Weekly Report

on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

February 8 – 14, 2001

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

·                      Six Palestinian citizens, including two children, are killed by the Israeli occupation forces;

·                      Dozens of Palestinian civilians, including a number of children, are wounded by bullets fired by Israeli forces;

·                      Israeli occupation forces use a new gas with unusually severe symptoms;

·                      Shelling of Palestinian residential neighborhoods continues; and

·                      Leveling of Palestinian agricultural land and demolition of Palestinian homes continue;

Introduction

This report covers Israeli human rights violations against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories during the period of February 8-14, 2001.  During the second week of February 2001, there has been a significant escalation of Israeli human rights violations against Palestinian civilians and their properties in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

 In Khan Yunis, the Israeli occupation forces used a new and more virulent tear gas against Palestinian civilians.  According to field reports and medical sources at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, dozens of Palestinian civilians, including children under 15, suffered from tear gas inhalation with unusually severe symptoms.  These unique symptoms included convulsions throughout the body, difficulties in breathing and pains in the abdomen.     Dozens of Palestinian civilians remain in hospitals in Khan Yunis because Palestinian physicians are not able to determine the proper course treatment in these cases.  The Palestinian community lacks the technical means to identify it.  PCHR expresses its profound concern regarding the use of this gas.

 The Israeli occupation forces shot and killed six Palestinian citizens, including two children, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  On Friday, February 9, 2001, the child Ahmed Abdel-Raziq Abu Houli, 15, from Deir El-Balah, died from a live bullet in the abdomen shot from a distance of approximately 700m.  When he was shot, Abu Houli was on his way to his uncle’s house to the southeast of Kfar Darom settlement. 

 On Monday morning, February 12, 2001, Israeli soldiers opened fire on a bus of Palestinian laborers traveling from Bethlehem to their places of work in Israel.  Ziad Ali Abu Sawi, 22, from Artas village near Bethlehem, was killed with a live bullet in the chest.  Two hours later, to the southwest of Ramallah, Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire on a Palestinian civilian car killing its driver A’ttef Ahmed El-Nabulsi, 35, from Ramallah.  He died from live bullet wounds in the neck and the chest, fired from a distance of only three meters. 

 On Tuesday morning, February 13, 2001, the Israeli occupation forces committed another political assassination and extra-judicial killing.    Maso’ud Hussein A’yyad, 57, was killed while he was traveling the main road near Jabalya by a direct hit to his car of three rockets fired from a combat helicopters. 

 Less than an hour later, Israeli occupation soldiers shot and killed the child Bilal Tawfiq A’wwad Ramadan, 14, from Al-Boreij refugee camp, with a live bullet in the chest.  He was demonstrating with a number of other Palestinian school children to the south of Netzarim settlement, located south of Gaza City.  On Wednesday morning, February 14, 2001, Israeli occupation soldiers near a military roadblock at the entrance of Ramin village in Tulkarm opened fire on a Palestinian civilian car.  Consequently, A’ayed Khaled Abu Harb, 24, from Nour Shams refugee camp was shot and killed by two dumdum bullets in his back which then settled in his abdomen. 

 In addition to Palestinian civilians killed during this period, dozens of Palestinian civilians, including a number of children, were wounded by gunfire of Israeli forces’ shooting.  This occurred both during clashes and when there were no clashes in the area.

 Furthermore, Israeli forces continued to raze Palestinian agricultural land and demolished Palestinian houses and civilian facilities in the Gaza Strip.

 During the same period, the Israeli occupation forces continued to fire artillery shells, heavy bullets, and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian residential neighborhoods in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.  Consequently, many Palestinian civilians were wounded and dozens of houses and civilian facilities were damaged.

 In addition, PCHR documented a number of incidents during which the Israeli occupation forces opened fire upon on-duty medical personnel and ambulances.  According to an investigation carried out by PCHR, Jehad Abdel-Karim Abu Attaya, a 44-year-old medic, was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the chest. On February 13, 2001, Israeli forces fired upon Abu Attaya while he was inside an ambulance in Khan Yunis.  Not even local and international journalists are immune to being fired upon by Israeli forces.  Several journalists have been injured while covering clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian civilians.

 During the past week, the Israeli occupation forces continued to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories.  They closed all border crossings and Gaza International Airport, despite the fact that it is currently the season of pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.  Thousands of Palestinian pilgrims who had originally planned to depart from Gaza International Airport were forced to travel by bus to Al-A’rish Airport in the Sinai from where they flew to Saudi Arabia.  In addition, PCHR’s field officers reported that the Israeli forces prohibited the travel of dozens of Palestinian pilgrims to Egypt, in a violation of their human right to worship freely.  The Israeli occupation forces also continued to prevent the entry of Palestinian citizens into Jerusalem, thus preventing them from praying at Islamic and Christian holy sites.  (For more information about the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip and its disastrous consequences, see Closure Update, a report by PCHR on the closure imposed by the Israeli occupation forces on the Gaza Strip.)

