PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 18:30 on
Sunday, 21 October 2007, armed clashes resumed between Islamic Jihad and Hamas
in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Both used machine guns and rocket-propelled
grenades (RPGs), and exchanged kidnappings. Gunmen took to the rooftops and
deployed in streets. The clashes, which continued till midnight, spread to
different areas of Rafah. Mahmoud Baker Issa (25) from Islamic Jihad was killed
by a bullet in the abdomen. Ten people, including 3 civilians, were injured.
They were taken to Mohammad Yusef El-Najjar Hospital in Rafah. Three were then
transferred to the European Hospital in Khan Yunis and Shifa Hospital in Gaza
City due to the severity of their injuries. The tally from the clashes that
broke out on Saturday, 20 October, rose to 2 killed, one of them a woman, and 28
injured.
At
approximately 6:30 on Friday, 19 October 2007, Qais Faris Baraka (19) from Deir
El-Balah in the Central Gaza Strip was injured by a bullet in the head as he was
in the previously occupied by Israeli settlements to the south of the city.
Several of the victims relatives stated that he was injured during a training
exercise for Izzedeen El-Qassam Battalions, the armed wing of Hamas. Baraka was
taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir El-Balah, and then transferred to
Shifa Hospital due to the severity of his injuries. He was pronounced dead at
8:30 on the same day.
PCHR is concerned by the recurrence of these incidents, and calls upon the PNA
represented by the Attorney General to seriously investigate these incidents,
and to publicize the results of the investigations.
