24 apr 2002
At approximately 12:00, an undercover Israeli unit moved into Jaba’ village, south of Jenin, in a civilian truck, disguised as vegetable sellers. As soon as they got closer to the house of Ibrahim ‘Abda in the west of the village, they jumped out of the truck and surrounded the house. Soon, four armored vehicles and two helicopters of Israeli forces came to the area. Palestinian civilians threw stones towards Israeli forces, which soon opened fire.
Majdi Naji Mohammed Khalilia, 14, was killed by a live bullet in the abdomen, and four young men were wounded.
At approximately 04:00, while some Fatah leaders from Bani Na’im village, east of Hebron, were apparently holding a meeting in a cave in the north of the village, Israeli occupation forces, supported by a combat helicopter surrounded the cave. Israeli forces and the helicopter opened fire at the Fatah leaders without having resorted to less lethal means. Two of them were killed:
1. Ya’qub Mohammed Es’eifan al-Taraira, 35, Secretary of Fatah movement in the village; and
2. Mohammed ‘Abdul Halim al-Taraira, 43, a teacher.
Israeli forces took their bodies. Two were also wounded and arrested by Israeli forces:
1. Firas ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Manasra, 30; and
2. Najeh Mahmoud al-Taraira, 30.
At approximately 12:00, an undercover Israeli unit moved into Jaba’ village, south of Jenin, in a civilian truck, disguised as vegetable sellers. As soon as they got closer to the house of Ibrahim ‘Abda in the west of the village, they jumped out of the truck and surrounded the house. Soon, four armored vehicles and two helicopters of Israeli forces came to the area. Palestinian civilians threw stones towards Israeli forces, which soon opened fire.
Majdi Naji Mohammed Khalilia, 14, was killed by a live bullet in the abdomen, and four young men were wounded.
At approximately 04:00, while some Fatah leaders from Bani Na’im village, east of Hebron, were apparently holding a meeting in a cave in the north of the village, Israeli occupation forces, supported by a combat helicopter surrounded the cave. Israeli forces and the helicopter opened fire at the Fatah leaders without having resorted to less lethal means. Two of them were killed:
1. Ya’qub Mohammed Es’eifan al-Taraira, 35, Secretary of Fatah movement in the village; and
2. Mohammed ‘Abdul Halim al-Taraira, 43, a teacher.
Israeli forces took their bodies. Two were also wounded and arrested by Israeli forces:
1. Firas ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Manasra, 30; and
2. Najeh Mahmoud al-Taraira, 30.
23 apr 2002
At approximately 14:45, Israeli occupation forces opened fire at some Palestinian children in Beit Fajjar village, south of Bethlehem, who were playing near the entrance of the village.
Amin Ziad Thawabta, 14, was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the right armpit. Israeli occupation forces denied the access of an ambulance to the area on time. Later, he was evacuated to a hospital in Hebron, but soon he succumbed to his wound.
In an excessive and disproportionate use of force, at night, Israeli occupation forces killed three Palestinian children who were on their way to “Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza. According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 23:00, three Palestinian children from Gaza, all of them are classmates, moved towards “Netzarim” settlement, carrying sharp tools.
When they were approximately 200m away from the settlement, Israeli occupation forces in an adjacent military location opened fire at them. They were hit by heavy and medium caliber bullets throughout their bodies and were left in the area for more than 16 hours. It is not clear whether they died soon or were left bleeding to death.
At approximately 15:00 on the following day, their bodies were taken in a Palestinian ambulance to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza. According to medical sources at the hospital, the three children were hit by several heavy caliber bullets, and their bodies were distorted as the head of one of them was cut from the rest of his body.
The children were not members of any political faction, suggesting that they apparently went to the settlement by self-initiative in reaction to Israeli practices against the Palestinian people. The sharp tools they had did not pose any serious threat to lives of Israeli soldiers positioned in heavily-fortified locations. However, Israeli forces did not resort to less lethal means against them, and did not try to arrest them.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli heavy military vehicles moved approximately 1km into the east of Wadi al-Salqa village, east of Deir al-Balah, under the cover of intense shelling. They razed large areas of Palestinian agricultural land and some civilian facilities:
1. They razed a 5-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with corn and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Hammad ‘Awad Abu Meghasib.
2. They razed a 5-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with vegetables and corns and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Khaled ‘Awad Abu Meghasib.
3. They razed a 3-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with okras and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Mousa ‘Abdel Karim Abu Meghasib. They also seized his house and mounted its roof up to 16:00. They also killed birds and animals in a farm adjacent to the house.
4. They razed a 3-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with straws and vegetables and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Ziad ‘Awad Abu Meghasib.
5. They razed a 1-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Hammad ‘Awad Abu Meghasib.
6. They razed a 5-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with corns and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Ibrahim Salama Abu Jureiban. They also planted a mysterious object on the land.
7. They razed a 3-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with corns and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Yahia Mousa Abu Jureiban.
8. They razed a 3-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with citrus and palms and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Fa’eq Hussein Abu Meghasib. They also destroyed two 30-litre water tanks.
9. They razed a 13-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with almonds, olives and wheat and destroyed an irrigation network owned by ‘Abdul Hadi and Salim Abu Meghasib. They also damaged his tractor.
10. They razed a 2.5-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with straws and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Na’ima Hussein Abu Meghasib.
11. They razed a 4-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Mohammed ‘Abdul Majid Abu Meghasib. They also demolished a 60-meter-square house that served as a summer resort.
12.They destroyed a road, 2km long and 2m wide.
13.They destroyed a 30-meter-long water line.
At approximately 19:00, Israeli occupation forces arrested Mahmoud ‘Abdul Latif al-‘Assar, 50, deaf and dumb, from Jabalya refugee camp, while he was walking in al-Sayafa area, north of Beit Lahia.
They took him to “Dogit” settlement. According to eyewitnesses, an Israeli tank moved towards al-‘Assar and Israeli soldiers arrested him and took him to the settlement. He was released two hours later. An ambulance of Palestine Red Crescent Society took him to hospital.
According to medical sources, there were signs on his body that he was beaten.
At approximately 14:45, Israeli occupation forces opened fire at some Palestinian children in Beit Fajjar village, south of Bethlehem, who were playing near the entrance of the village.
Amin Ziad Thawabta, 14, was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the right armpit. Israeli occupation forces denied the access of an ambulance to the area on time. Later, he was evacuated to a hospital in Hebron, but soon he succumbed to his wound.
In an excessive and disproportionate use of force, at night, Israeli occupation forces killed three Palestinian children who were on their way to “Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza. According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 23:00, three Palestinian children from Gaza, all of them are classmates, moved towards “Netzarim” settlement, carrying sharp tools.
When they were approximately 200m away from the settlement, Israeli occupation forces in an adjacent military location opened fire at them. They were hit by heavy and medium caliber bullets throughout their bodies and were left in the area for more than 16 hours. It is not clear whether they died soon or were left bleeding to death.
At approximately 15:00 on the following day, their bodies were taken in a Palestinian ambulance to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza. According to medical sources at the hospital, the three children were hit by several heavy caliber bullets, and their bodies were distorted as the head of one of them was cut from the rest of his body.
The children were not members of any political faction, suggesting that they apparently went to the settlement by self-initiative in reaction to Israeli practices against the Palestinian people. The sharp tools they had did not pose any serious threat to lives of Israeli soldiers positioned in heavily-fortified locations. However, Israeli forces did not resort to less lethal means against them, and did not try to arrest them.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli heavy military vehicles moved approximately 1km into the east of Wadi al-Salqa village, east of Deir al-Balah, under the cover of intense shelling. They razed large areas of Palestinian agricultural land and some civilian facilities:
1. They razed a 5-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with corn and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Hammad ‘Awad Abu Meghasib.
2. They razed a 5-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with vegetables and corns and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Khaled ‘Awad Abu Meghasib.
3. They razed a 3-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with okras and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Mousa ‘Abdel Karim Abu Meghasib. They also seized his house and mounted its roof up to 16:00. They also killed birds and animals in a farm adjacent to the house.
4. They razed a 3-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with straws and vegetables and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Ziad ‘Awad Abu Meghasib.
5. They razed a 1-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Hammad ‘Awad Abu Meghasib.
6. They razed a 5-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with corns and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Ibrahim Salama Abu Jureiban. They also planted a mysterious object on the land.
7. They razed a 3-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with corns and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Yahia Mousa Abu Jureiban.
8. They razed a 3-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with citrus and palms and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Fa’eq Hussein Abu Meghasib. They also destroyed two 30-litre water tanks.
