Early
this morning, the Israeli occupation forces shot Hafez Rushdi Khalil Sobeh, 35,
from Khan Yunis, killing him with two live bullets in the abdomen and the left
leg. The incident occurred when Sobeh
stopped to repair his taxi in Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area in the northwest of Khan
Yunis approximately 200m away from the position of the Israeli occupation
forces near Gani Tal settlement.
The past
week witnessed a very serious escalation in Israeli violations against
Palestinian civilians, peaking with intensive shelling of Khan Yunis refugee
camp the evening of Tuesday, April 10, 2001. This area had been shelled frequently in the past six months, destroying
many houses and rendering most their residents homeless. However, on Tuesday, April 10 2001, the area
was invaded and completely destroyed. Recent shelling resulted in killing Hani Mousa Abu Rezeq, 25, from Khan
Yunis, with shrapnel throughout the body; and Elias ‘Eid Sam’an ‘Eid, 45, an
officer of the Palestinian Liaison Forces, with a live bullet in the head.
On
Thursday, April 5, 2001, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at Al-Shuhada’
junction, south of Gaza City, opened fire on a number of Palestinian
children. The shooting killed Ahmed
Mahmoud El-‘Assar, 16, from Nusseirat refugee camp, with a live bullet in the
chest, and wounded another six. In the
afternoon of the same day, the Israeli occupation forces extra-judically killed
Eyad Nayef Hardan, 26, from ‘Arrabeh village in Jenin.
In the
morning of Wednesday, April 11, 2001, Mo’taz Mohammed Sobeh, 19, from Bourqin
village in Jenin, was pronounced dead at the hospital. Sobeh was wounded with a live bullet in the
head, when the Israeli occupation forces fired upon a car in which he was
traveling in Jenin on April 5, 2001. At
noon of the same day, a 15-year-old minor from Al-Shati refugee camp, Mahmoud
Khalil Barakat, was pronounced dead at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City. The Barakat was wounded with a live bullet in
the head, fired by the Israeli occupation forces during clashes near Al-Mentar
(Karni) Outlet on April 6, 2001.
During
this week, Israeli forces expanded shelling operations against Palestinian
houses and Palestinian National Authority facilities in several areas of the
West Bank and the Gaza Strip. According
to media reports, Israeli forces placed launchers of surface to surface
missiles in locations in Israel along the eastern border of the Gaza
Strip. A Palestinian Marine Police
clinic on Beit Lahia shore killed a 28-year-old physician from Al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in Gaza City Wae’l Ahmed Mohammed Khweiter, and wounded another
physician. At the same time, another
surface to surface missile was launched at a Palestinian security site in Deir
El-Balah, which wounded a number of people.
On April
8, 2001, Tayseer Thiab El-‘Amouri, 45, from Bitounia near Ramallah, who was
mentally ill, was killed with several medium caliber bullets in the head during
Israeli shelling of the area.
During
this week, the Israeli occupation forces continued to raze areas of Palestinian
agricultural land and demolish civilian facilities in the Gaza Strip.
1. Shooting at Palestinian
Civilians
At
approximately 1:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces near Erez industrial
zone in the north of the Gaza Strip, opened fire on a Palestinian security
delegation consiting of: Major General ‘Abdel-Razeq El-Majaydeh, Head of the
Palestinian National Security Forces; Major General Amin El-Hindi, Head of the
Palestinian Intelligence Service; and Colonel Mohammed Dahlan, Head of the
Palestinian Preventive Security Service in the Gaza Strip. Members of the delegation were on their way
back to Gaza after a security meeting with their Israeli counterparts in the
house of the US ambassador in Tel Aviv. A 22-year-old Palestinian security man from Beit Lahia, Ahmed
‘Abdel-Qader Al-Neirab, was wounded with a live bullet in the right thigh. The members of the delegation unanimously
agreed that the shooting was a willful targeted of them.
According
to Colonel Dahlan and Al-Neirab, commanders of the Palestinian security
services arrived at a house of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat near Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing in the north
of the Gaza Strip, to which they had been transported by US Embassy cars. Approximately 20 guards were waiting for
them. Major General El-Majaydeh and a
number of guards got into his car, and began driving to Gaza, with another car
driving with them in front. After one
minute, Colonel Dahlan and a number of guards got into his car, and began
driving to Gaza, with another car driving with them in front.
When
the cars drove 30m, Israeli forces near Erez industrial zone, opened fire on
them. After it was hit in the right side
with four live bullets, Colonel Dahlan’s car immediately drove back to the
Palestinian President’s house. The first
car was hit with approximately 60 live bullets before its two occupants were
able to jump out. One of them, Ahmed Al-Neirab,
sheltered behind the concrete sidewalk of the street. The shooting, which lasted for approximately
20 minutes, wounded Al-Neirab with a live bullet in the right thigh; his left
shoulder was dislocated as a result of falling onto the ground. Approximately ten minutes after the shooting
stopped, a Palestinian ambulance came and evacuated the wounded to Shifa’
hospital in Gaza City. The Palestinian
security commanders left the area to Gaza City by armored vehicles at
approximately 2:30 local time.
At
roughly 8:00 local time, approximately 200 Palestinian children and youth
emerged from Nusseirat refugee camp and approached Al-Shuhada’ junction leading
to Netzarim settlement south of Gaza City. When the children were approximately 150m south of the junction, they
began throwing stones at Israeli occupation soldiers positioned there. Those soldiers opened fire on the
demonstrators and Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulance. PCHR’s field officer in the area reported the
shooting of these live bullets was not heard and that the ambulance was hit
with an explosive live bullet in its rear window fired from a silenced
gun. During these clashes, a 16-year-old
minor from Nusseirat refugee camp, Ahmed Mahmoud El-‘Assar, was killed with a
live bullet in the left side of hischest. In addition, six were wounded as follows:
1) Mohammed Sharif Hamdan, 16, who was wounded with a live bullet in the
right thigh;
2) Shadi Fathi El-‘Atawneh, 20, who was wounded with a live bullet in the
right arm;
3) Mahmoud Mustafa Zaqout, 14, who was wounded with a live bullet in the
head;
4) Mohammed Jamal Siam, 18, who was wounded with a live bullet in the
abdomen;
5) Fadi Kamal Abu Hamdeh, 16, who was wounded with a rubber-coated bullet
in the left eye; and
6) Mohammed Hamdi Helles, 22, who was wounded with a live bullet in the
right foot.
In the morning, the Israeli
occupation forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians who were demonstrating
near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet of Gaza City. As a result, four children and minors were wounded as follows:
1) Mohammed Nizar Abu Soleima, 15, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza
City, who was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
2) Adham ‘Eissa Khuzeiq, 12, from Al-Daraj neighborhood in Gaza City, who
was wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh;
3) Ahmed Baker Helles, 13, from Al Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, who
was wounded with a live bullet in the mouth; and
4) Hatem Bassem El-Wadeya, 14, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City,
who was wounded with a live bullet in the right leg.
