IOF Use Excessive Force against Demonstrations Commemorating the Palestinian Nakba; 143 Civilians Wounded, Including 47 Children

IOF Use Excessive Force against Demonstrations Commemorating the Palestinian Nakba; 143 Civilians Wounded, Including 47 Children, 5 Women and 3 Journalists, and a 1 Child Killed in Gaza

Following the longstanding policy of using excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians, the Israeli forces used force to disperse demonstrators, who participated in peaceful demonstrations in the Gaza Strip and West Bank on the 63rd anniversary of Nakba – the uprooting the Palestinian people from the land in 1948 –  on Sunday, 15 May 2011.  As a result, 143 Palestinian civilians, including 47 children and 5 women, were wounded. In the Gaza Strip 105 people were wounded, including 31 children, 3 women and 3 journalists. In the West Bank 38 were wounded, including 16 children and 2 women.  The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt) and calls upon the international community to immediately take action to compel the Israeli government to stop its crimes against Palestinian civilians.

In another attack in the evening, Israeli forces killed a mentally disabled child near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Gaza City.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, the incident occurred as follows:

The Gaza Strip:

• At approximately 10:30 on Sunday, 15 May 2011, dozens of Palestinians began gathering approximately 1700 meters South of Beit Hanoun (Erez), the northern crossing in the Gaza Strip. People had gathered to participate in the activities commemorating the 63rd anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba.  At approximately 11:30, dozens of Palestinians headed towards the border fence near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing.  Ten minutes later, Israeli forces stationed at the border fired 4 arterially shells in the area where the Palestinians were gathered. Simultaneously, Israeli soldiers in watchtowers opened fire at the demonstrators.  Israeli forces continued intermittently firing until evening, while helicopters hovered over the area also firing heavily at the area surrounding the demonstrators.  Additionally, dozens of tear gas canisters and bombs which released a smoke were fired, causing fainting and neurological symptoms.  As a result, 103 Palestinians were wounded and dozens suffered from gas inhalation. Thirteen (13) were transported to al-Awdah Hospital in Jabalya, 6 were transported to Balsam Hospital in Beit Hanoun, and 84 were transported to Martyr Kamal Odwan Hospital in Beit Lahia.  The wounded included 31 children and 3 women. 

Journalists were also wounded. They are:

1.      Hussein Abdul Jawad Karsou', 36, from al-Thalathini Street in Gaza City.  He works as a freelance journalist and cameraman for al-Shoroq Media Institution and also managing a page of Gazan News Agency on Facebook.  He was wounded by a bullet to the left leg;

2.      Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed Othman, 25, a freelance cameraman, from Sheikh Redwan neighborhood in Gaza City.  He was wounded in the chest; and

3.      Aasem Mohammed Shihadah, 25, a cameraman of the National Media Company.  He suffered from suffocation due to firing bombs which released the toxic smoke.

Additionally, three members of the Palestine Red Crescent Society's (PRCS) medical staff suffered from suffocation and fainted: Ahmed Abu Foul, 30, Director of PRCS's volunteers; 'Atiyah Morad, 25; and Ramadan Hoso, 28.

• At approximately 15:00, Israeli forces stationed at the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire near dozens of Palestinians participating in a peaceful demonstration in the eastern part of 'Abasan village,  located east of Khan Yunis.  As a result, two Palestinians sustained moderate wounds and were transported to the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Yunis to receive medical treatment.

The West Bank:

• In Ramallah, at approximately 13:30, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered at the entrance of Qalandya refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, and headed towards Qalandya checkpoint, which separates Ramallah from Jerusalem.  The demonstrators threw stones and empty bottles towards Israeli soldiers, who had been heavily deployed near the checkpoint beginning in the early morning.  Israeli forces immediately fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators.  As a result, 26 civilians, including 11 children and a woman, were wounded and were transported to Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah to receive necessary medical treatment.  Medical sources stated that the majority of injuries were in the upper parts of the body.  Israeli forces, using undercover units, arrested 6 Palestinians; one of whom had been wounded in the head.

• In Hebron, Palestinian civilians organized peaceful demonstrations in central and southern Hebron, at the northern entrance of Hebron, and at the entrances of Beit Ummar, Bani N'eim, Zeef villages and the Fawwar refugee camp.  As a result of clashes with Israeli forces, 12 civilians, including 5 children and a woman, were wounded. In addition, a number of civilians fainted from tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises due to violent beating.

In another crime, Israeli forces killed a mentally disabled child yesterday evening near Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza City, by an artillery shell.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 16:30, Shifa Hospital received the body of Khamis Salah Mesleh Habeeb, 17, from al-Shuja'iya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City.  In a statement to a PCHR field worker, Adham Abu Selmiyah, Spokesperson of the Emergency Department, said that they had received a phone call from residents of Nahal Oz area, who stated there was a body near the border fence.  Coordination was made through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and an ambulance headed to the area where they recovered the body of Habeeb at a distance of 300 meters to the west of Nahal Oz crossing.  The body was transported to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.  According to forensic sources at Shifa Hospital, Habeeb was wounded by shrapnel in the chest and the head from an artillery shell fired at him. As a result of which he was killed immediately.  It should be noted that Habeeb suffered from a mental disorder.

PCHR reiterates its condemnation of such crimes, and expresses utmost concern over them, and:

1.      Stresses that using excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians has been constituting a systematic policy of Israeli forces, which reflects the Israeli disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians; and

2.      Calls upon the international community to immediately take an action to stop such crimes and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1 which stipulates "the High Contracting Parties undertake to respect and to ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances," and their obligations under Article 146 which requires that the Contracting Parties prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.  These grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and under Protocol I Additional to Geneva Conventions.