13 feb 2019
Soldiers and Criminals
Over the past two weeks, the world has been observing with admiration the reservist Israeli soldiers who have refused to serve in the West Bank and Gaza due to Israeli inhumanity and violations in dealing with Palestinians. Although these soldiers only seem to reflect a small minority within Israel's military institution, their voices have been heard, ignored, praised and contradicted by the Israeli public.
While these brave soldiers have taken a stance for human rights, other Israeli soldiers are committing inhuman atrocities towards a captive Palestinian population, without the slightest cloud of guilt or morality.
On Tuesday, February 12th, 2002, the autopsy of 14-year old Samer Abu Mayala was released. Samer, a Palestinian child residing in occupied east Jerusalem had been pronounced dead on Friday February 8th. Israeli officials have stated the boy died of a weak heart during questioning by Israeli soldiers. Palestinian medical reports (the autopsy of Dr. Jabery), however, tell a different story.
According to the autopsy: "Examination of Samer's internal organs indicated that he had been shot: his liver was fragmented and a bullet path was traced from Samer's liver towards his heart; the bullet was found in his abdomen where it had fallen. A hole was found in the left side of Samer's underpants, and examination of his buttocks showed that the bullet had entered him from the lower left side of his buttocks.
Examination revealed that Samer was shot either while bending over at a 90-degree angle, or by someone below him pointing their gun upwards. He was shot at a distance of 30 cm to 1 meter."
This is not the first time Israeli soldiers commit cowardly crimes against unarmed children, let alone take the life of a child in such a humiliating and torturous manner. Two months, ago five children (all from one family (El-Astal)) were blown to pieces on their way to school; Israel "justified" it as "a tragic mistake." Iman Hijo, a 4-month old baby, was shot in her mother's lap and Mohammed Al-Durrah, a 12-year-old, was killed in his father's arms.
While these horrendous incidents received wide publicity, others escaped the hearts and minds of the international community; the number of Palestinian children (under 16) killed by Israeli soldiers has reached 246. Each single case exposes an ugly story of a child murdered and abused.
The murder of Samer is being distorted by declaring the 14-year old boy as "someone who had participated in operations in Jerusalem;" a declaration that came out after the autopsy proved he was shot. He had fallen victim to a guiltless group of soldiers, who went out of their way to inflict unimaginable pain on a child.
These soldiers need to face justice, and be held accountable to their crimes. While the Israeli government continues to protect them, there is rising concern that further such atrocities will continue until international silence is broken and immediate concrete steps are taken.
Over the past two weeks, the world has been observing with admiration the reservist Israeli soldiers who have refused to serve in the West Bank and Gaza due to Israeli inhumanity and violations in dealing with Palestinians. Although these soldiers only seem to reflect a small minority within Israel's military institution, their voices have been heard, ignored, praised and contradicted by the Israeli public.
While these brave soldiers have taken a stance for human rights, other Israeli soldiers are committing inhuman atrocities towards a captive Palestinian population, without the slightest cloud of guilt or morality.
On Tuesday, February 12th, 2002, the autopsy of 14-year old Samer Abu Mayala was released. Samer, a Palestinian child residing in occupied east Jerusalem had been pronounced dead on Friday February 8th. Israeli officials have stated the boy died of a weak heart during questioning by Israeli soldiers. Palestinian medical reports (the autopsy of Dr. Jabery), however, tell a different story.
According to the autopsy: "Examination of Samer's internal organs indicated that he had been shot: his liver was fragmented and a bullet path was traced from Samer's liver towards his heart; the bullet was found in his abdomen where it had fallen. A hole was found in the left side of Samer's underpants, and examination of his buttocks showed that the bullet had entered him from the lower left side of his buttocks.
Examination revealed that Samer was shot either while bending over at a 90-degree angle, or by someone below him pointing their gun upwards. He was shot at a distance of 30 cm to 1 meter."
This is not the first time Israeli soldiers commit cowardly crimes against unarmed children, let alone take the life of a child in such a humiliating and torturous manner. Two months, ago five children (all from one family (El-Astal)) were blown to pieces on their way to school; Israel "justified" it as "a tragic mistake." Iman Hijo, a 4-month old baby, was shot in her mother's lap and Mohammed Al-Durrah, a 12-year-old, was killed in his father's arms.
While these horrendous incidents received wide publicity, others escaped the hearts and minds of the international community; the number of Palestinian children (under 16) killed by Israeli soldiers has reached 246. Each single case exposes an ugly story of a child murdered and abused.
The murder of Samer is being distorted by declaring the 14-year old boy as "someone who had participated in operations in Jerusalem;" a declaration that came out after the autopsy proved he was shot. He had fallen victim to a guiltless group of soldiers, who went out of their way to inflict unimaginable pain on a child.
These soldiers need to face justice, and be held accountable to their crimes. While the Israeli government continues to protect them, there is rising concern that further such atrocities will continue until international silence is broken and immediate concrete steps are taken.
13 feb 2002
At approximately 01:00, Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers, supported by combat helicopters, moved from “Dogit” settlement and “Erez” area in the northern Gaza Strip seized control over the town of Beit Lahia. They raided houses and arrested a number of Palestinians, including As’ad Mahmoud Abu Halima, 16, and Sa’id Mahmoud Abu Halima, 18. Israeli forces withdrew from the town at approximately 04:00.
At approximately 01:30, five Israeli tanks moved from the eastern border of the Gaza Strip into Deir El-Balah. They thrust approximately 700m into the city and carried out a comprehensive search. During this invasion, Israeli forces fired three flechette weapons (shells that spray dart-like shrapnel over a wide area) at three members of the Palestinian National Security Forces who moved to a room adjacent to their roadblock near the border.
The three were killed. They were identified as:
1) Khaled Abu Sitta, 25, from Zawayda village;
2) Shadi Mustafa El-Hassanat, 25, from Deir El-Balah; and
3) ‘Abdel-Hakim Sabri El-Hassanat, 41, from Deir El-Balah.
Israeli forces withdrew from the town at approximately 04:00. Three hours later, they invaded the same area again.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces, reinforced with tanks, armored personnel carriers and helicopters, moved from the eastern border of the Gaza Strip and “Erez” area in the northern Gaza Strip into the town of Beit Hanoun. They shelled Palestinian civilian buildings at the center of the town, including offices of Fateh and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. A number of Palestinian gunmen confronted the invading Israeli forces, which fired at them.
Amjad Yasser Hamad, 24, from Beit Hanoun, was killed by several live bullets in the head and the chest. Israeli forces carried out house raids in the town. They have also arrested more than 20 Palestinians, all of whom were released later except for:
1) Sharif ‘Aatef ‘Edwan, 20; and
2) Jamil Mohammed Abu Suleiman, 25.
At approximately 08:00, Israeli forces, reinforced with tanks and bulldozers, thrust approximately 800m into Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the middle Gaza Strip, under the cover of intensive shelling that targeted Palestinian houses. They razed areas of agricultural land:
1) They razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Mahmoud ‘Eid El-‘Ashi;
2) They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Ahmed Suleiman Sa’id;
3) They razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Erhim El-Qashtan;
4) They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by ‘Aadel Ibrahim Sa’id; and
5) They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and grapes owned by ‘Ali El-Musaddar.
