15 mar 2002
At approximately 01:00, 6 Israeli military vehicles moved approximately 500m into Palestinian National Authority controlled areas near Sofa crossing, east of Rafah. They destroyed a site of the Palestinian National Security Force.
At approximately 13:00, the Israeli forces withdrew from the area, leaving behind the body of a Palestinian, who was identified as Isma’il Hamattu Abu Taha, 28, from Rafah, shot in the chest.
At approximately 05:00, Israeli occupation forces forced Palestinian civilians living in al-Sayafa area in the north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, who had been under a strict siege for several month, exit their houses and gather near a central gate at the border of the area. They checked identity cards of these civilians.
In the meantime, Israeli occupation forces shot dead a Palestinian young man, claiming that he was attempting to move into “Elli Sinai” settlement in the area. The young man was identified as Kamal ‘Abdel-Nasser Rajab, 18, from Beit Lahia, killed by several live bullets in the head and the chest.
Israeli occupation forces, which arrested another young man, ‘Ali ‘Oweid Abu Khusa, 17, denied the access of an ambulance to Rajab.
Then, Israeli occupation forces started demolishing a number of houses and razing areas of agricultural land in the area. This assault continued until 11:00, during which Israeli occupation forces demolished 4 Palestinian houses and razed 31 donums of Palestinian agricultural land.
At approximately 07:20, Israeli occupation forces in a military location near Rafah border crossing, for no apparent reason, shot dead a Palestinian policeman, Mousa Hassan al-Akhras, 29, with a live bullet in the back, while he was in front of his house.
In the morning, Majed Mohammed ‘Atteya Abu al-Jidyan, 25, from Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, was pronounced dead from a previous wound in the chest by Israeli occupation forces that invaded the refugee camp on 11 March.
At approximately 16:00, Israeli occupation forces fired at 12-year-old Shaima’ Sa’id Hamad, from Rafah refugee camp, critically wounding her with a heavy caliber bullet in the head.
The child was playing near her family’s house when she was wounded. She was evacuated to hospital where she was pronounced dead on Sunday, 17 March.
At approximately 18:40, Israeli occupation forces in military locations and settlements inside Hebron shelled several Palestinian residential areas in the city.
The shelling lasted for several hours, during which a Palestinian civilian, Majdi Fadhel ‘Ali al-‘Oweiwi, was killed by 3 medium caliber bullets in the neck, the chest and the back, while he was at home. In addition, 4 civilians were seriously wounded:
1. Marwan ‘Omar al-Salima, 30, wounded by two live bullets in the chest and the left foot;
2. Baha’ Salah al-Qadhi, 21, wounded by an explosive live bullet in the abdomen;
3. Suhair Rafiq Hijazi, 40, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen and the right ear; and
4. Jalal Mohammed al-Karaki, 25, wounded by shrapnel in the head.
Israeli occupation forces razed more areas of Palestinian agricultural land in al-Mawasi area in Khan Yunis, an action that began on 8 March. They also maintained a curfew on the area. In the meanwhile, they initiated the establishment on a new road at the seashore. The road is 1km long and 8m wide, and its established on the expense of areas of agricultural land that were razed.
At approximately 16:00 on Friday, a powerful explosion occurred on a dirt path in an agricultural area 300m from the eastern border of the Gaza strip, near the Wadi (valley) Gaza, outside al-Bureij refugee camp. A widow, three of her children, and her nephew riding together in a donkey cart were killed:
1. Zeyna Salman Salmi al-Awawdeh, 39;
2. Tehani ‘Oudeh Mohammed al- Awawdeh, 17;
3. Salim ‘Oudeh Mohammed al- Awawdeh, 10;
4. Amani ‘Oudeh Mohammed al- Awawdeh, 12; and
5. Tariq Mohammed Salman al- Awawdeh, 10, her nephew.
A bystander, Abdullah Samih Shehadeh Abu Khusa, 14, was injured in the ears and legs.
The victims were en route to a plot of agricultural land owned by Ms. Al-Awawdeh several hundred meters away, near the eastern border of the Gaza strip. The explosion left a crater approximately 6m wide and 3m deep. When local residents rushed to the scene to provide assistance approximately five minutes after the explosion, they came under fire from an Israeli tank stationed nearby and were forced to flee the area.
The bodies were not collected until the next morning, after coordination with Israeli occupying forces. Unusually, no remains or shrapnel of the explosive device were found.
PCHR is deeply concerned that Israeli occupying forces may have removed, altered, or destroyed evidence at the scene in the aftermath of the explosion.
Soon after the killing of Mohammed al-Durrah on 30 September 2000, an incident which was televised worldwide, Israeli forces demolished the wall against which he was huddled when he was shot, removing a crucial source of evidence.
Israeli military sources claimed that Palestinians were responsible for the explosion. Based on observations at the scene and eyewitness interviews, PCHR has concluded that this is highly unlikely, as the site would be a far from ideal place to ambush Israeli occupying forces. The path is not used by Israeli forces, and is too narrow for jeeps and tanks. Moreover, the use of roadside bombs in Palestinian military operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories has historically involved detonation either by wire or remote control rather than booby traps.
Additional circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that Israeli occupying forces were responsible for the explosion. Israeli forces had withdrawn from positions very close to the site of the explosion at approximately 06:00 that day and remained nearby at all times, as the shooting encountered by bystanders in the aftermath of the explosion clearly demonstrates.
This would also have deprived Palestinians the opportunity provided by cover of darkness to plant a bomb in the area. The explosion took place near an outpost of the Palestinian National Security Force that Israeli troops had seized earlier and then abandoned during their withdrawal, suggesting that Israeli forces may have planted a booby-trapped explosive to ambush returning Palestinian National Authority (PNA) security personnel, whom Israel routinely targets, or Palestinian gunmen on their way to attacking an Israeli military outpost on the border of the Gaza strip.
Such a conclusion is not lacking in historical precedent. On 22 November 2001, five Palestinian schoolboys from the same family were killed by an exploding device on a narrow dirt path while walking to school outside Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza strip.
After an initial denial, Israeli occupying forces later admitted responsibility for the incident, saying that they had placed the bomb to ambush Palestinian gunmen. The results of the Israeli army’s internal investigation remain secret; according to an Israeli military spokesman, unspecified disciplinary measures were taken against some army personnel in connection with the incident.
A number of Palestinians have died in unexplained explosions during the al-Aqsa Intifada. For example, on 25 April 2001, four Palestinian civilians were killed when a mysterious object they were inspecting on the border between the Gaza strip and Egypt exploded.
Responsibility for this incident and similar ones remains unclear, although circumstantial evidence in a number of these cases also indicates Israeli responsibility.
At approximately 01:00, 6 Israeli military vehicles moved approximately 500m into Palestinian National Authority controlled areas near Sofa crossing, east of Rafah. They destroyed a site of the Palestinian National Security Force.
At approximately 13:00, the Israeli forces withdrew from the area, leaving behind the body of a Palestinian, who was identified as Isma’il Hamattu Abu Taha, 28, from Rafah, shot in the chest.
At approximately 05:00, Israeli occupation forces forced Palestinian civilians living in al-Sayafa area in the north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, who had been under a strict siege for several month, exit their houses and gather near a central gate at the border of the area. They checked identity cards of these civilians.
In the meantime, Israeli occupation forces shot dead a Palestinian young man, claiming that he was attempting to move into “Elli Sinai” settlement in the area. The young man was identified as Kamal ‘Abdel-Nasser Rajab, 18, from Beit Lahia, killed by several live bullets in the head and the chest.
Israeli occupation forces, which arrested another young man, ‘Ali ‘Oweid Abu Khusa, 17, denied the access of an ambulance to Rajab.
Then, Israeli occupation forces started demolishing a number of houses and razing areas of agricultural land in the area. This assault continued until 11:00, during which Israeli occupation forces demolished 4 Palestinian houses and razed 31 donums of Palestinian agricultural land.
At approximately 07:20, Israeli occupation forces in a military location near Rafah border crossing, for no apparent reason, shot dead a Palestinian policeman, Mousa Hassan al-Akhras, 29, with a live bullet in the back, while he was in front of his house.
In the morning, Majed Mohammed ‘Atteya Abu al-Jidyan, 25, from Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, was pronounced dead from a previous wound in the chest by Israeli occupation forces that invaded the refugee camp on 11 March.
At approximately 16:00, Israeli occupation forces fired at 12-year-old Shaima’ Sa’id Hamad, from Rafah refugee camp, critically wounding her with a heavy caliber bullet in the head.
The child was playing near her family’s house when she was wounded. She was evacuated to hospital where she was pronounced dead on Sunday, 17 March.
At approximately 18:40, Israeli occupation forces in military locations and settlements inside Hebron shelled several Palestinian residential areas in the city.
The shelling lasted for several hours, during which a Palestinian civilian, Majdi Fadhel ‘Ali al-‘Oweiwi, was killed by 3 medium caliber bullets in the neck, the chest and the back, while he was at home. In addition, 4 civilians were seriously wounded:
1. Marwan ‘Omar al-Salima, 30, wounded by two live bullets in the chest and the left foot;
2. Baha’ Salah al-Qadhi, 21, wounded by an explosive live bullet in the abdomen;
3. Suhair Rafiq Hijazi, 40, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen and the right ear; and
4. Jalal Mohammed al-Karaki, 25, wounded by shrapnel in the head.
Israeli occupation forces razed more areas of Palestinian agricultural land in al-Mawasi area in Khan Yunis, an action that began on 8 March. They also maintained a curfew on the area. In the meanwhile, they initiated the establishment on a new road at the seashore. The road is 1km long and 8m wide, and its established on the expense of areas of agricultural land that were razed.
At approximately 16:00 on Friday, a powerful explosion occurred on a dirt path in an agricultural area 300m from the eastern border of the Gaza strip, near the Wadi (valley) Gaza, outside al-Bureij refugee camp. A widow, three of her children, and her nephew riding together in a donkey cart were killed:
1. Zeyna Salman Salmi al-Awawdeh, 39;
2. Tehani ‘Oudeh Mohammed al- Awawdeh, 17;
3. Salim ‘Oudeh Mohammed al- Awawdeh, 10;
4. Amani ‘Oudeh Mohammed al- Awawdeh, 12; and
5. Tariq Mohammed Salman al- Awawdeh, 10, her nephew.
A bystander, Abdullah Samih Shehadeh Abu Khusa, 14, was injured in the ears and legs.
