Ref.,: 2/20001
This
report covers human rights violations perpetrated by the Israeli occupation
forces against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
during the period of January 3-10, 2001.
During this period, the Israeli occupation forces continued to resort to
the use of lethal force, shooting at Palestinian civilians and firing artillery
shells and heavy and medium bullets at Palestinian houses. The Israeli occupation forces shot dead seven
Palestinian civilians, including a woman and a girl, with live ammunition. The most recent victim was a 70-year old
Palestinian civilian who was shot dead by the Israeli occupation forces on
January 9, 2001, while he was on his way to his land, 100m away from the border
to the east of Deir El-Balah. Among the
victims was also a 21-year-old nurse who was shot dead by Israeli occupation
forces on January 7, 2001, while she was traveling by a civilian car near
Nablus. She was shot in the chest. Additionally, Israeli occupation forces fired
heavy and medium bullets in Hebron on January 5, 2001. A girl was killed with a heavy bullet in the
chest, fired by the occupation forces while she was on the roof of her family’s
house. Furthermore, a number of
Palestinian civilians were wounded with live ammunition fired by the Israeli
occupation forces. These included an
11-year-old child who was critically wounded with a live bullet in the head
fired by a sniper in Al-Bireh on January 7, 2001. A number of Palestinian civilians were
wounded when the Israeli occupation forces fired artillery shells and heavy and
medium bullets at Palestinian areas.
According to the investigations carried out by PCHR, this attack on Palestinian
civilians by the Israeli occupation forces was intentional, and it was carried
out in the absence of any threat to the lives of the occupation forces.
Also
during the same period, the Israeli occupation forces continued to impose a
total siege on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. They continued to close all international
crossings and Gaza International Airport, and to prohibit the movement of
persons and goods between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. These forces also continued to impose an
internal siege on the areas under the control of the Palestinian National
Authority, isolating these areas from one another and from the rest of the
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Finally,
during this last week, the Israeli occupation forces razed more areas of
Palestinian agricultural land and demolished more Palestinian houses and
civilian facilities. This took place
mainly in areas adjacent to Dogit settlement established on the lands of Beit
Lahia in the northern area of the Gaza Strip.
1. Shooting at Palestinian
Civilians
In the afternoon, at approximately 13:00 local time, the Israeli
occupation forces opened fire from a tank positioned near the junction leading
to the Gush Qatif settlement block in Khan Yunis (Al-Matahen junction), on an
ambulance of the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The ambulance was on its way on Salah El-Din
Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip),
transferring a sick child from Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis to Shifa’ hospital
in Gaza City. He was accompanied by a physician and a nurse. The ambulance was forced to travel back to
Nasser hospital. According to an
official in the department of medical aid at Nasser hospital, the transfer of
the child was coordinated in advance with the Israeli side. Nevertheless, Israeli occupation soldiers
opened fire on the ambulance that transported the sick child. Miraculously, the occupants of the ambulance
survived.
Early in the morning, Israeli occupation forces
shot dead Mohammed Mahmoud Mohammed Abu Hassira, 37 years old, from the
Al-Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City. He
was hit with more than 20 live bullets in the head, chest, abdomen, and
pelvis. The incident took place in
unclear circumstances, near the border in Beit Hanoun, in the north of the Gaza
Strip. Abu Hassira’s brother stated to
PCHR that his brother was insane and had received treatment at a mental health
hospital in Gaza City. He disappeared
three days before the incident. He added
that his brother’s absence for days was usual for his family, as he used to
come back home or be brought home by his brothers. The family knew about the incident when
Palestine television channel broadcast news about an unidentified martyr at
Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.
In the morning, at approximately 11:00 local time,
the Israeli occupation forces fired at the child Omar Farouq Khaled, 11 years
old, from Al-Bireh, wounding him with an explosive live bullet in the
head. The child was evacuated to
Ramallah hospital in critical condition.
Eyewitnesses said that a sniper from the Israeli occupation forces shot
at the child from an observation tower at the northern entrance of Al-Bireh,
from a distance of about 200m. PCHR has
learned that a number of Palestinian children then demonstrated in the
area. A military jeep of the Israeli
occupation forcers penetrated several meters into areas under the control of
the Palestinian National Authority to chase the children, firing rubber-coated
metal bullets at them.
In the afternoon, at approximately 16:00 local
time, some Palestinian taxis and private cars attempted to cross a muddy road
from the village of Salem in Nablus to a bypass road leading to Allon More’
settlement. A passing patrol of the
Israeli occupation forces opened fire on these cars from the bypass road. Fatema Jalal Abu Jeish, 21 years old, from
the village of Beit Dajan, to the east of Nablus, was traveling inside the car
of her sister’s husband. She was hit
with two live bullets in the heart and the chest. She died before arriving at hospital. The martyr was a nurse at the Arab
Specialized Hospital in Nablus.
Also in the afternoon, at approximately 16:00 local
time, Israeli occupation soldiers shot Bassel Dhiab Abu Oweili, a 22 year old,
from the Al-Ja’farawi area of Deir El-Balah.
The soldiers fired from a tank positioned on Abu Houli road on the south
of the Deir El-Balah, branch of Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the
north and south of the Gaza Strip). Abu
Oweili was wounded with shrapnel in the abdomen. He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza
City. PCHR’s field officer in the middle
area reported that Abu Oweili was riding a bicycle on his way to his house in
the area of Abu Houli when he was shot.
In the evening, at approximately 20:00 local time,
Israeli occupation forces positioned to the south of Kfar Darom settlement
fired at Attwa Hassan Abu A’azem, 48 years old, from the Al-Ja’farawi area in
Deir El-Balah. He was wounded with a
live bullet in the hand. Abu A’azem was
riding a bicycle from Deir El-Balah to his house in the Al-Ja’farawi area when
he was shot by the Israeli occupation forces.