At approximately 11:00, a number of Palestinian civilians demonstrated at Salah El-Din Street, north of Jabalya. Israeli forces at the entrance to Beit Hanoun fired at them, injuring 12:
1) Ibrahim Ahmed Daoud, 14, injured by a live bullet in the chest;
2) Mohammed Hisham El-Da’our, 12, injured in the left foot;
3) Majed Mohammed Shahin, 18, injured by two live bullets in the right thigh and hand;
4) Younis El-Kafarna, 22, injured by a live bullet in the left leg;
5) Mahmoud ‘Aadel ‘Oukal, 14, injured by shrapnel from a live bullet in the left hand;
6) Zakaria Mohammed Shehada, 35, injured by two live bullets in the legs;
7) Radwan Mohammed ‘Awwad, 22, injured by shrapnel from live bullets throughout the body;
8) Ahmed Hamad, 19, injured by a live bullet in the left leg;
9) Amin Abu ‘Oudeh, 12, injured by a live bullet in the left foot;
10) Mohammed ‘Aqel, 10, injured by shrapnel from live bullets;
11) Bilal Abu Lehia, 10, injured by shrapnel from live bullets; and
12) Saleh ‘Asalia, 12, injured by shrapnel from live bullets throughout the body.
At approximately 13:00, Salem Mousa Abu Shinnar, 30, a member of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service, was killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli forces positioned at the entrance to Beit Hanoun.
At approximately 18:30, Israeli forces withdrew from Beit Hanoun and its entrance, but remained north and east of the town.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers, supported by combat helicopters, moved from “Dogit” settlement and “Erez” area in the northern Gaza Strip seized control over the town of Beit Lahia. They raided houses and arrested a number of Palestinians, including As’ad Mahmoud Abu Halima, 16, and Sa’id Mahmoud Abu Halima, 18. Israeli forces withdrew from the town at approximately 04:00.
At approximately 01:30, five Israeli tanks moved from the eastern border of the Gaza Strip into Deir El-Balah. They thrust approximately 700m into the city and carried out a comprehensive search. During this invasion, Israeli forces fired three flechette weapons (shells that spray dart-like shrapnel over a wide area) at three members of the Palestinian National Security Forces who moved to a room adjacent to their roadblock near the border.
The three were killed. They were identified as:
1) Khaled Abu Sitta, 25, from Zawayda village;
2) Shadi Mustafa El-Hassanat, 25, from Deir El-Balah; and
3) ‘Abdel-Hakim Sabri El-Hassanat, 41, from Deir El-Balah.
Israeli forces withdrew from the town at approximately 04:00. Three hours later, they invaded the same area again.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces, reinforced with tanks, armored personnel carriers and helicopters, moved from the eastern border of the Gaza Strip and “Erez” area in the northern Gaza Strip into the town of Beit Hanoun. They shelled Palestinian civilian buildings at the center of the town, including offices of Fateh and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. A number of Palestinian gunmen confronted the invading Israeli forces, which fired at them.
Amjad Yasser Hamad, 24, from Beit Hanoun, was killed by several live bullets in the head and the chest. Israeli forces carried out house raids in the town. They have also arrested more than 20 Palestinians, all of whom were released later except for:
1) Sharif ‘Aatef ‘Edwan, 20; and
2) Jamil Mohammed Abu Suleiman, 25.
At approximately 08:00, Israeli forces, reinforced with tanks and bulldozers, thrust approximately 800m into Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the middle Gaza Strip, under the cover of intensive shelling that targeted Palestinian houses. They razed areas of agricultural land:
1) They razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Mahmoud ‘Eid El-‘Ashi;
2) They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Ahmed Suleiman Sa’id;
3) They razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Erhim El-Qashtan;
4) They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by ‘Aadel Ibrahim Sa’id; and
5) They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and grapes owned by ‘Ali El-Musaddar.
At approximately 11:00, a number of Palestinian civilians demonstrated at Salah El-Din Street, north of Jabalya. Israeli forces at the entrance to Beit Hanoun fired at them, injuring 12:
1) Ibrahim Ahmed Daoud, 14, injured by a live bullet in the chest;
2) Mohammed Hisham El-Da’our, 12, injured in the left foot;
3) Majed Mohammed Shahin, 18, injured by two live bullets in the right thigh and hand;
4) Younis El-Kafarna, 22, injured by a live bullet in the left leg;
5) Mahmoud ‘Aadel ‘Oukal, 14, injured by shrapnel from a live bullet in the left hand;
6) Zakaria Mohammed Shehada, 35, injured by two live bullets in the legs;
7) Radwan Mohammed ‘Awwad, 22, injured by shrapnel from live bullets throughout the body;
8) Ahmed Hamad, 19, injured by a live bullet in the left leg;
9) Amin Abu ‘Oudeh, 12, injured by a live bullet in the left foot;
10) Mohammed ‘Aqel, 10, injured by shrapnel from live bullets;
11) Bilal Abu Lehia, 10, injured by shrapnel from live bullets; and
12) Saleh ‘Asalia, 12, injured by shrapnel from live bullets throughout the body.
At approximately 13:00, Salem Mousa Abu Shinnar, 30, a member of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service, was killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli forces positioned at the entrance to Beit Hanoun.
At approximately 18:30, Israeli forces withdrew from Beit Hanoun and its entrance, but remained north and east of the town.
12 feb 2002
At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces, supported by helicopters, moved into Halhoul town, north of Hebron. They shelled a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces and Palestinian houses.
A member of the Palestinian National Security Forces, Tariq Hassan Mohammed El-Hindawi, 22, from Gaza, was killed by Israeli forces. A metal workshop and a house were also damaged.
At approximately 06:30, Israeli forces thrust approximately 2km into agricultural areas east of Jabalya refugee camp. Special forces raided Palestinian houses and forced their residents to go out in the bad weather conditions. No further information has been available due the difficulties in accessing the area.
In the afternoon, Israeli forces positioned west of Tulkarm arrested a 17-year-old Palestinian girl who suffers from psychological disturbances. According to her father, ‘Aatef Hassan Abu Zeina, he was informed that his daughter Nisreen was arrested by Israeli forces. He informed the Palestinian liaison forces in order to check on her whereabouts.
At approximately 20:00, he was informed that she was arrested while carrying a knife and moving towards Israeli soldiers.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces, supported by helicopters, moved into Halhoul town, north of Hebron. They shelled a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces and Palestinian houses.
A member of the Palestinian National Security Forces, Tariq Hassan Mohammed El-Hindawi, 22, from Gaza, was killed by Israeli forces. A metal workshop and a house were also damaged.
At approximately 06:30, Israeli forces thrust approximately 2km into agricultural areas east of Jabalya refugee camp. Special forces raided Palestinian houses and forced their residents to go out in the bad weather conditions. No further information has been available due the difficulties in accessing the area.
In the afternoon, Israeli forces positioned west of Tulkarm arrested a 17-year-old Palestinian girl who suffers from psychological disturbances. According to her father, ‘Aatef Hassan Abu Zeina, he was informed that his daughter Nisreen was arrested by Israeli forces. He informed the Palestinian liaison forces in order to check on her whereabouts.
At approximately 20:00, he was informed that she was arrested while carrying a knife and moving towards Israeli soldiers.
