Moatez Abu Nada 30 days old
Killed 6 oct 2010
Month old infant dies in Gaza due to siege
Moatez died in a Gaza hospital on Tuesday due to inability to travel abroad for treatment of a heart problem, the health ministry said.
It added that doctors could not save the life of Moatez who needed a critical heart operation that could not be made in Gaza due to unavailability of necessary medical equipment.
The ministry said that the number of victims of the Israeli siege on Gaza thus rose to 377.
It called on the world to stand alongside the patients in Gaza and to end its "horrible silence" and demand an immediate end to the siege and closure of crossings especially before sick people.
The infant was born with heart problems and his travel abroad was delayed for two weeks as a result of the closure of the Erez crossing by the Israeli occupation forces, which led to complications in his condition and later his death.
Killed 6 oct 2010
Month old infant dies in Gaza due to siege
Moatez died in a Gaza hospital on Tuesday due to inability to travel abroad for treatment of a heart problem, the health ministry said.
It added that doctors could not save the life of Moatez who needed a critical heart operation that could not be made in Gaza due to unavailability of necessary medical equipment.
The ministry said that the number of victims of the Israeli siege on Gaza thus rose to 377.
It called on the world to stand alongside the patients in Gaza and to end its "horrible silence" and demand an immediate end to the siege and closure of crossings especially before sick people.
The infant was born with heart problems and his travel abroad was delayed for two weeks as a result of the closure of the Erez crossing by the Israeli occupation forces, which led to complications in his condition and later his death.
Mohammed Mahmoun Abu Sara 14 months
Killed 24 sept 2010
Baby dies of tear gas inhalation on third day of unrest in E. Jerusalem (+972 contributors)
Three days after an Israeli security guard shot and killed a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem, riots have broken out again and a 14 month-old baby has died of tear gas inhalation.
At approximately 10:30pm Friday, Israel time, Joseph Dana tweeted that a 14-month old baby had died of tear gas inhalation in the village of Issawiyeh, in East Jerusalem. He posted the following tweets in rapid succession:
10:40 Molotov cocktails and live fire in Silwan [East Jerusalem] right now.
10:45 The reports on the child are 100 percent true according to sources on the ground
11:15 Entire city [sic] of Silwan is filled with tear gas. All the children are being moved to basement. No one can breathe.
11:20: The police told the family of the baby killed to keep the story quiet and I am publishing it at their request
11:40 Palestinian just shot in Silwan with a rubber bullet. Major fighting in Silwan.
11:42 People are [pleading] with the soldiers to stop firing gas because the children have no place to escape in Silwan.
The streets of Silwan are unusually, narrow, steep and crowded. Houses are built without a gap between the buildings, there are no sidewalks, the municipality rarely collects the garbage, streets are poorly lit if at all - and there are steep flights of stairs connecting parallel roads. There are no green or open spaces.
Shortly before 11:30pm, the first Hebrew news report on the events unfolding in Silwan was published on Walla!, a news and information site owned by Schocken Group (owner of Haaretz). The following is +972's translation; click here to read the Hebrew original.
Report: Palestinian infant dies from tear gas inhalation
By Nir Yahav, correspondent for Palestinian affairs
Palestinian sources reported this evening (Friday) that an 18 month-old Palestinian child from the village of Issawiyeh in East Jerusalem, died of his wounds after inhaling tear gas during confrontations that broke out yesterday between Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem and Israeli security forces. According to the report, the boy, Ahmed Abu Sarah, inhaled large amounts of tear gas that was fired by Israeli police officers at Palestinians.
Sources also reported that police are this evening again using tear gas against Palestinians in the area. In addition, it has been reported that the wife of Samar Sarhan, the Palestinian resident of Silwan who was killed two days ago by shots fired by an Israeli security guard, arrived at the hospital after inhaling tear gas that was fired by Israeli security forces.
According to the police, a number of residents of the village hurled rocks at Israeli border police near the gas station. The border police responded with crowd dispersal methods. There were no injured and no damage was caused.
The riots in the area broke out after an Israeli security guard shot and killed Samar Sarhan, a resident of Silwan. Two other men were wounded in during violent confrontations that broke out in the area between residents, Jewish settlers and security forces.
