Field Update

On Wednesday morning, 18 May 2011, Intissar Abu
Rabei’, from the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, was killed by a
bullet, which accidentally discharged from a gun that her child
mishandled. On Tuesday evening, 17 May
2011, Saif Abu Zakkar, from al-Shaboura refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip
town of Rafah, was seriously injured when he was shot by unknown persons.

According to an investigation conducted by the
Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 09:30 on
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, Intissar Mohammed Abu Rabei’, 41, from Beit Lahia, was
admitted into Kamal ‘Edwan Hospital in the town after he was wounded by a
bullet that hit her face and ended lodged in her chest. According to medical sources, she was in
critical condition when she arrived, so she was transferred to Shifa Hospital
in Gaza City. Medical efforts to save
her life failed and she was pronounced dead in that afternoon. According to Palestinian police sources, the
bullet that hit Abu Rabei’ was fired from a gun which was mishandled by her
15-year-old child. The gun belongs to the child’s father who is a police
officer.  

At approximately 21:30 on Tuesday, 17 May 2011,
masked gunmen opened fire at Saif Majed Abu Zakkar, 20, when he was near a
grocery shop near his house in Block “H” in al-Shaboura refugee camp in
Rafah. He was wounded by several bullets
throughout the body. People in the area
transported him to Martyr Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah. According to medical sources, Abu Zakkar was
in a serious condition, so he was transferred to the European Gaza Hospital in
Khan Yunis. Palestinian police sources
stated that an investigation was opened into the attack, which they think was
motivated by an old family dispute.

PCHR is deeply concerned over increasing
casualties resulting from the misuse of weapons, which is part of the state of
security chaos and proliferation of weapons prevailing in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory. PCHR calls upon
the Public Prosecution to seriously investigate such incidents and bring the
perpetrators to justice.