9. They razed a 13-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with almonds, olives and wheat and destroyed an irrigation network owned by ‘Abdul Hadi and Salim Abu Meghasib. They also damaged his tractor.
10. They razed a 2.5-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with straws and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Na’ima Hussein Abu Meghasib.
11. They razed a 4-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Mohammed ‘Abdul Majid Abu Meghasib. They also demolished a 60-meter-square house that served as a summer resort.
12.They destroyed a road, 2km long and 2m wide.
13.They destroyed a 30-meter-long water line.
At approximately 19:00, Israeli occupation forces arrested Mahmoud ‘Abdul Latif al-‘Assar, 50, deaf and dumb, from Jabalya refugee camp, while he was walking in al-Sayafa area, north of Beit Lahia.
They took him to “Dogit” settlement. According to eyewitnesses, an Israeli tank moved towards al-‘Assar and Israeli soldiers arrested him and took him to the settlement. He was released two hours later. An ambulance of Palestine Red Crescent Society took him to hospital.
According to medical sources, there were signs on his body that he was beaten.
22 apr 2002
At approximately 07:00, Israeli occupation forces at the northwestern entrance to Hebron fired at a Palestinian taxi, in which four Palestinian civilians were traveling coming from the western villages of Hebron. The driver and an occupant were wounded:
1. Yasser Mohammed al-Dababsa, 29, from Nouba village, wounded by shrapnel in the chest and the left hand;
2. Isma’il Mohammed al-‘Adam, 26, from Beit Oula village, wounded by shrapnel in the head, the mouth and the left shoulders.
An ambulance was able to evacuate them to hospital only 90 minutes later.
In the afternoon, two Palestinian young men from ‘Assira village, north of Nablus, where killed by Israeli occupation forces that had already raided the village. The two were wanted by Israeli forces for being members of Hamas. They are:
1. Eyad Hamdan Hamadna, 22; and
2. Taher Mohamed Taher Jarar’a, 22.
According to investigation carried out by LAW, at approximately 15:00 on Sunday, 21 April, Israeli occupation forces moved into ‘Assira village and searched houses for the wanted whom they think had escaped to the village during the Israeli offensive on Nablus.
On the following day, Israeli forces expanded their search to include mountainous areas surrounding the village. They found the two Palestinian young men and soon they killed them. Israeli forces kept the two bodies. They also arrested two young men in the village.
At approximately 14:30, Israeli occupation forces positioned at the entrance to ‘Askar refugee camp, east of Nablus, opened fire from heavy machine guns at some Palestinian civilians who were coming back from Nablus to their houses in the eastern villages of the city.
Jibril Ma’ruf ‘Alawna, 35, from ‘Azmout village, was killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the head.
According to eyewitnesses, ‘Allawna, a teacher, was on his way back home from his work. He resorted to an agricultural road due to the siege imposed on Nablus by Israeli occupation forces. Soon, Israeli forces shot him dead.
Assassinations
On Monday night, Israeli occupation forces assassinated two Palestinians:
1. Marwan Zallum, 42, a prominent leader of the Palestinian resistance in Hebron; and
2. Samir Abu Rajab al-Tamimi, 45, a member of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17).
At approximately 23:45, an Israeli combat helicopter launched two missiles at a civilian cat in al-Salam Street in the west of Hebron. Zallum and al-Tamimi were killed and the car was totally destroyed. On its web page, the Israeli daily Yediot Aharanot said that Israeli combat helicopters shelled the car of Marwan Zallum, identified as the leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Hebron, killing him.
Attacks on the Press
On Monday, Israeli occupation forces confiscated press cards of 24 journalists and reporters in Bethlehem working for foreign televisions and press agencies. An Israeli military jeep stopped the journalists while they were on their way to the Church of the Nativity.
Israeli soldiers took the journalists’ press cards issued by the Israeli governmental press bureau and told them the cards would be brought back to them in their hotel when they come back. The journalists were covering incidents in Daraj al-Sawaqa area near the Church of the Nativity.
Israeli forces stopped and surrounded them and forced them to deliver their press cards. They also forced the journalists to go back to Star Hotel and ordered them not to go out. Israeli forces also transformed the hotel into a military location.
On the same day, Israeli occupation forced opened fire at the car of Mohammed Mousa Manasra, 52, a journalist from Bethlehem.
According to Manasra, Israeli soldiers in the market area in the centre of Bethlehem fired at his car, which was clearly marked as a press car. Manasra was traveling with his family. The car was hit by several live bullets, but no casualties were reported.
At approximately 07:00, Israeli occupation forces at the northwestern entrance to Hebron fired at a Palestinian taxi, in which four Palestinian civilians were traveling coming from the western villages of Hebron. The driver and an occupant were wounded:
1. Yasser Mohammed al-Dababsa, 29, from Nouba village, wounded by shrapnel in the chest and the left hand;
2. Isma’il Mohammed al-‘Adam, 26, from Beit Oula village, wounded by shrapnel in the head, the mouth and the left shoulders.
An ambulance was able to evacuate them to hospital only 90 minutes later.
In the afternoon, two Palestinian young men from ‘Assira village, north of Nablus, where killed by Israeli occupation forces that had already raided the village. The two were wanted by Israeli forces for being members of Hamas. They are:
1. Eyad Hamdan Hamadna, 22; and
2. Taher Mohamed Taher Jarar’a, 22.
According to investigation carried out by LAW, at approximately 15:00 on Sunday, 21 April, Israeli occupation forces moved into ‘Assira village and searched houses for the wanted whom they think had escaped to the village during the Israeli offensive on Nablus.
On the following day, Israeli forces expanded their search to include mountainous areas surrounding the village. They found the two Palestinian young men and soon they killed them. Israeli forces kept the two bodies. They also arrested two young men in the village.
At approximately 14:30, Israeli occupation forces positioned at the entrance to ‘Askar refugee camp, east of Nablus, opened fire from heavy machine guns at some Palestinian civilians who were coming back from Nablus to their houses in the eastern villages of the city.
Jibril Ma’ruf ‘Alawna, 35, from ‘Azmout village, was killed by a heavy caliber bullet in the head.
According to eyewitnesses, ‘Allawna, a teacher, was on his way back home from his work. He resorted to an agricultural road due to the siege imposed on Nablus by Israeli occupation forces. Soon, Israeli forces shot him dead.
Assassinations
On Monday night, Israeli occupation forces assassinated two Palestinians:
1. Marwan Zallum, 42, a prominent leader of the Palestinian resistance in Hebron; and
2. Samir Abu Rajab al-Tamimi, 45, a member of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17).
At approximately 23:45, an Israeli combat helicopter launched two missiles at a civilian cat in al-Salam Street in the west of Hebron. Zallum and al-Tamimi were killed and the car was totally destroyed. On its web page, the Israeli daily Yediot Aharanot said that Israeli combat helicopters shelled the car of Marwan Zallum, identified as the leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Hebron, killing him.
Attacks on the Press
On Monday, Israeli occupation forces confiscated press cards of 24 journalists and reporters in Bethlehem working for foreign televisions and press agencies. An Israeli military jeep stopped the journalists while they were on their way to the Church of the Nativity.
Israeli soldiers took the journalists’ press cards issued by the Israeli governmental press bureau and told them the cards would be brought back to them in their hotel when they come back. The journalists were covering incidents in Daraj al-Sawaqa area near the Church of the Nativity.
Israeli forces stopped and surrounded them and forced them to deliver their press cards. They also forced the journalists to go back to Star Hotel and ordered them not to go out. Israeli forces also transformed the hotel into a military location.
On the same day, Israeli occupation forced opened fire at the car of Mohammed Mousa Manasra, 52, a journalist from Bethlehem.
According to Manasra, Israeli soldiers in the market area in the centre of Bethlehem fired at his car, which was clearly marked as a press car. Manasra was traveling with his family. The car was hit by several live bullets, but no casualties were reported.
21 apr 2002
Operation Defencive shield
On Sunday morning, Israeli occupation forces declared that they had “withdrawn” from the cities of Ramallah, al-Bireh, Nablus and Jenin, while maintaining strict sieges on the compound of President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and the Church of the Ntivity in Bethlehem and redeploying in tight cordons around these cities.
The destruction and war crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces, especially in Nablus and Jenin, are apparent now that cities in the West Bank have become accessible to independent observers. A number of international missions described what happened in Jenin as more violent than an earthquake, and a European parliamentary delegation described it as a war crime.