1.      Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

Friday, February 9, 2001

         Shortly after Friday Prayer, Israeli soldiers opened fire on a number demonstrating Palestinian civilians, including many children.  These civilians were fired upon while demonstrating at a distance of more than 150m the soldiers’ position located near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City.  As result, nine Palestinian civilians, including eight children under 18, were wounded with live bullets.  They were:

                 1)         Saber Akram Baker, 18, from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the right foot;

                2)         Alla’ Faraj Lubbad, 12, from Al-Ghefari neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the right foot;

                3)         Tamer Jamil El-Bahtiti, 16, from Al-Shaghaf neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the head;

                4)         Mohammed Sa’do Raba’a, 14, from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the left shoulder;

                5)         Hassan Ahmed Maqat, 21, from Al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the left leg;

                6)         Husni Khader Habboush, 15, from Al-Remal neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the left leg;

                7)         Mohammed Sa’di E’leiwa, 18, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the right thigh;

                8)         Ramzi Khalil Hassouna, 16, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh; and

                9)         Mohammed Mahmoud Helles, 13, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded with a live bullet in the head.

In the afternoon, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire on a number of Palestinian youth demonstrating at the southern entrance of Qalqilya.  Consequently, Mahmoud Nazhem Maso’ud, 21, was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head.  He was evacuated to Rafidya hospital in Nablus where he arrived in critical condition.

 After the Friday Prayer, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian demonstrators, shooting indiscriminately.  Consequently, Laurent Van Der Souke, a 36-year-old French reporter from Gama Press Agency was wounded in the knee with a live bullet while he was covering the clashes.  In addition to the reporter, three Palestinian civilians were wounded with live bullets.  They were:

                 1)         Hazem Ibrahim Abu Qare’, 18, from the village of Al-Mazra’a Al-Gharbia, wounded with a live bullet in the right shoulder which penetrated his back;

                2)         Ibrahim Mohammed El-Madhoun, 21, from Al-Ama’ri refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet in the left knee; and

                3)         Mahmoud Ayyoub Rommana, 14, from Al-Ama’ri refugee camp, wounded with a live bullet in the foot.

 At the entrance to the village of Deir Nezham near Ramallah, Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire on a number of Palestinian demonstrators after the Friday Prayer, wounding:

                 1)         Mohammed Hussein El-Tamimi, 40, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left arm;

                2)         Zeid Faraj El-Tamimi, 14, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back;

                3)         Tariq Mahmoud Nassar, 14, with a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left thigh;

                4)         Dhiab Hussein El-Tamimi, 27, with bullet shrapnel in the face; and

                5)         Abdel-Karim Saleh El-Tamimi, 43, with bullet shrapnel in the head.

 At approximately 17:00 local time, at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, the child Ahmed Abdel-Raziq Abed Rabbo Abu Houli, 15, from Deir El-Balah, was pronounced dead from a wound in the abdomen he received earlier that day.  According to an eyewitness, Abu Houli was on his way to his uncle’s house located to the southeast of Kfar Darom settlement in Deir El-Balah when he was shot by Israeli soldiers 700m away.  The soldiers were positioned on top of a tank located at the entrance of Abu Houli road, an access road to Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip. 

 The eyewitness, who was also walking on Abu Houli Road approximately 200m behind the child, added that the Israeli occupation soldiers unjustifiably fired one live bullet at the child who then fell to the ground.  Shortly thereafter, the Israeli occupation forces sprayed the area with bullets, preventing the provision of help to the wounded child.  Five minutes later, when the shooting stopped, the eyewitnesses carried the child.  He ran approximately 200m to where the child was put into a civilian car, which then transported him to an ambulance.  The child was transferred to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, where he died approximately two hours later.     

Saturday, February 10, 2001

 At approximately 13:30 local time, the child Mohammed Hamdi El-Battash, 12, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood in Gaza city, was wounded with a live bullet in the mouth, resulting in the loss of his teeth and lips.  He was evacuated to Palestinian Red Crescent Society’s Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City.  PCHR’s field officer in Gaza City reported that El-Battash was among approximately 50 Palestinian children who were demonstrating 150m to the north of Israeli soldiers’ position in the middle of the road between Al-Shuhada’ (Netzarim) junction (south of Gaza City) and Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet (east of Gaza City).  El-Battash was wounded when Israeli occupation forces opened fire on the demonstrating Palestinian children. 

 Later, during the same clashes, at approximately 15:30 local time, the child Mohammed Suleiman El-Hallouli, from Al-Shojae’ya neighborhood in Gaza City, was wounded in the neck by a live bullet fired by the Israeli occupation forces.  He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.

Sunday, February 11, 2001

 At approximately 12:30 local time, Israeli soldiers, positioned near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, opened fire on a number of Palestinian demonstrators located approximately 150m away from the soldiers.  Ramez Fayez Jamil Maso’ud, 18, from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, was wounded with a medium caliber bullet in the right thigh.  Saber Ali El-Ashqar, 18, from Jabalya refugee camp, was wounded with shrapnel in the jaw.

Monday, February 12, 2001

 At approximately 6:00 local time, Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire on a bus of Palestinian laborers traveling from Bethlehem to their places of work in Israel.  Ziad Ali A’ayesh Abu Swai, 22, from Artas village near Bethlehem, was killed with a live bullet in the chest.  Mohammed Abdel-Rahaman El-Barmil, 47, from Al-Douha village near Bethlehem, was seriously wounded with a live bullet in the neck and subsequently evacuated to the intensive care unit at Al-Maqased hospital in Jerusalem.  Haidar Bassem A’ayesh, 18, was wounded in the head with shrapnel from live ammunition. 