The victims were en route to a plot of agricultural land owned by Ms. Al-Awawdeh several hundred meters away, near the eastern border of the Gaza strip. The explosion left a crater approximately 6m wide and 3m deep. When local residents rushed to the scene to provide assistance approximately five minutes after the explosion, they came under fire from an Israeli tank stationed nearby and were forced to flee the area.
The bodies were not collected until the next morning, after coordination with Israeli occupying forces. Unusually, no remains or shrapnel of the explosive device were found.
PCHR is deeply concerned that Israeli occupying forces may have removed, altered, or destroyed evidence at the scene in the aftermath of the explosion.
Soon after the killing of Mohammed al-Durrah on 30 September 2000, an incident which was televised worldwide, Israeli forces demolished the wall against which he was huddled when he was shot, removing a crucial source of evidence.
Israeli military sources claimed that Palestinians were responsible for the explosion. Based on observations at the scene and eyewitness interviews, PCHR has concluded that this is highly unlikely, as the site would be a far from ideal place to ambush Israeli occupying forces. The path is not used by Israeli forces, and is too narrow for jeeps and tanks. Moreover, the use of roadside bombs in Palestinian military operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories has historically involved detonation either by wire or remote control rather than booby traps.
Additional circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that Israeli occupying forces were responsible for the explosion. Israeli forces had withdrawn from positions very close to the site of the explosion at approximately 06:00 that day and remained nearby at all times, as the shooting encountered by bystanders in the aftermath of the explosion clearly demonstrates.
This would also have deprived Palestinians the opportunity provided by cover of darkness to plant a bomb in the area. The explosion took place near an outpost of the Palestinian National Security Force that Israeli troops had seized earlier and then abandoned during their withdrawal, suggesting that Israeli forces may have planted a booby-trapped explosive to ambush returning Palestinian National Authority (PNA) security personnel, whom Israel routinely targets, or Palestinian gunmen on their way to attacking an Israeli military outpost on the border of the Gaza strip.
Such a conclusion is not lacking in historical precedent. On 22 November 2001, five Palestinian schoolboys from the same family were killed by an exploding device on a narrow dirt path while walking to school outside Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza strip.
After an initial denial, Israeli occupying forces later admitted responsibility for the incident, saying that they had placed the bomb to ambush Palestinian gunmen. The results of the Israeli army’s internal investigation remain secret; according to an Israeli military spokesman, unspecified disciplinary measures were taken against some army personnel in connection with the incident.
A number of Palestinians have died in unexplained explosions during the al-Aqsa Intifada. For example, on 25 April 2001, four Palestinian civilians were killed when a mysterious object they were inspecting on the border between the Gaza strip and Egypt exploded.
Responsibility for this incident and similar ones remains unclear, although circumstantial evidence in a number of these cases also indicates Israeli responsibility.
14 mar 2002
As part of its large-scale warfare against Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps, Israeli occupation forces maintained their invasions of Ramallah and Al-Bireh cities and al-Amari and Qaddura refugee camps. Israeli troops on tanks and the roofs of houses opened fire at residents of these areas, killing 5 Palestinians, including 2 civilians, and wounding 5. Those killed were:
1. Mohammed Faisal Abu al-Nil, 26, from Abu Dis town near Jerusalem, killed by several heavy caliber bullets throughout the body;
2. Maher Sharif Mohammed al-Shu’aani, 29, from al-Amari refugee camp, killed by several heavy caliber bullets in the abdomen and the limbs;
3. Fares ‘Abdel-Rahman Fares, 22, from Qaddura refugee camp, killed by two live bullets in the chest;
4. Mohammed Fa’eq Abu Latifa, 27, from Ramallah, killed by a live bullet in the chest; and
5. Ahmed Sa’di al-Gharabli, 21, from Gaza, killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the head.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupation forces raided a number of Palestinian houses south of the road leading to the “Gush Qatif” settlement block. They ordered residents of these houses, who are subjected to a daily curfew imposed between 18:00 until 06:00, to gather in a nearby yard. An Israeli intelligence officer interrogated a number of them. In the meanwhile, Israeli troops searched the houses.
Israeli occupation forces also gave residents of 7 houses two hours to evacuate their belongings before demolition. They also arrested Talal ‘Aayesh Hamad Musleh, 50, a member of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) and released him 10 hours later after he was beaten and humiliated.
At approximately 07:00, Israeli occupation forces started demolishing a number of Palestinian houses in al-Mughraqa area, south of Gaza City. Israeli forces demolished 15 houses after they gave their residents several hours to evacuate them. They also warned residents of some other houses that their houses would be demolished, but PCHR was able to obtain a decision to stop the demolition of 4 of these houses.
In the evening, medical sources at Ramallah Hospital announced that Jamil ‘Abdullah Jamil al-Nawawra, 33, from Bethlehem, succumbed to a wound he received by shrapnel from an artillery shell fired by an Israeli tank on 12 March at the building of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation in Ramallah, where the victim used to work.
At approximately 20:00, an Israeli tank fired a flechette shell and heavy caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis. Flechette shells spray dart-like shrapnel across a wide conical area several hundred meters in length and are designed for use against massed infantry targets, not civilian areas. A number of houses were damaged and 3 civilian were wounded:
1. Samir Suleiman Abu Haddaf, 37, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen, the chest and the right arm;
2. Yasmin Samir Abu Haddaf, 8, seriously wounded by shrapnel from the flechette shell in the head and the neck; and
3. Hanan Sweilem Abu Haddaf, 31, wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh.
A New Assassination
In a continuation of Israel’s assassination policy, Israeli occupation forces killed two Palestinians.
According to LAW’s investigation, at approximately 14:45 on Thursday, two Israeli combat helicopters launched two missiles at a tin-roofed building that served as a bird farm, in the west of ‘Anabta village, east of Tulkarm. When local residents rushed to the scene to provide assistance after the explosion, the Israeli combat helicopters launched two missiles at them. Later, local residents were able to enter the building, where they found three young men.
One, Mu’tassem Mohammed ‘Abdullah Makhlouf, 27, from ‘Anabta village, was killed, another one, Maher Subhi ‘Abdel-Karim Balbissi, 30, who was critically wounded and then died at hospital, and the third, Rami ‘Abdel-Karim Melhem, 24, was wounded by shrapnel in the face.
As part of its large-scale warfare against Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps, Israeli occupation forces maintained their invasions of Ramallah and Al-Bireh cities and al-Amari and Qaddura refugee camps. Israeli troops on tanks and the roofs of houses opened fire at residents of these areas, killing 5 Palestinians, including 2 civilians, and wounding 5. Those killed were:
1. Mohammed Faisal Abu al-Nil, 26, from Abu Dis town near Jerusalem, killed by several heavy caliber bullets throughout the body;
2. Maher Sharif Mohammed al-Shu’aani, 29, from al-Amari refugee camp, killed by several heavy caliber bullets in the abdomen and the limbs;
3. Fares ‘Abdel-Rahman Fares, 22, from Qaddura refugee camp, killed by two live bullets in the chest;
4. Mohammed Fa’eq Abu Latifa, 27, from Ramallah, killed by a live bullet in the chest; and
5. Ahmed Sa’di al-Gharabli, 21, from Gaza, killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the head.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupation forces raided a number of Palestinian houses south of the road leading to the “Gush Qatif” settlement block. They ordered residents of these houses, who are subjected to a daily curfew imposed between 18:00 until 06:00, to gather in a nearby yard. An Israeli intelligence officer interrogated a number of them. In the meanwhile, Israeli troops searched the houses.
Israeli occupation forces also gave residents of 7 houses two hours to evacuate their belongings before demolition. They also arrested Talal ‘Aayesh Hamad Musleh, 50, a member of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) and released him 10 hours later after he was beaten and humiliated.
At approximately 07:00, Israeli occupation forces started demolishing a number of Palestinian houses in al-Mughraqa area, south of Gaza City. Israeli forces demolished 15 houses after they gave their residents several hours to evacuate them. They also warned residents of some other houses that their houses would be demolished, but PCHR was able to obtain a decision to stop the demolition of 4 of these houses.
In the evening, medical sources at Ramallah Hospital announced that Jamil ‘Abdullah Jamil al-Nawawra, 33, from Bethlehem, succumbed to a wound he received by shrapnel from an artillery shell fired by an Israeli tank on 12 March at the building of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation in Ramallah, where the victim used to work.
At approximately 20:00, an Israeli tank fired a flechette shell and heavy caliber bullets at Palestinian houses in al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis. Flechette shells spray dart-like shrapnel across a wide conical area several hundred meters in length and are designed for use against massed infantry targets, not civilian areas. A number of houses were damaged and 3 civilian were wounded:
1. Samir Suleiman Abu Haddaf, 37, wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen, the chest and the right arm;
2. Yasmin Samir Abu Haddaf, 8, seriously wounded by shrapnel from the flechette shell in the head and the neck; and
3. Hanan Sweilem Abu Haddaf, 31, wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh.
A New Assassination
In a continuation of Israel’s assassination policy, Israeli occupation forces killed two Palestinians.
According to LAW’s investigation, at approximately 14:45 on Thursday, two Israeli combat helicopters launched two missiles at a tin-roofed building that served as a bird farm, in the west of ‘Anabta village, east of Tulkarm. When local residents rushed to the scene to provide assistance after the explosion, the Israeli combat helicopters launched two missiles at them. Later, local residents were able to enter the building, where they found three young men.
One, Mu’tassem Mohammed ‘Abdullah Makhlouf, 27, from ‘Anabta village, was killed, another one, Maher Subhi ‘Abdel-Karim Balbissi, 30, who was critically wounded and then died at hospital, and the third, Rami ‘Abdel-Karim Melhem, 24, was wounded by shrapnel in the face.
13 mar 2002
Early in the morning, Fua’d Subhi ‘Adili, 45, from Ramallah, deputy commander of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) in Ramallah, was killed by several heavy caliber bullets in the abdomen, when Israeli occupying forces in the vicinity of the Casablanca Hotel opened fire at Palestinian security men at al-Sa’a square at the center of Ramallah.
Ambulances were not able to reach him, so local residents were forced to take him to hospital on foot.
At approximately 09:30, Israeli tanks in Qaddoura refugee camp in Ramallah opened fire at a number of Palestinian and foreign journalists who were covering the Israeli aggression on Ramallah.
