During the incursions into and shelling of Palestinian
cities and villages, Israeli forces destroyed dozens of Palestinian houses and
civilian facilities. In addition, a
number of house, religious sites, hospitals and clinics were severely
damaged. Until the writing of this
report, the Israeli forces still occupy large areas in Palestinian cities and
villages under full control of the Palestinian National Authority. They have also tightened the siege imposed on
these cities and villages.
1. Shooting at Palestinian
Civilians
Thursday, October 18, 2001
In the afternoon, clashes erupted between dozens of
Palestinian civilians and Israeli occupation soldiers positioned at a military
roadblock near Qalandya refugee camp. Israeli soldiers fired at civilians, wounding Eyad Ibrahim Lafi, 17,
seriously with a live bullet in the abdomen. He was evacuated to the intensive care unit at Sheikh Zayed Hospital in
Ramallah.
Friday,
October 19, 2001
In the afternoon, dozens of Palestinian civilians
demonstrated near Al-Mentar Crossing, east of Gaza City. They threw stones towards Israeli occupation
soldiers, positioned at the entrance to a settlement road leading to the Green
Line. Israeli soldiers fired at the
demonstrators, killing Jawdat ‘Abdel-Hadi ‘Abdel-Karim Hamad, 21, from Beit
Hnoun, with a live bullet in the chest, and wounding:
1) Samer Mohammed ‘Atallah, 17, from Al-Daraj
neighborhood in Gaza City, with a live bullet in the right foot; and
2) Tal’at Ziad Abu Asser, 22, from Al-Shojaeya
neighborhood in Gaza City, with a live bullet in the right thigh.
During the clashes, Israeli forces raided three Palestinian
houses in the area and detained their 70 residents, mostly women and children,
beating some of them. The Israeli forces
took up position atop of one of these houses and fired at demonstrators. According to PCHR’s investigation, at
approximately 15:30, Israeli forces raided three houses owned by the Malaka
family. One of these houses, a
350-square-meter, two-story house, is owned by ‘Abdel-Karim Qaddoura Malaka.
Israeli forces handcuffed his five sons and detained him in a room before
searching the house and taking position atop of it. At approximately 17:00, Israeli forces
released the women and children, while they released the others at
approximately 19:00. The other two
houses are owned by Mustafa Qaddoura Malaka and Yousef Qaddoura Malaka. Israeli
forces left the houses at approximately 19:30 after they had searched them and
damaged some of their contents.
Also in the afternoon, clashes erupted between Palestinian
civilians and Israeli occupation forces at the entrance of Qalandya refugee
camp. Israeli soldiers fired at
civilians, wounding:
1) Mujahed Suleiman Jaradat, 11, with a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the right hand; and
2) Maher Naji El-Jendi, 16, with a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the right leg.
At approximately 14:30, Israeli occupation soldiers,
positioned at a military roadblock near Deir Sharaf village, northwest of
Nablus, fired at Ahmed Mahmoud Jadallah, 22, from Nablus, wounding him with a
live bullet in the left hand, while he was on his way home from Tulkarm. Since the road was closed to Palestinian
cars, he was, like other Palestinians, forced to cross the roadblock on
foot. When he was approximately 30m away
from the roadblock, Israeli soldiers fired at him. He was evacuated to Rafidya Hospital in
Nablus.
Sunday,
October 21, 2001
At approximately 20:00, 17-year-old Ahmed Yousef Abu Mandil,
from Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, was pronounced
dead from a wound he received by the Israeli forces around three weeks
ago. Abu Mandil was among a number of
school students who demonstrated on September 29 against the Israeli forces
near “Kfar Darom” settlement, east of Deir El-Balah. The Israeli forces then fired at the
demonstrators, killing one and wounding 32. Abu Mandil was wounded by a live bullet in the back. He was evacuated to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza
City. After his health condition
deteriorated on October 14, he was transferred to Tal Hashomer Hospital in
Israel until he succumbed to his wound.
2. Shelling of, and
Incursions into Palestinian Cities and Residential Areas
In reaction to Ze’evi’s
assassination, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and military
vehicles, moved into Palestinian-controlled areas in Jenin and Ramallah. At approximately 05:10 local time, Israeli
occupation forces thrust approximately 500m into the northwest of Al-Bireh and
took up position near Best Eastern Hotel and the offices of the Palestinian
Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation. Other Israeli forces also moved approximately
700m into the north of Al-Bireh, taking up positions at the entrances of the
offices of Ministry of Supplies and Ministry of Local Government. The incursion took place under the cover of
intensive shelling that targeted Palestinian houses. Two members of Palestinian security services,
Marwan Ibrahim Sabri El-Ghoul, 25, from Al-Far’a refugee camp in Jenin, and
Mohammed Ziad Abu Ras, 18, were killed by live bullets fired by the invading
Israeli forces. In addition, the Israeli
forces destroyed an electricity generating facility, cutting off electricity
from most areas in Al-Bireh and Ramallah. Three Palestinian civilians were also wounded:
1) ‘Alla’ ‘Ali Abu Rahma, 8,
from Ramallah, wounded by a live bullet in the left leg;
2) Ussama Ahmed Hammad, 20,
from Al-Am’ari refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel in the left thigh; and
3) ‘Arafat Dhiab Jabarin, 24,
from Ramallah, wounded by shrapnel in the left leg.