After withdrawing from Jenin refugee camp, Israeli forces continued their attempts to conceal evidence of human rights violations.
On Thursday evening, 18 April, Israeli occupation forces blocked two Norwegian and Swedish delegations who were on their way to Jenin refugee camp to express their solidarity with its residents and provide assistance in the rescue and removal of bodies. Israeli forces stopped the delegates at al-Jalama roadblock for three hours and then forced them to go back.
On Friday, 19 April, Israeli authorities deported a mission of international experts who came to gather evidence on violations committed by Israeli occupation forces in Jenin refugee camp. The mission came upon an invitation by PCHR, the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), and Adalah, in coordination with the office of the Arab member of Knesset ‘Azmi Bishara. The mission included five experts from Greece, Denmark and Australia.
On Tuesday, 23 April, the Israeli government canceled its agreement to cooperate with a fact-finding commission formed by UN Secretary General Kofi Anan to investigate crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces in Jenin refugee camp. The commission is comprised of four members: the former Finnish President Marthi Ahtsiri as ahead, former UN High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata, the former director of ICRC Cornelio Somaruga and former US army general Bill Nash.
The Israeli government has withdrawn its initial promises of investigation. According to initial estimations by the World Health Organization and the Palestinian Ministry of Health, around 600 houses were totally destroyed and 200 rendered uninhabitable in Jenin refugee camp.
In the old city of Nablus, Israeli occupation forces destroyed the 3,000-year heritage of the city, including numerous historical buildings. Israeli forces destroyed the centre of the city, which included Roman and Islamic objets d’art. They also destroyed many buildings from the Ottoman era. Israeli forces also destroyed many old houses and factories. They also partially destroyed the Roman wells and a nunnery. A mosque that was built in 1187 was also severely damaged.
At approximately 09:00, Israeli occupation forces in a military location near Salah al-Din Gate at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, shelled adjacent Palestinian houses. The shelling continued until 17:00, during which six Palestinian children were wounded.
Among the wounded was 4-year-old Ahmed Yahia Zannun, who was critically wounded in Kherbat al-‘Adas area, approximately 2km north of Salah al-Din Gate. In his testimony to PCHR, an eyewitness said:
“At approximately 13:15 on Sunday, 21 April 2002, I was on my way back home from ‘Abdullah Abu Sitta School in Khan Yunis. When I arrived at Kherbat al-‘Adas area, where I live, I was hearing sounds of intense shooting. Then, I saw a woman and three children walking in front of me. Suddenly, one of the children fell onto the ground.
His mother carried him and ran towards the centre of the town. A relative of mine, Mohammed al-Nahhal, who was in the area, took the child who was bleeding from the head and evacuated him in a civilian car to hospital. I went home. Approximately an hour later, my relative returned. His clothes were full of blood. He was very tired, so I took him to Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah where he received medical treatment.
In the hospital, I knew that the child’s name is Ahmed Yahia Zannun, 4, from Kherbat al-‘Adas area, and he was transferred to the European Hospital in Khan Yunis as he was in critical condition.”
According to medical sources, the child was wounded by a live bullet in the head. The others who were wounded are:
1. ‘Emad ‘Omar al-Mughayar, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the right leg;
2. Hussein Ahmed Shaqfa, 15, wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh;
3. Mohammed Rasmi Abu Taha, 14, wounded by shrapnel in the chest;
4. Mustafa Sa’di Siam, 15, wounded by shrapnel in the head; and
5. Yousef Saleh Abu Jazar, 11, wounded by a live bullet in the left foot.
At approximately 10:15, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles and two bulldozers, moved into Um al-Silk area in the south of Khan Yunis. They razed 20 donums of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with potatoes and destroyed an agricultural network owned by Ahmed Suleiman al-Sha’er.
2. They razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with peppers and destroyed an agricultural network owned by Hamdi Hussein al-Sha’er.
Israeli forces also uprooted 20 olive trees and demolished a 10-meter-long fence on a tract of agricultural land owned by Mohammed Mahmoud Zo’rob. They also detained and interrogated four laborers for four hours.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Kfar Darom” settlement, east of Deir al-Balah, fired two artillery shells at al-Heker area, west of the settlement. One of the shells fell onto a road in the area, while the other shell fell into the yard of a house of the al-‘Odeini family.
Anwar Ahmed al-‘Odeini, 7, was wounded by shrapnel in the right shoulder. The shell hit an olive tree before it hit the yard. PCHR’s field worker in the central Gaza Strip reported that the area was completely quiet when Israeli forces shelled it.
In an apparent willful killing, Israeli occupation shot dead two Palestinian civilians in al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 23:00, around 60 Israeli occupation soldiers moved approximately 1km into the northeast of al-Boreij refugee camp.
At the time, two Palestinian civilians, Khaled Ahmed Fureij al-Nabahin, 32, and Akram Mohammed Suleiman al-‘Awawda, 24, were on their way back home. When they noticed Israeli soldiers in the area, they moved back and ran in attempt to escape, but Israeli soldiers immediately opened fire at them.
Al-Nabahin was wounded in the chest, while al-‘Awawda was able to escape to his house. He mounted the roof and asked his relatives for help, but Israeli soldiers shot him dead with two live bullets in the head.
A bystander moved towards al-Nabahin who was still alive and pulled him with the assistance of another woman. Al-Nabahin was crying for help. An ambulance came to the area, but Israeli forces opened fire intensively and medical personnel were not able to offer al-Nabahin help.
They were able to reach him only at 01:00, by which time he had died. Al-‘Awawda is brother of Tariq Mohammed Suleiman al-‘Awawda who was killed together with his aunt and her three children in an explosion of a landmine on 15 March 2002.
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupation forces at Qalandya roadblock, north of occupied Jerusalem, fired at an ambulance of Khaled Hospital in Ramallah. The ambulance was hit by several live bullets.
The driver and a patient were also wounded by shards of glass.
In an apparent willful killing, in the afternoon, Israeli occupation forces shot dead Nasser ‘Abdul Razeq Badran, 33, from Deir al-Ghosoun village, north of Tulkarm. He was left bleeding to death, without Israeli forces allowing an ambulance to reach him.
According to the victim’s relatives, at approximately 16:00, when the curfew imposed on the village was lifted, he went to his farm in the east of the village.
Israeli forces fired at him, wounding him with two live bullets in the lungs and the left leg. Israeli forces prevented an ambulance of Palestine Red Crescent Society from evacuating him to hospital.
An Israeli soldier even told the ambulance driver that they wanted Badran dead. His body was taken to Dr. Thabet Thabet Hospital. He was handcuffed and there were signs of torture on his face as his lower lip was removed.
Attacks on the Press
Israeli occupation forces raided the offices of the local weekly Palestine in Ramallah. They destroyed the equipment and furniture of the offices.
Operation Defencive shield
On Sunday morning, Israeli occupation forces declared that they had “withdrawn” from the cities of Ramallah, al-Bireh, Nablus and Jenin, while maintaining strict sieges on the compound of President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah and the Church of the Ntivity in Bethlehem and redeploying in tight cordons around these cities.
The destruction and war crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces, especially in Nablus and Jenin, are apparent now that cities in the West Bank have become accessible to independent observers. A number of international missions described what happened in Jenin as more violent than an earthquake, and a European parliamentary delegation described it as a war crime.
After withdrawing from Jenin refugee camp, Israeli forces continued their attempts to conceal evidence of human rights violations.
On Thursday evening, 18 April, Israeli occupation forces blocked two Norwegian and Swedish delegations who were on their way to Jenin refugee camp to express their solidarity with its residents and provide assistance in the rescue and removal of bodies. Israeli forces stopped the delegates at al-Jalama roadblock for three hours and then forced them to go back.
On Friday, 19 April, Israeli authorities deported a mission of international experts who came to gather evidence on violations committed by Israeli occupation forces in Jenin refugee camp. The mission came upon an invitation by PCHR, the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), and Adalah, in coordination with the office of the Arab member of Knesset ‘Azmi Bishara. The mission included five experts from Greece, Denmark and Australia.
On Tuesday, 23 April, the Israeli government canceled its agreement to cooperate with a fact-finding commission formed by UN Secretary General Kofi Anan to investigate crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces in Jenin refugee camp. The commission is comprised of four members: the former Finnish President Marthi Ahtsiri as ahead, former UN High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata, the former director of ICRC Cornelio Somaruga and former US army general Bill Nash.