An Italian freelance journalist, Rafeli Chirillo, was killed by several medium caliber bullets in the chest and the abdomen. He was left bleeding for 30 minutes before the eyes of Israeli soldiers who did not offer him help and denied the access of ambulances to the area.
Residents of the refugee camp risked gunfire and evacuated him to hospital where he was soon pronounced dead. Chirillo was wearing clothes marked with a press badge and was holding a camera.
Early in the morning, Fua’d Subhi ‘Adili, 45, from Ramallah, deputy commander of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) in Ramallah, was killed by several heavy caliber bullets in the abdomen, when Israeli occupying forces in the vicinity of the Casablanca Hotel opened fire at Palestinian security men at al-Sa’a square at the center of Ramallah.
Ambulances were not able to reach him, so local residents were forced to take him to hospital on foot.
At approximately 09:30, Israeli tanks in Qaddoura refugee camp in Ramallah opened fire at a number of Palestinian and foreign journalists who were covering the Israeli aggression on Ramallah.
An Italian freelance journalist, Rafeli Chirillo, was killed by several medium caliber bullets in the chest and the abdomen. He was left bleeding for 30 minutes before the eyes of Israeli soldiers who did not offer him help and denied the access of ambulances to the area.
Residents of the refugee camp risked gunfire and evacuated him to hospital where he was soon pronounced dead. Chirillo was wearing clothes marked with a press badge and was holding a camera.
12 mar 2002
At approximately 00:30 this morning, Israeli military gunboats and helicopters bombarded an outpost of the Palestinian Marine Police in Deir al-Balah, in the centre of the Gaza strip. The sporadic shelling, which lasted over two hours, killed one of the personnel at the outpost, Ahmed Hilal Ahmed, 25, after he was wounded by shrapnel throughout the body. Four civilians living near the outpost were also wounded:
1. Akram Salim Baraka, 27, wounded by shrapnel in the back;
2. ‘Ammar ‘Othamn Baraka, 20, wounded by shrapnel in the back;
3. Salim Jaber Baraka, 53, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh and foot; and
4. Su’ad Hassan Baraka, 49, wounded by shrapnel in the face.
At approximately 04:00, Israeli occupying forces invaded Wadi al-Salqa village, east of Deir al-Balah. After they had assumed full control over the village, they imposed a curfew and threatened to shoot any civilian exiting his home. They raided and searched house using police dogs. They also ordered Palestinians between 14 and 50 to gather in a mosque and arrested 17. They were released later after interrogation.
At approximately 11:30, two Israeli Apache helicopter gunships fired four missiles at a metal factory owned by the Bashiti family in Ma’en village, east of Khan Yunis, in the south of the Gaza Strip. Fire broke out due to the shelling, killing four people inside, three from the same family:
1. Ahmad Juma’a al-Bashiti, 28, burned to death;
2. Mohammed Juma’a al-Bashiti, 25, brother of Ahmad burned to death;
3. Ra’fat Mahmoud al-Bashiti, 25, cousin of Ahmad and Mohammed, burned to death; and
4. Zuheir Hussein Kaware’, 25, burned to death.
In addition, ‘Aadel Sa’id al-Najjar, 38, was wounded by shrapnel in the left leg.
At approximately 20:00, Israeli occupying forces in military locations near the northern areas of Hebron opened fire at Palestinian civilians in the area, killing Na’im Isma’il ‘Abdel-Hadi al-Thabania, 56, from Tarqoumia village, west of Hebron, with an explosive live bullet in the head in front of his children, while he was on his way home with his family in his car.
An ambulance was able to reach him only 30 minutes later.
At approximately 08:00, medical sources at Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron announced that Ahmed Rawan ‘Abdel-Qader Isma’il al-Jabarini, 16, from Hebron, succumbed to wounds sustained on 5 March after he was shot by Israeli occupying forces that opened fire for no apparent reason at Palestinian houses.
In the evening, medical sources at Al-Maqassed Hospital in Jerusalem announced that Mohammed ‘Abdel-Wahed al-Bakri, 43, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza succumbed to wounds sustained on 26 February after he was shot in the pelvis by Israeli occupying forces in the vicinity of Al-Mentar crossing, east of Gaza.
At approximately 00:30 this morning, Israeli military gunboats and helicopters bombarded an outpost of the Palestinian Marine Police in Deir al-Balah, in the centre of the Gaza strip. The sporadic shelling, which lasted over two hours, killed one of the personnel at the outpost, Ahmed Hilal Ahmed, 25, after he was wounded by shrapnel throughout the body. Four civilians living near the outpost were also wounded:
1. Akram Salim Baraka, 27, wounded by shrapnel in the back;
2. ‘Ammar ‘Othamn Baraka, 20, wounded by shrapnel in the back;
3. Salim Jaber Baraka, 53, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh and foot; and
4. Su’ad Hassan Baraka, 49, wounded by shrapnel in the face.
At approximately 04:00, Israeli occupying forces invaded Wadi al-Salqa village, east of Deir al-Balah. After they had assumed full control over the village, they imposed a curfew and threatened to shoot any civilian exiting his home. They raided and searched house using police dogs. They also ordered Palestinians between 14 and 50 to gather in a mosque and arrested 17. They were released later after interrogation.
At approximately 11:30, two Israeli Apache helicopter gunships fired four missiles at a metal factory owned by the Bashiti family in Ma’en village, east of Khan Yunis, in the south of the Gaza Strip. Fire broke out due to the shelling, killing four people inside, three from the same family:
1. Ahmad Juma’a al-Bashiti, 28, burned to death;
2. Mohammed Juma’a al-Bashiti, 25, brother of Ahmad burned to death;
3. Ra’fat Mahmoud al-Bashiti, 25, cousin of Ahmad and Mohammed, burned to death; and
4. Zuheir Hussein Kaware’, 25, burned to death.
In addition, ‘Aadel Sa’id al-Najjar, 38, was wounded by shrapnel in the left leg.
At approximately 20:00, Israeli occupying forces in military locations near the northern areas of Hebron opened fire at Palestinian civilians in the area, killing Na’im Isma’il ‘Abdel-Hadi al-Thabania, 56, from Tarqoumia village, west of Hebron, with an explosive live bullet in the head in front of his children, while he was on his way home with his family in his car.
An ambulance was able to reach him only 30 minutes later.
At approximately 08:00, medical sources at Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron announced that Ahmed Rawan ‘Abdel-Qader Isma’il al-Jabarini, 16, from Hebron, succumbed to wounds sustained on 5 March after he was shot by Israeli occupying forces that opened fire for no apparent reason at Palestinian houses.
In the evening, medical sources at Al-Maqassed Hospital in Jerusalem announced that Mohammed ‘Abdel-Wahed al-Bakri, 43, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza succumbed to wounds sustained on 26 February after he was shot in the pelvis by Israeli occupying forces in the vicinity of Al-Mentar crossing, east of Gaza.
11 mar 2002
At approximately 02:30, 50 Israeli military vehicles supported by combat helicopter moved into Qalqilya from three directions, under the cover of intense shelling that targeted Palestinian houses and security sites. They seized control of the whole city.
Two Palestinians, a civilian and a security officer, were killed:
1. ‘Aatef ‘Abdel-‘Aali al-Baiari, 52, killed by a live bullet in the head; and
2. Yousef Khaled Yousef Al-Aqra’, 28, killed by shrapnel from a missile fired by an Israeli combat helicopter at his house.
At approximately 07:00, Israeli military vehicles moved approximately 700m into the southeast of Al-Boreij refugee camp in the middle Gaza Strip. They seized a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces. Palestinians confronted the invading Israeli forces which opened fire at them.
Yahia Hamdan Al-Sa’id, 22, was killed by a live bullet in the head, and two children were wounded:
1. Mu’adh Wishah, 14, wounded by a live bullet in the left shoulder; and
2. Dhia’ Al-Khatib, 14, wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh.
At approximately 12:00, Israeli tanks and bulldozers moved approximately 1200m into Abu Safia area in the east of Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip. They demolished four Palestinian houses and razed 32 donums of Palestinian agricultural land without prior warning.
As part of an all-out offensive against Palestinian refugee camps, Israeli occupying forces mounted a major invasion of the Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza strip with tanks and helicopter gunships, killing 16 Palestinians.
At approximately 22:10, at least 50 Israeli military vehicles and helicopters attacked Jabalya refugee camp from three directions. Israeli forces entered the camp from the from the Erez industrial zone, Salah al-Din road, and from the eastern border of the Gaza strip. Israeli forces moved 3km into Jabalya and killed 16 Palestinians, including a deaf man, two brothers, and a man and his son. Israeli troops also destroyed several workshops, factories, and houses. The operation lasted until 03:00 in the following morning, when Israeli forces redeployed their forces to the main entrance of the camp on Salah al-Din Street. At 05:00, Israeli forces withdrew from the area after a second attempt to enter the camp was repelled by local resistance. They then took over an outpost used by the Palestinian National Security Forces to the east of Jabalya and destroyed it.
According to eyewitnesses, Israeli occupying forces mounted the roof of a house owned by Ismail Salim and fired at houses 100m away.
Abdul Rahman Mohammed Izz al-Din, 55, was hit by several bullets fired by Israeli forces while standing in his house. When his son, Walid, went to help him, he too, was killed by Israeli fire.
According to eyewitnesses, a deaf man, Samir Sa’di Sababa, 45, was also killed by Israeli occupying forces at the entrance of Jabalya.
The others killed were:
1. Mohammed Salem Abu Sakheila, 21, shot in the chest;
2. Hani Salem Abu Sakheila, 23, brother of Mohammed Salim, shot throughout the body;
3. Eyad Ahmad Rajab ‘Eissa, 25, shot in the right eye;
4. Yousef Mohammed Abu al-Qumsan, 25, shot in the chest;
5. Fawzi Sabri Omar Abu Shammas, 20, shot in the neck;
6. Sa’ed Ahmad Hasuneh, 22, hit by shrapnel throughout the body;
7. Yaqub Abdul-Fatah ‘Oudeh, 25, shot in the chest;
8. Nabil Abu al-Qarei, 22, shot in the chest;
9. Majdi Abdul Mawthi al-Talouli, 25, shot in the head;
10. Hamoudeh Nijim, 22, hit by shrapnel throughout the body;
11. Mohammed Rushdi ‘Aqeilan, 25, shot in the head;
12. Ahmad Ismail Kafineh, 19, shot in the chest; and
13. Husam Hassan al-Barawi, 22, shot in the chest.
According to a PCHR fieldworker, Israeli occupying forces destroyed a two-story apartment building using explosives. On the ground floor was a 300 square meter metal workshop owned by Nabil Mahmoud Tanira. The entire building was completely destroyed and those nearby were damaged.