At roughly 7:30 local
time, approximately 300 school children came from Beit Hanoun to demonstrate
near the entrance of Erez industrial zone, which is controlled by the Israeli
occupation forces in the north of the Gaza Strip. During clashes that lasted until the
afternoon, the Israeli forces opened fire upon the demonstrators, wounding five
as follows:
1) Rami Mohammed El-Z’anin,
16, from Beit Hanoun, who was wounded with a live bullet in the right leg;
2) Khaled Ahmed Zohod, 16,
from Beit Lahia, who was wounded with a live bullet in the left leg;
3) Mohammed Mahmoud Abu
Jarad, 17, from Beit Hanoun, who was wounded with a live bullet in the left
leg;
4) Bilal Qassem Abu Setteh,
15, from Beit Hanoun, who was wounded with a live bullet in the right leg; and
5) Bilal ‘Abdel-Qader
El-Basiouni, 15, from Beit Hanoun, who was wounded with two live bullets in the
right foot and leg.
At approximately 9:10
local time, Israeli forces positioned on a bypass road in Al-Almaneya
neighborhood east of Jenin, opened fire on a civilian car, in which three
Palestinians working as plumbers nearby were traveling. PCHR learnt that no clashes occurred in the
area then. Two laborers and the car’s
driver, all from Broqin village in Jenin, were wounded as follows:
1) Mo’taz Mohammed Sobeh, 19,
who was wounded with a live bullet in the head and was evacuated to the
intensive care unit at Al-Ittihad hospital in Nablus (he was pronounced dead on
April 10, 2001);
2) Khaled Ibrahim Mansour,
58, who was wounded with a live bullet in the head and shards of gladd in the
left eye; and
3) Anwar ‘Ezzat Abu Hassan,
24, who received bruises and injuries throughout the body after he fell down
during an attempt to escape from the car that was under fire.
At approximately 13:30
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned near Palestine Technical
College “Khadouri” and Gishori factory in the west of Tulkarm, opened fire on a
number of Palestinian children who were demonstrating approximately 300m
away. Four children were wounded as
follows:
1) Guevara Ahmed Jaber, 12, who was seriously wounded with a live bullet in
the chest;
2) Majdi Salim Abu Safaqa, 12, who was wounded with a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the left leg;
3) Ahmed Fathi El-Zoghol, 13, who was wounded with a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the face; and
4) Mo’taz Shakib, 15, who was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in
the chest.
In the afternoon, Israeli forces assassinated Eyad
Nayef Hardan, 26, from ‘Arrabeh near Jenin. At approximately 14:40 local time, Hardan was using a phone across the
street from the Palestinian Department of the Interior in Jenin, when the booth
exploded, instantly killing him. Later,
the Israeli occupation forces claimed responsibility for Hardan’s death. Hardan was an Islamic Jihad activist and had
been detained by the Palestinian National Authority since the beginning of
November 1998. Before his death, he was
detained in Jenin military prison, but he was allowed a few hours leave daily
for his academic study.
Also in the afternoon,
Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the border east of Jabalaya in the
northern area of the Gaza Strip, fired at Ossama ‘Awadh El-Qanou’, a
26-year-old farmer from Jabalya, wounding him with a live bullet in the left
leg. When he was shot, El-Qanou’ was
tending his land located approximately 500m away from the border. No clashes were reported in the area at that
time.
Friday, April 6, 2001
In the afternoon, clashes
erupted between Palestinian civilians and Israeli occupation forces positioned
near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet. The
Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian civilians, wounding:
1) Ahmed ‘Abdullah
El-Fayoumi, 17, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, with a live bullet
in the right thigh;
2) Bashir Zuhair El-Ghoula,
17, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, with a live bullet in the left
arm;
3) Nedal ‘Emad Shehadeh, 16,
from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, with a live bullet in the abdomen;
4) Sameh Ismail El-Sarsak,
17, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, with a live bullet in the
abdomen;
5) Mousa Zuhair Hamdia, 15,
from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, with a live bullet in the right
hand;
6) Naji Mohammed Miqdad, 23,
from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, with a rubber-coated metal bullet
in the head;
7) Ra’ed Suleiman ‘Oweis, 17,
from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, with a live bullet in the buttocks;
8) Hussam ‘Abdel-Karim
El-Maidana, 16, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, with a live bullet
in the right thigh;
9) Ra’fat Shehadeh Suleiman,
23, Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, with a live bullet in the left
leg;
10) Nedal Ahmed El-Seiqali,
14, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, with a live bullet in the right
leg; and
11) Mahmoud Khalil Barakat,
16, from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza, critically wounded with a live bullet
in the head and was evacuated to the intensive care unit at Shifa’ hospital in
Gaza City.
Also in the afternoon,
Israeli occupation forces, positioned at Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction, south
of Gaza City, fired upon a number of Palestinian youth who were demonstrating
approximately 150m south of the junction. As a result, Mohammed Fuad Abu ‘Armana, 17, from Nusseirat refugee camp,
was wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh. He was evacuated to Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital
in Deir El-Balah for treatment.
Also in the afternoon,
clashes erupted between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces
near Bilal Ben Rabah mosque (Rachel’s Tomb) at the northern entrance of
Bethlehem. The Israeli forces opened
fire and used tear gas against Palestinian civilians, wounding:
1) Mahmoud Ibrahim Ramadan, 16, with a live bullet in the right thigh; and
2) Ahmed Ishaq Hamada, 23, with two live bullets in the hand and the back.
At approximately 17:00
local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired at Halima ‘Abdel-Rahman
El-Deiri, 70, from Deir El-Balah, wounding her with a live bullet in the left
shoulder. El-Deir was tending to her
sheep that were pastured on her land, located approximately 300m to the south
of Kfar Darom settlement in the east of Deir El-Balah, when she was fired upon
from an Israeli military position near the settlement.
Saturday, April 7, 2001
At approximately 5:30
local time, an Israeli occupation soldier fired upon Ibrahim Hammad Mohammed
Abu ‘Oweili, 21, from Khan Yunis, wounding him with a live bullet in the
chest. In his testimony to PCHR, the
victim’s father said that his son was standing with his brother Mohammed, 32,
and his uncle Mousa 49, in front of the family’s house in Al-Satar Al-Gharbi
area in the northwest of Khan Yunis. They were located approximately 70m away from the Israeli military
position near Qatif settlement. He
asserted that there were no clashes and the area was very quiet when he heard a
sound of live bullet fired from the Israeli position. Then, he heard his son crying and saw him
clutch the left side of his chest before falling onto the ground. The wounded young man was immediately
evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, where he underwent surgery. He was transferred to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza
City on the following day where he is in the intensive care unit in critical
condition.
At roughly 9:00 local
time, approximately 100 Palestinian school children emerged from Nusseirat
refugee camp and approached Al-Shuhada’ junction leading to Netzarim settlement
south of Gaza City where they began throwing stones. Those soldiers opened fire on demonstrators,
wounding two children as follows:
1) Mohammed Suhail Sakian,
15, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head; and
2) Tayseer Salem Abu Kumail,
7, with a live bullet in the right hand.