2) Ranad Sharif El-Deb’ei, 12, wounded by shrapnel in
the face and the chest;
3) Dana ‘Aatef El-‘Arja, 10, wounded by shrapnel in the
abdomen and the chest;
4) Samar Yousef Suleit, 11,
wounded shrapnel from a heavy caliber bullet in the neck;
5) Samah Jamal ‘Awadh, 11,
wounded by shrapnel in the upper part of the body;
6) Kawthar Nayef Abu Ras, 10,
wounded by shrapnel in the hands and the neck;
7) Qamar Hatem Rashid, 45, a
teacher, wounded by shrapnel in the hands and the chest;
8) Bilal Nayef Abu Ras, 25,
wounded by a medium caliber bullet in the shoulder;
9) Ihsan Hassan Hannoun, 28,
a policeman, wounded by a medium caliber bullet in the right thigh;
10) Jamal Ahmed ‘Ennab, 31,
wounded by shrapnel in the left hand; and
11) Ahmed Rateb ‘Oweis, 18,
wounded by shrapnel in the chest.
At approximately 00:10, Israeli occupation forces,
reinforced with tanks and military vehicles, initiated large-scale incursions
into Bethlehem, Beit Jala and ‘Aaida and Al-‘Azza refugee camps, under the
cover of intensive and indiscriminate shelling that targeted Palestinian houses
and security sites. PCHR was informed
that the Israeli forces thrust approximately 3km into Bethlehem and reoccupied
‘Aaida and Al-‘Azza refugee camps, the north of Al-Mahed and Al-Quds streets,
and the vicinity of Paradise, Bethlehem and Intercontinental hotels. Israel
forces thrust crossed 2km into Beit Jala, and reoccupied Al-Seder and Al-Iraq
neighborhoods, and the vicinity of the Orthodox Club and the Armenian
Church. During the incursion,
‘Abdel-Qader Jamil Abu Surour, 25, from ‘Aaida refugee camp, was killed by a
heavy caliber bullet in the head, and Mousa George Abu ‘Eida, 19, from Beit
Jala, was killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the neck. The two were inside their houses when they
were killed. In addition, 22
Palestinians were wounded, including 4 in serious condition.
At approximately 14:00, Israeli soldiers,
positioned in military locations inside “Ramat Yishai” settlement in the center
of Hebron, opened fire on Palestinian houses in Al-Sheikh neighborhood. Munther Fawzi El-Juneidi, 24, was seriously
wounded by a heavy caliber bullet in the abdomen.
At approximately 16:00, Israeli occupation forces
fired heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in Al-Khader
village, west of Bethlehem. Merriam
Suleiman Subeih, 38, mother of 6 children, was killed by a medium caliber
bullet in the neck while at home.
In Al-Bireh, the Israeli forces reinforced their
presence with more tanks and military vehicles in the areas they had reoccupied
since Thursday morning, October 18. They
also shelled Palestinian residential areas sporadically. In the morning, a member of the Palestinian
National Security Forces, Sa’ed ‘Abdel-Qader El-Aqra’, 22, from Salfit, was
killed by a heavy caliber bullet, while confronting an incursion by Israeli
forces into Al-Ersal area towards the center of the city. In addition, three Palestinians were wounded:
1) Mohammed Dhiab Sama’neh, 24, a
member of the Palestinian National Security Forces, from Beit Eiba village near
Nablus, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head;
2) Ghaleb Samir El-Resheq, 15, from
Al-Ram village near Jerusalem, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand;
3) Ahmed Jawad Jawabra, 15, from
Qalandya refugee camp, wounded by a live bullet in the right foot.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli
occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and military vehicles, moved into
Qalqilya from three sides, thrusting approximately 300m from each direction,
under the cover of intensive shelling that targeted Palestinian houses and
establishments of the Palestinian National Authority. Israeli forces reoccupied
Sofia and Al-Naqqar neighborhoods and the municipal park, and seized five
houses, transforming them into military outposts. Two Palestinians, a civilian and a member of
the security services, were killed during the incursion:
1) Mustafa ‘Abdel-Rhim
Noufal, 34, killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the chest while at home; and
2) Saner Yousef Hassan
Shawahneh, 22, a policeman from Kufor Thuluth village, killed by a heavy
caliber bullet also in the chest.
In addition, five Palestinians
were wounded.
At approximately 02:45, Israeli
occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and military vehicles, encroached into
Tulkarm, under the cover of intensive shelling that targeted Palestinian
residential areas in the city. PCHR was
informed that Israeli forces moved into the city from four directions. They thrust approximately 2km into the north
of the city and reoccupied Ektaba and Shweika neighborhoods; they thrust approximately 1km into the west
of the city and reoccupied Al-Sahel Al-Gharbi neighborhood and the vicinity of
the cemetery; they thrust approximately 700m into the east of the city –
Thinnaba neighborhood; and they thrust approximately 500m into the south of the
city and took position at the entrance to Nour Shams refugee camp. During the incursion, two members of the
Palestinian National Security Forces were killed while at a roadblock in Aratah
neighborhood:
1) Mustafa Mahmoud Saleh
Zitawi, 33, from Beit Lid village near Tulkarm, killed by shrapnel from an
artillery shell in the head and the abdomen; and
2) Maher Fathi Wahba Abu
Hasna, 33, from ‘Attil village near Tulkram, killed by shrapnel from an
artillery shell.