Israeli occupying forces claim that such factories and workshops are used to produce mortars and rockets.
Israeli forces also destroyed a 160-square-meter aluminum workshop owned by Yassin al-Madhoun (previously bombarded by Israeli helicopters in January 2002), located on the ground floor of a three-story apartment building owned by Musleh Musbah al-Sultan.
A store with machinery for repairing tyres owned by Khalil Hussein Halawin was also destroyed.
Israeli occupying forces also maintained aerial bombardment against civil institutions in the Gaza strip. At approximately 21:00, an Israeli Apache helicopter gunship fired three missiles at an air conditioning shop owned by Muhsen Salim ‘Aashour located on the ground floor of the Deir Latin elementary and preparatory school in the centre of al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza city.
The workshop was completely destroyed, and one of the missiles destroyed a classroom in the school. Nearby houses and apartment buildings were damaged.
At approximately 23:25, in the largest incursion into Palestinian National Authority controlled areas during the al-Aqsa Intifada, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with dozens of military vehicles and four combat helicopters, moved into Ramallah and Al-Bireh in the West Bank from all directions. They assumed control over most of the two cities.
They shelled Palestinian houses. A number of Palestinian security men and gunmen confronted the invading forces. Five Palestinian security men were killed:
1. Rami Mohammed ‘Azzam Bashir, 18, from Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip, killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell throughout the body;
2. Ziad Mahmoud As’ad al-Barghouthi, 19, from Kubar village in Ramallah, killed by a live bullet in the chest;
3. Firas Kazhem al-Bitouni,26, from Bitounia, killed by three live bullets in the chest;
4. Adham ‘Ali Kamel al-Sheikh, 29, from Gaza, killed by several live bullets in the head and the chest; and
5. ‘Alla’ Mustafa Malloukh, 20, from Qarawat Bani Zeid village in Ramallah, killed by several live bullets in the abdomen.
Israeli occupying forces denied the access of ambulances to the victims, who bled for hours. Israeli soldiers also mounted the roofs of some houses and the hospital of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Al-Am’ari refugee camp.
They besieged Ramallah and Sheikh Zayed hospitals and prevented ambulances and medical personnel from offering help to the wounded.
At approximately 10:30, Israeli tanks shelled the hospital of Palestine Red Crescent Society in Al-Bireh, causing severe damage and terrifying patients and medical personnel.
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupying forces opened fire at Palestinian civilians who were traveling on Dura-Yatta road in Hebron.
Ayman Saleh Mohammed Mahanna, 19, from Hebron, was killed by several live bullets throughout the body and two other civilians were wounded.
At approximately 02:30, 50 Israeli military vehicles supported by combat helicopter moved into Qalqilya from three directions, under the cover of intense shelling that targeted Palestinian houses and security sites. They seized control of the whole city.
Two Palestinians, a civilian and a security officer, were killed:
1. ‘Aatef ‘Abdel-‘Aali al-Baiari, 52, killed by a live bullet in the head; and
2. Yousef Khaled Yousef Al-Aqra’, 28, killed by shrapnel from a missile fired by an Israeli combat helicopter at his house.
At approximately 07:00, Israeli military vehicles moved approximately 700m into the southeast of Al-Boreij refugee camp in the middle Gaza Strip. They seized a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces. Palestinians confronted the invading Israeli forces which opened fire at them.
Yahia Hamdan Al-Sa’id, 22, was killed by a live bullet in the head, and two children were wounded:
1. Mu’adh Wishah, 14, wounded by a live bullet in the left shoulder; and
2. Dhia’ Al-Khatib, 14, wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh.
At approximately 12:00, Israeli tanks and bulldozers moved approximately 1200m into Abu Safia area in the east of Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip. They demolished four Palestinian houses and razed 32 donums of Palestinian agricultural land without prior warning.
As part of an all-out offensive against Palestinian refugee camps, Israeli occupying forces mounted a major invasion of the Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza strip with tanks and helicopter gunships, killing 16 Palestinians.
At approximately 22:10, at least 50 Israeli military vehicles and helicopters attacked Jabalya refugee camp from three directions. Israeli forces entered the camp from the from the Erez industrial zone, Salah al-Din road, and from the eastern border of the Gaza strip. Israeli forces moved 3km into Jabalya and killed 16 Palestinians, including a deaf man, two brothers, and a man and his son. Israeli troops also destroyed several workshops, factories, and houses. The operation lasted until 03:00 in the following morning, when Israeli forces redeployed their forces to the main entrance of the camp on Salah al-Din Street. At 05:00, Israeli forces withdrew from the area after a second attempt to enter the camp was repelled by local resistance. They then took over an outpost used by the Palestinian National Security Forces to the east of Jabalya and destroyed it.
According to eyewitnesses, Israeli occupying forces mounted the roof of a house owned by Ismail Salim and fired at houses 100m away.
Abdul Rahman Mohammed Izz al-Din, 55, was hit by several bullets fired by Israeli forces while standing in his house. When his son, Walid, went to help him, he too, was killed by Israeli fire.
According to eyewitnesses, a deaf man, Samir Sa’di Sababa, 45, was also killed by Israeli occupying forces at the entrance of Jabalya.
The others killed were:
1. Mohammed Salem Abu Sakheila, 21, shot in the chest;
2. Hani Salem Abu Sakheila, 23, brother of Mohammed Salim, shot throughout the body;
3. Eyad Ahmad Rajab ‘Eissa, 25, shot in the right eye;
4. Yousef Mohammed Abu al-Qumsan, 25, shot in the chest;
5. Fawzi Sabri Omar Abu Shammas, 20, shot in the neck;
6. Sa’ed Ahmad Hasuneh, 22, hit by shrapnel throughout the body;
7. Yaqub Abdul-Fatah ‘Oudeh, 25, shot in the chest;
8. Nabil Abu al-Qarei, 22, shot in the chest;
9. Majdi Abdul Mawthi al-Talouli, 25, shot in the head;
10. Hamoudeh Nijim, 22, hit by shrapnel throughout the body;
11. Mohammed Rushdi ‘Aqeilan, 25, shot in the head;
12. Ahmad Ismail Kafineh, 19, shot in the chest; and
13. Husam Hassan al-Barawi, 22, shot in the chest.
According to a PCHR fieldworker, Israeli occupying forces destroyed a two-story apartment building using explosives. On the ground floor was a 300 square meter metal workshop owned by Nabil Mahmoud Tanira. The entire building was completely destroyed and those nearby were damaged.
Israeli occupying forces claim that such factories and workshops are used to produce mortars and rockets.
Israeli forces also destroyed a 160-square-meter aluminum workshop owned by Yassin al-Madhoun (previously bombarded by Israeli helicopters in January 2002), located on the ground floor of a three-story apartment building owned by Musleh Musbah al-Sultan.
A store with machinery for repairing tyres owned by Khalil Hussein Halawin was also destroyed.
Israeli occupying forces also maintained aerial bombardment against civil institutions in the Gaza strip. At approximately 21:00, an Israeli Apache helicopter gunship fired three missiles at an air conditioning shop owned by Muhsen Salim ‘Aashour located on the ground floor of the Deir Latin elementary and preparatory school in the centre of al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza city.
The workshop was completely destroyed, and one of the missiles destroyed a classroom in the school. Nearby houses and apartment buildings were damaged.
At approximately 23:25, in the largest incursion into Palestinian National Authority controlled areas during the al-Aqsa Intifada, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with dozens of military vehicles and four combat helicopters, moved into Ramallah and Al-Bireh in the West Bank from all directions. They assumed control over most of the two cities.
They shelled Palestinian houses. A number of Palestinian security men and gunmen confronted the invading forces. Five Palestinian security men were killed:
1. Rami Mohammed ‘Azzam Bashir, 18, from Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip, killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell throughout the body;
2. Ziad Mahmoud As’ad al-Barghouthi, 19, from Kubar village in Ramallah, killed by a live bullet in the chest;
3. Firas Kazhem al-Bitouni,26, from Bitounia, killed by three live bullets in the chest;
4. Adham ‘Ali Kamel al-Sheikh, 29, from Gaza, killed by several live bullets in the head and the chest; and
5. ‘Alla’ Mustafa Malloukh, 20, from Qarawat Bani Zeid village in Ramallah, killed by several live bullets in the abdomen.
Israeli occupying forces denied the access of ambulances to the victims, who bled for hours. Israeli soldiers also mounted the roofs of some houses and the hospital of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Al-Am’ari refugee camp.
They besieged Ramallah and Sheikh Zayed hospitals and prevented ambulances and medical personnel from offering help to the wounded.
At approximately 10:30, Israeli tanks shelled the hospital of Palestine Red Crescent Society in Al-Bireh, causing severe damage and terrifying patients and medical personnel.
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupying forces opened fire at Palestinian civilians who were traveling on Dura-Yatta road in Hebron.
Ayman Saleh Mohammed Mahanna, 19, from Hebron, was killed by several live bullets throughout the body and two other civilians were wounded.
10 mar 2002
At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupying forces thrust approximately 2km into Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood and the western refugee camp in Rafah, in the southern Gaza strip. They completely seized the two areas under the cover of intensive shelling that targeted Palestinian houses. This incursion continued until 05:30 during which Israeli occupying forces raided 11 houses searching for wanted Palestinians.
They did not arrest anyone, as they did not find any of the wanted. The incursion was expected, so all the want had already left the two areas. Israeli occupying forces destroyed a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces, 3 main roads and a civilian car owned by Tariq Khaled El-Sheikh ‘Ali. They also shelled electricity transmitters, leaving Rafah without electricity.
At approximately 03:00, Israeli helicopters and gunboats shelled the office of the Palestinian president (Al-Muntada) on the Gaza seashore. A three-story adjacent building, which was the old office of the president, was totally destroyed.
At approximately 06:30, an Israeli combat helicopter fired two air-to-surface missiles at a site of the Palestinian General Intelligence in Rafah. The site and nearby houses were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
At approximately 15:00, an Israeli F-16 fighter jet launched two missiles at a Palestinian police station in the west of Jabalya, totally destroying it.
