested them. Soon,
Israeli soldiers broke into the building and searched it. At approximately 03:00 on Friday, 14 February
2003, Israeli soldiers planted explosives in the flat where the two
Palestinians had shelter and destroyed it. Other flats and a neighboring building, owned by ‘Adul Latif Zidan, were
damaged. Israeli forces claimed that
Kulaibi was wanted for his activities in the Islamic Jihad. They had attempted
to arrest him at his house in Shweika area more than once, but had failed.
At approximately 01:00 on Friday, 14
February 2003, Israeli occupying forces moved into the Saniria village, east
of Jenin. They surrounded the house of
‘Othman Ibrahim Asa’ad Younis, 28. They
forced the 7 residents of the 125-square–meter house out and
destroyed it. Israeli forces claimed
that Younis was wanted for being a leader of the al-Aqsa Martyrs
Brigade, the military wing of the Fatah movement. Upon their
withdrawal, Israeli forces warned the family that Younis would be liquidated if
he did not surrender.
At approximately 09:00 on Saturday, 15
February 2003, after Palestinian gunmen had destroyed an Israeli tank, approximately 700m south of
“Dogit” settlement in the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying
forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles, including military bulldozers,
moved into adjacent Palestinian areas. Two hours later, Israeli soldiers raided
a 207-square-meter house, in which 11 people lived, owned by Sa’id Mohammed
Salem al-Da’our, approximately 150m away from the place of the explosion. They forced the family out and demolished
it. They also demolished two
250-square-meter houses, that were under construction, owned by Mohammed and
Sa’id Mohammed al-Da’our. In addition,
they razed two greenhouses planted with vegetables and demolished a
2000-square-meter cow farm owned by Sa’id Mohammed al-Da’our.
At approximately 23:00 on Sunday, 16
February 2003, Israeli occupying
forces, reinforced with 8 heavy military vehicles, moved from “Dogit”
settlement in the northern Gaza Strip, crossed the coastal road and took
position near al-Waha (Oasis) resort. Approximately an hour later, about 30 other Israeli heavy military
vehicles moved to the south on the coastal road. They took position near al-Twam square. Israeli combat helicopters that were flying
over the area and the heavy military vehicles opened fire at Palestinian
agricultural areas and at a site of the Palestinian National Security Force in
al-Twam area in Jablaya. The military
vehicles moved further to the south towards al-Nasser Street. At approximately 01:00 on Monday, 17 February
2003, Israeli forces surrounded the house of Naji Ahmed Salim al-Ghandour,
whose son Ahmed is allegedly wanted by the Israeli forces for his activities in
the Hamas Movement. They forced the 38
residents of the 125-square-meter, 5-storey house out. Israeli soldiers held them approximately 200m
away from the house. Then, they used on
of the owner’s sons, Ghazi, as a human shield while searching the house. They planted explosives in the house and
destroyed it.
At approximately 01:40 on Wednesday, 19
February 2003, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military
vehicles, moved into Jama’in village, south of Nablus. They surrounded the house of Nayef Salim
Hamdan Hussein. They forced the 7 residents
of the 120-square-meter house out and destroyed it. Two of the owner’s sons have been detained by
the Israeli occupying forces for 7 month and a third son was shot by Israeli
forces in clashes in November 2000.
Six Palestinians Killed in a Mysterious
Explosion That Could have been Planned by Israeli Occupying Forces
On Sunday afternoon, 16 March 2003, 6
Palestinians, members of the Hamas movement, were killed and a seventh was seriously injured in a
mysterious explosion, Israeli occupying forces are suspected to be involved in
planning the explosion, which occurred in a house in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in
Gaza city.
According to PCHR’s investigation, at
approximately 15:30, a heavy explosion occurred in the house of Faraj Shaldan,
which is uninhabited, in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the south of Gaza
city. Immediately, members of the Hamas
movement closed off the area and denied entry of the media and journalists,
including PCHR’s field worker in Gaza city. Four Palestinians were immediately killed and 3 others were injured, two
of whom died at hospital. Those killed
were:
1. Eyad Faraj Shaldan, 23, from al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in Gaza City;
2. Akram Fahmi Nassar, 32, from al-Shaojaeya
neighborhood in Gaza City;
3. Mohammed Isma’il Silmi, 24, from al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in Gaza City;
4. Mufid ‘Awadh al-Bal, 21, al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in Gaza City;
5. Nidhal Fathi Farahat, 32, al-Shojaeya
neighborhood in Gaza City; and
6. Ayman Ibrahim Yousef Mahanna, 30, from
al-Karama housing project in Gaza City.
Salama Khaled Hammad, 31, from Beit
Lahia, was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body. After the explosion, the Hamas movement issued
a statement saying that some members of the
‘Ezziddin
al-Qassam Brigade, the military wing of the movement, were killed in an assassination planned by the
Israeli intelligence, while they were preparing a small aircraft that flies by
remote control, which they had obtained in a complicated process on Sunday, 16
February 2003.
The Israeli daily Yediot Aharanot reported on its
Arabic web site that sources in the Israeli military’s southern command
expressed their happiness for the death of Nidhal Farahat, whom they described
as a prominent wanted Palestinian. Farahat is brother of Mohammed Farahat who carried out an armed attack
against the “Etsmona” settlement in the southern Gaza Strip last
year, which left dead 6 Israelis. The
newspaper added that Israeli security sources described Farahat as a pioneer in
launching al-Qassam rockets in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Soldiers Force a Palestinian
Woman to Drink a Poisonous Liquid
Israeli soldiers at al-Tuffah checkpoint
– the entrance of al-Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis – forced a Palestinian
woman, Fatema Mohammed Ahmed al-Najjar, to drink a poisonous liquid, while she
was trying to cross the checkpoint to go to her house in al-Mawasi area in
Rafah. As a result, she suffered from
pains and infections in the throat and lungs.
In her affidavit to PCHR, the woman said:
“At approximately 09:00
on Monday, 10 February 2003, the day before the Islamic feast, I went out of
al-Mawasi area in Rafah through Tal al-Sultan checkpoint, west of the town, to
go shopping and to visit my son. Two
hours later, I went to al-Tuffah checkpoint, west of Khan Yunis refugee camp,
to get home. I and dozens of people waited there until 16:00, when we went
towards an Israeli military observation tower. Israeli female soldiers told us
that the entry of foodstuffs was prevented, so I got rid of all foodstuffs and
kept a bottle of a liquid used in maintaining boats, which my son bought for
his father who is a fisherman. When I
entered the checking room, two Israeli female soldiers checked me and my
belongings. One of them asked me about
the bottle and I told her about it and its use. I also told her that the material was known and we had bought it more
than once. However, the soldiers thought
the bottle was suspicious. I told her
that I would throw it or turn it back, but she refused. She ordered me to drink the liquid and I told
her that the material was poisonous and that I was fasting. She insisted and I again refused to drink the
liquid. The two soldiers held me and
pointed their guns to my head. One of
them forced me to drink some of it. The
liquid caused pain and a sharp feeling to my mouth, stomach and throat. Then, they took me out of the room. Some Palestinian workers took me in a
civilian car to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, where doctors cleaned my stomach. I received medical care at the hospital for
two days. Then, I was moved to the
European Gaza Hospital to continue medical treatment.”
********
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 the respect of the Convention.
3. Upon the
international community to investigate and prosecute those believed to have
committed war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories before
international courts.
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.