The Israeli government has withdrawn its initial promises of investigation. According to initial estimations by the World Health Organization and the Palestinian Ministry of Health, around 600 houses were totally destroyed and 200 rendered uninhabitable in Jenin refugee camp.
In the old city of Nablus, Israeli occupation forces destroyed the 3,000-year heritage of the city, including numerous historical buildings. Israeli forces destroyed the centre of the city, which included Roman and Islamic objets d’art. They also destroyed many buildings from the Ottoman era. Israeli forces also destroyed many old houses and factories. They also partially destroyed the Roman wells and a nunnery. A mosque that was built in 1187 was also severely damaged.
At approximately 09:00, Israeli occupation forces in a military location near Salah al-Din Gate at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, shelled adjacent Palestinian houses. The shelling continued until 17:00, during which six Palestinian children were wounded.
Among the wounded was 4-year-old Ahmed Yahia Zannun, who was critically wounded in Kherbat al-‘Adas area, approximately 2km north of Salah al-Din Gate. In his testimony to PCHR, an eyewitness said:
“At approximately 13:15 on Sunday, 21 April 2002, I was on my way back home from ‘Abdullah Abu Sitta School in Khan Yunis. When I arrived at Kherbat al-‘Adas area, where I live, I was hearing sounds of intense shooting. Then, I saw a woman and three children walking in front of me. Suddenly, one of the children fell onto the ground.
His mother carried him and ran towards the centre of the town. A relative of mine, Mohammed al-Nahhal, who was in the area, took the child who was bleeding from the head and evacuated him in a civilian car to hospital. I went home. Approximately an hour later, my relative returned. His clothes were full of blood. He was very tired, so I took him to Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah where he received medical treatment.
In the hospital, I knew that the child’s name is Ahmed Yahia Zannun, 4, from Kherbat al-‘Adas area, and he was transferred to the European Hospital in Khan Yunis as he was in critical condition.”
According to medical sources, the child was wounded by a live bullet in the head. The others who were wounded are:
1. ‘Emad ‘Omar al-Mughayar, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the right leg;
2. Hussein Ahmed Shaqfa, 15, wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh;
3. Mohammed Rasmi Abu Taha, 14, wounded by shrapnel in the chest;
4. Mustafa Sa’di Siam, 15, wounded by shrapnel in the head; and
5. Yousef Saleh Abu Jazar, 11, wounded by a live bullet in the left foot.
At approximately 10:15, Israeli occupation forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles and two bulldozers, moved into Um al-Silk area in the south of Khan Yunis. They razed 20 donums of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with potatoes and destroyed an agricultural network owned by Ahmed Suleiman al-Sha’er.
2. They razed a 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with peppers and destroyed an agricultural network owned by Hamdi Hussein al-Sha’er.
Israeli forces also uprooted 20 olive trees and demolished a 10-meter-long fence on a tract of agricultural land owned by Mohammed Mahmoud Zo’rob. They also detained and interrogated four laborers for four hours.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Kfar Darom” settlement, east of Deir al-Balah, fired two artillery shells at al-Heker area, west of the settlement. One of the shells fell onto a road in the area, while the other shell fell into the yard of a house of the al-‘Odeini family.
Anwar Ahmed al-‘Odeini, 7, was wounded by shrapnel in the right shoulder. The shell hit an olive tree before it hit the yard. PCHR’s field worker in the central Gaza Strip reported that the area was completely quiet when Israeli forces shelled it.
In an apparent willful killing, Israeli occupation shot dead two Palestinian civilians in al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 23:00, around 60 Israeli occupation soldiers moved approximately 1km into the northeast of al-Boreij refugee camp.
At the time, two Palestinian civilians, Khaled Ahmed Fureij al-Nabahin, 32, and Akram Mohammed Suleiman al-‘Awawda, 24, were on their way back home. When they noticed Israeli soldiers in the area, they moved back and ran in attempt to escape, but Israeli soldiers immediately opened fire at them.
Al-Nabahin was wounded in the chest, while al-‘Awawda was able to escape to his house. He mounted the roof and asked his relatives for help, but Israeli soldiers shot him dead with two live bullets in the head.
A bystander moved towards al-Nabahin who was still alive and pulled him with the assistance of another woman. Al-Nabahin was crying for help. An ambulance came to the area, but Israeli forces opened fire intensively and medical personnel were not able to offer al-Nabahin help.
They were able to reach him only at 01:00, by which time he had died. Al-‘Awawda is brother of Tariq Mohammed Suleiman al-‘Awawda who was killed together with his aunt and her three children in an explosion of a landmine on 15 March 2002.
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupation forces at Qalandya roadblock, north of occupied Jerusalem, fired at an ambulance of Khaled Hospital in Ramallah. The ambulance was hit by several live bullets.
The driver and a patient were also wounded by shards of glass.
In an apparent willful killing, in the afternoon, Israeli occupation forces shot dead Nasser ‘Abdul Razeq Badran, 33, from Deir al-Ghosoun village, north of Tulkarm. He was left bleeding to death, without Israeli forces allowing an ambulance to reach him.
According to the victim’s relatives, at approximately 16:00, when the curfew imposed on the village was lifted, he went to his farm in the east of the village.
Israeli forces fired at him, wounding him with two live bullets in the lungs and the left leg. Israeli forces prevented an ambulance of Palestine Red Crescent Society from evacuating him to hospital.
An Israeli soldier even told the ambulance driver that they wanted Badran dead. His body was taken to Dr. Thabet Thabet Hospital. He was handcuffed and there were signs of torture on his face as his lower lip was removed.
Attacks on the Press
Israeli occupation forces raided the offices of the local weekly Palestine in Ramallah. They destroyed the equipment and furniture of the offices.
20 apr 2002
At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” settlement, northwest of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Amal neighborhood in the west of Khan Yunis.
Fadhel Tahsin Barbakh, 23, was wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh while at home. In addition, a number of houses were damaged.
At approximately 04:00, Israeli occupation forces in a military location near al-Mentar crossing, east of Gaza, for no apparent reason, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of the city.
Nasser Sa’id al-‘Ejel, 46, was wounded by a live bullet in the left foot, while near his house.
At approximately 09:00, Israeli occupation forces positioned near Salah al-Din Gate at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, shelled adjacent Palestinian houses. In the meanwhile, Israeli bulldozers leveled a number of houses and shops that they had already demolished.
The shelling continued until 20:00, during which 14 Palestinians, mostly children, were wounded:
1. ‘Abdul Rahman ‘Abdul Ghaffar al-Masri, 24, wounded by shrapnel from an explosion of a mysterious object throughout the body;
2. Mohammed Kamel Abu Jazar, 18, wounded by shrapnel from an artillery shell in the left elbow;
3. Mohammed Tawfiq Abu Muhsen, 22, wounded by shrapnel in the face and eyes;
4. Shadi Salem al-Sha’er, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the right shoulder;
5. Mohammed Kamel al-Shakhrit, 16, wounded by a live bullet in the left knee;
6. Jamil Isma’il al-Faramawi, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the face and the left shoulder;
7. ‘Ali Fawzi Abu Hussein, 16, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body;
8. Ra’ed Mohammed Ghabbun, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the right forearm;
9. Tamer Ahmed al-Sawalma, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the left thigh;
10. Ramzi Samih Musleh, 18, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen;
11. Ahmed Jihad al-Qadhi, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the left leg;
12. ‘Abdul Rahman Sa’id Abu Zeid, 40, wounded by shrapnel in the left leg;
13. ‘Abdul Karim Mahmoud Abu Taha, 12, wounded by shrapnel in the left leg; and
14. Mohammed Ziad al-Qutati, 13, wounded by shrapnel in the right hand.
A number of Palestinian houses in Block O area, Qeshta neighborhood and ‘Omar Ben al-Khattab Street were also severely damaged. Residents of Rafah though that its was a wide scale Israeli incursion as the shelling continued for a long time. So, many people left their houses.
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupation forces on a settler road between al-Shuhada’ junction and al-Mentar crossing, for no apparent reason, opened fire at Palestinian farms in the east of Gaza.
Maher Harb Abu Namus, 29, was wounded by a live bullet in the right foot while farming.
At approximately 13:10, Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, fired at a number of Palestinian boys who were demonstrating after the funeral procession of Mohammed Wadi and ‘Abdullah Abu ‘Oudeh.
Akram Sami Safi, 16, was wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh.
