1 mar 2019
On 49th Friday of Great March of Return and Breaking Siege, Israeli Forces Wound 83 Civilians, including 23 Children, Woman, 3 Paramedics, and Journalist.
Report By The Palestinian Center For Human Right (PCHR).
On Friday evening, 01 March 2019, in excessive use of force against peaceful protesters on the 49th Friday of the March of Return and Breaking the Siege, Israeli forces wounded 83 civilians, including 23 children, a woman, three paramedics, and a journalist, in eastern Gaza Strip. The injury of three of the wounded civilians was reported serious.
According to observations by PCHR’s fieldworkers, the Israeli forces who stationed in prone positions and in military jeeps along the fence with Israel continued to use excessive force against the demonstrators by opening fire and firing tear gas canisters at them.
As a result, dozens of the demonstrators were hit with bullets and teargas canisters without posing any imminent threat or danger to the life of soldiers.
These new violations come one day after The United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate the violations committed in the oPt, published their findings and results during the period from 30 March to 31 December 2018.
These incidents confirm that Israel continues to violate the rules of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
It should be noted that The UN Commission found that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Israeli soldiers violated the international humanitarian law and international human rights law during the demonstrations of the Great March of Return.
Moreover, these violations may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, and Israel should investigate them immediately.
On Friday, 01 March 2019, the incidents were as follows:
At approximately 15:00, thousands of civilians, including women, children and entire families, started swarming to the five encampments established by the Supreme National Authority of Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege adjacent to the border fence with Israel in eastern Gaza Strip cities.
Hundreds, including children and women, approached the border fence with Israel in front of each encampment and gathered tens of meters away from the main border fence, attempting to throw stones at the Israeli forces and firing incendiary balloons along the border fence.
Demonstrators chanted slogans, raised flags and, attempted to approach the border fence, set fire to tires and tried to throw stones at the Israeli forces.
Although the demonstrators gathered in areas open to the Israeli snipers stationed on the top of the sand berms and military watchtowers and inside and behind the military jeeps, the Israeli forces fired live and rubber bullets in addition to a barrage of tear gas canisters.
The Israeli shooting, which continued at around 17:30, resulted in the injury of 83 Palestinian civilians, including a child, a woman, a journalist, and three paramedics.
Two of the wounded paramedics work at the Palestinian Civil Defense and the third one is a volunteer at PRCS, east of Rafah. The injury of 3 of the wounded civilians was reported serious.
In addition, dozens of demonstrators, paramedics and journalists suffered tear gas inhalation and seizures due to tear gas canisters that were fired by the Israeli forces from the military jeeps and riffles in the eastern Gaza Strip. Moreover, a PRCS ambulance was directly hit with a tear gas canister, east of Rafah.
The following table shows the number of civilian victims due to the Israeli forces’ suppression of the Great March of Return since its beginning on 30 March:
Wounded Killed
2103 40 Children
331 2 Women
177 2 Journalists
176 3 Medical Crews
– 8 Disabilities
11071 190 Total
Notes Among those wounded, 529 are in serious condition and 101 had their lower or upper limbs amputated; 89 lower-limb amputations, 2 upper-limb amputations, 10 finger amputations and 17 children had their limbs amputated according to the Ministry of Health. The number of those wounded only include those wounded with live bullets and directly hit with tear gas canisters, as there have been thousand others who suffered tear gas inhalation and sustained bruises.
PCHR emphasizes that continuously targeting civilians, who exercise their right to peaceful assembly or while carrying out their humanitarian duty, is a serious violation of the rules of international law, international humanitarian law, the ICC Rome Statute and Fourth Geneva Convention. Thus, PCHR calls upon the ICC Prosecutor to open an official investigation in these crimes and to prosecute and hold accountable all those applying or involved in issuing orders within the Israeli Forces at the security and political echelons.
PCHR hereby condemns the excessive use of force and commission of crimes by the Israeli forces despite the prevailed calmness, believing it is as a result of Israel’s enjoying impunity thanks to the U.S. and so encouraging the Israeli forces to commit further crimes upon an official decision by the highest military and political echelons.