In addition, five civilians were
wounded:
1) Ibrahim Mohammed Quzmaz,
10, wounded by shrapnel in the face;
2) Ahmed Mohammed Qaderi, 17,
wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen;
3) Hisham ‘Eissa ‘Arbas, 27,
wounded by a live bullet in the right shoulder;
4) ‘Alla’ ‘Abdel-Fattah Abu
Hamed, 22, wounded by a live bullet in the left shoulder; and
5) Jihad ‘Abdel-Fattah Abu
Hamed, 20, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen.
The family of Amin Jaber Bourini,
miraculously survived after an artillery shell had hit their house in the
northwest of the city, destroying its façade. The Israeli forces also seized two houses in Ektaba neighborhood and
transformed them into military outposts.
Israeli forces maintained positions
in Bethlehem and Beit Jala cities and ‘Aaida nad Al-‘Azza refugee camps, under
the cover of continued shelling of Palestinian residential areas. At approximately 12:15, Rania Nasri Murra
Kharoufa, 24, from Beit Jala, was killed by a medium caliber bullet in the
neck, while she was getting out of her car in front of her house.
Throughout the day, Israeli
forces shelled Bethlehem, using heavy and medium machine guns, artillery
shells, and combat helicopters. At
approximately 15:20, 15-year-old Yousef Mohammed ‘Ebayyat was killed by a live
bullet in the head fired by an Israeli soldier on Mount Handaza, southeast of
Bethlehem. The child was killed from a
distance of only 100m.
At approximately 16:50, ‘Aaesha
Mahmoud ‘Abdel-Fattah ‘Oudeh, 39, from Jerusalem, was killed by a heavy caliber
bullet in the chest and shrapnel throughout the body. ‘Oudeh, mother of 8 children, was in a visit
to her family in ‘Aaida refugee camp when the family’s house was shelled by the
Israeli forces, which moved into the refugee camp.
At approximately 17:10, Johnny
George Tahaljia, 19, from Bethlehem, was killed by live bullets in the chest
and the abdomen, when Israeli soldiers on Mount Handaza fired at him while he
was at the gate of Al-Mahed Church, approximately 800m away.
While the Israeli forces
maintained positions in Bethlehem and reoccupied large parts of the city, more
than 50 Palestinian civilians were wounded by live bullets and shrapnel from
artillery shells fired by these forces. Among the wounded was Yasser Mash’al, 30, who was wounded by a live
bullet in the abdomen at 16:30, and an UNRWA ambulance he was driving was
severely damaged. Among the wounded was
also Maher Abu Louha, a medic who was wounded at 17:00 while offering medical
care to the wounded.
At approximately 19:00, Israeli
combat helicopters shelled residential areas in Bethlehem. Three rockets hit a 5-story building, which
includes clinics, medical laboratories and other civilian facilities, partially
destroying it and wounding 15 Palestinians.
PCHR was informed that a number
of houses, religious sites and civilian facilities in Bethlehem were severely
damaged.
Israeli forces maintained
positions in PNA-controlled areas, under the cover of shelling that targeted Palestinian
residential areas and civilian facilities. In Bethlehem, three Palestinians, a handicapped civilian and two
security men, were killed. At
approximately 11:50, Israeli soldiers shot dead Mohammed Suleiman Baraqa’a, 32,
deaf and dumb, father of five children, with shrapnel from an artillery shell
in the neck. Baraqa’a was near his house
in Al-‘Azza refugee camp when he was killed.
At approximately 12:40, Nahedh
Jom’a Hussein Juju, 47, from Al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, an officer of
the Palestinian National Security Forces, was shot dead by the Israeli forces
in Bethlehem.
At approximately 17:35, Fawzi
‘Eissa Abu Hulayel El-Masalmeh, 28, from Al-Douha village, west of Bethlehem,
an officer of the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service, was killed by
shrapnel from an artillery shell fired by Israeli forces at Al-Hussein Hospital
in Beit Jala, while he was on duty. In
the same incident, Amjad ‘Aadel ‘Omeir, 24, a nurse in the hospital, was
wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh.
In Jenin, Ghada Mahmoud ‘Omar
‘Eissa, 20, from Sanour village, south of Jenin, was killed by a live bullet in
the head when the Israeli forces fired at a number of Palestinian farmers who
were on their way home. At approximately
17:30, while a number of Palestinian farmers were on their way back home from
olive farms in the southeast of Sanour village, Israeli occupation forces moved
from Sanour military location into the village, which is fully controlled by
the PNA. They thrust approximately 250m
into the village. In the meanwhile, the
family of ‘Eissa was traveling on a tractor. Israeli soldiers fired at the family from a distance of approximately
50m. The girl was killed by a live
bullet in the head and 13-year-old Siham Salah ‘Eissa was wounded by a live
bullet in the left side.