At approximately 21:30, Israeli occupation soldiers in a military jeep opened fire at a civilian car that was traveling on a road between Ramun and Deir Dibwan villages, northeast of Ramallah. Two Palestinian civilians who were travelling in the car were wounded:
1. Munif Wajdi ‘Allan, 16, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen; and
2. Ziad Jamil Dahdoul, 19, wounded by a live bullet in the shoulder.
Three Children Run Over by an Israeli Military Vehicle
Saturday afternoon, three Palestinian children, two brothers and their nephew, from ‘Awarta village, southeast of Nablus, were killed when an Israeli military vehicle deliberately hit the car they were traveling in.
According to investigation carried out by LAW, at approximately 14:00, while Bassam Shehada ‘Awad, 50, from ‘Awarta village, was driving his car at the entrance of the village, with his three children and his nephew traveling in the car, he was surprised by an Israeli military vehicle hitting his car deliberately from the back for more than once. The car was forced off the road and flipped over. Two of his children and his nephew were killed:
1. Ahmed Bassam Shehada ‘Awad, 14;
2. Ra’fat Bassam Shehada ‘Awad, 12; and
3. Faraj Hekmat ‘Edwan, 4.
‘Awad and his third child were also seriously wounded.
Attacks on the Press
On Saturday evening, Israeli occupation forces arrested Mahmfouzh Abu Turk, 54, from occupied Jerusalem, a cameraman of Reuters. Abu Turk was on his way back home after he had covered incidents in Jenin. When he arrived in Ramallah, Israeli forces arrested him.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Gani Tal” settlement, northwest of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Amal neighborhood in the west of Khan Yunis.
Fadhel Tahsin Barbakh, 23, was wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh while at home. In addition, a number of houses were damaged.
At approximately 04:00, Israeli occupation forces in a military location near al-Mentar crossing, east of Gaza, for no apparent reason, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of the city.
Nasser Sa’id al-‘Ejel, 46, was wounded by a live bullet in the left foot, while near his house.
At approximately 09:00, Israeli occupation forces positioned near Salah al-Din Gate at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, shelled adjacent Palestinian houses. In the meanwhile, Israeli bulldozers leveled a number of houses and shops that they had already demolished.
The shelling continued until 20:00, during which 14 Palestinians, mostly children, were wounded:
1. ‘Abdul Rahman ‘Abdul Ghaffar al-Masri, 24, wounded by shrapnel from an explosion of a mysterious object throughout the body;
2. Mohammed Kamel Abu Jazar, 18, wounded by shrapnel from an artillery shell in the left elbow;
3. Mohammed Tawfiq Abu Muhsen, 22, wounded by shrapnel in the face and eyes;
4. Shadi Salem al-Sha’er, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the right shoulder;
5. Mohammed Kamel al-Shakhrit, 16, wounded by a live bullet in the left knee;
6. Jamil Isma’il al-Faramawi, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the face and the left shoulder;
7. ‘Ali Fawzi Abu Hussein, 16, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body;
8. Ra’ed Mohammed Ghabbun, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the right forearm;
9. Tamer Ahmed al-Sawalma, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the left thigh;
10. Ramzi Samih Musleh, 18, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen;
11. Ahmed Jihad al-Qadhi, 18, wounded by shrapnel in the left leg;
12. ‘Abdul Rahman Sa’id Abu Zeid, 40, wounded by shrapnel in the left leg;
13. ‘Abdul Karim Mahmoud Abu Taha, 12, wounded by shrapnel in the left leg; and
14. Mohammed Ziad al-Qutati, 13, wounded by shrapnel in the right hand.
A number of Palestinian houses in Block O area, Qeshta neighborhood and ‘Omar Ben al-Khattab Street were also severely damaged. Residents of Rafah though that its was a wide scale Israeli incursion as the shelling continued for a long time. So, many people left their houses.
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupation forces on a settler road between al-Shuhada’ junction and al-Mentar crossing, for no apparent reason, opened fire at Palestinian farms in the east of Gaza.
Maher Harb Abu Namus, 29, was wounded by a live bullet in the right foot while farming.
At approximately 13:10, Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement, west of Khan Yunis, fired at a number of Palestinian boys who were demonstrating after the funeral procession of Mohammed Wadi and ‘Abdullah Abu ‘Oudeh.
Akram Sami Safi, 16, was wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh.
At approximately 21:30, Israeli occupation soldiers in a military jeep opened fire at a civilian car that was traveling on a road between Ramun and Deir Dibwan villages, northeast of Ramallah. Two Palestinian civilians who were travelling in the car were wounded:
1. Munif Wajdi ‘Allan, 16, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen; and
2. Ziad Jamil Dahdoul, 19, wounded by a live bullet in the shoulder.
Three Children Run Over by an Israeli Military Vehicle
Saturday afternoon, three Palestinian children, two brothers and their nephew, from ‘Awarta village, southeast of Nablus, were killed when an Israeli military vehicle deliberately hit the car they were traveling in.
According to investigation carried out by LAW, at approximately 14:00, while Bassam Shehada ‘Awad, 50, from ‘Awarta village, was driving his car at the entrance of the village, with his three children and his nephew traveling in the car, he was surprised by an Israeli military vehicle hitting his car deliberately from the back for more than once. The car was forced off the road and flipped over. Two of his children and his nephew were killed:
1. Ahmed Bassam Shehada ‘Awad, 14;
2. Ra’fat Bassam Shehada ‘Awad, 12; and
3. Faraj Hekmat ‘Edwan, 4.
‘Awad and his third child were also seriously wounded.
Attacks on the Press
On Saturday evening, Israeli occupation forces arrested Mahmfouzh Abu Turk, 54, from occupied Jerusalem, a cameraman of Reuters. Abu Turk was on his way back home after he had covered incidents in Jenin. When he arrived in Ramallah, Israeli forces arrested him.
19 apr 2002
At approximately 01:00, Israeli heavy military vehicles moved approximately 200m into al-Sha’er neighborhood, adjacent to the Egyptian border south of Rafah. During the incursion, which continued until 03:00, Israeli forces intensely shelled Palestinian houses and mounted roofs of some houses, from which they opened fire. A number of Palestinian gunmen confronted the invading Israeli forces. Two gunmen and a civilian were killed:
1. Manar ‘Abdul Qader al-Sha’er, 31, hit by several live bullets throughout the body;
2. Yousef Khamis Zannun, 41, hit by a live bullet in the head; and
3. Murad ‘Omar Qeshta, 20, hit by two live bullets in the abdomen.
In addition, three Palestinian civilians were wounded:
1. Nasser ‘Abdul Hai Abu Lebda, 22, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh;
2. Mahmoud Yousef Abu Taha, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the right foot; and
3. Maher Sabri al-Shamali, 20, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh.
After they had redeployed around Qalqilya, at approximately 03:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into the town up to its centre. They surrounded the house of ‘Adnan Sa’id Daoud, 51, already arrested by Israeli forces, claiming that his son was wanted. They ordered the wife and the daughter to leave the house. Then, an Israeli combat helicopter launched two missiles at the house, totally destroying it. The house was rented by Daoud from Nemer al-Haddad.
At approximately 06:00, Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza, shelled Palestinian houses in al-Mughraqa area. Three houses were damaged:
1. Two artillery shells hit a 250-square-meter, two-story house, in which five families comprised of 42 persons live, owned by Mahmoud Mustafa al-Qassas, burning a room, cracking walls and destroying a water tank.
2. An artillery shell hit a 15-square-meter, under-construction house, owned by Salim Hindi Abu Shalluf, making holes in the roof and walls.
3. An artillery shell hit a 120-square-meter, one-story house, in which 13 persons live, owned by Selmi ‘Oudeh Abu Shalluf, damaging its façades and its furniture and wounding the owner’s four children:
(a) Midhat, 1½, with shrapnel in the back;
(b) ‘Oudeh, 3, with shrapnel in the head;
(c) Asmahan, with shrapnel in the back; and
(d) Amani, with shrapnel in the right leg.
At approximately 12:30, Israeli occupation soldiers on a tank fired at 15-year-old Mohammed Khalil Kasra, from Ramallah, from close range, wounding him with a live bullet in the head. They left him bleeding to death.
According to investigations carried out by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), Kasra was killed for no apparent reason, while he was going to a bakery to buy bread.
At approximately 21:30, Israeli occupation forces raided the house of Mahmoud Khalil Abu Samra, only 20m north of “Kfar Darom” settlement in the east of Deir al-Balah. Soon, they detained Abu Samra, his wife and his two-year-old child in one room. Some Israeli soldiers took positions on the roof of the house, while others remained inside it.