There were no clashes reported in the area at that time. An ambulance of the Palestinian Red Crescent
Society evacuated him to Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City.
At night, at approximately 23:00 local time, the
Israeli occupation forces shot dead Abdel-Hamid Ahmed Mosabbeh El-Khoratti, 34
years old, from the area of Al-Moghraqa.
He was hit with several live bullets in the head, chest, abdomen,
pelvis, and the extremities. El-Khoratti
was on his way from Gaza City to his house in the Al-Moghraqa area. As Salah El-Din Street (the main road between
the north and south of the Gaza Strip) was closed, he was forced to resort to a
branch road to the west of Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, which is the only
road leading to Al-Moghraqa area where he lived. When he crossed the road, Israeli occupation
forces positioned on the roof of a nearby house opened fire on him. In Monday morning, January 7, 2001, at
approximately 4:10, the body of martyr El-Khoratti was transferred by an
ambulance to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.
Despite the fact that this transfer took place in accordance with
instructions from the Israeli occupation forces, they still detained the body
on the road for more than seven hours. The martyr’s family could not reach the
hospital due to the siege imposed on their area of residence. Martyr El-Khoratti was a nurse at Shifa’
hospital in Gaza City. He resigned nine
years ago to resume his education. When
he came back to the country a few years ago, he worked as a translator for some
foreign delegations. He was also a
painter and a poet.
In the morning, at approximately 8:30 local time,
Israeli occupation forces opened fire on some Palestinian young men who
demonstrated in the east of the village of Hareth in Salfit. As a result, Mohammed Ahmed Abed Souf, 27
years old, was killed with a live bullet in the chest.
In the morning, at approximately 9:00 local time,
two cars of settlers accompanied by two military vehicles of the Israeli
occupation forces, from Hoosh settlement established on the lands of the
Palestinian village of Silat Al-Zhaher, attempted to forcibly enter the
village. Residents of the village faced
the raiders, who opened fire on them, wounding Abdel-Hamid Abdel-Rahim Khanfar
with a live bullet in the head.
Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli occupation forces prevented an
ambulance from entering the village to evacuate Khanfar to Jenin hospital. Khanfar died on the way to hospital in a
private car, which traveled on a muddy road to Tulkarm hospital. It took the car approximately one hour to
reach hospital.
In the afternoon, at approximately 14:00 local
time, the Israeli occupation forces committed another crime. They shot dead Ibrahim Hassan Abu Moghasib,
70 years old, from Deir El-Balah. PCHR’s
field officer in the middle area of the Gaza Strip reported that the victim was
on his way to his land, 100m away from the border, to the east of Deir
El-Balah. When he got close to Israeli
occupation soldiers, they shot at him, wounding him with a live bullet in the
abdomen. He was evacuated to Shifa’
hospital in Gaza City, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 19:00
local time.
In the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces
opened fire on some Palestinian children who demonstrated more than 100m away
from military sites of the Israeli occupation forces in the Al-Montar area, to
the east of Gaza City. As a result,
Sa’di Rajab Sobeh, 16 years old, from Beit Lahia, was wounded with a live
bullet in the leg. He was evacuated to
Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.
In the evening, at approximately 20:00 local time,
the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on an ambulance of the Palestinian
Red Crescent Society in the Al-Moghraqa area in the south of Gaza City. None of the staff of the targeted ambulance
was injured. PCHR’s field officer in the
area reported that the ambulance came to the area to evacuate Mrs. Um Suheil
Al-Weheidi who was beaten by Israeli occupation soldiers, when they broke into
houses of Al-Weheidi family in the area.
PCHR’s field officer who was present in the area then reported that he
saw the Israeli occupation forces shooting Mohammed Abdel-Hadi Shahin, 70 years
old, from the Al-Moghraqa area, when he crossed the road branch of Al-Shuhada’
(Netzarim) junction leading to Netzarim settlement. PCHR’s field officer added that Israeli
occupation forces opened fire from a military jeep and a tank on Shahin, from a
distance of 100m, wounding him with a live bullet in the knee. The Israeli occupation forces allowed an
ambulance of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society to evacuate him after a
20-minute delay.
In the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces
opened fire on some Palestinian children who demonstrated near a military site
of these forces in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement, to the southwest of
the refugee camp of Khan Yunis. As a
result, the child Ahmed Omar Zourob, 10 years old, was wounded with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the face.
PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the child was evacuated
to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis.
2. Shelling of Residential
Neighborhoods
In the
afternoon, at approximately 15:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces
positioned at the border in Rafah (Tal Zourob) fired heavy and medium bullets
at houses in Block “J” in the south of Rafah, about 1.5km away from their military
post. As a result, Hussein Ahmed Hussein
Muttair, 49 years old, was wounded with a heavy bullet in the leg, while he was
on his way from his house to a mosque in the area. He was evacuated to Al-Joneina hospital in
Rafah. The heavy bullet Muttair received
caused two vertical breaks in his leg.
In the
evening, at approximately 21:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces
positioned in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement, to the west of the
refugee camp of Khan Yunis, fired seven artillery shells and many heavy and
medium bullets at Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis. Such shelling, which lasted sporadically
until 1:30 local time on the following day, resulted in the following damage:
1) Three five-story housing
buildings, owned by the Al-Farra Company, 300m away from the military site of
the Israeli occupation forces, were severely damaged. The shelling made holes 3-10cm in diameter in
their western façades, and some windows were broken. These buildings were also shelled in the
past.
2) The house of Mohammed
Abdel-Rahman Ahmed Hamdan, a 300-square-meter, two-story house, in which 16
people live, was hit with more than 20 heavy bullets. As a result, three residents of the house
were wounded with shrapnel from these bullets.