Sunday, April 8, 2001
At approximately 14:30 local
time, a 21-month-old child from Al-Khader village in Bethlehem, Amani Mohammed
Yousef Ghoneim, was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left side
of the head. Amani was with her mother
Nawal Khalil Ghoneim, 38, and her brother Mahmoud, 10, on their way to a
village clinic when Israeli soldiers who were chasing Palestinian demonstrators
in the village opened fire on the family. Amani is still receiving medical care at Al-Maqased hospital in Jerusalem. She is in critical condition, suffering from
a fractured skull and a hemorrhage.
Tuesday, April 10, 2001
In the afternoon, the
Israeli occupation forces opened fire on a Palestinian children who were
demonstrating near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City. Five demonstrators were wounded with live
bullets as follows:
1) Ahmed Ibrahim Abu ‘Asser,
14, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, who was wounded with a live
bullet in the head;
2) Mahran Mohammed ‘Omar, 17,
from Jbalya, who was wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh;
3) Saleh Mohammed Badawi, 16,
from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, who was wounded with a live bullet
in the left thigh;
4) Ashraf Saqer Hbib, 17,
from Al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, who was wounded with a live bullet in
the left forearm; and
5) ‘Essam Mohammed Shamali,
16, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza City, who was wounded with a live
bullet in the left hand.
In the afternoon, the
Israeli occupation forces opened fire on a Palestinian civilians demonstrating near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet
east of Gaza City. Four civilians were
wounded as follows:
1) Hussein Khader Sarsour, 20, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City,
who was wounded with a live bullet in the left leg;
2) Malek El-Shoubaki, 13, from Al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, who was
wounded with a live bullet in the right knee;
3) Adham Mohammed El-Shoubaki, 24, from Al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza
City, who was wounded with a live bullet in the left leg; and
4) ‘Alla’ Sultan Abu ‘Oudeh, 16, from Beit Hanoun, who was wounded with
shrapnel in the head.
Also in the afternoon, clashes erupted between
Palestinian civilians Israeli forces at the southern entrance of Qalqilya. The Israeli forces fired at Palestinian
civilians, wounding a fourteen-year-old, Hmada Hammad El-Rae’e, with a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the head.
Thursday, April 12, 2001
At approximately 5:30
local time, Israeli forces shot and killed Hafez Rushdi Khalil Sobeh, 35, from
Al-Fokhari area in the east of Khan Yunis, with two live bullets in the abdomen
and the left leg. In the same incident,
Mohammed Na’im Siam, 25, from Khan Yunis, was wounded with a live bullet in the
right hand. According to PCHR’s investigation,
Sobeh was driving his taxi with Siam on their way from Khan Yunis. The taxi broke down in Al-Statar Al-Gharbi
area in the northwest of Khan Yunis, so Sobeh and Siam got out of it to repair
it. Then, Israeli forces near Gani Tal
settlement in the northwest of Khan Yunis, opened fire on Palestinian houses in
Al-Satar Al-Gharbi and the western hills areas. Sobeh and Siam were wounded with live bullets fired at them from a
distance of approximately 200m and evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan
Yunis. Sobeh died on the way to
hospital.
2. Shelling of Residential
Neighborhoods
Thursday,
April 5, 2001
At
approximately 7:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at Salah
El-Din Gate on the border in Rafah, fired three artillery shells, wounding four
Palestinian civilians at the crossroads of ‘Omar Ben Al-Khattab Street and
Qeshta road, approximately 500m away from the Gate. It also destroyed the windows of a car whose
driver tried to assist the wounded. The
wounded were:
1) Mohammed ‘Ali El-Ghouti, 20, who
was wounded with shrapnel in the right foot;
2) Rami ‘Ali Abu Jazar, 22, who was
wounded with shrapnel in the right arm;
3) Mohammed ‘Abdullah El-Ghouti, 21,
who was wounded with shrapnel in the head; and
4) Ayman Mohammed Tabasi, 30, who
was wounded with shrapnel in the head.
At
approximately 7:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned to the
south of Erez industrial zone in the north of the Gaza Strip, fired heavy and
medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in the northwest of Beit Hanoun,
causing severe damage as follows:
1) Bullets made holes in
walls and doors of a 280-square-meter, one-story house, in which 12 people
live, owned by ‘Awni Yousef Mohammed Qassem;
2) Bullets made holes in
walls of a 120-square-meter, one-story house, in which 18 people live, owned by
Mohammed Mohammed ‘Edwan;
3) Bullets made holes in
walls and broke windows of a 240-square-meter, two-story house, in which 13
people live, owned by Abu El-‘Ezz Yousef Mohammed Qassem;
4) Bullets made holes in
walls and the door of a balcony of a 200-square-meter, two-story house, in
which 21 people live, owned by Yousef Mohammed Qassem;
5) Bullets made holes in
walls and broke windows of a 150-square-meter, three-story house, in which 32
people live, owned by ‘Abdel-‘Atti ‘Abdel-Majid Qassem;
6) Bullets made holes in
walls of a 150-square-meter, four-story house, in which 30 people live, owned
by ‘Abdel-Hadi ‘Abdel-Majid Qassem;
7) Bullets made holes in
walls of a 220-square-meter, three-story house, in which 35 people live, owned
by Jamal ‘Abdel-Majid Qassem;
8) Bullets made holes in the
roof and a water saving tank of a 70-square-meter, tin-roofed house, in which
eight people live, owned by Hatem Yousef Qassem;
9) Bullets made holes in
walls of a 120-square-meter, four-story house, in which 35 people live, owned
by Ahmed ‘Abdullah El-‘Athamneh; and
10) Bullets made holes in
walls of a 180-square-meter, four-story house, in which 30 people live, owned
by Ashraf Mohammed ‘Edwan.
At
approximately 22:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces burst into area
under the Palestinian National Authority’s control to the northwest of Netzarim
settlement. Israeli forces fired heavy
and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses and civilian facilities,
causing severe damage to the eastern and southern facades of a house owned by
Mohammed Khader Darwish and a fuel station of Al-Je’el Company.
At
approximately 23:45 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned on the
border to the east of Beit Lahia, shelled a site of the Palestinian Military
Intelligence Service and a police station in the north of Beit Lahia. As a result, two Palestinian policemen and
one civilian were wounded as follows:
1) Mohammed Mahdi El-Kahlout,
32, a policeman, who was wounded with shrapnel in the left thigh, when he was
at the police station;
2) Mohammed ‘Othman ‘Ali, 25,
a policeman, who suffered from bruises throughout the body after having fallen;
and
3) Mahmoud Ibrahim Zaqout,
30, a civilian from Jbalya refugee camp, who suffered from bruises throughout
the body after having fallem.
The
material damage was as follows:
1) Most of the walls of a
300-square-meter, two story police compound were destroyed and its contents
burnt; and
2) A 120-square-meter,
two-story compound of the Military Intelligence Service was partially destroyed
and a tower at its gate was completely destroyed.