In Tulkarm, Israeli forces
continued to shell Palestinian houses and shoot at Palestinian civilians. Twelve civilians and a security man were
wounded:
1) Anas Maher Fateh ‘Awad,
12, from ‘Ezbat Al-Jarad, wounded by a live bullet in the back;
2) Bilal ‘Abdel-Fattah
‘Ennab, 14, from ‘Ezbat Al-Jarad, wounded by a live bullet in the left knee;
3) Ismail Mohammed Qaffaf,
39, from Nour Shams refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel in the head;
4) Mohammed Saleh ‘Ali, 22,
from Nour Shams refugee camp, wounded by two live bullets in the hands;
5) Tariq Mohammed ‘Abdullah,
17, from Tulkarm, wounded by shrapnel in the left foot;
6) Lu’ai Banan Mohammed
Sawan, 16, from Tulkarm, wounded by shrapnel in the right leg;
7) Kamal Mohammed Qara’awi,
37, from Tulkarm, wounded by shrapnel in the left knee;
8) Khaled ‘Atwa Abu Hazem,
19, from Khan Yunis, a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces,
wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh;
9) Firas Fahmi Khashan, 25,
from Tulkarm, wounded by shrapnel in the right elbow;
10) ‘Eissa Ibrahim Nasrallah,
30, from Tulkarm, wounded by shrapnel in the right elbow;
11) ‘Abdel-Halim Ibrahim
Melhem, 22, from Tulkarm, wounded by a live bullet in the chest;
12) Jamil Rezeq Sharqia, 19,
from Tulkarm, wounded by shrapnel in the right leg; and
13) Adib Saleh Hassan, 26,
from Nour Shams refugee camp, wounded by a live bullet in the chest.
In Qalqilya, Israeli forces
resumed shelling Palestinian of residential areas. They also thrust approximately 100m into the
south of the city and destroyed a Palestinian security roadblock, electricity
and telephone towers and some civilian facilities. In addition, four civilians were wounded:
1) Saber Mohammed Abu Sa’d,
27, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the chest;
2) Maher ‘Ali El-Ra’ei, 37,
seriously wounded by three live bullets in the chest and the arms;
3) ‘Abdel-Nabi Saber Abu
Shihab, 21, wounded by a live bullet in the side; and
4) Talal Mohammed ‘Oweissi,
42, wounded by shrapnel from live bullets in the right hand.
In Ramallah and Al-Bireh, Israeli
forces reinforced their presence in areas they had reoccupied in the previous
days and maintained shelling of Palestinian houses and shooting at Palestinian
civilians.
At approximately 02:30, Israeli
occupation forces, positioned in “Ofar” military location, shelled Al-Tirah
neighborhood in Ramallah, causing severe damage to four houses and a civilian
car.
At approximately 08:30, the
Israeli forces destroyed a 150-square-meter, two-story building of the
administration of Force 17 in Al-Balou’ area in Al-Bireh after having
confiscated its contents.
At approximately 12:00, Ra’ed
‘Abbas El-Tawil, 26, from Ramallah, was wounded by a live bullet in the left
side fired by Israeli forces in Al-Balou’ area. Sa’id Mohammed Abu Shams, 26, from Gaza, a member of the Palestinian
National Security Forces went to offer help to El-Tawil, but the Israeli forces
fired at him, wounding him with a live bullet in the abdomen. The two men were evacuated to Sheikh Zayed
Hospital in Ramallah.
In Rafah, at approximately 17:30,
Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks, thrust approximately 50m into
‘Omar Ben Al-Khattab Street and Qeshta neighborhood adjacent to the Egyptian
border. They fired heavy and medium
caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in Block “O,” ‘Omar Ben Al-Khattab Street
and Qeshta neighborhood. At
approximately 20:00, Israeli soldiers, positioned in a military location at the
road leading to Al-Mawasi area, opened fire on Palestinian houses in Tal
Al-Sultan neighborhood in the west of Rafah. Nida’ Younis Subeh, 12, was wounded by a live bullet in the chest while
inside her family’s house. She was
evacuated to Al-Joneina Hospital in the city.
In Khan Yunis, at approximately
19:00, Israeli forces seized a Palestinian house approximately 500m northwest
of Al-Matahen junction, north of the city. The 80-square-meter, three-story house is owned by Mohammed El-Farra,
who lives abroad. This action came in
the context of reinforcements by these forces in the area, where they continued
razing and leveling agricultural land to establish a road, 700m long and 40-50
wide. The road is designed for the sole
use of these forces and Jewish settlers.
At approximately 07:40, Nidal
Khaled ‘Oleyan, 20, from Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, was
pronounced dead at Al-Hussein Hospital from a wound he received the previous
day. ‘Oleyan, a member of the
Palestinian National Security Forces, was wounded by a heavy caliber bullet in
the abdomen when Israeli forces shelled Bethlehem on Sunday evening.
In Al-Bireh, Israeli occupation
forces, positioned in Al-Ersal area, which they had reoccupied on Thursady,
October 18, resumed shelling of Palestinian residential areas. At approximately 12:30, Hilal Walid ‘Abdel-Rahman,
18, from Jalazoun refugee camp, was wounded by shrapnel in the left leg, and
Khaled Hussein ‘Aayesh, 28, from Jenin, an officer of Force 17, was seriously
wounded by four live bullets in the abdomen, the spinal column, the left upper
arm and the right elbow.