11 feb 2002
At approximately 04:00, Israeli forces, reinforced with 30 armored personnel carriers and a military jeep, moved into the east and north of Nablus. They shelled a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces and Palestinian houses in Public Housing area and Balata and ‘Askar refugee camps. Israeli forces thrust approximately 2km into PNA-controlled areas.
Iman ‘Omar El-Dajani, 24, mother of three children, died from a heart attack. According to her family, she was terrified when Israeli forces shelled Palestinian houses, including hers. At approximately 06:00, Israeli forces withdrew from the area.
At approximately 11:50, two Israeli combat helicopters fired four missiles at the headquarters of the Palestinian General Security (Saraya), which includes Gaza Central Prison and offices of Palestinian security services.
Ten minutes later, Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired three missiles at the same building. A number of offices were set on fire and some nearby houses were damaged.
Dozens of Palestinians suffered from shock, while ten were injured by shrapnel, including four journalists:
1) George Kotcheniak, 54, a photographer for the Denver Rocky Mountain News, injured by shrapnel in the left hand;
2) Samer Khalil Abu Daqqa, 26, a cameraman for Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel, injured by shrapnel in the left hand;
3) Mohammed Mahmoud Shabat, 30, a sound technician for Ramatan media centre in Gaza, injured by shrapnel in the left hand; and
4) Nabil Samih Abu Dayeh, a cameraman for Palestine Television, injured by shrapnel in the left hand.
In the evening, Mhamoud Mohammed Kabaja, 29, from Rafah, was pronounced dead from a wound he received on 3 February. He was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head fired by Israeli forces positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah.
At approximately 04:00, Israeli forces, reinforced with 30 armored personnel carriers and a military jeep, moved into the east and north of Nablus. They shelled a roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces and Palestinian houses in Public Housing area and Balata and ‘Askar refugee camps. Israeli forces thrust approximately 2km into PNA-controlled areas.
Iman ‘Omar El-Dajani, 24, mother of three children, died from a heart attack. According to her family, she was terrified when Israeli forces shelled Palestinian houses, including hers. At approximately 06:00, Israeli forces withdrew from the area.
At approximately 11:50, two Israeli combat helicopters fired four missiles at the headquarters of the Palestinian General Security (Saraya), which includes Gaza Central Prison and offices of Palestinian security services.
Ten minutes later, Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired three missiles at the same building. A number of offices were set on fire and some nearby houses were damaged.
Dozens of Palestinians suffered from shock, while ten were injured by shrapnel, including four journalists:
1) George Kotcheniak, 54, a photographer for the Denver Rocky Mountain News, injured by shrapnel in the left hand;
2) Samer Khalil Abu Daqqa, 26, a cameraman for Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel, injured by shrapnel in the left hand;
3) Mohammed Mahmoud Shabat, 30, a sound technician for Ramatan media centre in Gaza, injured by shrapnel in the left hand; and
4) Nabil Samih Abu Dayeh, a cameraman for Palestine Television, injured by shrapnel in the left hand.
In the evening, Mhamoud Mohammed Kabaja, 29, from Rafah, was pronounced dead from a wound he received on 3 February. He was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head fired by Israeli forces positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah.
10 feb 2002
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with five tanks, five armored personnel carriers, and jeeps, moved into the Public Housing neighborhood in the north of Nablus. In the meantime, Israeli special forces, supported by three helicopters, thrust approximately 200m into PNA-controlled areas in the north of the city.
On their way, they destroyed a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces.
A Palestinian civilian, Fahmi Mohammed Hazim Sweikat, 43, from ‘Askar village, father of seven children, died from a heart attack. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces besieged his house and opened fire in all directions. Palestinian security men and gunmen confronted the invading Israeli forces.
Five Palestinians, including a civilian, Walid Hussein ‘Atteya, 31, from ‘Askar refugee camp, were injured.
At approximately 19:00, Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired two air-to-surface missiles at Ansar security compound in Gaza. The first missile hit a site used by the Palestinian National Security Forces. The site, which was also shelled earlier this month, was severely damaged. The second missile fell onto a space between a site of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) and a site of the Naval Police, causing severe damage to the two buildings.
Dozens of Palestinian houses, civilian facilities, and offices of ministries and Arab and international representative offices were damaged, including:
1) the Jordanian representative office;
2) the United Nations Special Coordinator Office (UNSCO) – two employees were injured;
3) offices of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation;
4) offices of a society for the handicapped;
5) Sheikh Zayed mosque; and
6) dozens of houses.
In addition, more than 20 Palestinians were slightly injured by shrapnel and dozens were terrified and shocked.
At approximately 21:10, an Israeli combat helicopter fired seven missiles at a metal workshop in a heavily populated area in Jabalya. Five missiles exploded while the other two did not.
The 950-square-meter workshop is owned by Yassin Nemer El-Madhoun. The workshop was destroyed and a number of nearby houses and civilian institutions were severely damaged:
1) a private school owned by Rushdi and Fahmi Mohammed Dhumeida;
2) the building of Palestine Bank;
3) a three-story house owned by sons of Rabi’ Mohammed Dhumida; and
4) a four-story house owned by Dhib Mustafa Dhumeida.
Less than 30 minutes later, an Israeli combat helicopter fired two missiles at a metal workshop that occupies the first floor of a four-story house, in which 39 people live, owned by Jihad Muhareb Abu Habel and brothers, in Jabalya refugee camp. Internal walls of the workshop were destroyed and its equipment was severely damaged. The building itself was also severely damaged. In addition, five Palestinian civilians were injured, including:
1) Mohammed Salman Nassar, 13, seriously injured by shrapnel in the left eye, which he lost, and other parts of the body;
2) Mjdi Husni Abu ‘Eita, 17, injured by shrapnel in the face, the right hand and the left leg; and
3) Ussama Husni Abu ‘Eita, 21, injured by shrapnel in the left leg and the head.
In addition, nine houses and some cars were damaged.
At approximately 17:00, Israeli forces arrested a 10-year-old from Jalazoun refugee camp. They took him to a building they had already seized in Ramallah.
There he was severely beaten. It is not known whether he was released.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with five tanks, five armored personnel carriers, and jeeps, moved into the Public Housing neighborhood in the north of Nablus. In the meantime, Israeli special forces, supported by three helicopters, thrust approximately 200m into PNA-controlled areas in the north of the city.
On their way, they destroyed a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces.
A Palestinian civilian, Fahmi Mohammed Hazim Sweikat, 43, from ‘Askar village, father of seven children, died from a heart attack. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces besieged his house and opened fire in all directions. Palestinian security men and gunmen confronted the invading Israeli forces.
Five Palestinians, including a civilian, Walid Hussein ‘Atteya, 31, from ‘Askar refugee camp, were injured.
At approximately 19:00, Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired two air-to-surface missiles at Ansar security compound in Gaza. The first missile hit a site used by the Palestinian National Security Forces. The site, which was also shelled earlier this month, was severely damaged. The second missile fell onto a space between a site of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) and a site of the Naval Police, causing severe damage to the two buildings.
Dozens of Palestinian houses, civilian facilities, and offices of ministries and Arab and international representative offices were damaged, including:
1) the Jordanian representative office;
2) the United Nations Special Coordinator Office (UNSCO) – two employees were injured;
3) offices of the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation;
4) offices of a society for the handicapped;
5) Sheikh Zayed mosque; and
6) dozens of houses.