The house is about 500m away from a military site of the Israeli
occupation forces. Bullets also
penetrated the western façade of the house, entering the bedrooms. Three residents of the house were wounded
with shrapnel from the bullets. They
received treatment at the hospital of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in
Khan Yunis. Furniture was also severely
damaged. The wounded were:
§ Walid Mohammed Abdel-Rahman
Hamdan, 30 years old, wounded with shrapnel in the back;
§ Fatheya Mohammed Hamdan, 25 years
old, wounded with shrapnel in the neck; and
§ Nawal Mohammed Abdel-Rahman
Hamdan, 27 years old, wounded with shrapnel in the head.
In the
evening, at approximately 22:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces
positioned at a military site in the vicinity of Gani Tal settlement fired more
than ten artillery shells and many heavy and medium bullets at Palestinian
houses in the area of Al-Satar Al-Gharbi, in the northwest of Khan Yunis. This caused severe damage to two houses
under-construction, 150-200m away from the military site of the Israeli
occupation forces. The damage was as
follows:
1) Shells hit the house of
Abdel-Hakim Ahmed El-Shanna, a 160-square-meter, one-story home, making holes
3-7cm in diameter in external walls and destroying part of the fence, 4m long
and 2.5m wide.
2) Shells hit the house of Mohammed
Hashem El-Majaydeh, a 160-square-meter, one-story home, making holes 3-7cm in
diameter in external walls.
In the evening, at approximately 22:00 local time,
Israeli occupation forces positioned in a military site at the border in Rafah
shelled Palestinian houses in Block “O” in the south of Rafah. The targeted houses are about 80m away from
the military site of the Israeli occupation forces. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that
these houses were severely damaged as follows:
1) An artillery shell fell
onto the house of Jaser Abed Rabbo Musallam Abu Saleh, a 100-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which four people live. It penetrated the roof and entered the
bedroom, causing severe damage to furniture.
In his testimony to PCHR, Abu Saleh said that he and his family left the
house when the shelling started.
2) An artillery shell fell
onto the house of Naji Abed Rabbo Musallam Abu Saleh, a 100-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which three people live. It penetrated the roof into the living room,
causing severe damage to furniture.
Residents of the house left when the shelling started.
3) Live bullets hit the house
of Eihab Sha’ban Salameh Abu Ghali, an 80-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house,
in which four people live, causing damage to the roof, walls, water storage
tanks, and the telephone network.
4) Live bullets hit the house
of Hassan Sha’ban Salameh Abu Ghali, an 80-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house,
in which eight people live, causing damage to the roof, walls, water storage
tanks, and the telephone network.
5) Heavy and medium bullets
hit the house of E’ssam Mohammed Saleh Abu Lebdeh, a 160-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which nine people live, causing damage to the roof,
walls, water storage tanks, and the telephone network.
6) Heavy and medium bullets
hit the house of Ossama Ali Rashid Abu Lebdeh, a 100-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which seven people live, causing damage to walls,
windows and water storage tanks.
At night, at approximately 23:00 local time,
Israeli occupation forces positioned in military sites at the Al-Tuffah
roadblock, separating Khan Yunis from its Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area,
shelled the west of the Khan Yunis refugee camp. The shelling targeted Palestinian houses
50-100m away from military sites of the Israeli occupation forces. These houses were shelled in the past,
especially at night. Their residents
were forced to leave. The damage was as
follows:
1) The shelling made holes in
the southern and western façades of the house of A’adel Ali Abu Obeida, a
130-square-meter, two-story house, in which 11 people live.
2) The shelling made holes in
the northern and western façades of the house of Abdullah Hassan Abu Obeida, a
250-square-meter, four-story house, in which 18 people live.
3) The shelling destroyed the
roof of the house of Rae’d Khalil Mohammed Abu Rezqa, a 250-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which six people live.
4) The shelling destroyed the
roof and made holes 20cm in diameter in walls of the house of Mohammed Ibrahim
Mohammed Abu Awadh, a 140-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which eight
people live.
5) An artillery shell hit
electric wires, cutting electricity from the targeted area.
In the afternoon, at approximately 13:00 local
time, tanks of the Israeli occupation forces at the border in Rafah opened fire
on Palestinian houses and the Al-Nour mosque in the Al-Barazil neighborhood,
opposite the border. PCHR’s field officer
in Rafah reported that the Israeli occupation forces opened fire when there
were no clashes in the area. The child
Leila Fawzi Abu Hussein, 9 years old, was wounded with shrapnel in the
face. she was in front of her family’s
house, which is 9m away from the border.
The child was evacuated to Al-Joneina hospital in Rafah. PCHR’s field officer added that the child was
the fourth one among her family to be wounded as a result of shooting at
Palestinian houses in Rafah by the Israeli occupation forces in the past weeks.
In the evening, at approximately 18:00 local time,
Israeli occupation forces positioned inside Hagai settlement shelled the
Al-Harayeq area, especially the municipality housing project, in the southwest
of Herbron. These forces fired heavy and
medium bullets at Palestinian houses, killing Arij Saber Al-Jabali, 19 years
old, with a heavy bullet in the back, which exited the chest. In addition, Ahlam Jebril Al-Jabali, 18 years
old, the cousin of martyr Arij, was seriously wounded with the same bullet in
the abdomen. The two victims were on the
roof of their family’s house, when the Israeli occupation forces opened
fire. They escaped to the staircase
where they were hit. Three other
civilians were also slightly wounded, and houses were severely damaged.
In the evening, at approximately 19:30 local time,
Israeli occupation forces positioned in a military site near Al-Tuffah
roadblock, to the west of the refugee camp of Khan Yunis, fired two artillery
shells at the western area of the aforementioned refugee camp. One artillery shell fell near El-Shafe’I
mosque, 300m away from the military post.