At approximately 17:00, an Israeli combat helicopter fired two missiles at a site of the Palestinian General Intelligence in Bitounia in the west of Ramallah, damaging it and two adjacent houses.
At approximately 18:50, an Israeli F-16 fighter jet launched a missile at a three-story office of the Palestinian president in Rafidya neighborhood in Nablus, in the northern West Bank. The third floor of the building was totally destroyed and adjacent houses and a school were damaged.
At approximately 19:30, an Israeli combat helicopter fired two missiles at a traffic police station in Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip, causing severe damage and wounding a policeman, Salah ‘Abdullah Joudeh, 25, with shrapnel throughout the body
Assassination and Extra-Judicial Killing
On Sunday morning, Israeli occupying forces carried out a failed assassination attempt against ‘Abdel-Karim Thabet ‘Oweis, a Fatah activist from Jenin refugee camp and currently resident of Ramallah.
Two Israeli combat helicopters fired two missiles at a civilian car, totally destroying it. Samer Tahabet ‘Oweis, the brother of the targeted person, who traveled in the car, was killed.
At 14:40 on the same day, an Israeli Apache gunship fired a missile at a civilian car that was traveling on a branch road in Wadi al-Hamas area on its way from Beit Sahour to Jabal al-Mukabber neighborhood, south of Jerusalem. Two Palestinians were killed:
1. Taleb Ussama Harmous, 22, from Beit Sahour, a student at An-Najah National University; and
2. Ahmed Ibrahim ‘Aabda, 18, from Bethlehem.
Israeli radio in Arabic quoted an Israeli military spokesman as saying that an Israeli combat helicopter chased a car, in which two Palestinian young men were traveling on their way to carry out a suicide attack, and that the helicopter destroyed the car, killing the two young men.
At noon, Israeli occupying forces shot dead 21-year-old Dhurgham ‘Ezzat Zakarna, from Qabatya village near Jenin while he was crossing Jerusalem-Ramallah road, approximately 20m away from an Israeli military roadblock at the northern entrance to occupied Jerusalem.
They denied him access to an ambulance. They even fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at Palestinian civilians wounding
1. Zarif al-Resheq, 45, from Al-Ram village, with two sound bombs, and
2. Tariq ‘Abdel-Jaber, correspondent of the Egyptian Satellite Channel, with a sound bomb in the foot.
Israeli occupying forces kept the body of the victim on the ground until 18:00 when an Israeli ambulance took him to an unknown destination.
Also at noon, a number of Palestinian children demonstrated at the entrance to Surra village, southwest of Nablus. They threw stones towards Israeli occupying forces on a bypass road.
Israeli soldiers fired at the demonstrators, killing 15-year-old Mahmoud Tayseer Ghannam, with a live bullet in the chest.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupying forces thrust approximately 2km into Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood and the western refugee camp in Rafah, in the southern Gaza strip. They completely seized the two areas under the cover of intensive shelling that targeted Palestinian houses. This incursion continued until 05:30 during which Israeli occupying forces raided 11 houses searching for wanted Palestinians.
They did not arrest anyone, as they did not find any of the wanted. The incursion was expected, so all the want had already left the two areas. Israeli occupying forces destroyed a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces, 3 main roads and a civilian car owned by Tariq Khaled El-Sheikh ‘Ali. They also shelled electricity transmitters, leaving Rafah without electricity.
At approximately 03:00, Israeli helicopters and gunboats shelled the office of the Palestinian president (Al-Muntada) on the Gaza seashore. A three-story adjacent building, which was the old office of the president, was totally destroyed.
At approximately 06:30, an Israeli combat helicopter fired two air-to-surface missiles at a site of the Palestinian General Intelligence in Rafah. The site and nearby houses were damaged, but no casualties were reported.
At approximately 15:00, an Israeli F-16 fighter jet launched two missiles at a Palestinian police station in the west of Jabalya, totally destroying it.
At approximately 17:00, an Israeli combat helicopter fired two missiles at a site of the Palestinian General Intelligence in Bitounia in the west of Ramallah, damaging it and two adjacent houses.
At approximately 18:50, an Israeli F-16 fighter jet launched a missile at a three-story office of the Palestinian president in Rafidya neighborhood in Nablus, in the northern West Bank. The third floor of the building was totally destroyed and adjacent houses and a school were damaged.
At approximately 19:30, an Israeli combat helicopter fired two missiles at a traffic police station in Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip, causing severe damage and wounding a policeman, Salah ‘Abdullah Joudeh, 25, with shrapnel throughout the body
Assassination and Extra-Judicial Killing
On Sunday morning, Israeli occupying forces carried out a failed assassination attempt against ‘Abdel-Karim Thabet ‘Oweis, a Fatah activist from Jenin refugee camp and currently resident of Ramallah.
Two Israeli combat helicopters fired two missiles at a civilian car, totally destroying it. Samer Tahabet ‘Oweis, the brother of the targeted person, who traveled in the car, was killed.
At 14:40 on the same day, an Israeli Apache gunship fired a missile at a civilian car that was traveling on a branch road in Wadi al-Hamas area on its way from Beit Sahour to Jabal al-Mukabber neighborhood, south of Jerusalem. Two Palestinians were killed:
1. Taleb Ussama Harmous, 22, from Beit Sahour, a student at An-Najah National University; and
2. Ahmed Ibrahim ‘Aabda, 18, from Bethlehem.
Israeli radio in Arabic quoted an Israeli military spokesman as saying that an Israeli combat helicopter chased a car, in which two Palestinian young men were traveling on their way to carry out a suicide attack, and that the helicopter destroyed the car, killing the two young men.
At noon, Israeli occupying forces shot dead 21-year-old Dhurgham ‘Ezzat Zakarna, from Qabatya village near Jenin while he was crossing Jerusalem-Ramallah road, approximately 20m away from an Israeli military roadblock at the northern entrance to occupied Jerusalem.
They denied him access to an ambulance. They even fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at Palestinian civilians wounding
1. Zarif al-Resheq, 45, from Al-Ram village, with two sound bombs, and
2. Tariq ‘Abdel-Jaber, correspondent of the Egyptian Satellite Channel, with a sound bomb in the foot.
Israeli occupying forces kept the body of the victim on the ground until 18:00 when an Israeli ambulance took him to an unknown destination.
Also at noon, a number of Palestinian children demonstrated at the entrance to Surra village, southwest of Nablus. They threw stones towards Israeli occupying forces on a bypass road.
Israeli soldiers fired at the demonstrators, killing 15-year-old Mahmoud Tayseer Ghannam, with a live bullet in the chest.
9 mar 2002
At approximately 01:30, Israeli military vehicles moved approximately 200m into Al-Rabwat Al-Gharbia area in the northwest of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza strip, under the cover of intense gunfire. They demolished:
1. a 175-square-meter, under-construction house owned by ‘Abdel-Hakim Ahmed Al-Shanna;
2. a 175-square-meter, under-construction house owned by Mohammed Hashem Al-Majaidi; and
3. a 1-donum fuel station rented by ‘Eissa ‘Abdel-Rahim ‘Abdel-Hadi from the Ministry of Housing.
At approximately 20:40, five Israeli combat helicopters launched 30 air-to-surface missiles at four roadblocks of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) at the seashore in the west of Gaza, leading to the office of the Palestinian president.
The roadblocks were totally destroyed and a number of adjacent houses and civilian facilities were severely damaged, such as Beirut tower building comprised of 24 flats, Zahrat Al-Mada’en tower building comprised of 56 flats, Al-Fairuz tower building comprised of 40 flats, Zahrat Al-Mada’en tourist village (Shalihat), and some houses.
Israeli occupying forces continued their attacks on Bethlehem, in the West Bank.
They shot dead Nidaa’ Suleiman al-‘Azza, 15, with a live bullet in the chest, and wounded two other civilians.
At approximately 21:00, Israeli occupying forces in a military location south of Wadi Al-Salqa village, east of Deir El-Balah in the central Gaza strip, fired four artillery shells at Palestinian houses in the village. Then, they moved approximately 50m into the village with a military bulldozer.
They demolished four houses out of 22 which had been threatened with demolition on 19 February before a temporary order by the Israeli Supreme Court in response to an appeal by PCHR halted the demolition of 16 of the houses:
1. a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 8 persons used to live, owned by ‘Abdullah Shehada El-Ma’ghaiza;
2. a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 5 persons used to live, owned by Mustafa ‘Abdullah El-Ma’ghaiza;
3. a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 2 persons used to live, owned by Ahmed ‘Abdullah El-Ma’ghaiza; and
4. a 70-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which one person used to live, owned by Salah ‘Abdullah Shehada.
At approximately 22:20, an Israeli combat helicopter fired two missiles at a Palestinian police station in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza, damaging it.
At midnight, Israeli military vehicles thrust approximately 1km into Al-Mughraqa area in the south of Gaza City. They destroyed a 200-square-meter, two-story house and an adjacent 1-donum area of agricultural land, owned by Yahia Al-Ghoul.
Residents of the house left it on 22 June 2001 after a member of the family, Bilal, 19, was killed by an assassination attempt by Israeli occupying forces that targeted his father Yahia.
At approximately 10:00, a number of Palestinian civilians demonstrated at the entrances to Al-‘Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron.
Israeli occupying forces on an armored personnel carrier fired at the demonstrators, wounding ‘Abdel-Jabbar Sulatn Madhi, 58, with shrapnel in the feet.
At approximately 16:00, Israeli occupying forces at Qalandya checkpoint, north of Jerusalem, fired at Palestinian civilians in Qalandya refugee camp.
Rasmia Ghazi Shaqala, 42, was wounded by a live bullet in the left foot
A Palestinian Woman Dies Due the Obstruction of Her Access to Hospital
In a continuation of the policy of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians, Israeli occupying forces tightened the siege imposed on the OPT. This week, a Palestinian woman died due to the obstruction by Israeli occupying forces of her access to hospital.
PCHR learnt that at approximately 04:45 on Saturday, Rana ‘Aadel ‘Abdel-Rahim El-Jayousi, 18, from Kour village in Qalqilya, died from a hemorrhage after delivery because Israeli occupying forces obstructed her access to hospital. She was evacuated in her husband’s car to hospital.