In addition, more than 20 Palestinians were slightly injured by shrapnel and dozens were terrified and shocked.
At approximately 21:10, an Israeli combat helicopter fired seven missiles at a metal workshop in a heavily populated area in Jabalya. Five missiles exploded while the other two did not.
The 950-square-meter workshop is owned by Yassin Nemer El-Madhoun. The workshop was destroyed and a number of nearby houses and civilian institutions were severely damaged:
1) a private school owned by Rushdi and Fahmi Mohammed Dhumeida;
2) the building of Palestine Bank;
3) a three-story house owned by sons of Rabi’ Mohammed Dhumida; and
4) a four-story house owned by Dhib Mustafa Dhumeida.
Less than 30 minutes later, an Israeli combat helicopter fired two missiles at a metal workshop that occupies the first floor of a four-story house, in which 39 people live, owned by Jihad Muhareb Abu Habel and brothers, in Jabalya refugee camp. Internal walls of the workshop were destroyed and its equipment was severely damaged. The building itself was also severely damaged. In addition, five Palestinian civilians were injured, including:
1) Mohammed Salman Nassar, 13, seriously injured by shrapnel in the left eye, which he lost, and other parts of the body;
2) Mjdi Husni Abu ‘Eita, 17, injured by shrapnel in the face, the right hand and the left leg; and
3) Ussama Husni Abu ‘Eita, 21, injured by shrapnel in the left leg and the head.
In addition, nine houses and some cars were damaged.
At approximately 17:00, Israeli forces arrested a 10-year-old from Jalazoun refugee camp. They took him to a building they had already seized in Ramallah.
There he was severely beaten. It is not known whether he was released.
9 feb 2002
At approximately 22:00, Israeli occupation forces positioned west of Tulkarm shelled Palestinian houses in the city. Two spouses were injured while at home:
1) Fayez Saber Jaber, 27, injured by a live bullet in the right forearm; and
2) Tha’era Hikmat Jaber, 23, five months pregnant, injured by a live bullet in the right shoulder.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli occupation forces positioned west of Tulkarm shelled Palestinian houses in the city. Two spouses were injured while at home:
1) Fayez Saber Jaber, 27, injured by a live bullet in the right forearm; and
2) Tha’era Hikmat Jaber, 23, five months pregnant, injured by a live bullet in the right shoulder.
8 feb 2002
At approximately 04:00, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with 15 tanks, two armored personnel carriers, and two bulldozers and supported by a helicopter, moved into Tammoun village, under full control of the Palestinian National Authority in the northern Jordan Valley.
They seized parts of the village and shelled Palestinian houses. Ten Palestinians were injured:
1) Bassel Mahmoud Bisharat, 13, injured by a live bullet in the left thigh;
2) Bassam Mahmoud Bisharat, 18, injured by a live bullet in the left thigh;
3) Mohammed Khader Bisharat, 23, injured by a live bullet in the abdomen;
4) Mohammed Nasser Bisharat, 20, injured by a live bullet in the left thigh;
5) Samer Nouri Bani ‘Oudeh, 19, injured by a live bullet in the left thigh;
6) Bassel Ahmed Bani ‘Oudeh, 18, injured by a live bullet in the right leg;
7) Bassem Mohammed Bisharat, 20, injured by a live bullet in the left thigh;
8) Isma’il Ibrahim Bisharat, 19, injured by a live bullet in the abdomen;
9) Yousef Ibrahim Bisharat, 17, injured by two live bullets in the thighs; and
10) Rasoul ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Bisharat, 14, injured by two live bullets in the right hand and the left leg.
Israeli forces also arrested eight Palestinians, including three brothers, seized ten houses, and uprooted around 150 olive trees.
At approximately 13:00, Palestinian civilians organized a demonstration near the office of the Palestinian President on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah. Israeli forces positioned in the area fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators, wounding six:
1) Nasser Barakat ‘Askar, 24, wounded by a tear gas canister that caused burns in the face and the hands;
2) Ashraf Mohammed Khassib, 23, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
3) ‘Omar Mohammed Shabana, 26, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand;
4) ‘Arafat Mahmoud Zayed, 20, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back;
5) Sultan Mohammed El-Kasawani, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right foot; and
6) Daoud Ghazi ‘Abdullah, 18, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand.
7) Saber Ahmed Musleh, 18, wounded by a live bullet in the chin.
A Child Killed by Israeli Police
On Friday, Samer Ziad Suleiman Abu Mayala, 14, from Al-Thawri neighborhood in occupied east Jerusalem, was killed by the Israeli police, which arrested him near “Armon Hanatsiv” settlement in the occupied city.
A spokesman of the Israeli police claimed that Abu Mayala died from a heart failure, but later it was clear that he received a live bullet in the buttocks which settled in the abdomen.
According to investigations carried out by LAW – the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, at approximately 13:30 on 8 February, while three Palestinian children were having a picnic in the “Peace Forest” near Jabal Al-Mukabber neighborhood, residents of Al-Thawri neighborhood heard sounds of shooting. Then, they saw three children running and a number of Israeli policemen were chasing them.
One of the children, Ahmed Salah El-Shweiki, 14, was wounded by a live bullet in the foot and he was arrested together with another child.
They were seen lying on the ground and many Israeli policemen surrounding them. In the evening, the Israeli radio in Arabic said according to a spokesman of the Israeli police that four Palestinian boys were arrested after they had stabbed a Jewish settler and that one of the boys died from a heart failure.
On Sunday evening, 10 February, the Israeli police stated that Abu Mayala was killed by a live bullet, contrary to what was mentioned by the spokesman of the Israeli police on Friday that he died from a heart failure upon his arrest.
This statement preceded the autopsy of Abu Mayala’s body on Sunday evening. The autopsy was carried out at the Israeli Legal Medicine Institute in Jaffa and Dr. Jalal El-Jabri, representative of the family, was present.
According to the family, a physician informed them that their son was killed by a live bullet that entered the buttocks and settled in the abdomen. It caused a serious hemorrhage. A representative of the Israeli police came to the institute and he was informed of the cause of the victim’s death. He informed his superiors, who declared the results before the autopsy was concluded.
At approximately 04:00, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with 15 tanks, two armored personnel carriers, and two bulldozers and supported by a helicopter, moved into Tammoun village, under full control of the Palestinian National Authority in the northern Jordan Valley.
They seized parts of the village and shelled Palestinian houses. Ten Palestinians were injured:
1) Bassel Mahmoud Bisharat, 13, injured by a live bullet in the left thigh;
2) Bassam Mahmoud Bisharat, 18, injured by a live bullet in the left thigh;
3) Mohammed Khader Bisharat, 23, injured by a live bullet in the abdomen;
4) Mohammed Nasser Bisharat, 20, injured by a live bullet in the left thigh;
5) Samer Nouri Bani ‘Oudeh, 19, injured by a live bullet in the left thigh;
6) Bassel Ahmed Bani ‘Oudeh, 18, injured by a live bullet in the right leg;
7) Bassem Mohammed Bisharat, 20, injured by a live bullet in the left thigh;
8) Isma’il Ibrahim Bisharat, 19, injured by a live bullet in the abdomen;
9) Yousef Ibrahim Bisharat, 17, injured by two live bullets in the thighs; and
10) Rasoul ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Bisharat, 14, injured by two live bullets in the right hand and the left leg.