Shrapnel from the shell hit the nearby Al-Bahar road, wounding three
passing civilians. They are:
1) Hani Suleiman Abu Obeida,
18 years old, wounded with shrapnel in the back and the foot;
2) Sami Ibrahim Mukheimer, 27
years old, wounded with shrapnel in the back and the foot; and
3) Basel Nahedh Abu Namous,
wounded with shrapnel in the chest.
The other artillery shell hit the façade of a
grocery owned by Fayeq Oudeh Abu A’kker, causing severe damage and wounding:
1) the child Nayef Ghazi Abu
A’kker, 8 years old, with shrapnel in the back;
2) Hussam Talal Abu A’kker,
24 years old, with shrapnel in the shoulder; and
3) Mosallam Oudeh Abu A’kker,
19 years old, with shrapnel in the chest.
PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that
Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of Al-Tuffah roadblock and
Neve Dekalim settlement fired artillery shells and heavy and medium bullets at
Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis sporadically until 1:00 local time on the
following day. This caused severe damage
to two houses, as follows:
1) At approximately 20:30
local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of Neve
Dekalim settlement fired an artillery shell at the house of Mohammed Ali El-Toum,
a 300-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which nine people live. The shell made holes 10cm in diameter in a
wall and the roof. The house is about
300m away from military positions of the Israeli occupation forces.
2) At approximately 21:15 local time, Israeli
occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement fired
eight artillery shells at the house of A’wni Ibrahim Abu Seif, a
150-square-meter, two-story house, in which eight people live, making holes
15-20cm in diameter in its western façade.
The house is about 100m away from military sites of the Israeli
occupation forces. It is worth
mentioning that this house was shelled several times in the past so that its
residents were forced to leave.
As a result of opening fire by Israeli occupation
forces positioned in the vicinity of Al-Tuffah roadblock, the following
Palestinian houses were hit with bullets that made holes in their walls:
1) the house of Mohammed Ali
Salem Abu Obeida, a 400-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 20 people
live;
2) the house of Hussein
Mohammed Ali Abu Obeida, a 250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 11
people live;
3) the house of Saber Hussein
Abu Obeida, a 200-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which seven people
live;
4) the house of Mohammed
Suleiman Mohammed Abu Mousa, a 380-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in
which 19 people live; and
5) the house of Nafez
Mohammed Suleiman Abu Mousa, a 400-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in
which eight people live.
In the evening, at approximately 18:30 local time,
Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of Al-Tuffah roadblock,
separating Khan Yunis from its Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area, under the control
of the Israeli occupation forces, fired four artillery shells at Palestinian
houses in the west of Khan Yunis refugee camp.
PCHR’s field officer reported that the following houses were damaged:
1) The house of Abdullah
Hassan Abu Obeida, a four-story house, in which 18 people live. The house was shelled several times in the
past, so that its residents were forced to leave. It is about to collapse.
2) The house of A’adel Ali
Abu Obeida, a 130-square-meter, two-story house, in which 11 people live. The house was shelled several times in the
past.
Also in the evening, at approximately 20:30 local
time, an artillery shell fired by the Israeli occupation forces fell in the
center of Khan Yunis, hitting the western façade of a 200-square-meter,
two-story house owned by Mohammed Abu Habboub, making a hole 15cm in
diameter. Shrapnel of the shell
dispersed in the vicinity of the house.
PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the source of the
mentioned artillery shell was a military site of the Israeli occupation forces
in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement in the west of Khan Yunis, more than
1500m away from the targeted house.
Also in the evening, at approximately 22:30 local
time, Israeli occupation forces positioned at a military site to the west of
Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan Yunis fired more than 20 artillery shells and many
heavy bullets at Palestinian houses and civilian facilities. Such shelling which lasted for about two
hours caused damage to some houses, 80-100m away from the mentioned military
site of the Israeli occupation forces, as follows:
1) The shelling made holes in
the western façade of a market and broke its asbestos roof.
2) The shelling made holes in
the walls of a well of the Khan Yunis Municipality.
3) The shelling made holes in
a cement store, and in the walls of a brick factory. A brick-manufacturing machine, owned by
Hassan Mansi El-Tartouri, was also hit.
4) Water storage tanks on the
roof of a 120-square-meter house, in which seven people live, owned by Ali
Ibrahim Wadi, were damaged.
5) Water storage tanks on the
roof of an 800-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 25 people live,
owned by Khalil Abdel-Rahman A’rram, were damaged, and the asbestos roof was
damaged.
6) Water storage tanks and a
television aerial on the roof of a 250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in
which seven people live, owned by Mohammed Saber Abu Sweis, were damaged, and
the asbestos roof was damaged.
7) The shelling made holes in
the walls of a 60-square-meter house, in which three people live, owned by
Khaled Mohammed El-Soleibi.
8) Water storage tanks on the
roof of a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which ten people live,
owned by Khalil Ibrahim Mohammed El-Bozom, were damaged, and the asbestos roof
was damaged.
9) The asbestos roof of a
200-square-meter house, in which ten people live, owned by Mousa Salam Abu
Mousa, was broken.
10) The asbestos roof of a
150-square-meter house, in which eight people live, owned by Khaled Mousa Abu
So’ud, was damaged.
11) The asbestos roof of a
100-square-meter house, in which ten people live, owned by Sobhi Ahmed A’rram,
was damaged.
12) Water storage tanks on the
roof of a 130-square-meter house, in which 12 people live, owned by Mohammed
Mesbah Awadh, were damaged.
13) Water storage tanks on the
roof of a 100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which seven people live,
owned by Hatem Mustafa Awadh, were damaged, and the asbestos roof was damaged.
