In the past 24 hours, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF)
have escalated attacks against the Gaza Strip, while
have maintained the tightened siege imposed on Strip.
On Wednesday evening, 16 April 2008, and in less
than half an hour, IOF killed 13 Palestinian civilians,
including a journalist, 8 children and 2 brothers, and
wounded 32 others, including 17 children and a woman,
in Juhor al-Dik village in the central Gaza Strip. They also
razed large areas of agricultural land and demolished a
number of houses during an incursion into the village.
PCHR's investigations strongly indicate that IOF used
excessive force and willfully targeted journalists in spite
of the clear markings on their suits and vehicles.[1]
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at
approximately 04:00, IOF moved nearly 1,200 meters into
Juhor al-Dik village in the central Gaza Strip. They raided and
searched a number of houses and started to raze areas of
agricultural land. At approximately 07:00, IOF fired a
tank shell at a house belonging to Salem 'Ali Abu Sa'id, 73.
Abu Sa'id and his daughter-in-law, 36-year-old Hala 'Atiya,
were wounded by shrapnel to their shoulders. Medical sources
described Abu Sa'id's wounds as serious. At approximately
16:30, an IOF aircraft that provided air cover for the
incursion fired 2 missiles at a number of Palestinian
civilians who gathered near al-Ihsan Mosque, nearly 300
meters away from the area in which IOF troops were
deployed. As a result, 9 Palestinian civilians, including
6 children and 2 brothers were killed, and 18 others,
including 12 children were wounded. The civilians who
were killed were identified as:
1) Mahmoud Ahmed Mohammed, 45;
2) Sofian Ahmed Mohammed, 41;
3) 'Abdullah Maher Abu Khalil, 15;
4) Tariq Fareed Abu Taqiya, 16;
5) Islam Hussam al-'Eissawi, 16;
6) Talha Hani Abu 'Ali, 13;
7) Bayan Sameer al-Khaldi, 17;
8) Mohammed Mohammed al-'Assar, 17; and
9) Fadi Jamal Musran, 20.
Fadel Shana'a, 23, a cameraman of Reuters, accompanied by
Wafa Abu Mezyed, 25, a soundman, arrived at the area to
photograph the children who were killed by Israeli missiles.
When they finished photographing, they got on a Reuters
vehicle, which was clearly marked with the press badge. They
then traveled back to continue their work in the area. They
stopped hundreds of meters away from the area where IOF
troops were deployed. They got out of the vehicle and a
number of children gathered around them. Soon after,
IOF fired a tank shell at them. Shana'a was instantly killed
and Abu Mezyed was wounded. Abu Mezyed was able to
flee from the area. IOF soon fired another shell that hit the
back of the vehicle and heavily damaged it. Three civilians,
including 2 children, were also killed by the attack, and
12 others, including 5 children, were wounded. The civilians
who were killed were identified as:
1) Ahmed 'Aaref Farajallah, 14;
2) Ghassan Khaled Abu 'Otaiwi, 17; and
3) Khalil Isma'il Dughmosh, 22.
At approximately 21:30, IOF troops redeployed outside the
village after razing at least 200 donums[2] of agricultural land
and demolishing 6 houses.
PCHR strongly condemns and expressed utmost concern
over these crimes, and:
1) Asserts that these latest crimes are part of a series of
continuous crimes committed by IOF in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory (OPT) with total disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians.
2) Warns of further escalation in attacks against Palestinian
civilians in light of statements and threats by Israeli political
and military officials, which may cause more civilian casualties
in the Gaza Strip.
3) Expresses utmost concern over continued crimes committed
by IOF against journalists and media professionals, and stresses that
such crimes aim at silencing the press and prevent journalists from
covering crimes committed by IOF against civilians.
4) Calls upon the international community to immediately
intervene to stop such crimes, and calls upon the High Contracting
Parties to the Geneva Convention, Relative to the Protection of
Civilian Persons in Time of War, to fulfill their obligation under
article 1 of the Convention to ensure respect for the Convention
in all circumstances, and their obligation under article 146
to search for and prosecute those who are responsible for
perpetrating grave breaches of the Convention. Such breaches
constitute war crimes according to article 147 of the Convention
and the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August
1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International
Armed Conflicts (Protocol I).
· Play Video Reuters cameraman's last moments
Apr 16 - An Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed Reuters cameraman
Fadel Shana and two Palestinian civilians.
23 year old Fadel Shana was covering violence in the enclave
when the explosion killed him and two bystanders,
local residents said.
Reuters soundman Wafa Abu Mizyed, also in his 20s, was being
treated for shock and slight injuries. Video from the camera
captures the moment an Israeli tank fires a shell towards a
vehicle bearing "TV" and "Press" markings.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said she had no information on an
air strike on a vehicle in the area of central Gaza where the incident
took place in late afternoon.
Reuters Editor-in-Chief David Schlesinger called for an
investigation into the incident.
Susan Flory reports.
SOUNDBITE: David Schlesinger, Reuters Editor-in-Chief
[1] PCHR has issued a separate press release condemning the killing of Fadel Shana'a, a Reuters cameraman.
[2] 1 donum is equal to 1,000 square meter.
0 Have Your Say!:
Post a Comment