PCHR welcomes again the results of the international investigation into the Great March of Return; and:
1- Calls upon the UN Human Rights Council to adopt and ratify the report when it is discussed on 18 March at the 40th session of the Council.
2- Calls upon the Member States of the Human Rights Council to adopt a decision to renew the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry, in the light of the continuation of Return March and the ongoing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by the Israeli forces during the period following the Committee’s work period.
3- Calls upon the High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit the report to the International Criminal Court.
4- Reiterates its call for the Prosecutor of the ICC to open an official investigation to these crimes, and to pursue and hold accountable those involved in the issuance of decisions in the Israeli army at the political and security level and who carried out these decisions.
PCHR also reiterates its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances and their obligations under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
PCHR calls upon Switzerland, in its capacity as the Depository State for the Convention, to demand the High Contracting Parties to convene a meeting and ensure Israel’s respect for this Convention, noting that these grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions regarding the guarantee of Palestinian civilians’ right to protection in the occupied territories
Public Document
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Follow PCHR on Facebook and Twitter
For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893
Gaza- Jamal ‘Abdel Nasser “al-Thalathini” Street – Al-Roya Building- Floor 12 , El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: [email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
Report By The Palestinian Center For Human Right (PCHR).
On Friday evening, 01 March 2019, in excessive use of force against peaceful protesters on the 49th Friday of the March of Return and Breaking the Siege, Israeli forces wounded 83 civilians, including 23 children, a woman, three paramedics, and a journalist, in eastern Gaza Strip. The injury of three of the wounded civilians was reported serious.
According to observations by PCHR’s fieldworkers, the Israeli forces who stationed in prone positions and in military jeeps along the fence with Israel continued to use excessive force against the demonstrators by opening fire and firing tear gas canisters at them.
As a result, dozens of the demonstrators were hit with bullets and teargas canisters without posing any imminent threat or danger to the life of soldiers.
These new violations come one day after The United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate the violations committed in the oPt, published their findings and results during the period from 30 March to 31 December 2018.
These incidents confirm that Israel continues to violate the rules of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
It should be noted that The UN Commission found that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Israeli soldiers violated the international humanitarian law and international human rights law during the demonstrations of the Great March of Return.
Moreover, these violations may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity, and Israel should investigate them immediately.
On Friday, 01 March 2019, the incidents were as follows:
At approximately 15:00, thousands of civilians, including women, children and entire families, started swarming to the five encampments established by the Supreme National Authority of Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege adjacent to the border fence with Israel in eastern Gaza Strip cities.
Hundreds, including children and women, approached the border fence with Israel in front of each encampment and gathered tens of meters away from the main border fence, attempting to throw stones at the Israeli forces and firing incendiary balloons along the border fence.
Demonstrators chanted slogans, raised flags and, attempted to approach the border fence, set fire to tires and tried to throw stones at the Israeli forces.
Although the demonstrators gathered in areas open to the Israeli snipers stationed on the top of the sand berms and military watchtowers and inside and behind the military jeeps, the Israeli forces fired live and rubber bullets in addition to a barrage of tear gas canisters.
The Israeli shooting, which continued at around 17:30, resulted in the injury of 83 Palestinian civilians, including a child, a woman, a journalist, and three paramedics.
Two of the wounded paramedics work at the Palestinian Civil Defense and the third one is a volunteer at PRCS, east of Rafah. The injury of 3 of the wounded civilians was reported serious.
In addition, dozens of demonstrators, paramedics and journalists suffered tear gas inhalation and seizures due to tear gas canisters that were fired by the Israeli forces from the military jeeps and riffles in the eastern Gaza Strip. Moreover, a PRCS ambulance was directly hit with a tear gas canister, east of Rafah.