 According to eyewitnesses, the bus was traveling on bypass road 60, to the west of Al-Khader village near Bethlehem, when Israeli occupation soldiers at the Housan junction roadblock ordered the driver to stop.  Israeli  soldiers positioned approximately 50m away opened fire on the bus without justification.  There were no clashes in the area.

 At approximately 8:30 local time, Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian civilian cars near Rafat junction, connected with a bypass road to the southwest of Ramallah.  According to eyewitnesses, a Ford vehicle suddenly deviated from its course and collided with a sand blockade near an Israeli military post.  Israeli soldiers then opened fire on the above Palestinian civilian car from a distance of 3m, killing its driver A’attef Ahmed El-Nabulsi, 35, with live bullets in the neck and the chest. 

 The forces prevented a Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulance from transporting El-Nabulsi’s body to Ramallah and instead took the body to an Israeli military site, known as “Ofar” near Betounia.  Shortly thereafter, the ambulance was released but El-Nabulsi’s body was not released until 18:00 local time.  During the same incident, another two Palestinian civilians were wounded.  They were:

                 1)         Yahia Hassan Abu Seif, 16, from Um El-Shrayet neighborhood in Ramallah, wounded with a dumdum bullet in the abdomen causing damage to his intestines; and

                2)         Hamdi Farid Arafat, 27, from Al-Bireh, wounded with shrapnel of live ammunition in the right shoulder.   

Tuesday, February 13, 2001

 In the morning, the Israeli forces assinated Maso’ud Hussein A’yyad, 50, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City and a major in Force 17 (the Palestinian President’s guards).  This is the latest in a growing record of assassinations and extra-judicial killings that are part of a policy adopted by the Israeli government in blatant violation of International Humanitarian Law. 

 At approximately 9:45 local time, an Israeli combat helicopter flew over Gaza City and fired three rockets at a Palestinian civilian car, a white Hyundai.  This car was inside areas under the control of the Palestinian National Authority, traveling on Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip) on the way from Gaza City to Jabalya. 

 The direct hit on the vehicle killed A’yyad.  PCHR’s field officer in Gaza City reported that A’yyad’s body was removed from the scorched vehicle and transferred to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.  According to Shifa’ hospital, A’yyad was wounded with shrapnel in the head and the body, burns of the head, ruptures in internal organs, and lacerations on the right hand.  PCHR’s field officer added that a passing Palestinian civilian, Samir Yousef Shahin, 41, from Tal El-Za’tar in Jabalya, was also wounded with shrapnel throughout the body.  In addition, a number of passing Palestinian civilian cars were also damaged and windows of the nearby Al-Seddiq mosque were destroyed. 

 On January 29, 2001, Israeli forces arrested A’yyad’s son, Nasser Maso’ud A’yyad, 33, when they intercepted a Palestinian civilian car on the coastal road between Gaza City and Deir El-Balah.  (For more information about this arrest, see PCHR’s weekly report on February 2, 2001.)

 At approximately 10:30 local time, Israeli forces shot and killed the child Bilal Tawfiq A’wwad Ramadan, 14, from Al-Boreij refugee camp, with a live bullet in the chest.  PCHR’s field officer reported that Israeli forces opened fire on demonstrating Palestinian children.  The children were located more than 100m south of road connecting Salah El-Din Street with Netzarim settlement (to the south of Gaza City) where the forces were positioned.

 At approximately 15:00 local time, Marwa Harb Sueiman Duheir, 19, from Rafah, was shot in the back with a live bullet that settled in the chest.  When Israeli occupation forces shot her, Duheir was near her home in the west of Rafah, 300m to the north of the forces’ position in Tal Zourob.

 Wednesday, February 14, 2001 

 At approximately 6:05 local time, Israeli occupation forces shot and killed A’ayed Khaled Abu Harb, 24, a resident of Nour Shams refugee camp and a member of the Palestinian Marine Police.  Abu Harb was shot in the back with two explosive live bullets, which settled in his chest.  According to eyewitnesses, Abu Harb was on his way to Nablys traveling in a civilian car near an Israeli roadblock to the entrance of Ramin village in Tulkarm.  Israeli occupation soldiers suddenly opened fire on the car from a distance of approximately 15m, killing Abu Harb.

 Also, in the morning, Israeli soldiers at Al-Tuffah roadblock, located to the west of Khan Yunis refugee camp, opened fire on a number of Palestinian children who were demonstrating approximately 200m to the east.  Two Palestinian civilian by-standers were wounded as follows:

                1)         Jamal Mousa El-Sharif, 40, wounded with shrapnel in the left foot; and

                2)         Mohammed Rammadan El-Dada, 21, wounded with shrapnel in the right hand.

PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that the Israeli occupation forces fired tear gas.  This caused suffocation to dozens of Palestinian civilians who were evacuated to Nasser hospital and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society hospital in Khan Yunis.

