Two young women and a female child were killed and another
3 children and a woman were injured in a mysterious explosion in a house in the
town of El-Qarara north of Khan Yunis.
PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that at
approximately 9:50 on Saturday, 27 October 2007, a huge explosion rocked the
house belonging to Nawwaf Abd Rabbo Abu Sabt in the town of El-Qarara north of
Khan Yunis. The explosion killed 2 young women and a child who were inside the
house: Samah Nawwaf Abu Sabt (18), Khitam Yusef El-Sumeiri (18), and Bara’
Taysir El-Sumeiri (3). In addition, 3 children and a woman who were near the
house were injured. The explosion took place in the ground floor of the 2-storey
house, and resulted in destruction of the house’s northern and western walls as
well as extensive destruction inside the house.
Eyewitnesses informed PCHR’s team that the explosion caused
significant destruction of the house. In addition, they stated that small
metallic pellets, used in the manufacture of rockets and explosive devices, were
found.
PCHR is concerned over the continued falling of victims due
to the misuse of weapons by Palestinian armed groups and the storage of arms in
populated areas. These actions are a continuation of the security chaos plaguing
the OPT. The Centre calls upon the PNA to take effective steps to prevent the
recurrence of these incidents so as to protect the safety of the civilian
population.