The following table shows the number of civilian victims due to the Israeli forces’ suppression of the Great March of Return since its beginning on 30 March:
Wounded Killed
2103 40 Children
331 2 Women
177 2 Journalists
176 3 Medical Crews
– 8 Disabilities
11071 190 Total
Notes Among those wounded, 529 are in serious condition and 101 had their lower or upper limbs amputated; 89 lower-limb amputations, 2 upper-limb amputations, 10 finger amputations and 17 children had their limbs amputated according to the Ministry of Health. The number of those wounded only include those wounded with live bullets and directly hit with tear gas canisters, as there have been thousand others who suffered tear gas inhalation and sustained bruises.
PCHR emphasizes that continuously targeting civilians, who exercise their right to peaceful assembly or while carrying out their humanitarian duty, is a serious violation of the rules of international law, international humanitarian law, the ICC Rome Statute and Fourth Geneva Convention. Thus, PCHR calls upon the ICC Prosecutor to open an official investigation in these crimes and to prosecute and hold accountable all those applying or involved in issuing orders within the Israeli Forces at the security and political echelons.
PCHR hereby condemns the excessive use of force and commission of crimes by the Israeli forces despite the prevailed calmness, believing it is as a result of Israel’s enjoying impunity thanks to the U.S. and so encouraging the Israeli forces to commit further crimes upon an official decision by the highest military and political echelons.
PCHR welcomes again the results of the international investigation into the Great March of Return; and:
1- Calls upon the UN Human Rights Council to adopt and ratify the report when it is discussed on 18 March at the 40th session of the Council.
2- Calls upon the Member States of the Human Rights Council to adopt a decision to renew the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry, in the light of the continuation of Return March and the ongoing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by the Israeli forces during the period following the Committee’s work period.
3- Calls upon the High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit the report to the International Criminal Court.
4- Reiterates its call for the Prosecutor of the ICC to open an official investigation to these crimes, and to pursue and hold accountable those involved in the issuance of decisions in the Israeli army at the political and security level and who carried out these decisions.
PCHR also reiterates its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances and their obligations under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
PCHR calls upon Switzerland, in its capacity as the Depository State for the Convention, to demand the High Contracting Parties to convene a meeting and ensure Israel’s respect for this Convention, noting that these grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions regarding the guarantee of Palestinian civilians’ right to protection in the occupied territories
Public Document
**************************************
Follow PCHR on Facebook and Twitter
For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893
Gaza- Jamal ‘Abdel Nasser “al-Thalathini” Street – Al-Roya Building- Floor 12 , El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: [email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
A number of Palestinians were injured on Friday afternoon when the Israeli occupation forces heavily opened fire at the peaceful protesters taking part in the Great March of Return on Gaza border.
The PIC reporter said, quoting the Ministry of Health, that 17 Palestinians were injured by Israeli gunfire, while dozens others choked on tear gas.
The Ministry of Health said that a journalist and three paramedics were directly attacked with tear gas bombs.
Hundreds of Palestinians marched along the border between the Gaza Strip and the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories on the 49th Friday of the Great March of Return.
According to the Higher National Committee of the Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege, Friday's protests also celebrate the opening of Bab al-Rahma gate in Jerusalem after 16 years of closure.
The committee affirmed that the Great March of Return will continue until it achieves its goals, mainly breaking the 13-year-long blockade on the Gaza Strip.
For his part, Hamas's spokesman Hazem Qasem said that as the first anniversary of the Great March of Return is approaching, it is clear that the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are more determined to break the siege by all possible peaceful means.
Since 30 March 2018, the Gazans have been demonstrating on a weekly basis along the eastern border calling for the return of Palestinian refugees expelled from their lands in 1948 and demanding an end to the Gaza blockade.
The Israeli occupation army has killed 267 protesters and injured over 27,000 others, nearly 500 of whom are in critical condition.
The PIC reporter said, quoting the Ministry of Health, that 17 Palestinians were injured by Israeli gunfire, while dozens others choked on tear gas.
The Ministry of Health said that a journalist and three paramedics were directly attacked with tear gas bombs.
Hundreds of Palestinians marched along the border between the Gaza Strip and the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories on the 49th Friday of the Great March of Return.
According to the Higher National Committee of the Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege, Friday's protests also celebrate the opening of Bab al-Rahma gate in Jerusalem after 16 years of closure.