In Tulkarm, Israeli forces
shelled Palestinian residential areas and fired at Palestinian civilians
throughout the day. At approximately
14:00, ‘Orwa ‘Essam Qe’dan, 15, was critically wounded in the abdomen by a live
bullet fired by Israeli soldiers positioned near Khadouri College, while he was
near his family’s house. He was
evacuated to Tulkarm Hospital, where medical sources stated that the live
bullet penetrated the liver, the spleen, the diaphragm, the stomach and the
lungs, fracturing two bones of the thoracic cavity.
At approximately 20:00, the
Israeli forces opened fire from heavy and medium machine guns on Palestinian
houses in Nour Shams refugee camp. Yousef Hussein El-Sheikh ‘Abed Muqbel, 65, was killed by shrapnel from
heavy caliber bullets in the chest, the neck and the abdomen. In addition, three member of his family were
wounded.
Throughout the day, 13
Palestinian civilians were wounded in Tulkarm as follows:
1) Hanan Yousef El-Sheikh
‘Abed, 18, from Nour Shams refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel in the chest;
2) Yasmin Yousef El-Sheikh
‘Abed, 9, from Nour Shams refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel in the head;
3) ‘Alla’ Yousef El-Sheikh
‘Abed, 11, from Nour Shams refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel in the arm;
4) ‘Alla’ Nader Abu Zaghib,
21, from Tulkarm, wounded by shrapnel in the left thigh;
5) Mohammed ‘Aadel Khalil,
11, from Nour Shams refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel in the right hand;
6) Dhurgham Fu’ad Mousa, 25,
from Tulkarm, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen;
7) Maher ‘Abdel-Rahman
Mahajna, 42, from Tulkarm, wounded by three live bullets in the arm, the thighs
and the feet;
8) Akram ‘Eissa Farajallah,
27, from Tulkarm, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh;
9) Mohammed Naji El-Tuneib,
75, from Nour Shams refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen;
10) Maher Mohammed El-Tuneib,
35, from Nour Shams refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel in the neck;
11) Mohammed Hussam El-Tuneib,
13, from Nour Shams refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel in the chest;
12) Muhannad ‘Emad Khouli, 15,
from Tulkarm, wounded by shrapnel in the left hand;
13) ‘Orwa ‘Essam Qe’dan, 15,
from Tulkarm, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen.
At approximately 23:00, Israeli
occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and bulldozers, encroached into
Palestinian controlled areas adjacent to the Egyptian border south of
Rafah. They shelled Palestinian houses
in Qeshta neighborhood, Block “O” area in Rafah refugee camp and ‘Omar Ben
Al-Khattab Street. While the Israeli
sources denied the incursion, PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that the
Israeli forces demolished four houses and 12 stores, and thrust approximately
250m into ‘Omar Ben Al-Khattab Street. A
number of houses and civilian property were severely damaged, especially
warehouses owned by Hassan and Mohammed Yousef El-Dam which were set
aflame. The two brothers estimated their
loss at approximately $US 1million. Their houses were also severely damaged.
The following are details of the
houses that were demolished:
1) a 200-square-meter,
one-story house which was used as a kindergarten, owned by Mervat Khamis Abu
Halawa;
2) a 160-square-meter,
one-story house, in which 12 people from the family of Abu Lebdeh used to live,
owned by Yahia Shehdeh Zo’rob and Hussam Mahmoud El-Sha’er;
3) a 100-square-meter,
one-story house, in which 6 people from the family of Daoud, owned by Yahia Zo’rob
and Hussam El-Sha’er; and
4) a 200-square-meter,
two-story house, owned by Yahia Zo’rob and Hussam El-Sha’er.
The following stores were also
demolished:
1) four 30-square-meter
stores owned by Yahia Zo’rob and Hussam El-Sha’er;
2) three 30-square-meter
stores owned by ‘Oudetallah ‘Ejji El-Sha’er;
3) a 30-square-meter store
owned by Ismail Khalil Abu Hilal;
4) a 30-square-meter store
owned by Mohammed Khalil Abu Hilal;
5) a 30-square-meter store
owned by Ahmed Shehdeh Abdel-‘Aal;
6) a 30-square-meter store
owned by Hussein ‘Abdel-‘Aal; and
7) a 30-square-meter store
owned by Rasmi ‘Oweida.
Early in the morning, 13-year-old Nasser Hani
Qara’an, from Qalqilya, was pronounced dead from a wound he received when
Israeli forces shelled the city on Monday. Qara’an had been wounded by three medium caliber bullets in the chest
and the abdomen while at home in Soufin neighborhood when Israeli forces
shelled Palestinian residential areas in the east of Qalqilya. He was fired at from a distance of approximately
70m and evacuated to an Israeli hospital in Kfar Saba, where he was pronounced
dead.
At approximately 12:00, Israeli
occupation soldiers, positioned at Al-Tuffah roadblock, opened fire on the west
of Khan Yunis refugee camp. Two
Palestinian children were wounded while passing in a nearby road:
1) ‘Abdullah Ahmed El-Sha’er,
4, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand; and
2) Mohammed ‘Ali Abu Khureis,
12, wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the back.
