Field Update

In the past 2 days, 5 children have been injured in 2 separate incidents in the central Gaza Strip while they recklessly played with explosive objects.  These incidents are part of the phenomenon of the proliferation of weapons in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 21:00 on Sunday, 08 July 2012, Hashem 'Abdullah Abu Jamous (15), from al-Boreij refugee camp in the central part of the Gaza Strip, was sustained moderate injures throughout his body when a small cylindrical object exploded.  According to the child's father, Hashem was trying to break the object into smaller pieces using a hammer.  Smoke emerged from the object, which soon exploded inside the house.  It is worth noting that the child and his brothers often gather aluminum objects in order to resell them.  This is how they found the object that ultimately exploded.

In the same context, at approximately 10:00 on Saturday, 07 July 2012, 4 children were injured when a suspicious object they were playing with exploded near their homes in the Wadi al-Salqa village in the central part of the Gaza Strip.  The children are:

1) Sundos 'Essam Abu Muhareb (4);

2) Jihad Suleiman Abu Muhareb (7);

3) 'Abdul Rahman Mohammed Abu Muhareb (7); and

4) Ibrahim Marwan Abu Muhareb (10).

PCHR is concerned about the increasing number of casualties, especially among children, from the explosion of suspicious objects.  PCHR calls for investigations into these latest incidents, and that all necessary measures are taken to ensure that such incidents no longer occur.