Israeli forces also arrested eight Palestinians, including three brothers, seized ten houses, and uprooted around 150 olive trees.
At approximately 13:00, Palestinian civilians organized a demonstration near the office of the Palestinian President on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah. Israeli forces positioned in the area fired live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators, wounding six:
1) Nasser Barakat ‘Askar, 24, wounded by a tear gas canister that caused burns in the face and the hands;
2) Ashraf Mohammed Khassib, 23, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
3) ‘Omar Mohammed Shabana, 26, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand;
4) ‘Arafat Mahmoud Zayed, 20, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back;
5) Sultan Mohammed El-Kasawani, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right foot; and
6) Daoud Ghazi ‘Abdullah, 18, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left hand.
7) Saber Ahmed Musleh, 18, wounded by a live bullet in the chin.
A Child Killed by Israeli Police
On Friday, Samer Ziad Suleiman Abu Mayala, 14, from Al-Thawri neighborhood in occupied east Jerusalem, was killed by the Israeli police, which arrested him near “Armon Hanatsiv” settlement in the occupied city.
A spokesman of the Israeli police claimed that Abu Mayala died from a heart failure, but later it was clear that he received a live bullet in the buttocks which settled in the abdomen.
According to investigations carried out by LAW – the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, at approximately 13:30 on 8 February, while three Palestinian children were having a picnic in the “Peace Forest” near Jabal Al-Mukabber neighborhood, residents of Al-Thawri neighborhood heard sounds of shooting. Then, they saw three children running and a number of Israeli policemen were chasing them.
One of the children, Ahmed Salah El-Shweiki, 14, was wounded by a live bullet in the foot and he was arrested together with another child.
They were seen lying on the ground and many Israeli policemen surrounding them. In the evening, the Israeli radio in Arabic said according to a spokesman of the Israeli police that four Palestinian boys were arrested after they had stabbed a Jewish settler and that one of the boys died from a heart failure.
On Sunday evening, 10 February, the Israeli police stated that Abu Mayala was killed by a live bullet, contrary to what was mentioned by the spokesman of the Israeli police on Friday that he died from a heart failure upon his arrest.
This statement preceded the autopsy of Abu Mayala’s body on Sunday evening. The autopsy was carried out at the Israeli Legal Medicine Institute in Jaffa and Dr. Jalal El-Jabri, representative of the family, was present.
According to the family, a physician informed them that their son was killed by a live bullet that entered the buttocks and settled in the abdomen. It caused a serious hemorrhage. A representative of the Israeli police came to the institute and he was informed of the cause of the victim’s death. He informed his superiors, who declared the results before the autopsy was concluded.
7 feb 2002
At approximately 00:50, Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired an air-to-surface missile at a water facility in the south of Nablus, in the northern West Bank. Approximately one hour later, they fired another missile at the governmental compound of the city.
A member of the Palestinian National Security Forces, Ra’ed Talal Ya’qoub Tahhan, 27, from Gaza, was injured by shrapnel in the back. In addition, 15 Palestinians sustained bruises while trying to escape and the water tank and the compound were damaged.
At approximately 20:00, an Israeli combat helicopter fired an air-to-surface missile at the headquarters of the Palestinian General Intelligence Service and Military Intelligence Service in Nablus, causing severe damage, but no casualties were reported.
At noon, a number of Palestinian school children demonstrated near the office of the Palestinian President on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah. Israeli forces positioned in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets at the demonstrators, wounding three:
1) Fadi Karim El-Asmar, 13, from Al-Bireh, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back;
2) Mousa Hassan El-Khawaja, 12, from Bitounia, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head; and
3) Isma’il Ahmed Khalaf, 15, from Abu Dis, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the face.
Israeli forces chased El-Asmar after he had been wounded. They detained him for half an hour, during which he was severely beaten by Israeli soldiers.
At approximately 00:50, Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired an air-to-surface missile at a water facility in the south of Nablus, in the northern West Bank. Approximately one hour later, they fired another missile at the governmental compound of the city.
A member of the Palestinian National Security Forces, Ra’ed Talal Ya’qoub Tahhan, 27, from Gaza, was injured by shrapnel in the back. In addition, 15 Palestinians sustained bruises while trying to escape and the water tank and the compound were damaged.
At approximately 20:00, an Israeli combat helicopter fired an air-to-surface missile at the headquarters of the Palestinian General Intelligence Service and Military Intelligence Service in Nablus, causing severe damage, but no casualties were reported.
At noon, a number of Palestinian school children demonstrated near the office of the Palestinian President on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah. Israeli forces positioned in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets at the demonstrators, wounding three:
1) Fadi Karim El-Asmar, 13, from Al-Bireh, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back;
2) Mousa Hassan El-Khawaja, 12, from Bitounia, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head; and
3) Isma’il Ahmed Khalaf, 15, from Abu Dis, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the face.
Israeli forces chased El-Asmar after he had been wounded. They detained him for half an hour, during which he was severely beaten by Israeli soldiers.
5 feb 2002
In the morning, Taha Rebhi Taha Abu Sneineh, 22, from Hebron, was pronounced dead at a Jordanian hospital from a wound received on 7 October 2001. Abu Sneineh was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the neck when Israeli forces fired at a civilian car in Hebron. A Palestinian civilian was killed and four were wounded, including Abu Sneineh.
At approximately 15:00, a number of Palestinian boys demonstrated near the office of the Palestinian President on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah. Israeli forces positioned in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas at the demonstrators, wounding four:
1) Khaled Ibrahim Nahla, 12, from Qaddoura refugee camp, wounded by rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg;
2) Mohammed Hani ‘Azziz, 11, from Al-Bireh, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg;
3) ‘Omar Mahmoud Sadiq, 17, from Beit Rima village, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right hand; and
4) Ayman Mahmoud Jouhar, 18, from Beit Liqia village, wounded by two rubber-coated metal bullets in the left leg and the right hand.
In the morning, Taha Rebhi Taha Abu Sneineh, 22, from Hebron, was pronounced dead at a Jordanian hospital from a wound received on 7 October 2001. Abu Sneineh was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the neck when Israeli forces fired at a civilian car in Hebron. A Palestinian civilian was killed and four were wounded, including Abu Sneineh.
At approximately 15:00, a number of Palestinian boys demonstrated near the office of the Palestinian President on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah. Israeli forces positioned in the area fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas at the demonstrators, wounding four:
1) Khaled Ibrahim Nahla, 12, from Qaddoura refugee camp, wounded by rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg;
2) Mohammed Hani ‘Azziz, 11, from Al-Bireh, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg;
3) ‘Omar Mahmoud Sadiq, 17, from Beit Rima village, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right hand; and
4) Ayman Mahmoud Jouhar, 18, from Beit Liqia village, wounded by two rubber-coated metal bullets in the left leg and the right hand.
30 jan 2002
In the evening, Jamal ‘Abdel-Latif Mohammed Hassan, 40, from Tulkarm refugee camp, was pronounced dead from a previous injured he received by Israeli forces. Hassan had been injured by a live bullet on 21 January when Israeli forces encroached into Tulkarm.