In Tulkarm, the Israeli forces
fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian
residential area and at a Palestinian security roadblock. At approximately 16:45, Tal’at ‘Atta Fares
Jaber, 19, from Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, a member of
the Palestinian National Security Forces working in Tulkarm, was killed by
three heavy caliber bullets in the head, the chest and the back. In addition, a Palestinian civilian, Bader
Mahmoud Ahmed El-Sha’er, 50, was killed by a heavy caliber bullet that entered
the chest and settled in the heart. PCHR
was informed that the Israeli forces shelled the east of Tulkarm killing Jaber
who was near a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces west of
Thennaba neighborhood. El-Sha’er, father
of five children, was on the other side of the road having sought shelter from
shelling when he was killed.
At 17:15, Israeli forces,
positioned near Khadouri College in Tulkarm, shelled a food factory in the
south of the city, which is under full control of the PNA. The factory was destroyed by two artillery
shells. According to eyewitness, the
area did not witness any clashes when the factory was shelled.
At approximately 20:00, the
Israeli forces shelled the campus of Bethlehem University. The campus was severely damaged after having
been hit by around ten artillery shells. The Israeli forces shelled also a hospital and a handicapped
rehabilitation centre, posing danger to the lives of Palestinians there.
At 23:30, 24-year-old Mohammed
Dhiab Sama’na, from Beit Eiba village near Nablus, a member of the Palestinian
National Security Forces, was pronounced dead from a lethal wound he received
from Israeli forces. Sama’na was wounded
in the head by a live bullet fired by the Israeli forces during shelling of
Al-Bireh on Friday, October 19. Since
then, he had been in the intensive care unit at Ramallah Hospital.
At 23:45, three Palestinian
civilians were killed by Israeli forces in Tulkarm. An undercover unit of the Israeli forces
moved into the cemetery of the city in the western neighborhood, under full
control of the PNA. While a number of
Palestinian civilians were at the entrance of the Arab Orphan Street, the
undercover unit suddenly moved towards them, opening fire from 40-50m away. Three civilians were killed and two were
wounded:
1) Ayman Fa’eq Ahmed
El-Jallad, 19;
2) Mahmoud Nawaf Hussein
El-Jallad, 19; and
3) Saleh Rashid Saleh ‘Aassi,
19.
The wounded were:
1) Wajdi Ahmed ‘Abdel-Karim,
21, wounded by a live bullet in the left leg; and
2) Murad Kamel El-Jallad, 20,
wounded by a live bullet in the left hand.
At approximately midnight,
Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with tanks and bulldozers, encroached
into the west of Al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis. They thrust approximately 300m into the area
under the cover of shooting at Palestinian houses and farms. The Israeli forces razed areas of Palestinian
agricultural land before they withdrew from the area at approximately 03:00 on
Wednesday. PCHR’s field officer in Khan
Yunis reported the following damage:
1) Israeli forces demolished
a 200-square-meter house and razed a 400-square-meter area of agricultural land
planted with olives and guavas, on part of which a bird farm stood, owned by
Fahim Ismail El-Habil.
2) They razed a
600-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives and palms and
demolished two rooms and a fence, owned by Nazhir ‘Eid Farawana and brothers.
3) They demolished a fence of
Jamil ‘Abdel-Hamid Kellab, and his car’s windows and a television set were
damaged by live bullets.
4) They razed a 2,200-square-meter
area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation
network, owned by ‘Abdel-Hadi Mohammed El-Astal.
5) They razed a
2,500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives and demolished
a house owned by Hussein ‘Abdel-Karim El-Astal.
6) They razed a
1,700-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives and a
2,000-square-meter area planted with vegetables, owned by Younis Hussein
El-Astal.
7) They razed a
1,200-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives and palms and
demolished a 120-meter-long fence and a bird farm, owned by Khalil Nayef
El-Astal.
8) They demolished a
950-square-meter car maintenance workshop, a 120-square-meter house and a
90-meter-long fence, owned by Sa’di Jaber ‘Ali ‘Obeid.
9) They razed a
500-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with olives and guavas,
owned by Hussein ‘Eid Abu ‘Oweili,
10) They demolished a
500-square-meter car maintenance workshop, owned by Salah El-Seiqali.
11) They demolished a fence
surrounding a 800-square-meter of land owned by Mohammed Teilakh El-Faqa’awi.
12) Live bullets damaged
windows, a television set and a civilian car, owned by Kamal Mohammed
El-‘Awadhi.
13) Live bullets damaged
windows and the façade of a house owned by Majed Mohammed Sabbah.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupation forces,
reinforced with tanks and armored personnel carriers, encroached into Beit Rima
village, northwest of Ramallah, under the cover of intensive shelling that
targeted residential areas in the village. Israeli combat helicopters participated in the attack and fired a number
of air-to-surface missiles on the village. Israeli forces imposed a total siege
on the village, which is under full control of the PNA, and prohibited the
access of Palestinian ambulances, journalists and representatives of the ICRC
to the village. The numbers of the
victims and the wounded as a result of the invasion have not been clear as the
Israeli forces evacuated some of then to Israeli hospitals. According to Palestinian medical sources in
Ramallah, the Israeli forces handed bodies of five Palestinian martyrs to the
Palestinian side. It is not clear
whether there are other victims. On Thursday,
those killed were identified as:
1) Haris Amin Hejji, 29, from Burqa
village near Nablus, a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces;
2) Kamel Hussein El-Barghouthi, 20,
from Deir Ghassan village near Ramallah, a member of the Palestinian National
Security Forces;
3) ‘Abdel-Mu’ti El-Zawawi, 22, from
Qarawat Bani Zeid near Ramallah, a member of the Palestinian National Security
Forces;
4) Qassem ‘Atta El-Sayed
El-Mughrabi, 26, a policeman from Gaza; and
5) Rafiq Mohammed Saqer, 24, a
policeman from Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces also gathered all the residents of
the village in the center of the village and arrested more than 20 people.