Friday,
April 6, 2001
At approximately 17:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the vicinity of Bilal Ben
Rbah mosque (Rachel’s Tomb) in Bethlehem, and on Abu Ghoneim Mount fired
artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in
Al-‘Azza refugee camp near Bethlehem. As
a result, Lubna Nedal El-‘Eissa, 25, was wounded with shrapnel in the back, and
a number of houses were severely damaged.
Saturday, April 7, 2001
At approximately 16:20
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the so-called Ofra
military site to the southwest of Bitounia town, fired artillery shells and
heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses and civilian facilities
in Al-Masioun neighborhood in Ramallah, causing severe damage. These forces resumed firing heavy and medium
caliber bullets at the same area, causing severe damage to a house owned by
‘Omar Mustafa El-‘Ali.
At approximately 21:30
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the branch road of
Al-Matahen junction leading to Gush Qatif settlement block in the west, fired
heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in the south of Deir
El-Balah, located approximately 400m away from the forces’ positions. The shooting lasted until the morning of
Sunday, April 8, 2001 and caused severe damage to a number of houses as
follows:
1) Bullets made holes in
walls and burnt a room and electricity meter of a 200-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which four people live, owned by Radhi Suleiman Abu
Boreis.
2) Bullets damaged the
asbestos roof and a water saving tank of a 250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which five people live, owned by Subhi ‘Oudeh Tafesh.
3) Bullets made holes in
walls and the roof and damaged some home tools of a 200-square-meter house, in
which six people live, owned by Khaled Hassan Abu Dahrouj.
Furthermore, three
Palestinian civilians were wounded with live bullets as follows:
1) ‘Ayed ‘Eid El-Hayawi, 50,
who was wounded with several live bullets in both legs, and was evacuated to
Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City for treatment;
2) Alla’ ‘Ayed El-Hayawi, 5,
who was wounded with a live bullet in the left leg, and was evacuated to
Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir El-Balah for treatment; and
3) ‘Abed-Rabbo Hassan Abu
Sobeitan, 56, who was wounded with a live bullet in the head, and was evacuated
to Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir El-Balah.
PCHR’s field officer in the middle area of the Gaza
Strip reported that El-Hayawi and his daughter were wounded while inside their
house, which is located approximately 400m from Israeli military positions. He added that Abu Sobeitan is a member of the
Palestinian Civil Defense, and was wounded while he was on duty, and
extinguishing a fire in one of the shelled houses.
Sunday, April 8, 2001
At approximately 17:30
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in the so-called “Ofra”
military site south of Bitounia near Ramallah, shelled the Palestinian
President’s Guards (Force 17) in Bitounia. As a result, Tayseer Thiab ‘Ayad El-‘Ammouri, 45, living near the
targeted site, was killed with several medium caliber bullets in the head. PCHR learnt that El-‘Ammouri had suffered
from mental illness as a result of torture during his detention by Israel.
At approximately 19:20
local time, Israeli occupation forces near Neve Dekalim and Al-Tuffah roadblock
west of Khan Yunis refugee camp, used heavy weapons to shell Palestinian houses
in Al-Nemsawi (the Austrian) neighborhood to the west of the refugee camp. The shelling lasted for half an hour and
caused severe damage to a number of Palestinian houses.
At approximately 21:10
local time, Israel fired two surface-to-surface missiles from locations inside
Israel at the headquarters of Fatah Movement in Beit Lahia and the police
station of Beit Lahia, destroying both sites. Furthermore, seven Palestinian civilians were wounded as follows:
1) Zeina Sa’id Zo’rob, 60,
who was wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;
2) the Mahmoud Khamis Abu
Sultan; 10, who was wounded with shrapnel in the head;
3) Khamis Mahmoud Sultan, 31,
who suffered from bruises, fainting and difficulties in breathing due to a
nervous breakdown;
4) Fatema Shehadeh Sultan,
35, who fainted and suffered from bruises;
5) Jalal Mousa Rajab, 22, who
fainted;
6) Saber Fahmi Zo’rob, 25,
who was wounded with shrapnel in the right wrist; and
7) Wae’l Mesbah El-‘Arini,
28, who suffered from a twisted ankle as a result of a fall from a wall when
trying to escape.
In his testimony to PCHR,
Saber Zo’rob, one of the wounded, said:
“At approximately 21:00
(local time), I was with my wife and children having dinner in hour house,
approximately 30m away from Beit Lahia police station, when we heard a sound of
a heavy explosion inside the house. We
were terrified, as smoke spread throughout the house and the power was
cut. May wife, pregnant in the ninth
month, fainted, and I and my mother were wounded with shrapnel and were
evacuated to hospital.”
The shelling also caused
severe damage to a number of houses and facilities as follows:
1) The roof and the western
fence of a 100-square-meter house, in which seven people live, owned by Khamis
Mahmoud Sultan, collapsed.
2) A 140-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which 12 people live, owned by Jom’a Mahmoud Sultan,
was largely destroyed, as its roof and western part collapsed.
3) Three windows and two doors
were destroyed, the roof was partially destroyed and walls cracked in a
60-square-meter house, tin-roofed house, in which seven people live, owned by
Saber Fahmi Zo’rob.
4) Four windows broke and
walls cracked in a 150-square-meter house, in which three people live, owned by
Nasser Fahmi Zo’rob.
5) Four windows were broken,
walls cracked, a water saving tank was destroyed in a 220-square-meter,
two-story house, in which 14 people live; and windows of a car, a Volkswagen,
were broken, all are owned by Ahmed Mohammed Hammouda.
6) Windows were broken and
walls cracked in a 150-square-meter, two-story
house, owned by Mohammed Ahmed Hammouda.
7) Six windows of a
180-square-meter, two-story house, in which ten people live, owned by Zuhair
Ahmed Hammouda.
8) Front and back windows and
front lights of a car, a 1984 Mercedes, owned by Rafiq Ahmed Hammouda, were
broken.
9) Three windows of a
180-square-meter, two-story house, in which eight people live, owned by Mousa
‘Abdullah Hammouda, were broken.
10) The asbestos roof was
partially destroyed and walls cracked in an 80-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which six people live, owned by ‘Awadh Mohammed Hammouda.
11) Nine windows, one door and
glass of a balcony of a 220-square-meter, three-story house, in which 24 people
live, owned by ‘Omar Khalil Ahmed. Furthermore, a glass door of a rented-out money exchange shop on the
first floor was destroyed.
12) Five windows and glass of
a balcony of a 200-square-meter, three-story house, in which 38 people live,
owned by Mohammed Mahmoud El-Bal’awi, were destroyed.
13) Four windows of a
180-square-meter, three-story house, in which ten people live, owned by
‘Abdullah Mahmoud El-Bal’awi, were destroyed.
14) Four windows were broken
and walls cracked in a 180-square-meter, three-story house, in which 11 people
live, owned by Amin Ahmed Hammouda.
15) Four windows were broken
and walls cracked in a 270-square-meter, two-story house, in which nine people
live, owned by Mohammed Dhib Hammouda.
16) Four windows of a
300-square-meter, two-story house, in which eight people live, owned by
‘Abdullah Hassan Arna’out, were broken.