Killed 24 sept 2010
Baby dies of tear gas inhalation on third day of unrest in E. Jerusalem (+972 contributors)
Three days after an Israeli security guard shot and killed a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem, riots have broken out again and a 14 month-old baby has died of tear gas inhalation.
At approximately 10:30pm Friday, Israel time, Joseph Dana tweeted that a 14-month old baby had died of tear gas inhalation in the village of Issawiyeh, in East Jerusalem. He posted the following tweets in rapid succession:
10:40 Molotov cocktails and live fire in Silwan [East Jerusalem] right now.
10:45 The reports on the child are 100 percent true according to sources on the ground
11:15 Entire city [sic] of Silwan is filled with tear gas. All the children are being moved to basement. No one can breathe.
11:20: The police told the family of the baby killed to keep the story quiet and I am publishing it at their request
11:40 Palestinian just shot in Silwan with a rubber bullet. Major fighting in Silwan.
11:42 People are [pleading] with the soldiers to stop firing gas because the children have no place to escape in Silwan.
The streets of Silwan are unusually, narrow, steep and crowded. Houses are built without a gap between the buildings, there are no sidewalks, the municipality rarely collects the garbage, streets are poorly lit if at all - and there are steep flights of stairs connecting parallel roads. There are no green or open spaces.
Shortly before 11:30pm, the first Hebrew news report on the events unfolding in Silwan was published on Walla!, a news and information site owned by Schocken Group (owner of Haaretz). The following is +972's translation; click here to read the Hebrew original.
Report: Palestinian infant dies from tear gas inhalation
By Nir Yahav, correspondent for Palestinian affairs
Palestinian sources reported this evening (Friday) that an 18 month-old Palestinian child from the village of Issawiyeh in East Jerusalem, died of his wounds after inhaling tear gas during confrontations that broke out yesterday between Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem and Israeli security forces. According to the report, the boy, Ahmed Abu Sarah, inhaled large amounts of tear gas that was fired by Israeli police officers at Palestinians.
Sources also reported that police are this evening again using tear gas against Palestinians in the area. In addition, it has been reported that the wife of Samar Sarhan, the Palestinian resident of Silwan who was killed two days ago by shots fired by an Israeli security guard, arrived at the hospital after inhaling tear gas that was fired by Israeli security forces.
According to the police, a number of residents of the village hurled rocks at Israeli border police near the gas station. The border police responded with crowd dispersal methods. There were no injured and no damage was caused.
The riots in the area broke out after an Israeli security guard shot and killed Samar Sarhan, a resident of Silwan. Two other men were wounded in during violent confrontations that broke out in the area between residents, Jewish settlers and security forces.
Hamza Samar Muhanna abu-Maria 17 months
Killed 9 may 2010
Infant Dies After Inhaling Gaza Fired By The Army In Hebron
Palestinian medical sources in Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, reported Sunday that an infant died due to inhaling gas fired by the army at protestors in the nearby Beit Ummar town.
The infant was identified as Hamza Samar Abu Maria, 17 months.
The sources stated that the soldiers fired on Friday evening a gas bomb at the home of Abu Maria who was already suffering from dehydration.
The infant was moved to a local clinic before he was moved on Sunday at dawn to a local hospital where he died shortly afterwards.
Killed 9 may 2010
Infant Dies After Inhaling Gaza Fired By The Army In Hebron
Palestinian medical sources in Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, reported Sunday that an infant died due to inhaling gas fired by the army at protestors in the nearby Beit Ummar town.
The infant was identified as Hamza Samar Abu Maria, 17 months.
The sources stated that the soldiers fired on Friday evening a gas bomb at the home of Abu Maria who was already suffering from dehydration.
The infant was moved to a local clinic before he was moved on Sunday at dawn to a local hospital where he died shortly afterwards.