In the afternoon, Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian children who were demonstrating 150m to the south of a road connecting Salah El-Din Street with Netzarim settlement, located south of Gaza City.  Ismail El-Hawjri, 15, from Nusseirat, was wounded in the left leg by a live bullet.  Mahmoud Mustafa El-Shorbaji, 14, also from Nusseirat, was wounded in the left knee by a live bullet.  According to medical sources at at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City, the bullet severed a leg artery.

Also, in the afternoon, Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire on a number of Palestinian youth and children who were demonstrating 100m from the soldiers’ position, near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet (east of Gaza City).  Four Palestinian demonstrators were wounded, as follows:

                1)         Yasser Nasser Siam, 16, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, seriously wounded in the abdomen by a live bullet and was evacuated to the intensive care unit at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City;

                2)         Ramadan Riadh El-Dahdouh, 19, from Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded in the back by a live bullet and was evacuated to the intensive care unit at Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City;

                3)         Yousef Ismail El-Khaldi, 17, from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, wounded in the right thigh by a live bullet; and

                4)         Ali Ayman El-Khatib, 14, from Al-Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded in the right thigh by a live bullet.

In addition, at approximately 15:00 local time, Israeli soldiers opened fire on Mouaffaq Ahmed Mokhtar El-Khatib, a 26-year-old cameraman from Palestinian Television.  Although his video camera was damaged, El-Khatib  was fortunately not injured.  This incident took place when El-Khatib was filming 200m to the east of the forces’ position at Tal Al-Sultan roadblock between Rafah and the Al-Mawasi area, under the control of the Israeli occupation forces.

At approximately 15:30 local time, Israeli soldiers positioned at Tal Zourob, in the southwest of Rafah, fired at Mohammed Mahmoud Mohammed Zourob, 21, from Rafah, wounding him with a medium caliber bullet in the pelvis.  In his testimony to PCHR, Zourob said that he and a friend were on their way to his greenhouses, located approximately 700m from the Israeli forces’ position.  Before reaching the greenhouses, the Israeli forces opened fire on them without provocation from a distance of approximately 500m. 

1.      Shelling of Residential Neighborhoods

Thursday February 8, 2001

At approximately 15:00 local time, Israeli forces fired artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets, and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian residential neighborhoods in Khan Yunis.  PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim opened fire on Palestinian civilians.  This wounded two passers-by located approximately 200m away.  The two wounded were:

                1)         Hisham Mahmoud Heneideq, 16, wounded in the right thigh by a live bullet which severed an artery.  He was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital where he arrived in serious condition; and

                2)         Salem Kamel Abu Akker, 23, wounded in the right foot by a live bullet.

The PCHR’s field officer added that a number of Palestinian houses were severely damaged by the artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets and medium caliber bullets.  This included buildings 5 and 6 of the Austrian project, whose western facades were penetrated.  Three housing units owned by Al-Farra Company were also similarly damaged.

At approximately 22:00 local time, Israeli forces positioned in Psagot settlement (east of Al-Bireh), fired artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets and medium caliber bullets at Al-Jenan and Sateh Marhaba.  Consequently, two Palestinian civilians were wounded.  They were:

                1)         Ahmed Hamza Shweikani, 17, wounded in the right leg with shrapnel; and

                2)         Daoud Ali Doqmaq, 30, wounded in the right side by a live bullet.

This lasted until 3:00 local time on the following day, resulting in severe damage to a number of Palestinian houses and civilian facilities.  This included the Palestinian Red Crescent Society headquarters and ambulance and emergency unit, whose upper floor completely burnt.  In addition, bullets also hit a bus for transporting the handicapped.

Friday February 9, 2001

At approximately 15:30 local time, Israeli occupation forces fired artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets, and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses and civilian facilities.  Targets included the headquarters of the Palestinian Ministry of Finance, the Fatah Movement and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics located in the area of Al-Balou’ in the north of Al-Bireh.

At approximately 15:00 local time, Israeli forces located in the center of Hebron fired artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets, and medium caliber bullets at Bab El-Zawia, El-Sheikh and El-Shallala, wounding:

                1)         Majd Taher Abdel-Baset, 16, with shrapnel in the right shoulder;

                2)         Hazem Salim Siaj, 15, with shrapnel in the neck;

                3)         Rafiq Mohammed Taha, 20, with shrapnel in the left leg;

                4)         E’mad Mohammed El-Sae’id, 31, with shrapnel in the right leg; and

                5)         Abdel-Rahim A’zzam Shweiki, 13, with shrapnel in the right knee.

At approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli occupation forces positioned at the junction of Salah El-Din Street and the road leading to Gush Qatif settlement Block, opened fire on Palestinian houses in the south of Deir El-Balah.  Consequently two Palestinian civilians were wounded, one of whom was a 12-year-old child.  The wounded were:

                1)         Hadil Mohammed Abu Khousa, 12, wounded in the right hand with a live bullet; and

                2)         Kamal Awadh El-Salqawi, 25, wounded in the head with a live bullet.