17) Four windows and five
doors were destroyed in a 250-square-meter, one-story house, in which four
people live, owned by Sa’id Akram Hammouda.
18) Four windows of a
200-square-meter, five-story house, in which 24 people live, owned by ‘Ashour
‘Abdel-Malek Dhib, were destroyed.
19) Three windows of a
180-square-meter, four-story house, in which 18 people live, owned by ‘Omar
Nemer Hassouna, were destroyed.
20) Four windows of a balcony
in a 190-square-meter, three-story house, in which 25 people live, owned by
Saleh Yassin Abu ‘Awad, were destroyed.
21) Four windows and a door of
a 180-square-meter, three-story house, in which 45 people live, owned by ‘Ali
Nemer Hassouna, were destroyed.
22) Twenty-five windows, one
door and a water saving tank of a 200-square-meter, three-story house, in which
18 people live, owned by ‘Adel Mohammed Hammouda.
23) Four windows and a door
were broken and walls cracked in a 200-square-meter, two-story house, in which
nine people live, owned by Fuad Mustafa Abu Safi.
24) Five windows of a
200-square-meter, four-story house, in which 25 people live, owned by
‘Abdel-Rahman Ahmed Ahmed.
At approximately 22:00
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned at the border to the east of
Deir El-Balah, fired an artillery shell that fell near a 180-square-meter,
one-story house, in which seven people live, owned by Mustafa ‘Oudeh Abu
Gharaba. The windows of the house and an
irrigation network on Abu Gharaba’s nearby agricultural land were destroyed.
At approximately 22:30
local time, the Israeli occupation forces shelled the western part of Khan
Yunis refugee camp and Al-Nemsawi neighborhood, using a new kind of artillery
shells containing nails. The shelling lasted
until 2:00 local time on the following day, during which 40 shells fell onto
Palestinian houses and under-construction housing units, causing severe damage
and terrifying Palestinian civilians, especially children. Civilians were forced to evacuate their homes
to avoid being wounded. An artillery
shell fell onto a house in Al-Najjar neighborhood in the center of Khan Yunis,
approximately 1,500m away from military sites of the Israeli occupation
forces. While inside his home located
approximately 100m away from the Israeli forces, ‘Adel ‘Ali Abu ‘Obeida, 23,
was wounded with artillery shell shrapnel in the left shoulder and evacuated to
Al-Amal hospital in Khan Yunis for treatment. Furthermore, a number of Palestinian houses were severely damaged as
follows:
1) The western and southern
facades of six apartment buildings, owned by Al-Farra Company, were severely
damaged, their walls were pot-marked and a number of their windows were
destroyed.
2) The western and southern
facades of two apartment buildings of Al-Nemswai neighborhood were severely
damaged, and a number of their windows were destroyed.
3) An artillery shell hit a
100-square-meter, two-story house, in which 15 people live, owned by Salem
‘Abdel-Karim Abu ‘Obeida, damaging the asbestos roof of the second floor, a
water saving tank and a water heater, and making holes 1-1.5cm in walls.
4) An artillery shell hit a
100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which ten people live, owned by
Radhi Hussein Salem Abu Zarqa, making holes in its asbestos roof, a water
saving tank and a water heater, and cutting electricity from the house.
5) An artillery shell hit a
100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 11 people live, owned by
Mohammed ‘Ali Hassan Abu Zayed, damaging its asbestos roof, a water saving tank
and a water heater.
6) An artillery shell hit a
200-square-meter, tin-roofed house, in which ten people live, owned by Ayman
‘Ali Abu ‘Obeida, damaging its roof.
7) An artillery shell and a
number of live bullets hit a 260-square-meter, two-story house, in which 11
people live, owned by Khaled Mohammed Abu Louz, making holes in walls and
destroying windows of the second floor.
8) An artillery shell and a
number of live bullets hit a 190-square-meter house, in which eight people
live, owned by Amin Salem Abu ‘Obeida, making holes in walls.
9) An artillery shell and a
number of live bullets hit a 100-square-meter, two-story house, in which 11
people live, owned by Suleiman Hussein Abu Mokheimer, making holes in walls and
destroying windows.
Monday, April 9, 2001
Early in the morning,
Israeli occupation forces, positioned in Homesh settlement, to the southeast of
Seilat Al-Zhaher in Jenin, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber
bullets at Palestinian houses in the village. A house in which eight people live, and car, all owned by Yousef Mohammed
Hantoul, were severely damged.
At approximately 10:00
local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired artillery shells and heavy and
medium caliber bullets at Palestinian residential area in Bitounia near
Ramallah. Bullets hit walls of Bitounia
secondary school for girls. The more
than 500 students were terrified and five of them fainted. Furthermore, a number of children in a nearby
kindergarten suffered from nervous breakdowns.
At approximately 10:15
local time, a 16-year-old from Khan Yunis, Mousa Ahmed ‘Eid Zo’rob, was wounded
with shrapnel of an artillery shell, severing three fingers of his hand and
injured him in the left leg. PCHR’s
field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the shell had fallen into the yard in
front of the family’s house in Al-Nemsawi neighborhood in the west of Khan
Yunis exploded. The child was playing
with the shell when it exploded, injuring him.
At approximately 17:00
local time, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Gaza Valley area, Hania Suleiman
Khader El-Nomeili, was grazing animals in an area approximately 600m west of
the eastern border of the Gaza Strip. She stepped on a remaining portion of a shell that exploded. As a result, she was seriously wounded and
evacuated to a clinic in Nusseirat refugee camp and from there to Shifa’
hospital in Gaza City. According to a
medical report by Shifa’ hospital, her right foot and ankle and the sole of her
left foot were severed.
At approximately 18:00
local time, the child Khader Ibrahim ‘Eissa, 12, from Al-Khader village in
Bethlehem, was wounded with shrapnel in the chest when the Israeli occupation
forces fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at the
village.
Tuesday, April 10, 2001
At approximately 9:30
local time, the Israeli occupation forces shelled two Palestinian security
sites with surface to surface missiles launched from inside Israel east of the
Gaza Strip. A Palestinian physician was
killed and 20 were wounded and evacuated to hospitals in Gaza Strip for
treatment. Furthermore, a number of
buildings and facilities were severely damaged. According to media reports, the Israeli occupation forces placed missile
launchers in locations inside Israel along the eastern border of the Gaza
Strip.
In the morning, two
missiles launched from inside Israel from locations east of the Gaza Strip and
adjacent to its northern area, were seen hitting a clinic in a Palestinian
Marine Police compound at the seashore in Beit Lahia. Wae’l Khweiter, 28, from Al-Zaytoun
neighborhood in Gaza City, a physician of the Palestinian Military Medical
Service, died as a result of his abdominal and chest wounds. Additionally, Colonel Ghassan ‘Anabtawi, 50,
from Al-Nasser neighborhood in Gaza City and a member of the Palestinian
Military Medical Service, was wounded with shrapnel throughout the body. His ten-year-old child ‘Obeida, who was with
her father at the time of the shelling, suffered a nervous breakdown. PCHR’s field officer in the northern area of
the Gaza Strip reported that the clinic, a Palestinian Military Medical Service
ambulance, and a civilian car were all destroyed.