Zaynaldeen Muhammad Zurub 7 months
Killed 3 june 2009 died of a lung infection in the Gaza Strip's European Hospital after Israel denied him permission to leave the Gaza Strip for medical treatment. His parents tried for several weeks prior to his death to obtain a permit from Israel to take him to Jerusalem for treatment. |
Nancy Said Muhammad Waked 6 months
Died of her wounds 25 jan 2009 Cast Lead of Gaza City, Gaza, died of wounds sustained Jan. 18 in an IDF attack on Gaza City's al-Zaytoun neighborhood. |
OPERATION CAST LEAD 27 DEC 2008-18 JAN 1009
Hala Isam Ahmad al-Mnei 1 month
Killed 15-01-09 
Arij Ermelat 0
Born 25-10-08 Killed 15-01-09 Killed with her mother, brother and sister, and grandmother while on their way to their bombed house. 
Muhammad a-Dayah 8 months
Born: 28-05-08 Killed 06-01-09 Killed along with 21 relatives when the house in which they were in was bombed. The army admitted that the house had been bombed by mistake, and that the family had not been warned of the army’s intention to bomb it. |
Fatheia Ayman Salim al-Dabbari 4 months
Killed 05-01-09 
Salsabil a-Dayah 5 months
Born 28-08-08 Killed 06-01-09 Killed along with 21 relatives when the house in which they were in was bombed. The army admitted that the house had been bombed by mistake, and that the family had not been warned of the army’s intention to bomb it. 
Mu’atasem a-Samuni 11 months
Born: 26-01-08 Killed 05-01-09 Killed in a-Zeitun neighborhood when soldiers ordered the extended Samuni family to gather in the house of one of the family members. The next morning, the house was bombed and collapsed on its occupants, killing 21 of the family, and injuring many. |
Muhammad a-Samuni 6 months
Born: 15-07-08 Killed 05-01-09
Killed in a-Zeitun neighborhood when soldiers ordered the extended Samuni family to gather in the house of one of the family members. The next morning, the house was bombed and collapsed on its occupants, killing 21 of the family, and injuring many.
The following is a translated transcript of the appeal from Helme Samouni:
"On behalf of the surviving members of the Sammoni family and the hundreds of other families in Gaza who have been killed by war crimes committed by the Givati Brigade of the Israeli Army, we are shocked and disappointed by the decision of De Beers to present the Queen of England with a diamond manufactured by the Steinmetz Diamond company -- a company which supported the Givati Brigade during the Israeli war on Gaza late 2008 as they murdered 29 members of our family in cold blood. We the Sammoni family call on the Queen of England and the British people to decline this gift. We demand that De Beers be instructed to remove this offensive blood diamond display immediately.
Diamonds that generate revenue used to fund a regime guilty of war crimes are de-facto blood diamonds.
We call on De-Beers to show respect for the surviving victims of the diamond-funded Givati Brigade's actions in Gaza and remove the Forevermark Steinmetz Jubilee diamond from the Tower of London.
We call on Steinmetz Diamond company to end all support for and association with the Israeli military and to make reparation to the Sammuni family and the other victims of the Givati Brigade's actions in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead.
The Israeli human rights group B'Tselem describes the massacre of 21 members of the Al Samouni family as follows:
"On 4 January 2009, at the start of the ground phase of operation Cast Lead, about 100 members of the extended a-Samuni family were huddled inside one house in the a-Zeitun neighborhood of Gaza City. The next morning, an Israeli airstrike killed 21 people inside the house, including 9 children and 10 women, and injured dozens of other family members. During the next two days, the army refused access to medical teams, in spite of being informed of the terrible outcome by family members who managed to escape the bombed home and human rights and humanitarian organizations, including B'Tselem. When medics managed to get to site, they found four small children next to their dead mothers in one of the houses, and evacuated several wounded people. The army refused permission to evacuate the bodies and they remained in the rubble for a further two weeks."
A UH Human Rights Council investigation concluded that Israeli forces committed serious war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.
The Sammoni family, 29 members of which were killed by the Israeli military in Gaza in 2009, have issued an appeal to the British Queen to remove the Steinmetz Forevermark Jubilee Diamond which De Beers put on display in the Tower of London to mark the Queen Elizabeth II's Jubilee.