14) A television aerial and
the asbestos roof of an 80-square-meter house, in which six people live, owned
by Ne’mat Ismail El-Bardawil, was damaged and its asbestos roof was damaged.
15) The asbestos roof of a 150-square-meter house,
in which four people live, owned by Yasser Yousef Abu Sae’id, was damaged.
16) Water storage tanks on the
roof of a 140-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 11 people live,
owned by Sa’di Ismail Bodeir, were damaged, and the asbestos roof was damaged.
17) The shelling damaged the
asbestos roof of, and made holes in the front façade of a 250-square-meter
house, in which eight people live, owned by Maher Jaber Mustafa Hejjo.
18) The asbestos roof of a 250-square-meter house,
in which seven people live, owned by Asa’d Ismail Bodeir, was damaged.
19) Water storage tanks and a
television aerial on the roof of a 130-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in
which six people live, owned by E’mad Khalil El-Bozom, were damaged, and the
asbestos roof was damaged.
20) The shelling damaged the
asbestos roof of, and made holes in the front façade of a 135-square-meter
house, in which five people live, owned by Khaled Attweh Mousa Abu Mousa.
21) Water storage tanks and a
television aerial on the roof of a 130-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in
which four people live, owned by Salem Salameh Abu Mousa, were damaged, and the
asbestos roof was damaged.
22) More than 70 heavy and
medium bullets hit seven commercial stores, making holes in their doors and
walls.
In the evening, at approximately 21:30 local time,
Israeli occupation forces positioned in a military site to the west of Al-Amal
neighborhood in Khan Yunis shelled a market and some houses in the mentioned
neighborhood. PCHR’s field officer in
Khan Yunis reported that the Israeli occupation forces fired seven artillery
shells at the asbestos roof of a market, partially destroying it and making
holes 10-15cm in diameter. Live bullets
also hit a 200-square-meter house, in which nine people live, owned by Mohammed
Mahmoud Shalloula, damaging its water storage tanks, breaking its windows and
making holes in its external walls.
Also in Khan Yunis, Israeli occupation forces
positioned in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement fired seven artillery
shells at residential buildings owned by the Al-Farra Company. Artillery shells and live bullets were fired
from 22:00 local time to 3:00 local time on the following day. The same buildings were shelled several times
in the past, which damaged their western and southern façades. The Israeli occupation forces also targeted a
cemetery, making holes 20-30cm in its fence.
In the evening, at approximately 17:00 local time,
Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of Slao settlement in the
Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area in Rafah opened fire on Palestinian houses in the
Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood in the west of Rafah. Intensive fire, from the Israeli occupation
forces positioned at the military roadblock separating Rafah from its Al-Mawasi
area, lasted for more than an hour. As a
result, three Palestinian civilians were wounded, and a housing unit,
consisting of 20 apartments, 200m away from the military sites of the Israeli
occupation forces, was hit. Bullets
penetrated walls and windows of seven apartments. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that
the following civilians were wounded:
1) Sami Marzouq Abu Taha, 23
years old, seriously wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen and the hand,
while he was near a center of the Palestinian Civil Defense, 500m to the east
of military sites of the Israeli occupation forces;
2) Hassan Abdel-Salam,
Hassan, 10 years old, wounded with shrapnel in the head, while he was near a
housing unit 200m away from military sites of the Israeli occupation forces;
and
3) Yasser Ibrahim Mahmoud
El-Kurd, 13 years old, wounded with shrapnel in the head while he was in his
family’s apartment.
Also in the evening, at approximately 21:30 local
time, Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of Al-Tuffah
roadblock fired more than 20 artillery shells and many heavy and medium bullets
at Palestinian houses in the west of Khan Yunis refugee camp. The shelling lasted sporadically up to 1:00
local time on the following day and resulted in the following:
1) An artillery shell damaged
the telephone network, cutting telephone services from the area.
2) The shelling made a hole
10cm in diameter in the wall of a 200-square-meter, two-story house, in which
25 people live, owned by Talal Mohammed Abu A’kker. It also broke several windows and damaged
water storage tanks.
3) The shelling made a hole
25cm in diameter in the front façade of a 150-square-meter, five-story house,
in which 18 people live, owned by Jamal Abdel-Hamid Mohammed Abu
El-Nasser. It also broke several
windows.
4) An artillery shell fell
onto a civilian truck owned by Saber Hussein Abu Khadra, while it was parked
350m away from military position of the Israeli occupation forces. This truck was severely damaged.
5) An artillery shell burnt
an awning in front of a commercial store owned by Fae’q Oudeh Abu A’kker,
causing severe damage to the store.
In the evening, at approximately 22:00 local time,
Israeli occupation forces positioned in a military site to the west of Al-Amal neighborhood
in Khan Yunis shelled a market and some houses in the aforementioned
neighborhood. PCHR’s field officer in
Khan Yunis reported that the Israeli occupation forces fired seven artillery
shells, causing severe damage to the market and houses. He added that residents of the targeted area
had been forced to leave it due to daily shelling by the Israeli occupation
forces.
In the morning, at approximately 3:00 local time,
Israeli occupation forces from Morag settlement northeast of Rafah, reinforced
with three tanks and a bulldozer, opened fire on Palestinian houses in the area
of Gizan Al-Najjar in the south of Khan Yunis.
An eyewitness reported that residents of the area woke up, hearing
sounds of shooting. The Israeli
occupation forces fired heavy and medium bullets at the area up to 6:00 local
time, causing damage to some houses as follows:
1) Bullets penetrated the
external walls and windows of Rezeq Salameh Salman El-Shae’r’s
300-square-meter, one-story house, in which six people live. In addition, a flare fell into a store of
feeds and agricultural equipment, burning them.