At
the same time, a third surface to surface missile, also launched from inside
Israel east of the Gaza Strip, was seen hitting a building of the Palestinian
Military Intelligence Service located in the center of the city of Deir
El-Balah. As a result, 18 members of the
Service were wounded and evacuated to Shifa’, Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Martyrs
hospitals for treatment. PCHR’s field
officer in the middle area of the Gaza Strip reported that the
300-square-meter, two-story building was severely damaged.
The wounded are as
follows:
1) Yahai El-S’eidni, 36, from
Nusseirat refugee camp, who was wounded with shrapnel in the left leg;
2) Ahmed El-Shoreihi, 30,
from Al-Maghazi neighborhood, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right hand;
3) Taher Ya’qoub ‘Ayash, 25,
from Al-Remal neighborhood in Gaza City, who was wounded with shrapnel in the
head and the right thigh;
4) ‘Abdullah Fathi ‘Eid, 24,
from Deir El-Balah, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right thigh;
5) Nabil Ibrahim El-Rantisi,
35, from Deir El-Balah, who suffered from burns in the face and the hands;
6) ‘Emad ‘Ali El-Zore’e; 28,
from Deir El-Balah, who was wounded with shrapnel in the head and burns in the
face and the hands;
7) Hani Abu Hani, 36, from
Al-Nasser neighborhood in Gaza City, who was wounded with shrapnel in the hands
and the feet;
8) ‘Essam ‘Abdullah
El-Moqayad, 34, from Sheikh Rdawan neighborhood in Gaza City, who was wounded
with shrapnel in the left hand and leg;
9) ‘Abdullah Abu Rekab, 36,
from Deir El-Balah, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right leg;
10) Wessam Sabbah, 22, from
Al-Maghazi refugee camp, who was wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;
11) ‘Abdullah Saleh
El-Bashiti, 39, from Al-Maghazi refugee camp, who was wounded with shrapnel in
the left foot;
12) Bassem ‘Abdel-Rahim Sa’id,
27, from Al-Maghazi refugee camp, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right
leg;
13) Khaled Yousef Shehadeh,
30, from Gaza City, who was wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;
14) Hashem El-Mohashesh, 25,
from Nusseirat refugee camp, who suffered from a break in the left foot;
15) Tawfiq El-Qrinawi, 36,
from Nusseirat refugee camp, who suffered from bruises in the legs;
16) Sameh Ahmed Younis, 25,
from Khan Yunis, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right leg;
17) Younis El-‘Azayzeh, 23,
from Deir El-Balah, who suffered from bruises in the right foot; and
18) Mohammed Hussein Baker,
31, from Deir El-Balah, who was wounded with shrapnel and received bruises in
the right thigh.
At approximately 14:30
local time, Israeli forces near Erez industrial zone in the north of the Gaza
Strip, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at a
Palestinian National Security Forces position in the north of Beit Hanoun. A number of rooms in the targeted site were
partially destroyed, but no injuries were reported.
At approximately 19:40
local time, the Israeli occupation forces shelled a Palestinian National
Security Forces site near Al-Shuhda’ Cemetery in the east of Jablya, adjacent
to the eastern border of the Gaza Strip. The site was completely destroyed, but no injuries were reported.
At approximately 23:20
local time, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with dozens of tanks and
three bulldozers burst into the western area of Khan Yunis refugee camp. These forces fired artillery shells, heavy
caliber bullets, and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses. Using bulldozers, these forces also started
to demolish Palestinian houses on a massive scale. Over the last six months, these houses had
systematically shelled by the Israeli occupation forces forcing their residents
to abandon the homes during shelling.
PCHR’s field officer in
Khan Yunis reported that the Israeli occupation forces burst into the camp
without prior warning. The residents
were forced to flee, leaving behind their furniture and personal
belongings. Thirty houses and their
contents were demolished and a five-story apartment building was partially
destroyed. This left more than 50
families (approximately 500 people) homeless.
The indiscriminate
shelling of the area also killed a Palestinian civilian and an officer of the
Palestinian Military Liaison Forces. The
shelling also wounded 27 people, four of whom were of medical personnel. The wounded were evacuated to hospitals in
Khan Yunis and Gaza City. Hani Mousa Abu
Rezeq, 25, from Khan Yunis, was wounded with artillery shell shrapnel
throughout the body and evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis where he
arrived in critical condition. Major
Elias ‘Eid, 50, was critically wounded with a live bullet to the head and
evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City. This morning, the two were pronounced dead at Nasser hospital in Khan
Yunis and Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City. Furthermore, four nurses of the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the
Palestinian Military Medical Service were wounded while they were treating the
wounded. They are:
1) Na’im Khaled Rashid Abu
‘Amer, 26, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right leg;
2) ‘Awad ‘Obeid Abu Hadayed,
27, who suffered from bruises in the right hand;
3) Mohammed Khalil El-Qadhi,
22, who suffered from bruises in the right ankle; and
4) Haitham Abu Mo’eileq, 29,
who suffered from bruises.
The other wounded were:
1) Saber Hussein Abu ‘Obeid, 34, who was wounded with several live bullets
in the abdomen and the right shoulders and evacuated to the intensive care unit
at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City;
2) Subhi Hassan Abu Namous, 30, who was wounded with a live bullet in the
right eye, resulting in the loss of his eye, and was evacuated to the optical
hospital in Gaza City;
3) Captain ‘Ayesh El-Majdalawi, 30,
of the Palestinian Military Liaison Forces, who was wounded with a live bullet
in the lower jaw;
4) Mohammed ‘Abdel-Latif Abu To’eima, 18, who was wounded with a live
bullet in the right foot;
5) Ramzi Mohammed El-Jakhbir, 25, who was wounded with a live bullet in the
right ear;
6) Mousa ‘Abdel-Karim ‘Awad, 30, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right
hand;
7) Nasser Mohammed Mousa, 27, who was wounded with shrapnel in the face;
8) Zaki Madhi Abu Madhi, 37, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right
hand;
9) Mohammed Zuhair Abu El-Nemer, 18, who was wounded with shrapnel in the
head and the abdomen;
10)Khaled Hussein Abu
‘Obeida, 30, who was wounded with shrapnel in the left hand;
11)Ziad Mahmoud ‘Amer, 27,
who was wounded with shrapnel in the right side;
12)‘Abdel-Karim Mahmoud
El-Farra, 21, who was wounded with shrapnel in the left hand;
13)Mohammed Subhi Shna’a, 20,
who was wounded with shrapnel in the right hand;
14)Subhi Jom’a Abu Namous,
30, who suffered broken legs;
15)Ahmed Mohammed Barakat,
23, who was wounded with shrapnel in the head;
16)Ibrahim Mahmoud ‘Amer, 34,
who was wounded with shrapnel in the pelvis and the foot;
17)‘Ali Tafiq El-Sheikh
Salameh, 30, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right leg;
18)Khaled Hassan Abu Namous,
31, who was wounded with shrapnel in the left foot;
19)‘Atteya Hassan Abu Namous,
26, who was wounded with shrapnel in the hands and the head;
20)Nahla ‘Atta Abu ‘Awadh,
19, who was wounded with shrapnel in the nose;
21)Sa’dia Meqdad, 20, who was
wounded with shrapnel in both feet;
22)Mo’in Ahmed Zayed, 21, who
was wounded with shrapnel near the left eye; and
Ahmed ‘Atef Mahdi, who was
wounded with shrapnel in the right hand.