In total, 29 members of the Sammoni family were killed by the Givati Brigade of the Israeli army during the Israeli assault on Gaza (Operation Cast Lead) in December 2008 – January 2009. 21 were killed in a single airstrike on a building in which the family were taking cover, and 8 others killed during the course of the 23-day-long attack. The Steinmetz diamond company has "adopted" a Unit of the Givati Brigade which it funded and supported during the brutal assault on the people of Gaza.
In the appeal, posted to YouTube today, Helmi Sammoni, speaking on behalf of the family said: "On behalf of the surviving members of the Sammoni family and the hundreds of other families in Gaza who have been killed by war crimes committed by the Givati Brigade of the Israeli Army, we are shocked and disappointed by the decision of De Beers to present the Queen of England with a diamond manufactured by the Steinmetz Diamond company – a company which supported the Givati Brigade during the Israeli war on Gaza late 2008 as they murdered 29 members of our family in cold blood. We the Sammoni family call on the Queen of England and the British people to decline this gift. We demand that De Beers be instructed to remove this offensive blood diamond display immediately."
Background
In one of the most despicable example of gross human rights violations recorded during the three weeks of the attack, twenty one members of the Sammoni family - innocent and defenceless children, women and men - were killed by the Givati Brigade in a single incident. The Israeli human rights group B'Tselem describes the incident as follows:
"On 4 January 2009, at the start of the ground phase of operation Cast Lead, about 100 members of the extended a-Samuni family were huddled inside one house in the a-Zeitun neighborhood of Gaza City. The next morning, an Israeli airstrike killed 21 people inside the house, including 9 children and 10 women, and injured dozens of other family members. During the next two days, the army refused access to medical teams, in spite of being informed of the terrible outcome by family members who managed to escape the bombed home and human rights and humanitarian organizations, including B'Tselem. When medics managed to get to site, they found four small children next to their dead mothers in one of the houses, and evacuated several wounded people. The army refused permission to evacuate the bodies and they remained in the rubble for a further two weeks."
A UN Human Rights Council investigation concluded that Israeli forces committed serious war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during Operation Cast Lead.
Sean Clinton, coordinator of the Boycott Israeli Blood Diamonds campaign for the Boycott Israel Network (BIN) and the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) stated: "Diamonds that generate revenue used to fund a regime guilty of war crimes, in this case Israel's apartheid regime, are de-facto blood diamonds. We call on De-Beers to show respect for the surviving victims of the diamond-funded Givati Brigade's actions in Gaza and remove the Forevermark Steinmetz Jubilee diamond from the Tower of London."
Born: 15-07-08 Killed 05-01-09
Killed in a-Zeitun neighborhood when soldiers ordered the extended Samuni family to gather in the house of one of the family members. The next morning, the house was bombed and collapsed on its occupants, killing 21 of the family, and injuring many.
The following is a translated transcript of the appeal from Helme Samouni:
"On behalf of the surviving members of the Sammoni family and the hundreds of other families in Gaza who have been killed by war crimes committed by the Givati Brigade of the Israeli Army, we are shocked and disappointed by the decision of De Beers to present the Queen of England with a diamond manufactured by the Steinmetz Diamond company -- a company which supported the Givati Brigade during the Israeli war on Gaza late 2008 as they murdered 29 members of our family in cold blood. We the Sammoni family call on the Queen of England and the British people to decline this gift. We demand that De Beers be instructed to remove this offensive blood diamond display immediately.
Diamonds that generate revenue used to fund a regime guilty of war crimes are de-facto blood diamonds.
We call on De-Beers to show respect for the surviving victims of the diamond-funded Givati Brigade's actions in Gaza and remove the Forevermark Steinmetz Jubilee diamond from the Tower of London.
We call on Steinmetz Diamond company to end all support for and association with the Israeli military and to make reparation to the Sammuni family and the other victims of the Givati Brigade's actions in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead.