They remained there for two days, allowing the family to have their living needs only under their observation. They damaged the furniture of the house. Before raiding the house, Israeli forces demolished a 2-donum bird farm, owned by Fawzi Khalil Abu Samra, only 10m away from the house.
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupation forces raided al-Mazra’a al-Sharqia village, northeast of Ramallah. They opened fire at Palestinian houses in the village, wounding 20-year-old Amal Mahmoud ‘Azzam, with shrapnel in the left thigh, while she was inside her house.
At approximately 16:00, Israeli occupation forces positioned near al-Mentar crossing, southeast of Gaza, fired at some Palestinian young men who were demonstrating approximately 200m away. Two demonstrators were wounded:
1. Mustafa Ahmed Madhi, 19, from al-Zayroun neighborhood in Gaza, wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh; and
2. Ashraf Mustafa al-Taramsi, 27, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli heavy military vehicles moved approximately 200m into al-Sha’er neighborhood, adjacent to the Egyptian border south of Rafah. During the incursion, which continued until 03:00, Israeli forces intensely shelled Palestinian houses and mounted roofs of some houses, from which they opened fire. A number of Palestinian gunmen confronted the invading Israeli forces. Two gunmen and a civilian were killed:
1. Manar ‘Abdul Qader al-Sha’er, 31, hit by several live bullets throughout the body;
2. Yousef Khamis Zannun, 41, hit by a live bullet in the head; and
3. Murad ‘Omar Qeshta, 20, hit by two live bullets in the abdomen.
In addition, three Palestinian civilians were wounded:
1. Nasser ‘Abdul Hai Abu Lebda, 22, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh;
2. Mahmoud Yousef Abu Taha, 16, wounded by shrapnel in the right foot; and
3. Maher Sabri al-Shamali, 20, wounded by shrapnel in the right thigh.
After they had redeployed around Qalqilya, at approximately 03:00, Israeli occupation forces moved into the town up to its centre. They surrounded the house of ‘Adnan Sa’id Daoud, 51, already arrested by Israeli forces, claiming that his son was wanted. They ordered the wife and the daughter to leave the house. Then, an Israeli combat helicopter launched two missiles at the house, totally destroying it. The house was rented by Daoud from Nemer al-Haddad.
At approximately 06:00, Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of “Netzarim” settlement, south of Gaza, shelled Palestinian houses in al-Mughraqa area. Three houses were damaged:
1. Two artillery shells hit a 250-square-meter, two-story house, in which five families comprised of 42 persons live, owned by Mahmoud Mustafa al-Qassas, burning a room, cracking walls and destroying a water tank.
2. An artillery shell hit a 15-square-meter, under-construction house, owned by Salim Hindi Abu Shalluf, making holes in the roof and walls.
3. An artillery shell hit a 120-square-meter, one-story house, in which 13 persons live, owned by Selmi ‘Oudeh Abu Shalluf, damaging its façades and its furniture and wounding the owner’s four children:
(a) Midhat, 1½, with shrapnel in the back;
(b) ‘Oudeh, 3, with shrapnel in the head;
(c) Asmahan, with shrapnel in the back; and
(d) Amani, with shrapnel in the right leg.
At approximately 12:30, Israeli occupation soldiers on a tank fired at 15-year-old Mohammed Khalil Kasra, from Ramallah, from close range, wounding him with a live bullet in the head. They left him bleeding to death.
According to investigations carried out by the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment (LAW), Kasra was killed for no apparent reason, while he was going to a bakery to buy bread.
At approximately 21:30, Israeli occupation forces raided the house of Mahmoud Khalil Abu Samra, only 20m north of “Kfar Darom” settlement in the east of Deir al-Balah. Soon, they detained Abu Samra, his wife and his two-year-old child in one room. Some Israeli soldiers took positions on the roof of the house, while others remained inside it.
They remained there for two days, allowing the family to have their living needs only under their observation. They damaged the furniture of the house. Before raiding the house, Israeli forces demolished a 2-donum bird farm, owned by Fawzi Khalil Abu Samra, only 10m away from the house.
At approximately 10:00, Israeli occupation forces raided al-Mazra’a al-Sharqia village, northeast of Ramallah. They opened fire at Palestinian houses in the village, wounding 20-year-old Amal Mahmoud ‘Azzam, with shrapnel in the left thigh, while she was inside her house.
At approximately 16:00, Israeli occupation forces positioned near al-Mentar crossing, southeast of Gaza, fired at some Palestinian young men who were demonstrating approximately 200m away. Two demonstrators were wounded:
1. Mustafa Ahmed Madhi, 19, from al-Zayroun neighborhood in Gaza, wounded by a live bullet in the right thigh; and
2. Ashraf Mustafa al-Taramsi, 27, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza, wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen.
18 apr 2002
In the afternoon, Palestinians discovered the body of Ibrahim Mohammed Wishah, 28, a member of the Palestinian National Security Force from Gaza, in a farm in the north of Dura village in Hebron. He had been killed by shrapnel throughout the body.
Wishah was working in a store of the Palestinian National Security Force in Taffauh village, west of Hebron. Some days before his body was discovered, he went back home from his work through a mountainous road. At the time, Israeli occupation forces had seized full control over Dura village. Israeli helicopter gunships opened fire at mountains and farms surrounding the village. Wishah was apparently hit by gunfire from Israeli helicopters.
At approximately 18:00, an Israeli sniper in the vicinity of the headquarters of the Palestinian Preventive Security service in Bitounia, west of Ramallah, already seized by these forces, fired at 9-year-old Fadhel Mahmoud Abu Zuhaira, seriously wounding him with a live bullet in the abdomen. He succumbed to his wound on the way to hospital.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli occupation forces moved approximately 300m into PNA controlled areas west of “Morag” settlement in the south of Khan Yunis in the Gaza strip. During a two-hour incursion, they raided and searched the house of Ahmed Juhaini al-Sawarka.
After they left the house, they razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Darwish al-Masri, and uprooted 20 trees in the area. They also destroyed an irrigation network owned by al-Sawarka. Israeli forces moved into the area again at approximately 10:00 on the following day. They again raided and searched al-Swarka’s house, terrifying his children.
In an excessive use of force, Israeli occupation forces shot dead a Palestinian child from close range while he was walking near “Dogit” settlement in the northern Gaza Strip.
According to eyewitnesses, at approximately 17:00, 14-year-old Haitham As’ad Ahmed Abu Shouqa, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza, was walking on the coast, approximately 300m southwest of “Dogit” settlement, north of Beit Lahia. When he was near an Israeli military site adjacent to the settlement, a number of Israeli soldiers chased him and one of them fired at him from a distance of less than 50m.
The child fell onto the ground bleeding. He was left bleeding for more than 10 minutes before Israeli soldiers took him to the settlement. He was delivered to the Palestinian liaison forces dead at approximately 21:00. According to medical sources at Shifa’ Hospital, the child was shot by two live bullets in the head and the chest.
Assassination
In a continuation of the assassination policy formally adopted by the Israeli government, on Thursday, 18 April, Israeli occupation forces carried out an assassination attempt that targeted Hussam ‘Aatef Badran, 26, from ‘Askar refugee camp in Nablus.
Three Palestinians were killed and a fourth, Khaled Ahmed Hamdan, was wounded and was arrested together with Badran. Israeli forces also kept the bodies of the three victims.
At approximately 14:00 on Thursday, six Israeli combat helicopters flew over al-Nassaria village, east of Nablus, while Israeli occupation forces surrounded the area. Approximately half an hour later, the Israeli combat helicopters launched six missiles at a Palestinian house in Kherbat Beit Hassan, east of the village.
Then, Israeli occupation forces opened fire at farms surrounding the area, while combat helicopters fired at the area from heavy machine guns. As a result of the shelling and gunfire that continued until 17:30, three Palestinians were killed:
1. Fawzi Ibrahim Mufleh Hilal, 38, from Kherbat Beit Hassan;
2. ‘Atta Ibrahim Samhan, 51, from Kherbat Beit Hassan; and
3. ‘Aadel Mohammed Abu Kheit, 35, from ‘Askar refugee camp.
Later, Israeli occupation forces declared that they had killed two aides of Badran, whom they described as an activist of Hamas. Israeli forces repeatedly raided Badran’s house, searching for him, but he was never at home. His brother was arrested for this reason.
Baby Dies at an Israeli Military Roadblock
Israeli occupation forces have attacked Palestinians civilians who tried to cross Israeli military roadblocks and denied their passage.
This week, a baby, Dina Nasser Eshtayeh, 5 days old, died as Israeli forces at a military roadblock denied her access to hospital for emergency treatment. According to her father, Nasser Eshtyeh, a journalist, on Thursday evening, she was sick.