However, Israeli occupying forces at a roadblock at the entrance to the village denied their passage. Soon, she died. Normally, traveling from the village to hospital takes only five minutes.
At approximately 01:30, Israeli military vehicles moved approximately 200m into Al-Rabwat Al-Gharbia area in the northwest of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza strip, under the cover of intense gunfire. They demolished:
1. a 175-square-meter, under-construction house owned by ‘Abdel-Hakim Ahmed Al-Shanna;
2. a 175-square-meter, under-construction house owned by Mohammed Hashem Al-Majaidi; and
3. a 1-donum fuel station rented by ‘Eissa ‘Abdel-Rahim ‘Abdel-Hadi from the Ministry of Housing.
At approximately 20:40, five Israeli combat helicopters launched 30 air-to-surface missiles at four roadblocks of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) at the seashore in the west of Gaza, leading to the office of the Palestinian president.
The roadblocks were totally destroyed and a number of adjacent houses and civilian facilities were severely damaged, such as Beirut tower building comprised of 24 flats, Zahrat Al-Mada’en tower building comprised of 56 flats, Al-Fairuz tower building comprised of 40 flats, Zahrat Al-Mada’en tourist village (Shalihat), and some houses.
Israeli occupying forces continued their attacks on Bethlehem, in the West Bank.
They shot dead Nidaa’ Suleiman al-‘Azza, 15, with a live bullet in the chest, and wounded two other civilians.
At approximately 21:00, Israeli occupying forces in a military location south of Wadi Al-Salqa village, east of Deir El-Balah in the central Gaza strip, fired four artillery shells at Palestinian houses in the village. Then, they moved approximately 50m into the village with a military bulldozer.
They demolished four houses out of 22 which had been threatened with demolition on 19 February before a temporary order by the Israeli Supreme Court in response to an appeal by PCHR halted the demolition of 16 of the houses:
1. a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 8 persons used to live, owned by ‘Abdullah Shehada El-Ma’ghaiza;
2. a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 5 persons used to live, owned by Mustafa ‘Abdullah El-Ma’ghaiza;
3. a 120-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 2 persons used to live, owned by Ahmed ‘Abdullah El-Ma’ghaiza; and
4. a 70-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which one person used to live, owned by Salah ‘Abdullah Shehada.
At approximately 22:20, an Israeli combat helicopter fired two missiles at a Palestinian police station in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza, damaging it.
At midnight, Israeli military vehicles thrust approximately 1km into Al-Mughraqa area in the south of Gaza City. They destroyed a 200-square-meter, two-story house and an adjacent 1-donum area of agricultural land, owned by Yahia Al-Ghoul.
Residents of the house left it on 22 June 2001 after a member of the family, Bilal, 19, was killed by an assassination attempt by Israeli occupying forces that targeted his father Yahia.
At approximately 10:00, a number of Palestinian civilians demonstrated at the entrances to Al-‘Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron.
Israeli occupying forces on an armored personnel carrier fired at the demonstrators, wounding ‘Abdel-Jabbar Sulatn Madhi, 58, with shrapnel in the feet.
At approximately 16:00, Israeli occupying forces at Qalandya checkpoint, north of Jerusalem, fired at Palestinian civilians in Qalandya refugee camp.
Rasmia Ghazi Shaqala, 42, was wounded by a live bullet in the left foot
A Palestinian Woman Dies Due the Obstruction of Her Access to Hospital
In a continuation of the policy of collective punishment against Palestinian civilians, Israeli occupying forces tightened the siege imposed on the OPT. This week, a Palestinian woman died due to the obstruction by Israeli occupying forces of her access to hospital.
PCHR learnt that at approximately 04:45 on Saturday, Rana ‘Aadel ‘Abdel-Rahim El-Jayousi, 18, from Kour village in Qalqilya, died from a hemorrhage after delivery because Israeli occupying forces obstructed her access to hospital. She was evacuated in her husband’s car to hospital.
However, Israeli occupying forces at a roadblock at the entrance to the village denied their passage. Soon, she died. Normally, traveling from the village to hospital takes only five minutes.
8 mar 2002
7 - 8 mar Black Friday
Early in the morning, Israeli occupying forces invaded Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza strip, killing 16 Palestinians, including Brigadier Ahmed Hassan Mufaraj, a senior Palestinian security official, and wounding 8 civilians.
According to PCHR’s investigations, an Israeli force attacked Khuza’a village at approximately 02:00 from the east and northeast. After assuming complete control over the village, Israeli soldiers converted a number of houses into military outposts, confining the inhabitants and firing indiscriminately from rooftops.
Over the course of several hours, Israeli forces killed 16 Palestinians in the village, 11 of them civilians.
Brigadier Ahmed Hassan Mufaraj, commander of the Palestinian National Security Forces for the southern Gaza strip, soon arrived at the scene to assess the situation.
He was shot in the thigh by Israeli forces and bled to death. According to PCHR’s findings, ambulances attempting to reach the area were fired upon by Israeli forces, preventing them from treating or evacuating the wounded. A PCHR fieldworker found that two other Palestinians in the village also bled to death due to Israeli attacks on Palestinian ambulances. Those killed in Khuza’a were:
1. Khalid Ibrahim Qudeih, 35, run over by a tank after being wounded by Israeli forces;
2. Khalil Zir’ei Qudeih, 33, shot in the stomach and left to bleed to death;
3. Mahmoud Shehdeh Qudeih, 52, shot in the head and left to bleed to death;
4. Moussa Mohammed al-Najjar, 47, shot in the head;
5. Baker Hussein al-Najjar, 18, shot in the chest and stomach;
6. Riyad Mohammed Abu Reda, 30, shot in the head;
7. Ayman Ibrahim Abu Tayr, 27, shot in the chest;
8. Marwan Salman Abu Mutlaq, 22, shot in the chest;
9. Husam Shehdeh Abu Tayr, 22, shot in the head;
10. Ibrahim Yehiyeh Abu Daqqa, 23, shot in the back;
11. Hamad Tawfiq Abu Reida, 27, shot throughout the body;
12. Brigadier Ahmed Hassan Mufaraj, commander of the National Security Forces for the southern Gaza strip, shot in the leg and left to bleed to death;
13. Ashraf Salman al-Najjar, 33, hit by a bullet in the stomach; a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces;
14. ‘Aaref Ramadan Herazallah, 36, hit by a bullet in the chest; a member of the National Security Forces;
15. Riyad al-Qasaas, 43, killed by shrapnel throughout the body; a member of the National Security Forces and a bodyguard of Mufaraj;
16. Eihab Abdul-Karim al-Talatini, 26, killed by shrapnel throughout the body; a member of the National Security Forces.
In addition, 8 Palestinians were wounded:
1. Isma’il Ibrahim Abu Sabha, 22, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh;
2. Naji Hussein Al-Najjar, 30, seriously wounded by two live bullets in the abdomen;
3. Ja’far Khalil Kallan, 42, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen;
4. Mohammed Amin al-Shawaf, 16, wounded by two live bullets in the left arm and the lower jaw;
5. ‘Omar Mahmoud Abu Daqqa, 25, wounded by a live bullet in the feet;
6. ‘Ali Salem ‘Arafat, 22, wounded by a live bullet and shrapnel in the right hand and shoulder;
7. Bassam Sha’ban Abu Tu’eima, 23, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand; and
8. ‘Omar Khaled al-Agha, 26, wounded by a live bullet in the right shoulder.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli gunboats and combat helicopters bombarded an outpost used by the Palestinian Marine Police in al-Sudaniyeh area, near Gaza city. The shelling lasted until 03:00, killing four people and wounding four. Those killed were:
1. Sa’id Yusef Shalayel, 26, a paramedic from Jabalya, hit by shrapnel throughout the body, killed while attempting to treat the wounded;
2. Abdel-Ra’uf Hassan Hussein Abu ‘Obeid, 33, from Jabalya, hit by shrapnel throughout the body (a bystander to the attack);
3. Samer Wajih Yunis Judeh, 23, hit by shrapnel throughout the body; a member of the Palestinian Marine Police; and
4. Hani Radwan ‘Aashour, 28, from al-Zaytoun in Gaza City, shot in the neck; a member of the Palestinian Marine Police.
Those wounded were:
1. Mohammed Ghazi El-Hissi, 25, a paramedic from Khan Yunis, critically wounded by shrapnel throughout the body;
2. Shadi Mustafa al-Deimi, 26, from Sheikh Radwan in Gaza City, critically wounded by a live bullet in the chest;
3. Samer Samih Sha’ban, 23, from Jabalya, wounded by shrapnel in the left leg; and
4. Jalal Riadh Abu Touq, 22, from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.
At the same time, Israeli occupying forces attacked Bethlehem governorate, using tanks, armored personnel carriers, and two combat helicopters. In the morning they assumed complete control over Beit Jala town, ‘Aaida refugee camp, the main road in Bethlehem, Al-Duha village and the vicinity of Al-Duheisha refugee camp. Seven Palestinians, including six civilians, were killed:
1. Sa’ed So’ud ‘Eid, 21, from Al-Duheisha refugee camp, killed by a live bullet in the chest;
2. Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim al-Aa’raj, 37, from ‘Aaida refugee camp, killed by shrapnel in the head and the limbs;
3. Suleiman Ibrahim al-Debes, 25, from ‘Aaida refugee camp, killed by a live bullet in the chest;
4. Huda Isma’il al-Khawaja, 35, from ‘Aaida refugee camp, killed by shrapnel in the abdomen;
5. ‘Eissa Zakaria Farjan, 22, from Al-Duheisha refugee camp, killed by a live bullet in the chest;
6. Jad Mahmoud ‘Atallah Salem, 25, from Al-Duheisha refugee camp, killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell that was fired at his car; and
7. ‘Emad Mahdi al-Soufi, 23, from Gaza, killed by shrapnel in the head.
Israeli occupying forces continued their aggression on Tulkarm and its two refugee camps.