The Israeli human rights group B'Tselem describes the massacre of 21 members of the Al Samouni family as follows:
"On 4 January 2009, at the start of the ground phase of operation Cast Lead, about 100 members of the extended a-Samuni family were huddled inside one house in the a-Zeitun neighborhood of Gaza City. The next morning, an Israeli airstrike killed 21 people inside the house, including 9 children and 10 women, and injured dozens of other family members. During the next two days, the army refused access to medical teams, in spite of being informed of the terrible outcome by family members who managed to escape the bombed home and human rights and humanitarian organizations, including B'Tselem. When medics managed to get to site, they found four small children next to their dead mothers in one of the houses, and evacuated several wounded people. The army refused permission to evacuate the bodies and they remained in the rubble for a further two weeks."
A UH Human Rights Council investigation concluded that Israeli forces committed serious war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.
The Sammoni family, 29 members of which were killed by the Israeli military in Gaza in 2009, have issued an appeal to the British Queen to remove the Steinmetz Forevermark Jubilee Diamond which De Beers put on display in the Tower of London to mark the Queen Elizabeth II's Jubilee.
In total, 29 members of the Sammoni family were killed by the Givati Brigade of the Israeli army during the Israeli assault on Gaza (Operation Cast Lead) in December 2008 – January 2009. 21 were killed in a single airstrike on a building in which the family were taking cover, and 8 others killed during the course of the 23-day-long attack. The Steinmetz diamond company has "adopted" a Unit of the Givati Brigade which it funded and supported during the brutal assault on the people of Gaza.
In the appeal, posted to YouTube today, Helmi Sammoni, speaking on behalf of the family said: "On behalf of the surviving members of the Sammoni family and the hundreds of other families in Gaza who have been killed by war crimes committed by the Givati Brigade of the Israeli Army, we are shocked and disappointed by the decision of De Beers to present the Queen of England with a diamond manufactured by the Steinmetz Diamond company – a company which supported the Givati Brigade during the Israeli war on Gaza late 2008 as they murdered 29 members of our family in cold blood. We the Sammoni family call on the Queen of England and the British people to decline this gift. We demand that De Beers be instructed to remove this offensive blood diamond display immediately."
Background
In one of the most despicable example of gross human rights violations recorded during the three weeks of the attack, twenty one members of the Sammoni family - innocent and defenceless children, women and men - were killed by the Givati Brigade in a single incident. The Israeli human rights group B'Tselem describes the incident as follows:
"On 4 January 2009, at the start of the ground phase of operation Cast Lead, about 100 members of the extended a-Samuni family were huddled inside one house in the a-Zeitun neighborhood of Gaza City. The next morning, an Israeli airstrike killed 21 people inside the house, including 9 children and 10 women, and injured dozens of other family members. During the next two days, the army refused access to medical teams, in spite of being informed of the terrible outcome by family members who managed to escape the bombed home and human rights and humanitarian organizations, including B'Tselem. When medics managed to get to site, they found four small children next to their dead mothers in one of the houses, and evacuated several wounded people. The army refused permission to evacuate the bodies and they remained in the rubble for a further two weeks."
A UN Human Rights Council investigation concluded that Israeli forces committed serious war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during Operation Cast Lead.
Sean Clinton, coordinator of the Boycott Israeli Blood Diamonds campaign for the Boycott Israel Network (BIN) and the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) stated: "Diamonds that generate revenue used to fund a regime guilty of war crimes, in this case Israel's apartheid regime, are de-facto blood diamonds. We call on De-Beers to show respect for the surviving victims of the diamond-funded Givati Brigade's actions in Gaza and remove the Forevermark Steinmetz Jubilee diamond from the Tower of London."