2) Bullet made holes in the
western and southern façades of a 200-square-meter, two-story house, in which
ten people live, owned by Saleh Wahbi Al-Najjar.
3) Bullets made holes in the external walls of a
180-square-meter, one-story house, owned by Abdel-Wahhab Wahbi Al-Najjar.
4) Bullets made holes in the external walls of a
250-square-meter, one-story house, in which 12 people live, owned by Hamed
Wahbi Al-Najjar.
5) Bullets made holes in the
external walls of a 250-square-meter, one-story house, owned by Mohammed Wahbi
Al-Najjar.
6) Bullets made holes in the
external walls of a 250-square-meter, one-story house, owned by Ahmed Wahbi
Al-Najjar.
7) Bullets made holes in the
external walls of a 250-square-meter, one-story house, in which 10 people live,
owned by Ismail Wahbi Al-Najjar.
8) Eight sheep were killed
and another four were wounded in a farm owned by A’mira Salem El-A’rjan.
In the afternoon, at approximately 15:00 local
time, after a bomb was thrown near the border to the east of Jabalya, the
Israeli occupation forces shelled the area near the border. This resulted in destroying a
100-square-meter, two-story building, owned by Mohammed Rabah Hassan Abu
Safeya, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City. The first floor of the destroyed building
consisted of an agricultural pool and an irrigation pump, and the second floor
was used as a vacation house for the family.
At night, at approximately 23:00 local time, an
artillery shell fired by Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity
of Neve Dekalim settlement , in the west of Khan Yunis, fell onto Ahmed
Abdel-Azziz preparatory school, about 700m away from the military site of the
Israeli occupation forces. The artillery
shell made holes in walls of classrooms and broke windows. At the same time, residential buildings owned
by Al-Farra Company, mentioned above, were shelled again, and received more
damage. In addition, the market in the
Al-Amal neighborhood was shelled by a military site of the Israeli occupation
forces to the west of the neighborhood.
3. Razing of Agricultural
Land and Demolition of Houses
In the morning, at approximately 7:00, the Israeli
occupation forces started to raze areas of agricultural land and to demolish
houses and agricultural facilities in the northwest of Beit Lahia, to the west
of Dogit settlement in the northern area of the Gaza Strip. PCHR’s field officer in the northern area of
the Gaza Strip reported that this particular action lasted up to
approximately11:00 local time, and was resumed in the evening, at approximately
18:00 local time, lasting up to 23:00 local time. It included the razing and demolition of:
1) A 15-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Abdel-Latif and Oudeh
Yousef Yousef El-Haw. In addition, an
irrigation network and a water pump were destroyed. The Israeli occupation forces also demolished
two houses and destroyed two cars as follows:
§ A 100-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, owned by Abdel-Latif El-Haw, was demolished.
§ A 150-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, owned by Oudeh Yousef El-Haw, was demolished.
§ A car owned by Abdel-Salam
Oudeh Yousef El-Haw was destroyed.
§ A car owned by Hassan Abdel-Latif
Yousef El-Haw was destroyed.
2) A 12-donum area of
agricultural land planted with carrots and strawberries, owned by Akram
Mohammed Younis Mustafa and farmed by A’dnan A’adel Mukheimer Abu Halima. In addition, the Israeli occupation forces
demolished a 85-square-meter, four-room building. One of its rooms, which contained a water
pump was also destroyed.
3) A 16-donum area of
agricultural land planted with grapes, citrus, almonds and vegetables, owned by
Abdullah Ibrahim Abdullah Ibrahim El-Hajin.
In addition, an irrigation network, a 100-square-meter building that was
used to store agricultural equipment and a water pump, and a 200-square-meter
animal pasture were destroyed. The
Israeli occupation forces also demolished five houses on the same tract of land
as follows:
§ a 350-square-meter,
one-story house, owned by Abdullah Ibrahim Abdullah El-Hajin;
§ a 170-square-meter,
one-story house, owned by Samir Ibrahim Abdullah El-Hajin;
§ a 150-square-meter,
one-story house, owned by Khaled Ibrahim Abdullah El-Hajin;
§ a 100-square-meter,
one-story house, owned by Sami Ibrahim Abdullah El-Hajin; and
§ a 150-square-meter,
one-story house, owned by Abdullah Samir
El-Hajin;
4) A 29-donum area of
agricultural land planted with strawberries and vegetables, owned by Ramadan Mohammed
Saleh El-A’ttar. In addition, an
irrigation network, and a 70-square-meter building that contained a water pump
and agricultural equipment were destroyed.
5) A 10.5-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Mahmoud Shehadeh Khalil
Tafesh. In addition, four greenhouses
and an irrigation network were destroyed.
The Israeli occupation forces also demolished the following:
§ a 100-square-meter
building that contained a well and agricultural equipment was destroyed; and
§ a 150-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, owned by the owner of this tract of land.
6) An 11-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Talal Mohammed Mahmoud
Rihan. In addition, a 50-square-meter
building that was used as storage on the same tract of land was destroyed.
7) A 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, a part of a 40-donum area of
agricultural land, owned by Ismail Ali.
8) They began to raze a
24-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Saleh
Mahmoud Hammouda El-A’ttar. In addition,
ten greenhouses on the land were destroyed.
9) A 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with grapes owned by Hashem Mohammed Ali El-A’ttar.
In the evening, at approximately 22:00 local time,
the Israeli occupation forces started to raze areas of agricultural land near
the border in the Tal-Zourob area in the southwest of Rafah, to the east of a
military site of the Israeli occupation forces at the border. PCHR’s field officer in Rafah reported that
the Israeli occupation forces razed a five-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives and palms, owned by Ziad Sheheteh Saleh Zourob. In addition, a greenhouse on the same tract
of land, planted with vegetables, was destroyed. PCHR’s field officer added that some greenhouses
in the affected area were severely damaged because Israeli occupation forces
positioned at the borderline fired some artillery shells and flares at the
area.