The committee affirmed that the Great March of Return will continue until it achieves its goals, mainly breaking the 13-year-long blockade on the Gaza Strip.
For his part, Hamas's spokesman Hazem Qasem said that as the first anniversary of the Great March of Return is approaching, it is clear that the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are more determined to break the siege by all possible peaceful means.
Since 30 March 2018, the Gazans have been demonstrating on a weekly basis along the eastern border calling for the return of Palestinian refugees expelled from their lands in 1948 and demanding an end to the Gaza blockade.
The Israeli occupation army has killed 267 protesters and injured over 27,000 others, nearly 500 of whom are in critical condition.
The Palestinian Center For Human Rights – Press Release: On 28 February 2019, The United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory held a press conference in the UN Headquarters in Geneva.
During the conference, the Chair and Members of the Commission presented the conclusions and findings of their investigation during the period from 30 March until 31December 2018.
PCHR expresses its satisfaction with what the UN Commission and report presented as it transparently and impartially shows the truth about the violations committed by the Israeli forces against the peaceful demonstrators.
The Commission Members emphasized that the activities of the Great March of Return were peaceful in nature, and the applicable legal framework was thus based in international human rights law, being rejected by Israel.
The Members also criticized the rules of engagement, which apparently permitted live fire at the “main inciters”, emphasizing this is illegal.
The investigation findings also revealed the same as the human rights organizations’ conclusions that the Israeli forces used lethal force against the demonstrators, who did not pose imminent threat to the life of Israeli soldiers nor directly were participating in hostilities, in violation of the international human rights law.
In violation of law, the Israeli forces intentionally and directly used lethal force against civilians, including children, women, journalists, health workers, and persons with disabilities.
The Israeli snipers targeted them while the demonstrators, at the time, did not pose any threat to the life of the Israeli soldiers nor were they participating in hostilities. The Commission added that these actions may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity.
The report also mentioned denying persons wounded of their treatment outside the Gaza Strip, which has been under blockade for 12 years, rendering the health-care system in a disastrous status.
The Commission also called for lifting the inhuman and illegal blockade on Gaza and ensure that all those injured at demonstrations are given permits to travel for medical treatment abroad in addition to developing the medical services in Gaza.
The Commission emphasized that the international community should holds its responsibilities relevant to protection of civilians and apply the recommendations of the International Commissions of Inquiry.
It should mentioned that On 18 May 2018, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution (S-28/1) in which it decided to dispatch the commission of inquiry that will present its report and recommendations to the Council at its fortieth session on 18 March 2019 in the UN Headquarters in Geneva.
PCHR believes that this report stresses civilians’ right to peaceful assembly and emphasizes the conclusions by all Palestinian, Israeli and international organizations that Israel has deliberately killed Palestinian civilians.
PCHR believes that this position of the Commission is a victory for the rule of law against the law of jungle applied by the Israeli forces against the peaceful demonstrators. PCHR adds that this report came to emphasize the human, moral and legal superiority of the Palestinian people over the occupation.
PCHR welcomes the results of the international investigation into the Great March of Return; and:
To view full report click here:
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/CoIOPT/A_HRC_40_74.pdf
Public Document
**************************************
Follow PCHR on Facebook and Twitter
For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893
Gaza- Jamal ‘Abdel Nasser “al-Thalathini” Street – Al-Roya Building- Floor 12 , El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: [email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
During the conference, the Chair and Members of the Commission presented the conclusions and findings of their investigation during the period from 30 March until 31December 2018.
PCHR expresses its satisfaction with what the UN Commission and report presented as it transparently and impartially shows the truth about the violations committed by the Israeli forces against the peaceful demonstrators.
The Commission Members emphasized that the activities of the Great March of Return were peaceful in nature, and the applicable legal framework was thus based in international human rights law, being rejected by Israel.
The Members also criticized the rules of engagement, which apparently permitted live fire at the “main inciters”, emphasizing this is illegal.
The investigation findings also revealed the same as the human rights organizations’ conclusions that the Israeli forces used lethal force against the demonstrators, who did not pose imminent threat to the life of Israeli soldiers nor directly were participating in hostilities, in violation of the international human rights law.