He took her to a physician who told him that she was suffering from irregular heart rate and that she must be taken to hospital for oxygen. Soon, the father called an ambulance of Palestine Red Crescent Society to move her to a hospital in Nablus.
At approximately 23:30, the ambulance arrived at the entrance to Salem village. Israeli occupation soldiers at the entrance of the village searched the ambulance. They allowed the passage of the ambulance at midnight. However, an Israeli tank stopped it in Faisal Street for 35 minutes.
Then, as the ambulance proceeded to hospital the baby died 3 minutes before arrival at the hospital. Physicians told her father that they could have saved her life if she had been brought to hospital earlier.
In the afternoon, Palestinians discovered the body of Ibrahim Mohammed Wishah, 28, a member of the Palestinian National Security Force from Gaza, in a farm in the north of Dura village in Hebron. He had been killed by shrapnel throughout the body.
Wishah was working in a store of the Palestinian National Security Force in Taffauh village, west of Hebron. Some days before his body was discovered, he went back home from his work through a mountainous road. At the time, Israeli occupation forces had seized full control over Dura village. Israeli helicopter gunships opened fire at mountains and farms surrounding the village. Wishah was apparently hit by gunfire from Israeli helicopters.
At approximately 18:00, an Israeli sniper in the vicinity of the headquarters of the Palestinian Preventive Security service in Bitounia, west of Ramallah, already seized by these forces, fired at 9-year-old Fadhel Mahmoud Abu Zuhaira, seriously wounding him with a live bullet in the abdomen. He succumbed to his wound on the way to hospital.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli occupation forces moved approximately 300m into PNA controlled areas west of “Morag” settlement in the south of Khan Yunis in the Gaza strip. During a two-hour incursion, they raided and searched the house of Ahmed Juhaini al-Sawarka.
After they left the house, they razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables, owned by Darwish al-Masri, and uprooted 20 trees in the area. They also destroyed an irrigation network owned by al-Sawarka. Israeli forces moved into the area again at approximately 10:00 on the following day. They again raided and searched al-Swarka’s house, terrifying his children.
In an excessive use of force, Israeli occupation forces shot dead a Palestinian child from close range while he was walking near “Dogit” settlement in the northern Gaza Strip.
According to eyewitnesses, at approximately 17:00, 14-year-old Haitham As’ad Ahmed Abu Shouqa, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza, was walking on the coast, approximately 300m southwest of “Dogit” settlement, north of Beit Lahia. When he was near an Israeli military site adjacent to the settlement, a number of Israeli soldiers chased him and one of them fired at him from a distance of less than 50m.
The child fell onto the ground bleeding. He was left bleeding for more than 10 minutes before Israeli soldiers took him to the settlement. He was delivered to the Palestinian liaison forces dead at approximately 21:00. According to medical sources at Shifa’ Hospital, the child was shot by two live bullets in the head and the chest.
Assassination
In a continuation of the assassination policy formally adopted by the Israeli government, on Thursday, 18 April, Israeli occupation forces carried out an assassination attempt that targeted Hussam ‘Aatef Badran, 26, from ‘Askar refugee camp in Nablus.
Three Palestinians were killed and a fourth, Khaled Ahmed Hamdan, was wounded and was arrested together with Badran. Israeli forces also kept the bodies of the three victims.
At approximately 14:00 on Thursday, six Israeli combat helicopters flew over al-Nassaria village, east of Nablus, while Israeli occupation forces surrounded the area. Approximately half an hour later, the Israeli combat helicopters launched six missiles at a Palestinian house in Kherbat Beit Hassan, east of the village.
Then, Israeli occupation forces opened fire at farms surrounding the area, while combat helicopters fired at the area from heavy machine guns. As a result of the shelling and gunfire that continued until 17:30, three Palestinians were killed:
1. Fawzi Ibrahim Mufleh Hilal, 38, from Kherbat Beit Hassan;
2. ‘Atta Ibrahim Samhan, 51, from Kherbat Beit Hassan; and
3. ‘Aadel Mohammed Abu Kheit, 35, from ‘Askar refugee camp.
Later, Israeli occupation forces declared that they had killed two aides of Badran, whom they described as an activist of Hamas. Israeli forces repeatedly raided Badran’s house, searching for him, but he was never at home. His brother was arrested for this reason.
Baby Dies at an Israeli Military Roadblock
Israeli occupation forces have attacked Palestinians civilians who tried to cross Israeli military roadblocks and denied their passage.
This week, a baby, Dina Nasser Eshtayeh, 5 days old, died as Israeli forces at a military roadblock denied her access to hospital for emergency treatment. According to her father, Nasser Eshtyeh, a journalist, on Thursday evening, she was sick.
He took her to a physician who told him that she was suffering from irregular heart rate and that she must be taken to hospital for oxygen. Soon, the father called an ambulance of Palestine Red Crescent Society to move her to a hospital in Nablus.
At approximately 23:30, the ambulance arrived at the entrance to Salem village. Israeli occupation soldiers at the entrance of the village searched the ambulance. They allowed the passage of the ambulance at midnight. However, an Israeli tank stopped it in Faisal Street for 35 minutes.
Then, as the ambulance proceeded to hospital the baby died 3 minutes before arrival at the hospital. Physicians told her father that they could have saved her life if she had been brought to hospital earlier.
17 apr 2002
On Wednesday morning, Israeli occupation forces seized complete control of the villages of Kuufor Ra'ei, Seilat al-Harithia and al-Yamun. They intensely shelled Palestinian houses in these villages.
An infant, Ahmed Taysir 'Obeidi, 1.5 years old, from Seilat al-Harithia village, was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.
Israeli infantry troops moved into al-Am'ari refugee camp in Ramallah. They raided and searched its mosque, a youth club and some houses. They destroyed the doors of the youth club, searched it and confiscated some photos.
Israeli forces also raided the house of Khalil Abu 'Atteya and destroyed its furniture. They also wrote slogans in Hebrew against the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on the walls of the house. Israeli forces arrested seven Palestinians.
At approximately 16:00 on the same day, when residents of Jenin refugee camp who already left it saw Israeli tanks withdrawing from its vicinity, they went to the refugee camp. However, Israeli tanks came back and fired artillery shells at them. Five Palestinian civilians were wounded.
At approximately 05:45 on Wednesday, Anwar Suleiman 'Abdul Hamid Nassar, 41, from Bal'a village, was killed by several live bullets throughout the body.
According to investigations carried out by LAW, Israeli occupation forces had moved into the village at approximately 03:00 and imposed a curfew. Israeli forces surrounded a house in the village and opened fire at it. When Nassar got out of the house, Israeli soldiers shot him dead from a close distance.
On Wednesday morning, Israeli occupation forces seized complete control of the villages of Kuufor Ra'ei, Seilat al-Harithia and al-Yamun. They intensely shelled Palestinian houses in these villages.
An infant, Ahmed Taysir 'Obeidi, 1.5 years old, from Seilat al-Harithia village, was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.
Israeli infantry troops moved into al-Am'ari refugee camp in Ramallah. They raided and searched its mosque, a youth club and some houses. They destroyed the doors of the youth club, searched it and confiscated some photos.
Israeli forces also raided the house of Khalil Abu 'Atteya and destroyed its furniture. They also wrote slogans in Hebrew against the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on the walls of the house. Israeli forces arrested seven Palestinians.
At approximately 16:00 on the same day, when residents of Jenin refugee camp who already left it saw Israeli tanks withdrawing from its vicinity, they went to the refugee camp. However, Israeli tanks came back and fired artillery shells at them. Five Palestinian civilians were wounded.
At approximately 05:45 on Wednesday, Anwar Suleiman 'Abdul Hamid Nassar, 41, from Bal'a village, was killed by several live bullets throughout the body.
According to investigations carried out by LAW, Israeli occupation forces had moved into the village at approximately 03:00 and imposed a curfew. Israeli forces surrounded a house in the village and opened fire at it. When Nassar got out of the house, Israeli soldiers shot him dead from a close distance.
16 apr 2002
At approximately 08:00 on Tuesday, Zuhair Mohammed As’ad Steiti, 29, from Jenin refugee camp, succumbed to wound in the right eye he received on the previous day.
According to LAW, Steiti went to Jenin refugee camp on Monday, 15 April, to search for his brother, whom, he was told, was killed during the Israeli invasion of Jenin refugee camp. When he arrived at Wadi Burqin junction, Israeli occupation forces fired at him, seriously wounding him with a live bullet in the right eye. He was evacuated to a clinic in Burqin village, where he was pronounced dead on Tuesday.