At approximately 17:30, Israeli forces encroached into the southwest of Tulkarm. They fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses. They later withdrew and no casualties were reported.
A Palestinian Patient Dies Due to Obstruction of Access to His Village
This week, a Palestinian died when Israeli forces at a roadblock near Nablus obstructed his access to his village after receiving medical care at hospital. According to an ambulance driver of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Tulkarm, the society received information from its center in Nablus that a patient who suffered from a kidney failure was at the National Hospital in Nablus and was not able to travel back to Tulkarm after receiving medical care due to the siege imposed on the city.
The ambulance moved to the hospital and collected Kayed Saber Serouji, 45, and traveled towards Tulkarm. At approximately 16:00, the ambulance arrived at Deir Sharaf junction, northwest of Nablus, but Israeli soldiers at a military roadblock at the junction denied its passage.
At approximately 19:00, the medical personnel noticed that the health condition of the patient was increasingly deteriorating, so they traveled back to the National Hospital in Nablus. There, the patient died.
In the evening, Jamal ‘Abdel-Latif Mohammed Hassan, 40, from Tulkarm refugee camp, was pronounced dead from a previous injured he received by Israeli forces. Hassan had been injured by a live bullet on 21 January when Israeli forces encroached into Tulkarm.
At approximately 17:30, Israeli forces encroached into the southwest of Tulkarm. They fired artillery shells and heavy and medium caliber bullets at Palestinian houses. They later withdrew and no casualties were reported.
A Palestinian Patient Dies Due to Obstruction of Access to His Village
This week, a Palestinian died when Israeli forces at a roadblock near Nablus obstructed his access to his village after receiving medical care at hospital. According to an ambulance driver of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Tulkarm, the society received information from its center in Nablus that a patient who suffered from a kidney failure was at the National Hospital in Nablus and was not able to travel back to Tulkarm after receiving medical care due to the siege imposed on the city.
The ambulance moved to the hospital and collected Kayed Saber Serouji, 45, and traveled towards Tulkarm. At approximately 16:00, the ambulance arrived at Deir Sharaf junction, northwest of Nablus, but Israeli soldiers at a military roadblock at the junction denied its passage.
At approximately 19:00, the medical personnel noticed that the health condition of the patient was increasingly deteriorating, so they traveled back to the National Hospital in Nablus. There, the patient died.
29 jan 2002
At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Artas village, southwest of Bethlehem, and raided Palestinian houses. Approximately 20 minutes later, five Israeli tanks also moved into the village and opened fire on houses. Five Palestinian civilians were injured:
1) Ra’eda Ahmed Isma’il, 17, pregnant in the ninth month, injured by a live bullet in the right thigh;
2) Ahmed Elias ‘Aayesh, 40, injured by a live bullet in the right thigh;
3) Mohammed Ahmed ‘Aayesh, 25, injured by a live bullet in the right forearm;
4) Mahmoud Mousa ‘Awwad, 25, injured by a live bullet in the left hand; and
5) Dheifallah Mohammed El-Wahsh, 35, injured by shrapnel in the face;
In the morning, Israeli forces at Hawara military roadblock, south of Nablus, beat and arrested a physician, ‘Abdel-Karim ‘Ali ‘Abdullah, 46, from Kufor Al-Dik village in Salfit, and an ambulance driver, Ahmed El-Az’ar, 25, from Qabalan village in Salfit.
The physician was detained and interrogated for hours and then released, while the driver was kept in custody by Israeli forces.
At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Artas village, southwest of Bethlehem, and raided Palestinian houses. Approximately 20 minutes later, five Israeli tanks also moved into the village and opened fire on houses. Five Palestinian civilians were injured:
1) Ra’eda Ahmed Isma’il, 17, pregnant in the ninth month, injured by a live bullet in the right thigh;
2) Ahmed Elias ‘Aayesh, 40, injured by a live bullet in the right thigh;
3) Mohammed Ahmed ‘Aayesh, 25, injured by a live bullet in the right forearm;
4) Mahmoud Mousa ‘Awwad, 25, injured by a live bullet in the left hand; and
5) Dheifallah Mohammed El-Wahsh, 35, injured by shrapnel in the face;
In the morning, Israeli forces at Hawara military roadblock, south of Nablus, beat and arrested a physician, ‘Abdel-Karim ‘Ali ‘Abdullah, 46, from Kufor Al-Dik village in Salfit, and an ambulance driver, Ahmed El-Az’ar, 25, from Qabalan village in Salfit.
The physician was detained and interrogated for hours and then released, while the driver was kept in custody by Israeli forces.
28 jan 2002
At approximately 18:00, Israeli forces in the vicinity of “Kfar Darom” settlement, east of Deir El-Balah, opened fire on Palestinian houses north of the settlement.
Ayman ‘Abdel-Raziq ‘Obeid, 26, from Deir El-Balah, was injured by a live bullet in the left leg while near his house, approximately 100m away from the settlement. Additionally, a number of houses were damaged.
At approximately 19:50, Israeli forces on Al-Tour Mount, south of Nablus, opened fire on Palestinian houses in the city. Two Palestinian civilians were injured:
1) Majed ‘Abdel-Latif Madhi, 33, injured by a live bullet in the right foot; and
2) Amjad ‘Ali Khalil, 27, injured by a live bullet in the right knee.
At approximately 15:00, a number of Palestinian civilians demonstrated near ‘Askar, northeast of Nablus. They threw stones towards Israeli forces in the area. At 15:30, an Israeli armored personnel carrier moved forward and fired at the demonstrators, wounding three:
1) Ahmed Nabil El-Refa’ei, 15, seriously wounded by two live bullets in the chest and the abdomen; and
2) Mohammed Saleh El-Ghaffari, 33, from Balata refugee camp, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen.
At approximately 18:00, Israeli forces in the vicinity of “Kfar Darom” settlement, east of Deir El-Balah, opened fire on Palestinian houses north of the settlement.
Ayman ‘Abdel-Raziq ‘Obeid, 26, from Deir El-Balah, was injured by a live bullet in the left leg while near his house, approximately 100m away from the settlement. Additionally, a number of houses were damaged.
At approximately 19:50, Israeli forces on Al-Tour Mount, south of Nablus, opened fire on Palestinian houses in the city. Two Palestinian civilians were injured:
1) Majed ‘Abdel-Latif Madhi, 33, injured by a live bullet in the right foot; and
2) Amjad ‘Ali Khalil, 27, injured by a live bullet in the right knee.
At approximately 15:00, a number of Palestinian civilians demonstrated near ‘Askar, northeast of Nablus. They threw stones towards Israeli forces in the area. At 15:30, an Israeli armored personnel carrier moved forward and fired at the demonstrators, wounding three:
1) Ahmed Nabil El-Refa’ei, 15, seriously wounded by two live bullets in the chest and the abdomen; and
2) Mohammed Saleh El-Ghaffari, 33, from Balata refugee camp, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen.
27 jan 2002
At approximately 20:00, Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses and civilian facilities in Khan Yunis refugee camp and Al-Nimsawi neighborhood.
A number of houses and the Khan Yunis Cemetery were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
At the same time, Israeli forces in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” settlement shelled Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area in the northwest of Khan Yunis. A number of houses were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
At approximately 20:00, Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, shelled Palestinian houses and civilian facilities in Khan Yunis refugee camp and Al-Nimsawi neighborhood.