At approximately 20:00 local time, the Israeli forces shelled the same area in the south of Dier El-Balah again, causing severe damage to two Palestinian houses located 300m to the west of Kfar Darom settlement.  The residents left due to the frequent shelling over the past four months.  The damages were as follows:

                1)         A 200-square-meter, two-story house, owned by Khaled El-Tawashi, was hit with a number of artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets, and medium caliber bullets.

                2)         A 180-square-meter, two-story house, owned by Ziad El-Tawashi, was hit with a number of artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets, and medium caliber bullets.

At approximately 23:00 local time, Israeli forces positioned west of Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan Yunis fired artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets, and medium caliber bullets at the neighborhood market and nearby houses.  This lasted until to 2:00 local time on the following day and resulted in wounding Mohammed Fakhri Abdel-Hadi, 23, in the left leg with artillery shrapnel.  Abdel-Hadi was wounded as he passed the area and was evacuated to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Khan Yunis.

Saturday, February 10, 2001

At approximately 21:00 local time, Israeli forces positioned at the Rafah border fired heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in Al-Barazil neighborhood in southeast Rafah.  As a result, Majeda Radwan Abu Hussein, 42, was wounded by shrapnel in the chest.  When she was shot, Abu Hussein was in her house located next to the border.

Sunday, February 11, 2001

At approximately 20:30 local time, Israeli forces, positioned in Beit Jala and at Rachel’s Tomb, fired artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets, and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in the refugee camps of A’aida and Al-A’zzeh in Bethlehem.  They also opened fire on the northern entrance of the Bethlehem Paradise Hotel, the old town of Al-Khader and Beit Jala.  This lasted until midnight and resulted in wounding 12 Palestinian civilians with the shrapnel of live ammunition.  Among the wounded were:

                1)         Sae’id Mohammed El-A’zzeh, 41, wounded with shrapnel in the right shoulder;

                2)         Hanna Moqus Asmari, 42, wounded with shrapnel in the back;

                3)         Samar Mousa El-Masae’id, 18, wounded with shrapnel in the right leg;

                4)         Ibrahim Khalil Da’dara, 50, wounded with shrapnel in the head;

                5)         Mustafa Omar Abu Ghalioun, 35, wounded with shrapnel in the head;

                6)         Greiss El-Bandak, 23, wounded with shrapnel in the legs; and

                7)         Toni Luise El-Zo’bi, 23, wounded with shrapnel in the head.

In addition, five houses were damaged and two houses in A’aida refugee camp were completely burnt.  Two civilian cars were also damaged, including an ambulance of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Bethlehem.

Monday, February 12, 2001

At approximately 5:00 local time, Israeli forces positioned inside Psgaot settlemen (north of Al-Bireh) fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at: Um El-Sharayet neighborhood; the vicinity of the Palestinian Broadcasting Station in Ramallah; and the village of E’in A’rik, (west of Ramallah). This lasted until noon and resulted in wounding four Palestinian civilians with the shrapnel of artillery shells and live bullets.  A member of the Palestinian National Security Forces, Mohammed Saleh Abu Attaya, 19, was wounded with a live bullet in the left leg, while he was in a Palestinian security post at the entrance of the village of E’in A’rik.

In the afternoon, several areas in Khan Yunis were indiscriminately fired upon from several Israeli forces positions.  This included: in the vicinity of the settlements of Neve Dekalim (west of Khan Yunis refugee camp), and Gani Tal (northwest of Khan Yunis), and military sites to the west of Al-Amal neighborhood.  PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that this lasted until 3:00 local time on the following day and resulted in wounding 37 Palestinian civilians, some while inside their homes.  This included 12 children under 12, one of whom was a 2-year-old infant.  The wounded were evacuated to Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, which was also hit, and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society hospital in Khan Yunis.  Three of these civilians were critically wounded and transferred to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City where they were placed in the intensive care unit.  The wounded were:

                1)         Mohammed Yousef El-A’qqad, 16, critically wounded with a live bullet in the head,

                2)         Abdullah Abdel-Halim Joudeh, 70, critically wounded with a live bullet in the neck,

                3)         Mahmoud Saleh Abu El-A’mrin, 18, critically wounded with a live bullet in the neck;

                4)         Mosa’b Mohammed Selmeya, 17, wounded with a live bullet in the foot;

                5)         Jamal Mousa El-Sharif, 40, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot;

                6)         Mohammed Asa’d El-Desh, 12, wounded with a live bullet in the left foot;

                7)         Bilal Kazhem El-Kazhemi, 18, wounded with shrapnel in the hand;

                8)         Mosa’b Ahmed El-Borsh, 19, wounded with shrapnel in the chest and the foot;

                9)         Samir Abdel-Rahman Salameh, 35, wounded with shrapnel in the foot;

               10)       Safaa’ Ibrahim Saqer, 16, wounded with a live bullet in the face;

               11)       Amjad Abdel-Halim A’mmar, 9, wounded with shrapnel throughout the body;

               12)       Haitham Ahmed Salameh, 10, wounded with shrapnel in the ear;

               13)       Riadh Khaled El-Bardawil, 18, wounded with shrapnel in the hand;

               14)       Nader Manar Wadi, 20, wounded with a live bullet in the hand;

               15)       Nader Yousef Sorour, 27, wounded with shrapnel in the right shoulder;