Aseel Munir El-Kafarnah 1
Killed 17-01-09 Mentally Disabled |
Farah al-Hilu 1
Killed 05-01-09 Killed while she fled from her house with her family after her grandfather was shot by soldiers who entered the house. |
Baraa Ermelat 1
Born: 03-12-07 Killed 15-01-09 Killed with his mother, brother, sister, and grandmother when they went to check their house, which had been bombed. |
Fadel Allah a-Najar 1
Killed 12-01-09 Killed when riding in a car with a taxi driver who was on his way to fill up water containers. |
Tasnim a-Rafati 1
Killed 11-01-09 Killed while at her grandfather’s house. |
Rula Salahah 1
Killed 09-01-09 Killed while at home with his family. |
Yusef al-Jaru 1
Killed 08-01-09 Killed with his mother while they were at home. |
Hassan ‘Azzam 1
Killed 06-01-09 Killed with his father and brother in the yard of their house. |
Baraah a-Dayah 1
Killed 06-01-09
Killed with 21 members of his family when their house was bombed. Later, the army admitted the house had been bombed by mistake, and that the family was not given warning of the intention to bomb it. Cast Lead
Every evening Baraa was pushed to leave his grandfather house and the family gathering there which he loved so much as it was time for him to go to bed upstairs. Baraa’s father tried to convince him that he had to sleep because the Israeli military has been deployed everywhere; his dad promised him to come back again to his grandfather’s gathering in the morning. Being Obedient Baraa surrendered to his father’s desire. After playing a little with his sister, Salsabeel, Baraa fell in a deep sleep.
On the morning of 6th Jan. the Israeli F16 planes shot the houses of Baraa, his grandfather and all his uncles in Al Zaitoun district, crumbling them all. The four floors, twenty three residents of Al Daia family, most of them were women and children, were killed. No one of those who were in the house but uncle Amer had survived.
Uncle Reda who was not in the house at that time remembers how little Baraa’ loved everybody and rushed to sit with whoever his grandmother brought food to. Reda says “… he was the life and soul of the family and more than all my nephews, Baraa’ stayed most of the time at the family house.”
Morover,, aunt Om-Jihad remembers the family gathering and how she enjoyed watching Baraa’ when he felt jealous of his sister, Salsabeel; Sometimes he played with her and at other times he beat her. She says “he was lovable and tactful child who was loved by everyone. No one got into our house without having Baraa pla with him after awhile.”
Baraa’a father is a mechanic who wished his son would be well-educated so as to fulfill his dream and achieve a high social position. Aunt Jihad adds “Baraa’ was so much loved by his father who wished him to be excellent at school and memorize many parts of The Noble Quran”
Killed 06-01-09
Killed with 21 members of his family when their house was bombed. Later, the army admitted the house had been bombed by mistake, and that the family was not given warning of the intention to bomb it. Cast Lead
Every evening Baraa was pushed to leave his grandfather house and the family gathering there which he loved so much as it was time for him to go to bed upstairs. Baraa’s father tried to convince him that he had to sleep because the Israeli military has been deployed everywhere; his dad promised him to come back again to his grandfather’s gathering in the morning. Being Obedient Baraa surrendered to his father’s desire. After playing a little with his sister, Salsabeel, Baraa fell in a deep sleep.
On the morning of 6th Jan. the Israeli F16 planes shot the houses of Baraa, his grandfather and all his uncles in Al Zaitoun district, crumbling them all. The four floors, twenty three residents of Al Daia family, most of them were women and children, were killed. No one of those who were in the house but uncle Amer had survived.
Uncle Reda who was not in the house at that time remembers how little Baraa’ loved everybody and rushed to sit with whoever his grandmother brought food to. Reda says “… he was the life and soul of the family and more than all my nephews, Baraa’ stayed most of the time at the family house.”
Morover,, aunt Om-Jihad remembers the family gathering and how she enjoyed watching Baraa’ when he felt jealous of his sister, Salsabeel; Sometimes he played with her and at other times he beat her. She says “he was lovable and tactful child who was loved by everyone. No one got into our house without having Baraa pla with him after awhile.”
Baraa’a father is a mechanic who wished his son would be well-educated so as to fulfill his dream and achieve a high social position. Aunt Jihad adds “Baraa’ was so much loved by his father who wished him to be excellent at school and memorize many parts of The Noble Quran”
Shahd Abu Halimah 1 (L)
Killed 04-01-09
Burned to death along with three of her brothers when a white-phosphorous shell struck her house. Her father was killed when struck directly by the shell. Five other family members were burned by the phosphorous, one of whom later died from her wounds.
On 4 January 2009, white phosphorus shells struck the house of the Abu Halima family in Beit Lahiya (northern Gaza) following Israel’s ground invasion during Operation Cast Lead.