In Bethlehem, at approximately 14:10, Israeli
soldiers in a tank fired heavy caliber bullets at a Palestinian civilian car,
killing its driver, ‘Eissa Jalil Jeries El-‘Ali, 55, from Bethlehem. There was no apparent reason for the shooting
which targeted the car from a distance of approximately 400m.
In Occupied Jerusalem, at approximately 09:30,
Marwan Ahmed Halabia, 21, from Abu Dis town east of Jerusalem, was pronounced
dead from a wound he received on Tuesday. Late at night on Tuesday, October 23, the Israeli forces raided the town
and opened fire on Palestinian civilians. Halabia was critically wounded by three live bullets in the head and
another one in the right thigh, while he was in his family’s bakery where he
used to work. He was evacuated to
Al-Maqassed Hospital in Jerusalem where he was pronounced dead on Wednesday
morning.
3. Continued Assassinations
and Extra-Judicial Killings
In a continuation of the policy of assassination
and extra-judicial killing formally adopted by the Israeli government, the
Israeli forces committed two new assassinations. Three members of Fatah Movement in Bethlehem
and a Hamas member in Nablus were killed.
At approximately 18:00 on Thursday, October 18, a
heavy blast occurred on Wadi Abu Sa’da Street in Beit Sahour. Ambulances and Palestinian citizens rushed to
the area where they found a Suzuki jeep aflame on a tract of agricultural land
adjacent to the street. Three members of
Fatah in Bethlehem were traveling in the jeep, which was destroyed by a bomb:
1) ‘Aatef Ahmed ‘Ebayyat, 32, head
of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Bethlehem, an activist whom the Israeli
forced demanded the PNA to hand over;
2) Jamal ‘Abdullah El-Nawawra ‘Ebayyat,
35; and
3) ‘Eissa El-Khatib ‘Ebayyat, 28.
Palestinian sources accused the Israeli forces of
planting a bomb in the car to assassinate the three Fatah activists.
On Monday, October 22, Israeli forces assassinated
Ayman ‘Adnan Mohammed Halawa, 26, from Nablus. At approximately 20:20, Halawa was traveling in a civilian car on
An-Najah University Street. The car
exploded. Halawa died instantly while
another occupant of the car was injured. In addition, two civilians passing nearby were injured:
1) Nour Hujeir, 16, injured by
shrapnel in the abdomen; and
2) Bassem Hashem, 16, injured by
shrapnel in the chest.
Palestinian security sources accused Israeli forces
of plotting to assassinate Halawa, known as a Hamas activist. Little hours later, the office of the Israeli
prime minister issued a statement accusing Halawa of responsibility for a
number of attacks that resulted in the killing of 48 Israelis.
4. A Child Killed in an
Explosion of a Suspicious Object in Khan Yunis
On Friday morning, October 19, Bassel Salim
Mohammed El-Mubasher, 13, from Khan Yunis, was killed by an explosion of a
suspicious object, believed to be an unexploded artillery shell fired earlier
by Israeli forces. According to PCHR’s
investigation, the child went out of his family house in the west of Khan Yunis
refugee camp at approximately 08:00 to feed birds the family raises near the
house. The house is only 30m away from
“Neve Dekalim” settlement. In a short
while, a heavy blast was heard in the area. The child’s father hurried to check what happened and found his son
lying on the ground. He was evacuated
him to Nasser Hospital in han Yunis where he was pronounced dead. Accoring to medical sources at the hospital,
the child was brought to the hospital motionless. His right hand was cut, his left leg was
fractured and he received shrapnel throughout the body, especially in the
abdomen and the face.
It is worth mentioning that the west of Khan Yunis
refugee camp is shelled by Israeli forces almost daily. Despite the lack of full details on the
incident, it is believed that the child played with an artillery shell of the
remainders of shelling by the Israeli forces and it exploded between his hands.
5. A Woman Dies Due to
Obstructed Access to Hospital
At approximately 15:30 on Friday, October 19, Rihab
Mohammed Noufal, 30, from Housan village west of Bethlehem, was pronounced dead
after Israeli forces at a military roadblock at the entrance of Al-Khader
village obstructed her access to the hospital when she was going into labour. She was taken by relatives in a private car to
hospital to give birth.
6. House Demolitions in
Jerusalem
The Israeli government maintains
its racist policies in Jerusalem aimed at the expulsion of its Palestinian
inhabitants, creating new demographic facts on the ground and Judaizing of the
city. House demolition is a major means
employed by Israeli forces and the so-called “Jerusalem Municipality” to
implement this plan. Israeli forces usually justify crimes against Palestinian
houses by the lack of building licenses, even though the discriminative
measures adopted by the “municipality” make obtaining such licenses almost
impossible.
