Ref: 78/2011

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) is gravely concerned over the death of a police officer and injuries to others who are responsible for law enforcement, by gunmen last Sunday while they were executing a court ruling by evacuating a plot belonging to the government. This incident is part of the state of security chaos and misuse of weapons. PCHR calls upon the Attorney General to open a serious investigation into this crime and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 23:30 on Sunday, 31 July 2011, medical staff at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City announced the death of Majed Hamdan Karam, 23, a police officer from al-Tufah neighborhood in Gaza City. Karam died of wounds he sustained that afternoon in an armed clash in Juhor al-Dik village. He was on duty with Palestinian police and they were accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Awqaf (religious affairs) and a bulldozer in order to enforce the court ruling.  The force headed to a plot owned by the Ministry of Awqaf.  The plot was used by the Abu Thaher family who built three houses on the plot. Three families lived in the houses. As the force started bulldozing the three houses, members of the Abu Thaher family and members of the Abu Hein family intervened to stop the demolition.  The police arrested four persons, and partially destroyed the houses which are now uninhabitable. While the police were leaving the village, gunmen who are relatives of two of the detainees approached them. The gunmen are believed to be members of a Palestinian armed group.  An armed clash took place between the police and the gunmen.  Two of the gunmen and three policemen, including Karam, were wounded as a result. The wounded were transferred to the al-Shifa Hospital for medical treatment.  The wounds of Karam were gravely serious and he was pronounced dead on the same day.

It should be noted that the late Mohammed Salem Abu Thaher had leased the plot of land from the Ministry of Awqaf for more than 45 years. After his death, his sons continued to lease it. According to statements made to a PCHR fieldworker by lawyer Faraj al-Shurafa, in 1999, the Ministry of Awqaf filed a claim requesting the evacuation of the land. On 31 March 2009, the court issued a final ruling ordering the evacuation of the land.  However, the Ministry of Awqaf continued to lease parts of the said land to heirs of Mohammed Salem Abu Thaher.

In view of the above:

1. PCHR is gravely concerned over the death of a police officer and the injuries to two others while on duty by an armed group. PCHR calls upon the Attorney General to open a serious investigation into this crime which is part of the state of security chaos, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

2. PCHR calls upon the government in Gaza to open serious investigations into continued leasing of land to members of the Abu Thaher family, especially in view of the final ruling to evacuate the land, and to pay fair compensation to the Aby Thaher family.

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