At approximately 02:30 on Tuesday, Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers, supported by two helicopter gunships moved into ‘Askar refugee camp. They intensely shelled Palestinian houses.
Qussai Farah Abu ‘Eisha, 12, was killed by shrapnel from a tank shell throughout the body while at home.
In addition, 12 other Palestinian civilians were wounded, one of whom, Kamel Fureih ‘Oudeh, 51, was seriously wounded by a heavy caliber bullet in the abdomen. He succumbed to this wound in the evening.
On Tuesday morning, Israeli occupation forces, supported by helicopters, invaded Tulkarm. They seized complete control over the city and imposed a curfew. They raided Palestinian houses searching for allegedly wanted Palestinians. They damaged contents of a house owned by Talal Shureim in the south of the city.
Israeli helicopter gunships opened fire at houses, wounding seven civilians. Israeli forces pulled back to the entrance of the city at approximately 06:30. They imposed a strict siege on the city and isolated it from its surroundings. They also maintained a strict siege on the villages in Tulkarm district.
In an apparent willful killing, Firas Qassem Abu Mayala, 24, from Hebron, was killed by three live bullets fired by Israeli occupation forces from a very close distance.
At approximately 16:00, Abu Mayala was on his way back home in the old town of Hebron, under control of Israeli occupation forces. While he was walking in al-Sahla Street, a number of Jewish settlers, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, stopped him. They pushed him down to the ground and severely beat him.
When he tried to defend himself and escape, an Israeli soldier fired at him, seriously wounding him. A Palestinian ambulance came to the area to evacuate him to hospital, but Israeli forces prevented it. They left him bleeding for 100 minutes. He bled to death.
At approximately 09:30, Israeli occupation soldiers, who took position in Palestinian farms in Kharba area in Dura town near Hebron, fired from a distance of approximately 700m at a car in which three Palestinian civilians were traveling.
One of the civilians, Hassan Khamis Rusrus, 35, from al-Fawar refugee camp in Hebron, was killed by several live bullets throughout the body. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers then moved towards the car and ordered one of the other two civilians to get the body of Rusrus out of the car. Then, they took the three civilians to an unknown destination.
At approximately 08:30, Israeli occupation forces imposed a curfew on al-'Eissawia village in Jerusalem. They detained laborers and students in the village. They beat a number of civilians in the village and arrested a number of laborers who have Palestinian identity cards for being in the village, which is included in the Jerusalem metropolitan area defined by Israel.
Attacks on the Press
On Tuesday, Israeli occupation forces attacked 'Abdul Rahim 'Omar al-Qussini, a photographer of Reuters, in Nablus.
Al-Qussini stated that Israeli forces repeatedly obstructed his work on that day through humiliating him and destroying his camera lens. They also broke his car windows when they saw the press badge on it.
On the same day, Israeli occupation forces broke into Star Hotel near the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The restricted the work of more than 50 journalists who were using the fifth floor of the hotel. They also warned those journalists against using the hotel for their work as it may “endanger their lives.”
Israeli forces took this measure apparently to prevent media coverage of their attempts to break into the Church of the Nativity. Mousa al-Sha'er, a photographer of France Press Agency (AFP) described the situation as very dangerous since Israeli forces were heavily deployed in the area to monitor journalists.
At approximately 17:00 on the same day, Israeli occupation forces broke into the building of Cairo-Amman Bank in Ramallah. They raided offices of journalists and media institutions on the fifth and sixth floors of the building.
They detained 11 journalists, including Maher al-Shalabi and Majid Sawalha. The building includes offices of the television channels of Dubai, Orbit network, Morocco, and Kuwait. They asked all journalists to leave the building. Israeli forces searched offices.
Then, Israeli forces told al-Shalabi and Sawalha that they were wanted. Israeli forces arrested the two and severely beat them until they fainted. They were taken to an unknown destination.
They were released at approximately 22:00 on foot, even though many Israeli snipers were deployed on most buildings in Ramallah.
At approximately 08:00 on Tuesday, Zuhair Mohammed As’ad Steiti, 29, from Jenin refugee camp, succumbed to wound in the right eye he received on the previous day.
According to LAW, Steiti went to Jenin refugee camp on Monday, 15 April, to search for his brother, whom, he was told, was killed during the Israeli invasion of Jenin refugee camp. When he arrived at Wadi Burqin junction, Israeli occupation forces fired at him, seriously wounding him with a live bullet in the right eye. He was evacuated to a clinic in Burqin village, where he was pronounced dead on Tuesday.
At approximately 02:30 on Tuesday, Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers, supported by two helicopter gunships moved into ‘Askar refugee camp. They intensely shelled Palestinian houses.
Qussai Farah Abu ‘Eisha, 12, was killed by shrapnel from a tank shell throughout the body while at home.
In addition, 12 other Palestinian civilians were wounded, one of whom, Kamel Fureih ‘Oudeh, 51, was seriously wounded by a heavy caliber bullet in the abdomen. He succumbed to this wound in the evening.
On Tuesday morning, Israeli occupation forces, supported by helicopters, invaded Tulkarm. They seized complete control over the city and imposed a curfew. They raided Palestinian houses searching for allegedly wanted Palestinians. They damaged contents of a house owned by Talal Shureim in the south of the city.
Israeli helicopter gunships opened fire at houses, wounding seven civilians. Israeli forces pulled back to the entrance of the city at approximately 06:30. They imposed a strict siege on the city and isolated it from its surroundings. They also maintained a strict siege on the villages in Tulkarm district.
In an apparent willful killing, Firas Qassem Abu Mayala, 24, from Hebron, was killed by three live bullets fired by Israeli occupation forces from a very close distance.
At approximately 16:00, Abu Mayala was on his way back home in the old town of Hebron, under control of Israeli occupation forces. While he was walking in al-Sahla Street, a number of Jewish settlers, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, stopped him. They pushed him down to the ground and severely beat him.
When he tried to defend himself and escape, an Israeli soldier fired at him, seriously wounding him. A Palestinian ambulance came to the area to evacuate him to hospital, but Israeli forces prevented it. They left him bleeding for 100 minutes. He bled to death.
At approximately 09:30, Israeli occupation soldiers, who took position in Palestinian farms in Kharba area in Dura town near Hebron, fired from a distance of approximately 700m at a car in which three Palestinian civilians were traveling.
One of the civilians, Hassan Khamis Rusrus, 35, from al-Fawar refugee camp in Hebron, was killed by several live bullets throughout the body. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers then moved towards the car and ordered one of the other two civilians to get the body of Rusrus out of the car. Then, they took the three civilians to an unknown destination.
At approximately 08:30, Israeli occupation forces imposed a curfew on al-'Eissawia village in Jerusalem. They detained laborers and students in the village. They beat a number of civilians in the village and arrested a number of laborers who have Palestinian identity cards for being in the village, which is included in the Jerusalem metropolitan area defined by Israel.
Attacks on the Press
On Tuesday, Israeli occupation forces attacked 'Abdul Rahim 'Omar al-Qussini, a photographer of Reuters, in Nablus.
Al-Qussini stated that Israeli forces repeatedly obstructed his work on that day through humiliating him and destroying his camera lens. They also broke his car windows when they saw the press badge on it.
On the same day, Israeli occupation forces broke into Star Hotel near the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The restricted the work of more than 50 journalists who were using the fifth floor of the hotel. They also warned those journalists against using the hotel for their work as it may “endanger their lives.”
Israeli forces took this measure apparently to prevent media coverage of their attempts to break into the Church of the Nativity. Mousa al-Sha'er, a photographer of France Press Agency (AFP) described the situation as very dangerous since Israeli forces were heavily deployed in the area to monitor journalists.
At approximately 17:00 on the same day, Israeli occupation forces broke into the building of Cairo-Amman Bank in Ramallah. They raided offices of journalists and media institutions on the fifth and sixth floors of the building.
They detained 11 journalists, including Maher al-Shalabi and Majid Sawalha. The building includes offices of the television channels of Dubai, Orbit network, Morocco, and Kuwait. They asked all journalists to leave the building. Israeli forces searched offices.
Then, Israeli forces told al-Shalabi and Sawalha that they were wanted. Israeli forces arrested the two and severely beat them until they fainted. They were taken to an unknown destination.
They were released at approximately 22:00 on foot, even though many Israeli snipers were deployed on most buildings in Ramallah.