A number of houses and the Khan Yunis Cemetery were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
At the same time, Israeli forces in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” settlement shelled Al-Satar Al-Gharbi area in the northwest of Khan Yunis. A number of houses were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
26 jan 2002
At approximately 21:00, Israeli forces at the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Jabalya, launched four surface-to-surface missiles at three sites of the Palestinian border forces, which had been previously shelled.
Israeli forces also fired heavy and medium caliber bullets and four artillery shells at the area. No casualties were reported.
In the morning, Israeli forces in Be’r Al-Sherka area in the east of Qalqilya fired at Palestinian civilians who were trying to enter the city through agricultural roads. Three civilians were wounded:
1) Ayman Mahmoud Shbeita, 36, from ‘Azzoun village, wounded by two rubber-coated metal bullets in the head;
2) Yousef Mohammed El-Barri, 47, from Amatin village, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the neck; and
3) Khawla Jamal Zureiq, 26, from Rafat village, wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the face.
At approximately 08:00, an Israeli military jeep moved into Silwad village, north of Ramallah. Israeli soldiers arrested Mustafa Mohammed Saleh Hamed, 18 as he was walking on the street.
They then beat him severely. After they released him, they fired a rubber-coated metal bullet, wounding him in the head.
At noon, after the funeral procession of Samer Kusba, a number of Palestinian civilians moved towards Israeli forces at Qalandya roadblock. Israeli forces fired live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets, wounding three civilians:
1) ‘Alla’ Isma’il Fouda, 16, from Al-Am’ari refugee camp, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right ear;
2) Fadi Zakaria Mubarak, 22, from Hazma village, wounded by shrapnel in the right eye; and
3) Ishaq Yousef Salem, 17, from Qalandya refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel in the nose.
In the afternoon, Israeli forces at Deir Ebzi’ roadblock, west of Ramallah, fired at Nassar Hassan Yahia Abu Salim, 30, father of four children from Rantis village west of Ramallah, wounding him with a live bullet in the right thigh.
He died after Israeli forces had detained him and denied him access to an ambulance for more than two hours.
According to investigations carried out by LAW, at approximately 14:10, Israeli soldiers at the aforementioned roadblock beat Palestinian civilians who were trying to cross the roadblock. The victim Abu Salim was among those civilians and when he was beaten by an Israeli soldiers he fought back.
Soon, another Israeli soldier fired at him from a very close distance. He was wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh. Then, Israeli soldiers detained him while bleeding in a tent near the roadblock. They did not offer him medical care and prevented a Palestinian ambulance from evacuating him to hospital.
At approximately 16:30, an Israeli ambulance arrived at the area and its medical personnel tried to help the victim, but he was already dead.
At approximately 21:00, Israeli forces at the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Jabalya, launched four surface-to-surface missiles at three sites of the Palestinian border forces, which had been previously shelled.
Israeli forces also fired heavy and medium caliber bullets and four artillery shells at the area. No casualties were reported.
In the morning, Israeli forces in Be’r Al-Sherka area in the east of Qalqilya fired at Palestinian civilians who were trying to enter the city through agricultural roads. Three civilians were wounded:
1) Ayman Mahmoud Shbeita, 36, from ‘Azzoun village, wounded by two rubber-coated metal bullets in the head;
2) Yousef Mohammed El-Barri, 47, from Amatin village, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the neck; and
3) Khawla Jamal Zureiq, 26, from Rafat village, wounded by shrapnel from a live bullet in the face.
At approximately 08:00, an Israeli military jeep moved into Silwad village, north of Ramallah. Israeli soldiers arrested Mustafa Mohammed Saleh Hamed, 18 as he was walking on the street.
They then beat him severely. After they released him, they fired a rubber-coated metal bullet, wounding him in the head.
At noon, after the funeral procession of Samer Kusba, a number of Palestinian civilians moved towards Israeli forces at Qalandya roadblock. Israeli forces fired live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets, wounding three civilians:
1) ‘Alla’ Isma’il Fouda, 16, from Al-Am’ari refugee camp, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right ear;
2) Fadi Zakaria Mubarak, 22, from Hazma village, wounded by shrapnel in the right eye; and
3) Ishaq Yousef Salem, 17, from Qalandya refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel in the nose.
In the afternoon, Israeli forces at Deir Ebzi’ roadblock, west of Ramallah, fired at Nassar Hassan Yahia Abu Salim, 30, father of four children from Rantis village west of Ramallah, wounding him with a live bullet in the right thigh.
He died after Israeli forces had detained him and denied him access to an ambulance for more than two hours.
According to investigations carried out by LAW, at approximately 14:10, Israeli soldiers at the aforementioned roadblock beat Palestinian civilians who were trying to cross the roadblock. The victim Abu Salim was among those civilians and when he was beaten by an Israeli soldiers he fought back.
Soon, another Israeli soldier fired at him from a very close distance. He was wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh. Then, Israeli soldiers detained him while bleeding in a tent near the roadblock. They did not offer him medical care and prevented a Palestinian ambulance from evacuating him to hospital.
At approximately 16:30, an Israeli ambulance arrived at the area and its medical personnel tried to help the victim, but he was already dead.
25 jan 2002
At approximately 07:00, Israeli occupation forces thrust approximately 100m into Al-Satar Al-Gharbi in the northwest of Khan Yunis. They shelled the area and razed a 600-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with wheat, owned by Ahmed Yousef El-Agha.
A number of houses were also damaged.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired two rockets at a Palestinian governmental compound in Tulkarm for the second time in one week. The remaining strutures in the compound were completely destroyed, but no casualties were reported.
Adjacent houses sustained further damage.
At the same time, Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired two rockets at Ansar security compound near the Palestinian President’s office in Gaza City. One rocket exploded , severely damaging a 350-square-meter building serving as a garage and a store for the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) and three armored personnel carriers.
A number of passing civilians suffered from shock. The second rocket did not detonate.
At approximately 13:00, after the funeral procession of Adli Ahmed Hamdan who was assassinated by Israeli forces on the previous day, clashes erupted between Palestinian civilians and Israeli forces in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis. Palestinian civilians threw stones towards Israeli forces who fired live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets.
Three civilians, including a woman who was inside her house, were wounded:
1) Mohammed Fu’ad Barbakh, 20, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left knee;
2) Mohammed Farid El-Az’ar, 12, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back; and
3) Fatema Mohammed Abu Shammala, 37, wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh while inside her house.
Also at approximately 13:00, Palestinian civilians organized a demonstration near the office of the Palestinian President in Al-Ersal Street Ramallah. Israeli forces positioned in the area fired live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets at the demonstrators, wounding five, including a journalist:
1) Tamer Mohammed Husni, 17, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head and was pronounced dead on Wednesday evening, 30 January;
2) Mohammed Dhiab Karaki, 16, seriously wounded by two rubber-coated metal bullets in the head;
3) ‘Abed Mahmoud Abu Jarada, 26, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left side;
4) Mohammed Jamal Shureitah, 13, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left knee; and
5) ‘Atta Hussein ‘Oweisat, 32, a cameraman of Zoom 77 news agency, wounded by two rubber-coated metal bullets in the left thigh and the right foot.