In the morning, at approximately 7:00 local time,
the Israeli occupation forces resumed razing areas of agricultural land, which
started on the previous day, in the northwest of Beit Lahia. PCHR’s field officer in the northern area of
the Gaza Strip reported that the Israeli occupation forces:
1) Demolished a 100-square-meter
building that included three rooms, a storage space of agricultural equipment,
a well and a water pump, on a tract of land owned by Saleh Mahmoud Hammouda
El-A’ttar, mentioned above.
2) Razed an 18-donum area of
agricultural land planted with potatoes, and demolished a 150-square-meter
house that included four rooms and a well, owned by Mohammed Hamada.
3) Razed a 24-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, and destroyed a well, owned by Ismail
El-Jadbeh.
4) Razed a 24-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables and citrus, and demolished a
180-square-meter, two-story house, owned by the family of Arafat.
5) Razed a ten-donum area of
agricultural land planted with grapes and figs, and demolished some kiosks in
which farmers used to rest, owned by Mohammed Abed Ma’rouf.
6) Razed a one-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables, and demolished a 70-square-meter
house, owned by Fares El-Akhras.
In the evening, at approximately, 21:00 local time,
the Israeli occupation forces started to raze areas of agricultural land and to
demolish houses to the north of Dogit settlement in the north of the Gaza
Strip. This particular action included
the razing and demolition of:
1) A 40-donum area of
agricultural land planted with fruits and citrus, owned by Mousa El-Moghrabi
and his brother. In addition, an
irrigation network and an electricity generator were destroyed. On this tract of land, the Israeli occupation
forces demolished a100-square-meter, one story house; a guardroom; parts of a
120-square-meter, two-story building; and a well.
2) A ten-donum area of
agricultural land planted with strawberries, and three greenhouses planted with
vegetables, owned by Mahmoud Mohammed Suleiman Abu Halima. In addition, an irrigation network and
agricultural equipment were destroyed.
3) A seven-donum area of
agricultural land planted with strawberries, owned by Ja’far Edris Ahmed
Khudeir. In addition, an irrigation
network was destroyed.
4) A six-donum area of
agricultural land planted with strawberries, owned by Akram Edris Ahmed
Khudeir. In addition, a store of
agricultural equipment was demolished.
5) A two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with strawberries, owned by Khamis Mohammed Abu
Halima.
6) A 25-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables, on a part of which three greenhouses
were established, owned by Salah Khadher Ahmed Abu Halima. In addition, the Israeli occupation forces
demolished a 120-square-meter, four-room house that contained agricultural equipment.
7) A six-donum area of
agricultural land planted with strawberries, owned by Ahmed Hassan El-Shanti
and farmed by Yousef A’ayesh Hussein El-Da’adleh. The Israeli occupation forces also demolished
a 200-square-meter house and a well on the same tract of land.
In the evening, the Israeli occupation forces razed
areas of agricultural land in the area of Al-Shouka in the east of Rafah, near
the border. These forces razed a
three-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, palms and
vegetables, owned by Hmeidan Hammad El-Debari and farmed by his grandsons. They also destroyed an agricultural pool and
an irrigation network. PCHR’s field
officer in Rafah reported that bulldozers of the Israeli occupation forces
closed five muddy roads used by Palestinian farmers to reach their agricultural
lands, and razed wooded areas on the sides of these roads.
At night, the Israeli occupation forces razed areas
of agricultural land on the southern side of a branch road, about 400m to the
west of Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, to the south of Gaza City. These forces razed:
1) A two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with oranges, owned by Hassan A’zzam. The Israeli occupation forces razed a
ten-donum area planted with figs and olives owned by the same citizen one week
earlier, and no information about this action was available then because the
Israeli occupation forces strictly closed the area.
2) A ten-donum area of
agricultural land planted with oranges, owned by Ragheb Abu Sha’ban.
PCHR’s field officer in the area reported that
Israeli occupation soldiers mounted on three Palestinian houses owned by
Munther, Mustafa and Ma’moun Atta El-Helo and detained their residents from
21:00 local time to 5:00 local time on the following day.
In the evening, at approximately 18:00 local time,
the Israeli occupation forces started to raze more areas of agricultural land
to the west of Dogit settlement in the north of Beit Lahia. PCHR’s field officer in the northern area of
the Gaza Strip reported that this particular action lasted until 2:30 local
time on the following day during which the Israeli occupation forces razed:
1) A three-donum area of
agricultural land, on which three greenhouses planted with vegetables stood,
owned by Yasser Fayez Abed Tafesh. In
addition, a 500-square-meter bird farm was demolished.
2) An eight-donum area of
agricultural land, on which stood eight greenhouses planted with vegetables,
owned by Sofian Fayez Abed Tafesh. In
addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
3) A three-donum area of
agricultural land, on which three greenhouses planted with vegetables stood,
owned by Jasser Fayez Abed Tafesh.
4) A seven-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Nasser Fayez Abed Tafesh.
5) A seven-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Baker Fayez Abed Tafesh.
6) The Israeli occupation
forces started to raze a 13.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with
citrus, owned by Mohammed Mahmoud Rihan.
In addition, these forces destroyed a 50-square-meter building
established on the same tract of land that included a well, storage for
agricultural equipment and a room.
7) An 11-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Talal Mohammed Mahmoud Rihan.
8) A five-donum area of
agricultural land planted with strawberries, owned by Mohammed Mohammed Abu
Daf.