Four siblings, Shahd (1.5), Hamza (7), Zaid (10) and Abed al-Rahim (13) and their father were killed in the explosion and fire that ensued.
Another female relative died from her injuries almost three months later in a hospital in Egypt.
Several other family members, including their mother, two other siblings, Ali (5) and Yousef (15), and a 3-year-old niece suffered white phosphorus burns.
The 3-year-old remains hospitalized in Egypt with life threatening third degree burns.
As family members attempted to evacuate the injured, they came under gunfire from Israeli soldiers killing two cousins aged 16 and 17, and wounding yet another sibling aged 17, as well as an adult female relative.
In total, eight members of the Abu Halima family were killed, including six children.
Killed 04-01-09
Burned to death along with three of her brothers when a white-phosphorous shell struck her house. Her father was killed when struck directly by the shell. Five other family members were burned by the phosphorous, one of whom later died from her wounds.
On 4 January 2009, white phosphorus shells struck the house of the Abu Halima family in Beit Lahiya (northern Gaza) following Israel’s ground invasion during Operation Cast Lead.
Four siblings, Shahd (1.5), Hamza (7), Zaid (10) and Abed al-Rahim (13) and their father were killed in the explosion and fire that ensued.
Another female relative died from her injuries almost three months later in a hospital in Egypt.
Several other family members, including their mother, two other siblings, Ali (5) and Yousef (15), and a 3-year-old niece suffered white phosphorus burns.
The 3-year-old remains hospitalized in Egypt with life threatening third degree burns.
As family members attempted to evacuate the injured, they came under gunfire from Israeli soldiers killing two cousins aged 16 and 17, and wounding yet another sibling aged 17, as well as an adult female relative.
In total, eight members of the Abu Halima family were killed, including six children.
Ass’ad Rayan 1
Killed 01-01-09
Son of Nizar Rayan, a senior Hamas official. He was killed along with 15 members of his family when the family’s house was bombed. The army contends that the house was used to store ammunition and a tunnel had been built under it. The army warned the family before shellin.
On Thursday, 1 Jan. '09, the Israeli air force bombed the house of Nizar Rayan, a senior Hamas official, in the Jabalya refugee camp. The blast killed Rayan, his four wives, and their eleven children, ranging in age from 1-12 years old. According to the army spokesperson, "the house served as a large munitions warehouse and as a war room. Under the house was an escape tunnel for terrorist members of Hamas's military wing."
Even if the army spokesperson's statement is accurate, the large toll of civilian lives renders the attack a grave breach of international humanitarian law. In the current situation in the Gaza Strip, it is hard to think of a definite military advantage that could have been achieved by bombing the house and killing Rayan, that can justify the killing of 13 women and children
According to the media, official sources indicated that the army had warned the family members of their intention to bomb the house, but they refused to leave.
Even if true, this does not exempt the army from responsibility for the killing of civilians, given that it knew or should have known that the residents had not left the house and that they would be injured in the blast.
Killed 01-01-09
Son of Nizar Rayan, a senior Hamas official. He was killed along with 15 members of his family when the family’s house was bombed. The army contends that the house was used to store ammunition and a tunnel had been built under it. The army warned the family before shellin.
On Thursday, 1 Jan. '09, the Israeli air force bombed the house of Nizar Rayan, a senior Hamas official, in the Jabalya refugee camp. The blast killed Rayan, his four wives, and their eleven children, ranging in age from 1-12 years old. According to the army spokesperson, "the house served as a large munitions warehouse and as a war room. Under the house was an escape tunnel for terrorist members of Hamas's military wing."
Even if the army spokesperson's statement is accurate, the large toll of civilian lives renders the attack a grave breach of international humanitarian law. In the current situation in the Gaza Strip, it is hard to think of a definite military advantage that could have been achieved by bombing the house and killing Rayan, that can justify the killing of 13 women and children
According to the media, official sources indicated that the army had warned the family members of their intention to bomb the house, but they refused to leave.
Even if true, this does not exempt the army from responsibility for the killing of civilians, given that it knew or should have known that the residents had not left the house and that they would be injured in the blast.
OPERATION CAST LEAD 27 DEC 2008-18 JAN 1009