The following houses and
their contents were also demolished or destroyed:
1) a 190-square-meter house, in which four families consisting of 15 people
used to live, owned by Salem ‘Ali Salem Abu ‘Obeida;
2) a 320-square-meter house, in which two families consisting of 14 people
used to live, owned by Khalil Mohammed Salameh Abu Zarqa;
3) a 250-square-meter house, in which 7 people used to live, and a rented
commercial store, owned by Hassan Suleiman Abu ‘Obeida;
4) a 200-square-meter house, in which 8 people used to live, owned by Amin
Suleiman Mohammed Abu ‘Obeida;
5) a 300-square-meter house, in which 10 people used to live, owned by
Safeya Mosallam Zayed Abu ‘Obeida;
6) a 240-square-meter house, in which 14 people used to live, owned by
Suleiman Mousa Suleiman Abu Mousa;
7) a 250-square-meter house, in which four families consisting of 31 people
used to live, owned by Hammoud Hamdan Radwan Abu Radwan;
8) a 300-square-meter house, in which five families consisting of 30 people
used to live, owned by Jaber Mohammed Mahmoud Abu Radwan;
9) a 200-square-meter house, in which two families consisting of 25 people
used to live, owned by Ahmed Hassan Mahmoud Abu Radwan;
10) a 100-square-meter house,
in which one person used to live, owned by Mousa Hassan Abu Louz;
11) a 200-square-meter house,
in which two families consisting of 20 people used to live, owned by Hussein
Ahmed Abu Khoreis;
12) a 350-square-meter house,
in which 19 people used to live, owned by Jehad and Ziad Hussein Abu Khoreis;
13) a 160-square-meter house,
in which 20 people used to live, owned by Kefaya ‘Atteya Abu Namous and Hassan
Mohammed Abu Namous;
14) a 100-square-meter house,
in which 12 people used to live, owned by Shokolata Mohammed Abu Namous;
15) a 220-square-meter house,
and a 230-square-meter house, in which 10 people used to live, owned by Jalal
Khalil Abu Louz;
16) a 220-square-meter house,
in which one person used to live, owned by Hajer Mohammed Salameh Abu Louz;
17) a 250-square-meter house,
in which 11 people used to live, owned by Jehad Khalil Mohammed Abu Louz;
18) a 180-square-meter house,
owned by Jehad Khalil Mohammed Abu Louz (partially demolished);
19) a 125-square-meter house,
in which 4 people used to live, owned by Ibrahim Khader Shehadeh ‘Amer;
20) a 135-square-meter house,
in which 6 people used to live, owned by Khader Shehadeh ‘Abdel-Qader ‘Amer;
21) a 150-square-meter house,
in which 11 people used to live, owned by Hussein ‘Ali Mohammed Abu Louz;
22) a 100-square-meter house,
in which 8 people used to live, owned by Amin Mohammed Sha’ban El-Tabesh;
23) a 100-square-meter house,
in which 7 people used to live, owned by Akram and Anwar Mohammed Sha’ban
El-Tabesh;
24) a 90-square-meter house,
in which 10 people used to live, owned by ‘Abdel-Hafez Mahmoud Mohammed Abu
Shoqeir;
25) a 90-square-meter house,
in which two families consisting of 9 people used to live, owned by ‘Ali
Mahmoud Mohammed Abu Shoqeir;
26) a 200-square-meter house,
in which 10 people used to live, owned by Mohammed Ahmed ‘Ayesh Mohammed;
27) a 250-square-meter house,
uninhibited, owned by Subhi Khalil Abu Louz;
28) a 140-square-meter house,
in which 8 people used to live, owned by Mohammed Ibrahim Abu ‘Awadh;
29) a 400-square-meter house,
in which 12 people used to live, owned by Kamel Mohammed Abu ‘Aker; and
30) a 250-square-meter,
five-story house, in which 18 people used to live (partially demolished), owned
by ‘Abdullah Shoreiqi Abu ‘Obeida.
In addition, PCHR’s field
officer in Khan Yunis reported the attack damaged a number of Palestinian
houses, as follows:
1) Four artillery shells hit a 90-square-meter, two-story house, in which
12 people live, owned by Suleiman Hussein Zayed Abu Mukheimer, making 20-cm
holes in walls and destroying windows.
2) An artillery shell hit a 180-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in
which 11 people live, owned by Ossama ‘Atteya Khalil Abu Ammouna, damaging its
roof.
3) An artillery shell and a number of bullets hit a 120-square-meter,
two-story house, in which 18 people live, owned by Samir ‘Abdel-Rahman Salameh,
making holes in its walls and destroying a number of its windows.
4) Four artillery shells hit a 70-square-meter, one-story house, in which
18 people live, owned by Marwan Mustafa Mohammed Meqdad, severely damaging its
walls. Residents of the house were
inside it at the time, the owner’s daughter was wounded (see above.)
5) An artillery shell hit a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in
which nine people live, owned by Mohammed Shehdeh Abu Sahloul, damaging its
roof.
6) An artillery shell hit a 100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in
which four people live, owned by Fatema Salem Jom’a Abu Namous, damaging its
roof and destroying a water saving tank.
7) An artillery shell hit the façade of a 180-square-meter, three-story
house, owned by making a six-square-meter hole in the façade. The owner of the house and journalists were
wounded (see above.)
8) An artillery shell hit a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in
which four people live, owned by Bassam Ibrahim ‘Atteya Abu Namous, destroying
its roof and water saving tanks.
9) An artillery shell and a number of bullets hit a 200-square-meter,
asbestos-roofed house, in which ten people live, owned by Ahmed Mohammed Abu
‘Obeid, making holes in its walls and destroying its roof.
At approximately 17:00
local time, Israeli forces near Erez industrial zone in the north of the Gaza
Strip, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at a Palestinian National Security Forces site in
the north of Beit Hanoun. The targeted
site was completely destroyed, and electricity was cut from the northern area
of the Gaza Strip, after an electricity transmitter was hit. Furthermore, Khaled Ahmed El-‘Affifi, 26,
from Beit Hanoun, was wounded with shrapnel in the right leg. At the time he was wounded, El-Affifi was on
his land, approximately 700m away from the aforementioned site of the Israeli
occupation forces.