On Tuesday morning, October 23,
the Israeli forces demolished three Palestinian houses in the city:
1) a 122-square-meter,
one-story house, in which three families comprised of 17 persons used to live,
owned by Mohammed ‘Eid ‘Atwan El-Salaymeh;
2) a 120-square-meter,
one-story house, in which 10 people used to live, owned by Maher ‘Abdullah
El-Salaymeh; and
3) a 65-square-meter, one-story
house, in which 4 people used to live, owned by Hamed Halsa.
7. Attacks by Jewish Settlers
on Palestinian Civilians
At approximately 04:30 on Wednesday, October 24, a
number of Jewish settlers in a civilian car opened fire on a Palestinian civilian
car, in which a number of Palestinian laborers were traveling, north of Yatta
village near Hebron. The driver and five
laborers were wounded as follows:
1) Younis Ismail El-Najjar,
51, critically wounded by two live bullets in the back and the left shoulder;
2) Ismail Ibrahim El-Rojoub,
31, the driver, wounded by a live bullet in the right forearm and shrapnel in
the head and the shoulder;
3) Mohammed Mousa El-Najjar,
50, wounded by a live bullet in the head;
4) Mohammed ‘Abdel-‘Azziz
El-Jobour, 36, wounded by shrapnel in the head and around the left eye;
5) Mohammed Ismail El-Jendi,
46, wounded by shrapnel in the head and the back; and
6) Jebril Ahmed Houshia, 53,
wounded by shrapnel in the head.
8. Arrests by Israeli
Occupation Forces
This week, Israeli occupation forces
arrested many Palestinians. These
arrests took place in the following circumstances:
1) At international border
crossings, under the control of Israeli occupation forces.
2) At Israeli military
roadblocks on main and branch roads and at the entrances to Palestinian cities
and villages.
3) In Palestinian towns and
villages, often during house raids.
The following table lists
significant arrests that took place this week:
|
No. |
Name |
Age |
Place of Residence |
Date of Arrest |
Manner of Arrest |
|
1. |
Mohammed Khalil Al-Qun |
19 |
Rafah |
October 18, 2001 |
At Tal Al-Sultan checkpoint |
|
2. |
Nidal Nazzal |
30 |
Qalqilya |
October 18, 2001 |
An ambulance driver arrested |
|
3. |
Salah Saleh ‘Alawi |
17 |
‘Eizareya, Jerusalem |
October 18, 2001 |
Taken from his house |
|
4. |
Tayseer Sa’id Khalil |
27 |
‘Aanin, Jenin |
October 20, 2001 |
Taken during a raid on the |
|
5. |
Ibrahim ‘Abdel-Rahim Sawi |
25 |
Qalqilya |
October 21, 2001 |
Taken from his house |
|
6. |
Qassem ‘Abdel-Rahim Sawi |
22 |
Qalqilya |
October 21, 2001 |
Taken from his house |
|
7. |
Sahrif Yousef Hanini |
22 |
Qalqilya |
October 21, 2001 |
Taken from his house |
|
8. |
Saleh Hussein |
37 |
Qalqilya |
October 21, 2001 |
Taken from his house – an |
|
9. |
Ahmed ‘Eissa Abu Hilal |
20 |
Abu Dis, Jerusalem |
October 23, 2001 |
Taken during a raid on the town |
|
10. |
Yousef Salameh Tubeish |
43 |
Kharsa, Hebron |
October 23, 2001 |
Kidnapped by an undercover of |
|
11. |
Mohammed Ahmed Abu El-Rub |
21 |
Jalboun, Jenin |
October 24, 2001 |
Taken from his house |
|
12. |
Nidal Ahmed Abu El-Rub |
23 |
Jalboun, Jenin |
October 24, 2001 |
Taken from his house |
|
13. |
‘Adnan ‘Abed Abu El-Rub |
22 |
Jalboun, Jenin |
October 24, 2001 |
Taken from his house |
|
14. |
Walid Ahmed Abu El-Rub |
24 |
Jalboun, Jenin |
October 24, 2001 |
Taken from his house |
|
15. |
‘Aamer Mohammed Abu El-Rub |
33 |
Jalboun, Jenin |
October 24, 2001 |
Taken from his house |
|
16. |
Ahmed Mohammed Abu El-Haija |
24 |
Jalboun, Jenin |
October 24, 2001 |
Taken from his house |
****
PCHR calls:
1) Upon governments that participated in the World
Conference Against Racism in Durban in South Africa to adopt crucial decisions
condemning practices by Israel and its belligerent occupation forces in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories, which can only be described as apartheid
against the Palestinian people.
2) Upon the international community to provide immediate
and independent international protection for the Palestinian people in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
3) Upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth
Geneva Convention of 1949 to reconvene in order to take effective measures to
protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in
accordance with their obligations under article 1, to ensure the respect of the
Convention.
4) Upon the international community to investigate and
prosecute those believed to have committed war crimes in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories before international courts
5) Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence, expand its
activities, and intensify its field observations throughout the Occupied
Palestinian Territories.
6) Upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the
Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect
human rights.
7) 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 the Israeli occupation forces on the entire
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
For
more information on the Al-Aqsa Intifada see: www.pchrgaza.org