At approximately 17:00, Samer Sami Kusba, 17, from Qalandya refugee camp, was pronounced dead. He had sustained serious injuries from a rubber-coated metal bullet fired by Israeli forces in Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah on 19 January 2002.
His brother Eyad had been also killed by Israeli forces on 16 December 2001.
At approximately 07:00, Israeli occupation forces thrust approximately 100m into Al-Satar Al-Gharbi in the northwest of Khan Yunis. They shelled the area and razed a 600-square-meter area of agricultural land planted with wheat, owned by Ahmed Yousef El-Agha.
A number of houses were also damaged.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired two rockets at a Palestinian governmental compound in Tulkarm for the second time in one week. The remaining strutures in the compound were completely destroyed, but no casualties were reported.
Adjacent houses sustained further damage.
At the same time, Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired two rockets at Ansar security compound near the Palestinian President’s office in Gaza City. One rocket exploded , severely damaging a 350-square-meter building serving as a garage and a store for the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) and three armored personnel carriers.
A number of passing civilians suffered from shock. The second rocket did not detonate.
At approximately 13:00, after the funeral procession of Adli Ahmed Hamdan who was assassinated by Israeli forces on the previous day, clashes erupted between Palestinian civilians and Israeli forces in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis. Palestinian civilians threw stones towards Israeli forces who fired live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets.
Three civilians, including a woman who was inside her house, were wounded:
1) Mohammed Fu’ad Barbakh, 20, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left knee;
2) Mohammed Farid El-Az’ar, 12, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the back; and
3) Fatema Mohammed Abu Shammala, 37, wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh while inside her house.
Also at approximately 13:00, Palestinian civilians organized a demonstration near the office of the Palestinian President in Al-Ersal Street Ramallah. Israeli forces positioned in the area fired live ammunition and rubber-coated metal bullets at the demonstrators, wounding five, including a journalist:
1) Tamer Mohammed Husni, 17, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head and was pronounced dead on Wednesday evening, 30 January;
2) Mohammed Dhiab Karaki, 16, seriously wounded by two rubber-coated metal bullets in the head;
3) ‘Abed Mahmoud Abu Jarada, 26, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left side;
4) Mohammed Jamal Shureitah, 13, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the left knee; and
5) ‘Atta Hussein ‘Oweisat, 32, a cameraman of Zoom 77 news agency, wounded by two rubber-coated metal bullets in the left thigh and the right foot.
At approximately 17:00, Samer Sami Kusba, 17, from Qalandya refugee camp, was pronounced dead. He had sustained serious injuries from a rubber-coated metal bullet fired by Israeli forces in Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah on 19 January 2002.
His brother Eyad had been also killed by Israeli forces on 16 December 2001.
24 jan 2002
In the morning, Riadh Nasri ‘Ali Hattab, 23, a member of the Palestinian General Intelligence from Ramallah, was pronounced dead from an injury by a live bullet in the right side he received earlier when Palestinian security forces confronted Israeli occupation forces, following shelling and an incursion into Al-Tira area in the west of Ramallah.
Another security man, Mustafa Rebhi Mustafa, 29, a member of the General Intelligence Service from Beit Lid village in Tulkarm, was seriously injured by a live bullet in the abdomen.
In the morning, Israeli forces indiscriminately opened fire inside a Palestinian bakery in Hebron, wounding three workers, one of whom was later kidnapped.
According to investigations carried out by LAW – the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, two persons in civilian clothes, who spoke Arabic in a non-local accent, entered a bakery at the demarcation line between areas under control of the Palestinian National Authority (H1) and those under control of Israeli occupation forces (H2), owned by Mohammed ‘Oudeh Shweiki.
They bought bread and then went out. Very soon, they returned together with six other persons and a number of Israeli soldiers. They all indiscriminately opened fire inside the bakery. Three workers were wounded:
1) Hazem Sadiq El-Qawasmi, 21, wounded by several live bullets in the legs and feet and then removed to an unknown destination;
2) Rami ‘Aadel El-Qeimari, 20, wounded by shrapnel from live bullets in the right forearm; and
3) ‘Azziz Mohammed Shweiki, 52, wounded by an explosive live bullet in the left foot.
Then, the attackers severely beat all workers at the bakery, including those who were wounded.
The Israeli official radio station claimed that Israeli forces arrested Hazem El-Qawasmi and transferred him to Hadassa Hospital in Israel, and that El-Qawasmi was a “wanted” person.
A New Assassination
In a continuation of Israel’s assassination policy, on Thursday, 24 January 2002, Israeli occupation forces killed one and seriously injured two Palestinians in Khan Yunis.
According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 22:00, two Israeli combat helicopters fired a rocket at a car in which three Palestinians were traveling near Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.
The driver, ‘Adli Ahmed Yousef Hamdan, known as “Baker”, 27, was killed by multiple shrapnel injuries.
The other two Palestinians, Hussam Ahmed Nemer Hamdan, 28, and Hussam Mustafa Shahwan, were seriously injured.
In the morning, Riadh Nasri ‘Ali Hattab, 23, a member of the Palestinian General Intelligence from Ramallah, was pronounced dead from an injury by a live bullet in the right side he received earlier when Palestinian security forces confronted Israeli occupation forces, following shelling and an incursion into Al-Tira area in the west of Ramallah.
Another security man, Mustafa Rebhi Mustafa, 29, a member of the General Intelligence Service from Beit Lid village in Tulkarm, was seriously injured by a live bullet in the abdomen.
In the morning, Israeli forces indiscriminately opened fire inside a Palestinian bakery in Hebron, wounding three workers, one of whom was later kidnapped.
According to investigations carried out by LAW – the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, two persons in civilian clothes, who spoke Arabic in a non-local accent, entered a bakery at the demarcation line between areas under control of the Palestinian National Authority (H1) and those under control of Israeli occupation forces (H2), owned by Mohammed ‘Oudeh Shweiki.
They bought bread and then went out. Very soon, they returned together with six other persons and a number of Israeli soldiers. They all indiscriminately opened fire inside the bakery. Three workers were wounded:
1) Hazem Sadiq El-Qawasmi, 21, wounded by several live bullets in the legs and feet and then removed to an unknown destination;
2) Rami ‘Aadel El-Qeimari, 20, wounded by shrapnel from live bullets in the right forearm; and
3) ‘Azziz Mohammed Shweiki, 52, wounded by an explosive live bullet in the left foot.
Then, the attackers severely beat all workers at the bakery, including those who were wounded.
The Israeli official radio station claimed that Israeli forces arrested Hazem El-Qawasmi and transferred him to Hadassa Hospital in Israel, and that El-Qawasmi was a “wanted” person.
A New Assassination
In a continuation of Israel’s assassination policy, on Thursday, 24 January 2002, Israeli occupation forces killed one and seriously injured two Palestinians in Khan Yunis.
According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 22:00, two Israeli combat helicopters fired a rocket at a car in which three Palestinians were traveling near Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.
The driver, ‘Adli Ahmed Yousef Hamdan, known as “Baker”, 27, was killed by multiple shrapnel injuries.
The other two Palestinians, Hussam Ahmed Nemer Hamdan, 28, and Hussam Mustafa Shahwan, were seriously injured.