On Friday, six Palestinians, including two civilians were killed:
1. Mohammed Ma’moun Fayez Abu ‘Ali, 10, killed by a live bullet in the heart;
2. ‘Aadel Rebhi Mohammed Abu Safaqa, 31, from Tulkarm city, killed by a live bullet in the left eye;
3. Khaled Nayef Khairallah, 37, from Nour Shams refugee camp, killed by a live bullet in the heart;
4. Ahmed Nasser Daoud Abu Tamam, 55, from Tulkarm refugee camp, killed by a live bullet in the back;
5. Ma’zouz ‘Abdel-Fattah Al-Jaroushi, 37, from Tulkarm refugee camp, killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell; and
6. Ziad ‘Abdel-Rahim ‘Ali Jarad, 37, from ‘Ezbat Al-Jarad village, killed by several live bullets throughout the body.
At approximately 10:30, a pair of Israeli Apache helicopter gunships fired two missiles at offices of the Palestinian National Security Forces and the civil police in Khan Yunis, seriously damaging the two buildings, which had been bombarded on previous occasions.
General Abdel-Razzaq al-Majaidi, head of the Palestinian National Security Forces, was at the site during the attack, receiving condolences for the killing of Mufraj. He and others present were not hurt.
In the morning, five Israeli military vehicles besieged Al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. At approximately 11:30, they opened fire indiscriminately at Palestinian houses, killing 14-year-old Sayed Fayez Yousef Abu Seifain, with a heavy caliber bullet in the chest.
According to eyewitness, the child was in the yard of his family’s house, when an Israeli tank, approximately 300m away, shot him dead.
At approximately 20:00, an Israeli combat helicopter launched three air-to-surface missiles at a police station in Jabalya refugee camp. Two missiles hit the station causing severe damage, while the third missile fell onto a small house approximately 200m away from the police station, damaging it. The house, owned by Bahia ‘Abdel-Hadi ‘Awadh, was empty.
Six adjacent houses were damaged and two children were wounded:
1. Yousef Naji Sarhan, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the head and throughout the body; and
2. ‘Abdel-Karim Sami Abu El-‘Amrein, 9, wounded by shrapnel in the head.
At approximately 23:00, Israeli occupying forces demolished a 170-square-meter, one-story house, in which 7 persons used to live, owned by Khaled Ahmed Salman Abu ‘Obeid, northeast of the “Kfar Darom” settlement in the east of Deir El-Balah. Residents of the house had evacuated it since 3 February due to frequent shelling by Israeli occupying forces positioned in the aforementioned settlement.
In the morning, a Palestinian paramedic was killed in Sudania area, west of Jabalya, when Israeli gunboats shelled a police station (see the section on shelling). At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupying forces that invaded Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, fired at an ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, which was moving towards the village to evacuate the wounded.
The ambulance was hit by a live bullet, but no casualties were reported. The ambulance sought shelter behind a mosque.
At noon, an Israeli tank shot dead Dr. Ahmed Nu’man ‘Othman Subeih, 42, from Al-Kahder village in Bethlehem, director of Al-Yamama Hospital, at close range. Dr. Subeih had just exited the hospital after advance coordination with Israeli authorities to bring medicines and medical personnel.
Early in the morning, Israeli occupying forces raided Salem village, east of Nablus. They opened fire at Palestinian houses, killing Yahia Jamil Eshtayeh, 26, who was on the balcony of his house, with three live bullets in the chest.
At noon, Israeli occupying forces in an armored personnel carrier on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah and snipers positioned on roofs of houses in the area fired at a number of Palestinian demonstrators. Two demonstrators and a journalist were wounded:
1. Nassim Hussein ‘Aqili, 15, from Bitounia, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
2. Mansour Yassin Salim, 20, from Al-Ram village, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head; and
3. Carlo Hanzhal, 48, a cameraman of Nile Satellite Channel, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the neck.
Also at noon, after the funeral procession of a number of Palestinians killed in Khuza’a village, Israeli occupying forces positioned southwest of Khan Yunis western cemetery fired at a number of Palestinian children who threw stones towards these forces. Three children were wounded:
1. Ra’fat ‘Abdel-Karim Zo’rob, 12, wounded by a live bullet in the left leg;
2. Ahmed Khaled Abu Rezeq, 11, wounded by two live bullets in the right ankle and the left leg; and
3. Zkaria Ibrahim Al-Ja’bir, 13, wounded by a live bullet in the right leg.
In an apparent willful killing, in the afternoon a special Israeli police unit shot dead 22-year-old Mahmoud Sa’id ‘Abdel-Rahim Salah, from Beit Wazan village, west of Nablus, in Beit Hanina area in occupied Jerusalem.
An Israeli policeman fired at the victim’s head from a very close distance upon an order by the commander of the Israeli police in Jerusalem, Mickey Levi. He was left to bleed to death.
According to information PCHR received from LAW, at approximately 16:00, Israeli occupying forces and police stopped two Palestinian young men in Beit Hanina area north of Jerusalem. Fifteen minutes later, they took one of them in a military jeep towards an unknown destination. Then, three Israeli policemen pushed the other young man down to the ground.
They cut his clothes, and one of them fired several live bullets from a very close distance at the young man’s head. He was left bleeding until death. The victim was identified as Mahmoud Sa’id ‘Abdel-Rahim Salah, 22, from Beit Wazan village west of Nablus.
The Israeli Yediot Ahronoth newspaper said on its Arabic web page that the commander of the Israeli police in Jerusalem ordered the killing of the young man, claiming that he resisted Israeli policemen when they attempted to deactivate a bomb he was carrying.
According to Palestinian eyewitnesses “the young man died in willful killing half an hour after his arrest.” According to Agence France Presse, around 12 Palestinians witnessed the incident from their houses and said that Mahmoud Salah was handcuffed when he was shot.
An eyewitness stated:
At 16:00 on Friday, 8 March 2002, I heard noise near the apartment building in occupied Jerusalem where I live. I looked out through the window at the adjacent road, which is only 8m away from the building. I saw an Israeli military jeep stooping two young men. I knew one of them who was Randi ‘Oudeh, from Beit Hanina area, but I could not identify the other young man.
I later knew that he was Mahmoud Sa’id ‘Abdel-Rahim Salah. I saw Israeli policemen pushing Mahmoud down on the abdomen. They handcuffed him, while Randi was taken by the military jeep to an unknown destination. They cut Mahmoud’s clothes. I did not see any bag with Mahmoud. I heard Israeli policemen interrogating him. They asked him about his name and place of residence. I could understand that he was from Nablus and his name is Mahmoud. Three Israeli policemen was surrounding the young man who was laid onto the ground.
One was putting his foot on the young man’s head, another was holding his legs and a third one was sitting on the knee and pointing his gun towards him. At 16:30, the third policeman fired 8 or 9 live bullets at the young man’s head. They left the area and the young man was bleeding. He was trying to move, but he could not as he was handcuffed. Residents of the area were not able to offer him help due to the curfew imposed by the Israeli police. Half an hour later, the young man was motionless.
At approximately 17:20, Israeli policemen brought a robot which pulled a black belt from the young man’s side. I was astonished as I did not see that belt when Israeli policemen cut the young man’s clothes. When they moved the young man’s body upward, I could notice that there was a large hole in the right side of his head which was penetrated by live bullets.
They took his fingerprint and photographed him. Then, an Israeli ambulance evacuated the body from the area.
At approximately 21:00, an Israeli military jeep raided Dura Al-Qare’ village, northeast of Ramallah. Israeli soldiers threw a hand grenade at a number of Palestinian young men in the street.
Ahmed Rabah Fawaqa, 28, was wounded by shrapnel throughout the body. Two fingers of his right hand were amputated.
7 - 8 mar Black Friday
Early in the morning, Israeli occupying forces invaded Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza strip, killing 16 Palestinians, including Brigadier Ahmed Hassan Mufaraj, a senior Palestinian security official, and wounding 8 civilians.
According to PCHR’s investigations, an Israeli force attacked Khuza’a village at approximately 02:00 from the east and northeast. After assuming complete control over the village, Israeli soldiers converted a number of houses into military outposts, confining the inhabitants and firing indiscriminately from rooftops.
Over the course of several hours, Israeli forces killed 16 Palestinians in the village, 11 of them civilians.
Brigadier Ahmed Hassan Mufaraj, commander of the Palestinian National Security Forces for the southern Gaza strip, soon arrived at the scene to assess the situation.
He was shot in the thigh by Israeli forces and bled to death. According to PCHR’s findings, ambulances attempting to reach the area were fired upon by Israeli forces, preventing them from treating or evacuating the wounded. A PCHR fieldworker found that two other Palestinians in the village also bled to death due to Israeli attacks on Palestinian ambulances. Those killed in Khuza’a were:
1. Khalid Ibrahim Qudeih, 35, run over by a tank after being wounded by Israeli forces;
2. Khalil Zir’ei Qudeih, 33, shot in the stomach and left to bleed to death;
3. Mahmoud Shehdeh Qudeih, 52, shot in the head and left to bleed to death;
4. Moussa Mohammed al-Najjar, 47, shot in the head;
5. Baker Hussein al-Najjar, 18, shot in the chest and stomach;
6. Riyad Mohammed Abu Reda, 30, shot in the head;
7. Ayman Ibrahim Abu Tayr, 27, shot in the chest;
8. Marwan Salman Abu Mutlaq, 22, shot in the chest;
9. Husam Shehdeh Abu Tayr, 22, shot in the head;
10. Ibrahim Yehiyeh Abu Daqqa, 23, shot in the back;
11. Hamad Tawfiq Abu Reida, 27, shot throughout the body;
12. Brigadier Ahmed Hassan Mufaraj, commander of the National Security Forces for the southern Gaza strip, shot in the leg and left to bleed to death;
13. Ashraf Salman al-Najjar, 33, hit by a bullet in the stomach; a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces;
14. ‘Aaref Ramadan Herazallah, 36, hit by a bullet in the chest; a member of the National Security Forces;
15. Riyad al-Qasaas, 43, killed by shrapnel throughout the body; a member of the National Security Forces and a bodyguard of Mufaraj;