9) The Israeli occupation
forces destroyed three wells owned by families of Al-Weheidi, Al-Shawa and
Al-Ghosein. Areas of agricultural land
planted with citrus and irrigated by these wells are threatened with razing.
In the
evening, at approximately 19:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces razed
more areas of agricultural land near Netzarim settlement to the south of Gaza
City. In a testimony under oath Ali
Fayez Al-Weheidi said that he learned that the Israeli occupation forces razed
a 55-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by his
family. This particular action lasted
until 23:00 local time and included destroying irrigation networks. Al-Weheidi has not been able so far to reach
his land because the Israeli occupation forces have continued to close the
area. It is worth mentioning that the
Israeli occupation forces razed about 90 donums of land owned by the family of
Al-Weheidi in the same area in the past weeks.
Furthermore, the Israeli occupation forces
demolished two tin houses whose owners left them in the past three months. The two houses were:
1) a 16-square-meter tin
house, in which five people used to live, owned by Abdel-Karim Abu Khubbeiza;
and
2) a 16-square-meter tin
house, in which six people used to live, owned by E’id Abu Khubbeiza.
In the morning, at approximately 8:00 local time,
Israeli occupation forces positioned in Kfar Darom settlement, to the east of
Deir El-Balah, started to establish a new settlement road 100m long and 20m
wide that would connect the settlement with its greenhouses in the east. This new settlement road crosses areas of
Palestinian agricultural land which the Israeli occupation forces razed in the
past weeks, dividing them into two parts.
These areas are:
1) an eight-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives owned by Mohammed El-Ma’ni;
2) a 20-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, including a greenhouse planted with
vegetables, owned by Mohammed A’aref Baraka;
3) a four-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Samir Salman El-A’zayzeh;
4) a 20-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Asa’ad El-A’zayzeh;
5) a 20-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives, owned by Khalil El-A’zayzeh; and
6) a six-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Jamil Younis Bashir.
The Israeli occupation forces razed more areas of
agricultural land in the north of Beit Lahia.
PCHR’s field officer in the northern area of the Gaza Strip reported
that the Israeli occupation forces razed more areas of agricultural land to the
west of Dogit settlement, as follows:
1) The Israeli occupation
forces completed razing a 13.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with
citrus owned by Elias Mohammed Mahmoud Rihan.
2) These forces razed a
five-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and strawberries,
owned by Hamdi Mohammed Khalil Abu Daf.
3) These forces razed a 20-donum area of
agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Sae’b Al-Weheidi.
4) These forces razed most of
a 24-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Anwar
Al-Shawa.
5) These forces razed a
ten-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, which is a part of 40
donums owned by Ismail Ali. It is worth
mentioning that the Israeli occupation forces razed ten donums of the same
tract of land on January 3, 2001 and the remainder of land is threatened with
razing.
PCHR’s field officer added that bulldozers of the
Israeli occupation forces were still in the area, leveling the areas of land
that were razed, and that some Palestinian farmers dismantled their greenhouses
near the aforementioned areas fearing that these greenhouses might be
razed. PCHR’s field officer also added
that the Israeli occupation forces notified Yasser Tafesh (Zendah) to evacuate
his house which he shares with his 12-member family, adjacent to the
southwestern border of Dogit settlement.
4. Restrictions on Free
Movement
The Israeli occupation forces have continued to
impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories. These forces have continued to close all
international crossings of the occupied Palestinian territories, the Rafah
Border Crossing with Egypt and the Al-Karama Border Crossing with Jordan, as
well as Gaza International Airport.
These forces have also closed all border crossings through their
territories, prohibiting the movement of Palestinian citizens between the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip. In the
meantime, the Israeli occupation forces have continued to isolate Jerusalem
from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories. They have also continued to close all
commercial crossings into the Gaza Strip, allowing the entry of only limited
basic materials through the Al-Montar (Karni) Outlet. At the same time, Israeli occupation forces,
reinforced with military vehicles, have been deployed at the entrances of
Palestinian cities and on the main roads, imposing a strict siege on all
Palestinian cities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. They have isolated the areas under the
control of the Palestinian National Authority from one another and from the
rest of the occupied Palestinian territories.
In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation forces
have continued to impose a strict total siege, dividing the strip into three
Bantustons separated from one another.
The three divisions are:
§ Gaza City and the northern
area of the Gaza Strip;
§ the middle area; and
§ Rafah and Khan Yunis.
The Israeli occupation forces have also continued
to impose a strict siege on the Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area in the west of
Rafah and Khan Yunis, which is under the control of the Israeli occupation
forces. They have restricted the
movement of its Palestinian residents, including denying the access of students
to their educational institutions. (For
more information about the siege and its disastrous impacts on Palestinian
civilians, see Closure Update 31 by issued by PCHR.)
***
PCHR reiterates its call for the international
community to immediately intervene to stop the killings and criminal acts
perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians.
PCHR calls in particular for:
1. Establishing without delay
an independent commission of inquiry, in accordance with UN Security Council
resolution 1322 (2000), to carry out a thorough and comprehensive investigation
into the abuses and killings perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces
against Palestinian civilians.
2. Convening a conference of
the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to ensure
Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Convention.
3. Immediately providing
international protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian
territories in the face of the killings and criminal acts perpetrated by the
Israeli occupation forces and groups of Jewish settlers who move under the
protection of these forces.
4. Use by the EU of effective
political and economic measures with reference to Article 2 of the Euro-Israel
Association Agreement, which calls for the respect of human rights.
5. Providing humanitarian and
medical assistance for the Palestinian people whose living conditions are
increasingly deteriorating because of the continued total siege imposed by the
Israeli occupation forces on the entire occupied Palestinian territories.
For more information on the Al-Aqsa Intifada,
see:
