| Press
Release April 26 , 2001 |
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Six More Palestinians Killed |
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Four Palestinians were killed and another three were injured, one critically, when a landmine exploded yesterday in the Gaza Strip. Those killed or injured were: 1. Ramadan Ismail Azam, age 33, killed 2. Saadi Muhammad Khalil al-Dabas, age 24, killed 3. Yaser Hamdan Khalil al-Dabas, killed 4. Samir Sabri Musa Zurub, age 35, killed 5. Ayman Al-Zutmeh, age 24, critically wounded 6. Majdi Abd al-Raouf Shat, age 37, wounded in the arm 7. Ziad Mustafa Shat, age 32, wounded in the leg According to information received by al-Haq, between 8:00 and 8:30 pm the victims were traveling near the Gaza-Egypt border in Rafah when they spotted a suspicious object. Suspecting that it was a bomb or mine they fired several shots at it in an attempt to destroy it. When it did not explode they began to approach the object, at which time it exploded. A number of children report having seen the suspected mine earlier in the day. Azam was a member of the Preventative Security Forces, and Zurub was a Police officer. Israeli soldiers opened fire on medical teams who came to assist those injured by the explosion. Two more Palestinians from Gaza died during the last twenty-four hours. Ibrahim Abu Aweni, 21 years old, died last night of wounds sustained several weeks ago during clashes that occurred when Israeli forces raided Khan Younis refugee camp. Abu Aweni died in a Cairo hospital where he had been taken for treatment. Atef Abdel Aziz Wahdan, age 40 from al-Breij refugee camp was also killed today while working in his orchard east of the camp near the Israel-Gaza border. Reports received by al-Haq state that soldiers in an Israeli tank passing by Wahdans orchard on the Israeli side of the border opened fire on Wahdan and several other Palestinians working with him. Wahdan was shot in the head and neck and died immediately from his wounds. At the time of this incident there were no clashes occurring anywhere near the area where Wahdan was killed. The killing of Wahdan bears striking resemblance to the killing of Yousef Hussein Abu Hamdeh, age 38, from Shati refugee camp in Gaza on the 24th of April. Israeli sources claim that Abu Hamdeh crossed into Israel, and was then shot after he did not comply with an order to stop given by nearby Israeli soldier. Contrary to these reports, information received by al-Haq shows that Abu Hamdeh was killed when he crossed into the area of Beit Hanoun that was briefly occupied by Israel last week. Travel to these areas has been made virtually impossible since the Israeli forces withdrew, with soldiers shooting at those who enter the area. Abu Hamdeh was mentally disabled and was unarmed and posing no threat to the lives of the Israeli soldiers who killed him. He was shot several times in the chest. Israeli forces also shelled several civilian neighborhoods last night including, but not limited to, the Abu Sneini and al-Sheikh neighborhoods in Hebron, Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Ramallah, and al-Aideh Refugee Camp. In light of these events al-Haq renews its call upon the international community to send an international protection force to the Occupied Territories and call upon them to act ensure that Palestinians human rights are protected. |
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