16. Eihab Abdul-Karim al-Talatini, 26, killed by shrapnel throughout the body; a member of the National Security Forces.
In addition, 8 Palestinians were wounded:
1. Isma’il Ibrahim Abu Sabha, 22, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh;
2. Naji Hussein Al-Najjar, 30, seriously wounded by two live bullets in the abdomen;
3. Ja’far Khalil Kallan, 42, seriously wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen;
4. Mohammed Amin al-Shawaf, 16, wounded by two live bullets in the left arm and the lower jaw;
5. ‘Omar Mahmoud Abu Daqqa, 25, wounded by a live bullet in the feet;
6. ‘Ali Salem ‘Arafat, 22, wounded by a live bullet and shrapnel in the right hand and shoulder;
7. Bassam Sha’ban Abu Tu’eima, 23, wounded by a live bullet in the right hand; and
8. ‘Omar Khaled al-Agha, 26, wounded by a live bullet in the right shoulder.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli gunboats and combat helicopters bombarded an outpost used by the Palestinian Marine Police in al-Sudaniyeh area, near Gaza city. The shelling lasted until 03:00, killing four people and wounding four. Those killed were:
1. Sa’id Yusef Shalayel, 26, a paramedic from Jabalya, hit by shrapnel throughout the body, killed while attempting to treat the wounded;
2. Abdel-Ra’uf Hassan Hussein Abu ‘Obeid, 33, from Jabalya, hit by shrapnel throughout the body (a bystander to the attack);
3. Samer Wajih Yunis Judeh, 23, hit by shrapnel throughout the body; a member of the Palestinian Marine Police; and
4. Hani Radwan ‘Aashour, 28, from al-Zaytoun in Gaza City, shot in the neck; a member of the Palestinian Marine Police.
Those wounded were:
1. Mohammed Ghazi El-Hissi, 25, a paramedic from Khan Yunis, critically wounded by shrapnel throughout the body;
2. Shadi Mustafa al-Deimi, 26, from Sheikh Radwan in Gaza City, critically wounded by a live bullet in the chest;
3. Samer Samih Sha’ban, 23, from Jabalya, wounded by shrapnel in the left leg; and
4. Jalal Riadh Abu Touq, 22, from Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.
At the same time, Israeli occupying forces attacked Bethlehem governorate, using tanks, armored personnel carriers, and two combat helicopters. In the morning they assumed complete control over Beit Jala town, ‘Aaida refugee camp, the main road in Bethlehem, Al-Duha village and the vicinity of Al-Duheisha refugee camp. Seven Palestinians, including six civilians, were killed:
1. Sa’ed So’ud ‘Eid, 21, from Al-Duheisha refugee camp, killed by a live bullet in the chest;
2. Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim al-Aa’raj, 37, from ‘Aaida refugee camp, killed by shrapnel in the head and the limbs;
3. Suleiman Ibrahim al-Debes, 25, from ‘Aaida refugee camp, killed by a live bullet in the chest;
4. Huda Isma’il al-Khawaja, 35, from ‘Aaida refugee camp, killed by shrapnel in the abdomen;
5. ‘Eissa Zakaria Farjan, 22, from Al-Duheisha refugee camp, killed by a live bullet in the chest;
6. Jad Mahmoud ‘Atallah Salem, 25, from Al-Duheisha refugee camp, killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell that was fired at his car; and
7. ‘Emad Mahdi al-Soufi, 23, from Gaza, killed by shrapnel in the head.
Israeli occupying forces continued their aggression on Tulkarm and its two refugee camps.
On Friday, six Palestinians, including two civilians were killed:
1. Mohammed Ma’moun Fayez Abu ‘Ali, 10, killed by a live bullet in the heart;
2. ‘Aadel Rebhi Mohammed Abu Safaqa, 31, from Tulkarm city, killed by a live bullet in the left eye;
3. Khaled Nayef Khairallah, 37, from Nour Shams refugee camp, killed by a live bullet in the heart;
4. Ahmed Nasser Daoud Abu Tamam, 55, from Tulkarm refugee camp, killed by a live bullet in the back;
5. Ma’zouz ‘Abdel-Fattah Al-Jaroushi, 37, from Tulkarm refugee camp, killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell; and
6. Ziad ‘Abdel-Rahim ‘Ali Jarad, 37, from ‘Ezbat Al-Jarad village, killed by several live bullets throughout the body.
At approximately 10:30, a pair of Israeli Apache helicopter gunships fired two missiles at offices of the Palestinian National Security Forces and the civil police in Khan Yunis, seriously damaging the two buildings, which had been bombarded on previous occasions.
General Abdel-Razzaq al-Majaidi, head of the Palestinian National Security Forces, was at the site during the attack, receiving condolences for the killing of Mufraj. He and others present were not hurt.
In the morning, five Israeli military vehicles besieged Al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. At approximately 11:30, they opened fire indiscriminately at Palestinian houses, killing 14-year-old Sayed Fayez Yousef Abu Seifain, with a heavy caliber bullet in the chest.
According to eyewitness, the child was in the yard of his family’s house, when an Israeli tank, approximately 300m away, shot him dead.
At approximately 20:00, an Israeli combat helicopter launched three air-to-surface missiles at a police station in Jabalya refugee camp. Two missiles hit the station causing severe damage, while the third missile fell onto a small house approximately 200m away from the police station, damaging it. The house, owned by Bahia ‘Abdel-Hadi ‘Awadh, was empty.
Six adjacent houses were damaged and two children were wounded:
1. Yousef Naji Sarhan, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the head and throughout the body; and
2. ‘Abdel-Karim Sami Abu El-‘Amrein, 9, wounded by shrapnel in the head.
At approximately 23:00, Israeli occupying forces demolished a 170-square-meter, one-story house, in which 7 persons used to live, owned by Khaled Ahmed Salman Abu ‘Obeid, northeast of the “Kfar Darom” settlement in the east of Deir El-Balah. Residents of the house had evacuated it since 3 February due to frequent shelling by Israeli occupying forces positioned in the aforementioned settlement.
In the morning, a Palestinian paramedic was killed in Sudania area, west of Jabalya, when Israeli gunboats shelled a police station (see the section on shelling). At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupying forces that invaded Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, fired at an ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, which was moving towards the village to evacuate the wounded.
The ambulance was hit by a live bullet, but no casualties were reported. The ambulance sought shelter behind a mosque.
At noon, an Israeli tank shot dead Dr. Ahmed Nu’man ‘Othman Subeih, 42, from Al-Kahder village in Bethlehem, director of Al-Yamama Hospital, at close range. Dr. Subeih had just exited the hospital after advance coordination with Israeli authorities to bring medicines and medical personnel.
Early in the morning, Israeli occupying forces raided Salem village, east of Nablus. They opened fire at Palestinian houses, killing Yahia Jamil Eshtayeh, 26, who was on the balcony of his house, with three live bullets in the chest.
At noon, Israeli occupying forces in an armored personnel carrier on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah and snipers positioned on roofs of houses in the area fired at a number of Palestinian demonstrators. Two demonstrators and a journalist were wounded:
1. Nassim Hussein ‘Aqili, 15, from Bitounia, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head;
2. Mansour Yassin Salim, 20, from Al-Ram village, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head; and
3. Carlo Hanzhal, 48, a cameraman of Nile Satellite Channel, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the neck.
Also at noon, after the funeral procession of a number of Palestinians killed in Khuza’a village, Israeli occupying forces positioned southwest of Khan Yunis western cemetery fired at a number of Palestinian children who threw stones towards these forces. Three children were wounded:
1. Ra’fat ‘Abdel-Karim Zo’rob, 12, wounded by a live bullet in the left leg;
2. Ahmed Khaled Abu Rezeq, 11, wounded by two live bullets in the right ankle and the left leg; and
3. Zkaria Ibrahim Al-Ja’bir, 13, wounded by a live bullet in the right leg.
In an apparent willful killing, in the afternoon a special Israeli police unit shot dead 22-year-old Mahmoud Sa’id ‘Abdel-Rahim Salah, from Beit Wazan village, west of Nablus, in Beit Hanina area in occupied Jerusalem.
An Israeli policeman fired at the victim’s head from a very close distance upon an order by the commander of the Israeli police in Jerusalem, Mickey Levi. He was left to bleed to death.
According to information PCHR received from LAW, at approximately 16:00, Israeli occupying forces and police stopped two Palestinian young men in Beit Hanina area north of Jerusalem. Fifteen minutes later, they took one of them in a military jeep towards an unknown destination. Then, three Israeli policemen pushed the other young man down to the ground.
They cut his clothes, and one of them fired several live bullets from a very close distance at the young man’s head. He was left bleeding until death. The victim was identified as Mahmoud Sa’id ‘Abdel-Rahim Salah, 22, from Beit Wazan village west of Nablus.
The Israeli Yediot Ahronoth newspaper said on its Arabic web page that the commander of the Israeli police in Jerusalem ordered the killing of the young man, claiming that he resisted Israeli policemen when they attempted to deactivate a bomb he was carrying.
According to Palestinian eyewitnesses “the young man died in willful killing half an hour after his arrest.” According to Agence France Presse, around 12 Palestinians witnessed the incident from their houses and said that Mahmoud Salah was handcuffed when he was shot.
An eyewitness stated:
At 16:00 on Friday, 8 March 2002, I heard noise near the apartment building in occupied Jerusalem where I live. I looked out through the window at the adjacent road, which is only 8m away from the building. I saw an Israeli military jeep stooping two young men. I knew one of them who was Randi ‘Oudeh, from Beit Hanina area, but I could not identify the other young man.
I later knew that he was Mahmoud Sa’id ‘Abdel-Rahim Salah. I saw Israeli policemen pushing Mahmoud down on the abdomen. They handcuffed him, while Randi was taken by the military jeep to an unknown destination. They cut Mahmoud’s clothes. I did not see any bag with Mahmoud. I heard Israeli policemen interrogating him. They asked him about his name and place of residence. I could understand that he was from Nablus and his name is Mahmoud. Three Israeli policemen was surrounding the young man who was laid onto the ground.
One was putting his foot on the young man’s head, another was holding his legs and a third one was sitting on the knee and pointing his gun towards him. At 16:30, the third policeman fired 8 or 9 live bullets at the young man’s head. They left the area and the young man was bleeding. He was trying to move, but he could not as he was handcuffed. Residents of the area were not able to offer him help due to the curfew imposed by the Israeli police. Half an hour later, the young man was motionless.
At approximately 17:20, Israeli policemen brought a robot which pulled a black belt from the young man’s side. I was astonished as I did not see that belt when Israeli policemen cut the young man’s clothes. When they moved the young man’s body upward, I could notice that there was a large hole in the right side of his head which was penetrated by live bullets.
They took his fingerprint and photographed him. Then, an Israeli ambulance evacuated the body from the area.
At approximately 21:00, an Israeli military jeep raided Dura Al-Qare’ village, northeast of Ramallah. Israeli soldiers threw a hand grenade at a number of Palestinian young men in the street.
Ahmed Rabah Fawaqa, 28, was wounded by shrapnel throughout the body. Two fingers of his right hand were amputated.