               16)       Mohammed Hussein Ghabboun, 26, wounded with shrapnel in the right shoulder;

               17)       Mahmoud Mousa El-Sharif, 33, wounded with shrapnel in the back;

               18)       Bassam Ibrahim Abu Namous, 28, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot;

               19)       Bassem Mohammed Abu Namous, 23, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot;

               20)       Ali Asa’d El-Khatib, 14, wounded with a live bullet in the left foot;

               21)       Saber Wassim Abu Zharifeh, 7, wounded with a live bullet in the left foot;

               22)       Moe’in Suleiman, 20, wounded with a live bullet in the right foot;

               23)       Hssan Mahmoud, 22, wounded with shrapnel in the left thigh;

               24)       Ayman Mohammed Heneideq, 28, wounded shrapnel in the face;

               25)       Hassan Saleh Abu Hemeid, 22, wounded with shrapnel in the left foot;

               26)       Suleiman A’adel Sha’t, 21, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot;

               27)       Mohammed Mousa Abu A’kker, 50, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot;

               28)       Subhi Hassan Abu Namous, 33, wounded with shrapnel in the right hand;

               29)       Mohammed Hassan El-Ghalban, 11, wounded with shrapnel in the left thigh;

               30)       Zuhair Salameh El-A’qqad, 42, wounded with shrapnel in the face;

               31)       Yasser Mohammed Abu Jarad, 23, wounded with shrapnel in the hand;

               32)       Khaled Khalil Hamed, 25, wounded with shrapnel in the head;

               33)       Eyad Daoud El-Ser, 24, wounded with shrapnel in the right hand;

               34)       Ghassan Mosa El-Agha; 30, wounded with shrapnel in the neck;

               35)       Tala’t Baroud, wounded with shrapnel in the right shoulder;

               36)       Walid Khalil Abu Namous, 2, wounded with shrapnel in the face; and

               37)       Mohammed Mousa Abu A’kker, 50, wounded with shrapnel in the left foot.

Furthermore, more than 40 Palestinian civilians suffered from fainting and spasms due to tear gas inhalation.  According to medical sources at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, 16 victims were transferred to the intensive care unit due to the seriousness of their condition.  The sources asserted that the unique symptoms raised suspicions that the Israeli occupation forces were using new and virulent gas.  The hospital lacked the technical means to identify the gas used.  PCHR will refer to international experts on this subject.

PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that fear and panic swept Khan Yunis as Palestinian civilians were forced to flee their homes in order to escape the shelling and shooting which caused severe damage to dozens of houses.  PCHR’s field officer has not been able yet to reach all the affected houses to check the damage due to the continuing danger.  However, the field officer was able to reach the following houses:

                1)         A 180-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which four people live, owned by Salem Salameh Abu Mousa.  The asbestos roof was damaged and the walls were pierced.

                2)          A 150-square-meter, one-story house, owned by Muhsen Hejab,.  The furniture burnt and the water saving tanks were damaged.

                3)         A 250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which eight people live, owned by Mohammed Saleh Shaqaleya.  The asbestos roof was damaged, the bedroom was burnt and the water saving tanks were damaged.

                4)         A 250-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which eight people live, owned by Kmal Saleh Sahaqaleya.  The asbestos roof was damaged and the walls and windows were pierced.

                5)         A 100-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which eight people live, owned by Maher Khalil El-Bozom.  The asbestos roof and the water saving tanks were damaged.

                6)         A 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which six people live, owned by E’mad Khalil El-Bozom.  The asbestos roof and the water saving tanks were damaged and the walls and windows were pierced.

Tuesday, February 13, 2001

At noon, Israeli forces positioned at Al-Tuffah roadblock in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement, fired heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in the west of Khan Yunis refugee camp.  PCHR’s field officer in Khan Yunis reported that this occurred during the visit of the UN Human Rights Inquiry Commission.  The Commission was investigating Israeli human rights violations and examining the damage caused by the Israeli shelling of Khan Yunis.  This shooting resulted in wounding five Palestinian civilians, including three journalists who were covering the incidents at the time.  The three journalists were:

                1)         Ahmed Jadallah Hassan Jadallah, a 30-year-old Reuters photographer from Gaza City, wounded with shrapnel in the head;

                2)         Shams El-Din Abdel-Rahman Oudetallah, a 31-year-old Reuters photographer from Khan Yunis, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot; and

                3)         Abed Rabbo Abdel-Rahaman Oudetallah, a 27-year-old Palestine Television cameraman from Khan Yunis, wounded with shrapnel in the head.

At approximately 15:00 local time, Israeli forces indiscriminately fired artillery shells, heavy caliber bullets and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in the west of Khan Yunis refugee camp.  This lasted until 19:00 local time.  Israeli forces also opened fire on ambulances evacuating the wounded.  At approximately 17:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces fired an artillery shell at a Palestinian Ministry of Health ambulance.  The shell penetrated the windshield and its shrapnel wounded the driver Fayez Mohammed Nabhan, 52, in the head.  The ambulance evacuating the wounded when it was hit and was located approximately 300m away from the Israeli forces’ position at Al-Tuffah roadblock. 

At approximately 17:15 local time, an ambulance driver, Ibrahim Suleiman Abu Setta, 48, was wounded in the right knee with artillery shell shrapnel when he was attempting to offer help to one of the wounded.  At approximately 17:30 local time, Israeli forces opened fire on a Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulance, wounding three of its medical staff as follows:

                1)         Jeahad Abdel-Karim Abu Attaya, a 44-year-old ambulance driver, was seriously wounded with a live bullet in the chest was evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza City.

                2)         Jehad Mansour Salim, a 33 -year-old medic, was wounded with live bullet shrapnel in the neck.

                3)         Khader Yousef Fayyadh, a 40-years-old medic, was wounded with shrapnel in the right leg.

According to the PCHR investigation, the Israeli forces willfully fired upon the ambulances while their medical personnel were offering help to the wounded.  In his testimony to PCHR, Jehad Mansour Salim, a medic, stated that at approximately 17:30 local time, he and two of his colleagues were inside an ambulance helping a civilian suffering from tear gas inhalation.  The ambulance was near El-Sahafe’e mosque in Khan Yunis refugee camp, 250m away from military sites of the Israeli occupation forces.  Suddenly, the clearly marked ambulance was hit with live ammunition fired by the Israeli forces, wounding the three.

At approximately 17:00 local time, a PCHR’s staff member, Mahmoud Ismail Mattar, 30, was wounded with shrapnel in the left foot, during his field observance of Israeli shelling of Khan Yunis during which 33 Palestinian civilians were wounded. 

At 17:00 local time, Jihan Ismail Gannan, a four month pregnant 25-year-old resident of Khan Yunis refugee camp, was wounded with a dumdum bullet in the abdomen, damaging her womb.  At the time Gannan was entering her house in Al-Amal neighborhood, located in the west of Khan Yunis refugee camp, 400m north the Israeli forces’ position.  According to medical sources at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, the fetus was wounded with shrapnel in the head and the left leg.  His right arm was severed.  Gannan underwent a surgical operation in which the fetus was aborted.  She also underwent an additional operation to remove shrapnel from her intestines and womb. 

The following were also wounded during the shelling of Khan Yunis:

                1)         Hassan Sarhan Abu Shalloula, 22, wounded with shrapnel in the left hand;

                2)         Atteya Hassan Abu Namous, 25, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot;

                3)         Ra’fat Khalil Gannan, 24, wounded with shrapnel in the face, the left foot and the left hand;

                4)         Amin Kamel Abu A’kker, 29, wounded with shrapnel in the left hand;

                5)         Hussam Majed Sahloul, 20, wounded with shrapnel in the head;

                6)         Riadh Khalil Abu El-Kheir, 48, wounded with shrapnel in the left leg;

                7)         Abdel-Raman El-Khatib, 13, wounded with shrapnel in the right foot;

                8)         Mohammed Abdullah El-E’issawi, 19, wounded with shrapnel in the left hand and the buttocks;

                9)         Khamis Mohammed El-A;wwas, 41, wounded with shrapnel in the left hand;

               10)       Hisham Tawfiq Abu Namous, 35, wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh;

               11)       Atta Mohammed Quzmat, 10, wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen;

               12)       Bilal Waked El-Shae’r, 12, wounded with shrapnel in the left foot;

               13)       Shaker Ahmed Abu Taha, 27, wounded with shrapnel in the back and the left foot;

               14)       Nidal Talal Abu A’kker, 23, wounded with shrapnel in the feet;

               15)       Haitham Abdel-Karim Abu Sultan, 12, wounded with a live bullet in the left thigh;

               16)       Islam Mohammed Abu A’kker, 13, wounded with shrapnel in the left eye;

               17)       Ali Ibrahim Noufal, 11, wounded with shrapnel in the feet;

               18)       Mohammed Fathi Abu Jazar, 20, wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen;

               19)       Mustafa Mohammed A’ashour, 20, wounded with a live bullet in the chest;

               20)       Hashem Rajab Khalaf, 43, wounded with shrapnel in the in the right side;

               21)       Mohammed Rajab Gannan, 26, wounded with shrapnel in the face;

               22)       Mohammed Abdel-Qader A’yyad, 32, wounded with shrapnel in the back;

               23)       Wissam Adib Shahwan, 15, wounded with shrapnel in the back;

               24)       Ahmed Radwan A’ashour, 27, wounded with shrapnel in the head;

               25)       Mohammed Rashid El-Astal, 17, wounded with shrapnel in the right side;

               26)       Ahmed Sami Meqdad, 11, wounded with a live bullet in the left hand;

               27)       Khaled Abdullah Kellab, 20, wounded with a live bullet in the neck;

               28)       Shawqi Ahmed Baraka, 40, wounded with shrapnel in the ear;

               29)       Hilal Akram El-Kazhemi, 15, wounded with a live bullet in the left foot;

               30)       Menwer A’tteya Abu Mousa, 15, wounded with shrapnel in the abdomen and the foot;

               31)       Hussam Mustafa Shahwan, 26, wounded with shrapnel in the left foot;

               32)       Hassan Suleiman Mousa, 25, wounded with shrapnel in the eye;

               33)       Mahmoud Abdel-Hamid Ali, 19, wounded with shrapnel in the head;

               34)       Walid Ishaq Hammad, 26, wounded with shrapnel in the hand;

               35)       Jehad Ismail Gannan, 24 years old, wounded with shrapnel in the abdomen; and

               36)       Yousef Khalil El-Walidi, 30, wounded with shrapnel in the back.