In violation of law, the Israeli forces intentionally and directly used lethal force against civilians, including children, women, journalists, health workers, and persons with disabilities.
The Israeli snipers targeted them while the demonstrators, at the time, did not pose any threat to the life of the Israeli soldiers nor were they participating in hostilities. The Commission added that these actions may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity.
The report also mentioned denying persons wounded of their treatment outside the Gaza Strip, which has been under blockade for 12 years, rendering the health-care system in a disastrous status.
The Commission also called for lifting the inhuman and illegal blockade on Gaza and ensure that all those injured at demonstrations are given permits to travel for medical treatment abroad in addition to developing the medical services in Gaza.
The Commission emphasized that the international community should holds its responsibilities relevant to protection of civilians and apply the recommendations of the International Commissions of Inquiry.
It should mentioned that On 18 May 2018, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution (S-28/1) in which it decided to dispatch the commission of inquiry that will present its report and recommendations to the Council at its fortieth session on 18 March 2019 in the UN Headquarters in Geneva.
PCHR believes that this report stresses civilians’ right to peaceful assembly and emphasizes the conclusions by all Palestinian, Israeli and international organizations that Israel has deliberately killed Palestinian civilians.
PCHR believes that this position of the Commission is a victory for the rule of law against the law of jungle applied by the Israeli forces against the peaceful demonstrators. PCHR adds that this report came to emphasize the human, moral and legal superiority of the Palestinian people over the occupation.
PCHR welcomes the results of the international investigation into the Great March of Return; and:
- Calls upon the UN Human Rights Council to adopt and ratify the report when it is discussed on 18 March at the fortieth session of the Council.
- Calls upon the High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit the report to the International Criminal Court.
- Calls upon the Member States of the Human Rights Council to adopt a decision to renew the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry, in the light of the continuation of Return March and the ongoing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by the Israeli forces during the period following the Committee’s work period.
To view full report click here:
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/CoIOPT/A_HRC_40_74.pdf
Public Document
**************************************
Follow PCHR on Facebook and Twitter
For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893
Gaza- Jamal ‘Abdel Nasser “al-Thalathini” Street – Al-Roya Building- Floor 12 , El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: [email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
The Arab League (AL) welcomed, on Thursday, the results of a United Nations' report that Israeli forces may have committed war crimes killing scores of Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The AL Assistant Secretary General for Palestine and occupied Arab territories, Said Abu Ali, said the results reflect the fairness of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, which classify the ongoing Israeli violations as war crimes or crimes against humanity.
Abu Ali called on the international community to follow up the important results of this report and to focus on the principle of accountability, demanding that those responsible for the violations and crimes committed daily against the Palestinian people should be identified.
He stressed the importance and necessity of providing international protection to the Palestinian people as well as ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the territories occupied in 1967 with Jerusalem as its capital.
A report by the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on the protests in the occupied Palestinian territory described the Israeli army shooting of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border fence with Israel as war crimes.
The commission was mandated by the Human Rights Council in May 2018 to investigate all Israeli violations and abuses of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the occupied Palestinian territory in the context of “The Great March of Return” protests that began in Gaza on March 30th 2018.
The AL Assistant Secretary General for Palestine and occupied Arab territories, Said Abu Ali, said the results reflect the fairness of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, which classify the ongoing Israeli violations as war crimes or crimes against humanity.
Abu Ali called on the international community to follow up the important results of this report and to focus on the principle of accountability, demanding that those responsible for the violations and crimes committed daily against the Palestinian people should be identified.
He stressed the importance and necessity of providing international protection to the Palestinian people as well as ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the territories occupied in 1967 with Jerusalem as its capital.
A report by the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on the protests in the occupied Palestinian territory described the Israeli army shooting of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border fence with Israel as war crimes.
The commission was mandated by the Human Rights Council in May 2018 to investigate all Israeli violations and abuses of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in the occupied Palestinian territory in the context of “The Great March of Return” protests that began in Gaza on March 30th 2018.