At approximately 21:15
local time, Israeli occupation forces, positioned in Hagai and Avraham Avino settlements
and on Johar Mount, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets
at Abu Sneineh and Wadi Al-Heria neighborhoods in Hebron. Five Palestinian civilians, including three
medical relievers of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, were wounded, and a
number of Palestinian houses were severely damaged. The wounded were:
1) Sa’id El-Khattib, a medic,
who was wounded with shrapnel in both feet;
2) Ramzi El-Muhtasseb, a
medic, who was wounded with shrapnel in both hands;
3) Lu’ai El-Sharif, a medic,
who was wounded with shrapnel in both hands;
4) ‘Abdullah ‘Oudeh Abu
Sneineh, who was wounded with shrapnel in the shoulder; and
5) Nabil ‘Abdullah Abu
Sneineh, who was wounded with shrapnel in the right thigh.
3. Razing of Agricultural
Land
Thursday,
April 5, 2001
At
approximately 12:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of agricultural land on both sides of Salah El-Din Street (the main road
between the north and south of the Gaza Strip) near Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim)
junction, south of Gaza City. They
razed:
1) A one-donum area of agricultural
land planted with citrus, owned by Zuhair El-‘Alami; and
2) A one-donum area of agricultural
land planted with citrus, owned by Baker El-Rayes.
Friday,
April 6, 2001
Early in
the morning, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze areas of
agricultural land and demolish houses to the northwest of Netzarim settlement,
to the south of Gaza City, in Sheikh ‘Ejlin neighborhood. This lasted until 4:00 local time.
1) They razed an eight-donum area of
agricultural land planted with grapes, and destroyed a 300-square-meter of
agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Mohammed Hamed
Shamallakh. They also destroyed the
fence of the land and an irrigation network. It is worth mentioning that Shamallakh has not been able to reach his
land, adjacent to the settlement, for more than one month.
2) They razed a seven-donum area of
agricultural land planted with grapes, owned by Shehdeh Salman Shamallakh.
3) They razed a four-donum area of
agricultural land planted with grapes, owned by Salman ‘Omran Shamallakh.
4) They razed a 150-square-meter
area of agricultural land planted with grapes, owned by Mattar Mohammed
Salem. In addition, they destroyed its
irrigation system and a part of its fence.
5) They razed a 500-square-meter
area of agricultural land planted with grapes, owned by Hamdi ‘Omran
Shamallakh. In addition, they destroyed
its irrigation system and a part of its fence.
6) They razed a 1,500-square-meter
area of agricultural land planted with grapes, owned by ‘Eid Ahmed
Shamallakh. In addition, they destroyed
its irrigation system and a part of its fence.
7) They razed a 1,500-square-meter
area of agricultural land planted with grapes, owned by ‘Omar Khalil
Shamallakh. In addition, they destroyed
its irrigation system and a part of its fence.
8) They razed a 1,500-square-meter
area of agricultural land planted with grapes, owned by Salah Khalil
Shamallakh. In addition, they destroyed
its irrigation system and a part of its fence.
9) They razed a one-donum area of agricultural
land planted with grapes and figs, owned by Suleiman Ahmed Dalloul. In addition, they destroyed its irrigation
system and a part of its fence.
10) They razed a 1,500-square-meter
area of agricultural land planted with grapes and figs, owned by Mohammed Ahmed
Dalloul. In addition, they destroyed its
irrigation system and a part of its fence.
11) They razed a 1500-square-meter
area of agricultural land planted with grapes and palms, owned by Khalil Ahmed
Dalloul. In addition, they destroyed its
irrigation system and a part of its fence.
12) They razed a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by the heirs of Zemmo Mohammed
Shamallakh. In addition, they destroyed
its irrigation system and a part of its fence.
13) They razed a 14-donum area of
agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Salah Saleh Shamallakh and
brothers. In addition, they destroyed
its irrigation system.
14) They demolished a
250-square-meter, one-story house, in which six people live, owned by Mohammed
Mesbah Abu Karsh. It is worth mentioning
that residents of the house have not stayed in it for several months, due to
the dangerous situation in the area.
15) They razed a 600-square-meter
area of agricultural land planted with figs and grapes, owned by the heirs of Foreij
Ahmed El-Khairi. They also demolished a
120-square-meter building, used as a summer home for the family, and destroyed
the fence of the land, a well, an electricity generator and a water pump.
16) They demolished the western fence
of a 200-square-meter, two-story villa, in which five people live, owned by
Mohammed Khader Darwish. The Israeli
forces also fired heavy and medium caliber bullets, destroying windows and
making holes in walls. Residents of the
house left it approximately two months ago due to frequent shooting by the
Israeli occupation forces.
17) They partially destroyed a
120-square-meter, five-story fuel station owned by Al-Je’el Company.
18) They demolished the western side
of a fence of a four-donum area of land, owned by ‘Atteya Khalil Abu Ras. They also made 30-cm holes in the eastern
side of the fence.
19) They destroyed a site of the
Palestinian President’s Guards (Force 17), near Al-Je’el fuel station.
20) They also destroyed another
training site of the Force 17, approximately 700m to the north of Netzarim
settlement.
Saturday,
April 7, 2001
At
approximately 12:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of Palestinian agricultural land and demolish civilian facilities in the
east of Deir El-Balah, approximately 80m away from the eastern border of the
Gaza Strip. This lasted up to 17:00
local time, during which:
1) The Israeli forces demolished two
300-square-meter chicken farms, owned by ‘Eid Sayed Abu Samra, which resulted
in killing approximately 3,500 chicken and damaging feed sacks and drinking
facilities.
2) They razed a one-donum area of
agricultural land, on which a greenhouse planted with tomatoes stood, owned by
Yousef Abu Gharaba. In addition, they
destroyed an irrigation network.
In his
testimony to PCHR, Abu Samra, the owner of demolished chicken farms, said that
“Israeli occupation soldiers came to the area, giving us only two hours to
remove the chickens before demolishing the two farms. During this time, I was able to remove only
2,500 out of 6,000 chickens. Then,
bulldozers of the Israeli occupation forces demolished the two farms over the
chicken, feed sacks and drinking facilities. Later, an Israeli occupation officer warned me that I have to evacuate
my house and a third chicken farm in one week only.”
Monday,
April 9, 2001
At
approximately 15:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze
areas of Palestinian agricultural land in ‘Oraybeh area in the west of
Rafah. They razed 15-donums of
agricultural land as follows:
1) They razed a ten-donum area of
agricultural land planted with potatoes, owned by Salem Sa’id El-Hashash. They also destroyed an irrigation system.
2) They razed a three-donum area of
agricultural land planted with potatoes, owned by Salem Ghanem El-Hashash. They also destroyed an irrigation system.
3) They razed a two-donum area of
agricultural land planted with barley, owned by ‘Abdel-Mo’ti ‘Atteya
El-Hashash. They also destroyed an
irrigation system.
****
PCHR
reiterates its call for the international community to immediately intervene to
stop Israeli violations against Palestinian civilians. While PCHR is satisfied with the
establishment of a commission of inquiry by the UN High Commission for Human
Rights, it hopes that the Commission, in its 57th session, will
assume its responsibilities and take the appropriate decisions that will put an
end to crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories. PCHR calls in particular for:
1. Providing immediate international protection for Palestinian civilians
in the Occupied Palestinian Territories against Israeli violations
2. Re-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.