Furthermore, for the second consecutive day, the Israeli occupation forces used a tear gas that caused spasms, breathing difficulty, and pains in the abdomen.  Approximately 42 Palestinian civilians, including a number of children whose ages ranged from 1 to 5-years-old, were transferred to Nasser hospital and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society hospital for treatment for tear gas inhalation.

At approximately 16:00 local time, Israeli soldiers in an observation tower near Morag settlement (northeast of Rafah), fired heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in the area of Kherbet El-Adas (also northeast of Rafah).  Butheina Ahmed E’id Madhi, 32, was wounded with a medium caliber bullet in the left thigh.  At the time she was shot, Madhi was in front of her house, located approximately 1,000m to the southwest of Morag settlement.

At approximately 21:00 local time, Israeli forces, positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the Rafah border, fired artillery shells, heavy bullets and medium caliber bullets at Block “O” and Qeshta neighborhoods in Rafah, causing more damage to Palestinian homes.  Shelling continued until 2:00 local time on the following day. 

In his testimony to PCHR, Anwar Hassan Kalloub said that he was with his 8-member family inside their 250-square-meter, asbestos roofed house, when they heard sounds of explosions and shooting.  They then sheltered in a room thought to be more secure.  It is worth mentioning that Kalloub’s house has been shelled more than once during the past four months.  He and his family were forced to leave it and rent an apartment in a more secure area.  Kalloub, who used to work in Israel before the current siege was imposed, added that due to his deteriorating economic circumstances, he was forced to go back to his house, which is only 50m away from a military site of the Israeli occupation forces.  During the most recent shelling, the door of the house was hit with two artillery shells and shrapnel covered the house.

At approximately 23:30 local time, Israeli forces positioned near Tal Al-Sultan roadblock, which separates Rafah from its Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area also under the control of these forces, shelled an electricity transmitter in Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood.  This cut electricity in Rafah for half an hour while electricity in Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood had not been restored.       

At approximately 20:30 local time, the Israeli occupation forces shelled the entrance of Al-A’rroub refugee camp in Hebron.  This was the first such incident since the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada.  The forces indiscriminately fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at several areas in the refugee camp and at Al-Derda neighborhood in the nearby town of Halhoul, causing severe damage to Palestinian houses. 

The shelling coincided with similar shelling by Israeli forces positioned in a military site called “Ush El-Ghorab” in Bethlehem.  The forces targeted Palestinian houses and the headquarters of the Christian Youth Community in Beit Sahour.  The shelling, which lasted for about 45 minutes, also targeted the refugee camps of A’aida and Al-A’zzeh in Bethlehem.  At midnight, Israeli forces also shelled: the Iraq neighborhood, the vicinity of Marni Claus, the Orthodox Club, Al-Sahel in Bethlehem and olive mills in Bethlehem.

1.      Razing of Agricultural Land and Demolition of Houses

Thursday, February 8, 2001

The Israeli forces ordered 22 Palestinian families to leave their houses in the Khan Yunis Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area, under the control of these forces.  These oral notifications are an initial step toward shelling the houses and leveling agricultural areas in the area of Tal Reidan, adjacent to Gush Qatif settlement block.  It is clear that the Israeli occupation forces intend to expell Palestinian residents of the area in order to pave the way for its annexation to Jewish settlements. 

PCHR is representing the Palestinian citizens in their challenge of the evacuation.  PCHR’s lawyers have commenced legal procedures with the legal advisor of the Israeli occupation forces demanding a stop to the evacuations.  PCHR has not yet received a response.  PCHR also plans to challenge the notices in the Israeli High Court.  Although these houses were not demolished after the notice expired on February 11, 2001, the area continues to be threatened by the Israeli occupation forces.  

Monday, February 12, 2001

At approximately 2:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces started to raze more areas of Palestinian agricultural land and demolish Palestinian houses to the south of Kfar Darom settlement in the middle region of the Gaza Strip.  The affected area is 600m south of the settlement and 200m west of Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip).  PCHR’s field officer in the middle area reported that the Israeli forces:

                1)         Razed an eight-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Farouq and Majed Mohammed El-Ja’farawi, and destroyed a well, a water motor and an irrigation network.

                2)         Demolished a 150-square-meter, one-story house, in which nine people used to live, located on the aforementioned leveled tract of land, owned by Salman Abed Rabbo Al-O’mour, who oversees the land.  Furniture of the house was destroyed and an animal farm was demolished.

Wednesday, February 14, 2001

At approximately 2:00 local time, the Israeli forces razed a two-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Ahmed Khalil Abu Samra and located to the northeast of Kfar Darom settlement.  The forces also demolished a 120-square-meter house, the aforementioned resident used as an agricultural store.  It is worth mentioning that the Israeli occupation forces razed approximately 20 donums of agricultural land owned by the same resident over the course of the past weeks.

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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.