- Today at the time of
the writing of this press release, the most intensive attacks to date
are being carried out in Beit Jala and Beit Sahour. Three civilian
homes have been destroyed in Beit Sahour and civilian areas are being
shelled by tanks and helicopters in Beit Jala. Three more
Palestinian civilians were shot dead by Israeli Occupying Forces in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip and yesterday, October 31 five
Palestinians were killed. According to al-Haq fieldworkers this brings
the death toll to 147 Palestinians and the number of injured to nearly
5500. The Israeli Army’s excessive use of force has intensified as
evidenced by the increasing number of gunshot wounds to the head and
chest.
Today, November 1, those shot and killed were:
1. Ahmad Salman Tayeh, 15, from al-Shati Camp Gaza
2. Mohammad Ibrahim Hajjaj, 17, from al-Shati Camp, Gaza
3. Mohammad Mahmoud, from the Palestinian National Police Forces, 27,
from Hebron
Those killed on October 31 were as follows:
1. Shadi Awad Odeh, 22, from Gaza
2. Hazem Musa Abu Daf, 22, from Gaza
3. Mohammad Khazaa Hallass, 23, from Gaza
4. Mahmoud Ahmad Abu Al-Kheir, 20 from Gaza
5. Thaer Ibrahim Abu Zaid, 18, Al-Jalazoun Refugee Camp, near Ramallah
The Israeli Occupying Forces continue to intensify their assault
against Palestinian private property as Israeli Forces shelled a Fateh
office in a one-story building in al-Bireh on October 30. Nearby
buildings were damaged by shrapnel and broken glass. In the Gaza
Strip, the offices of Force 17 in Khan Younis were damaged by machine
gunfire. Nearby homes and businesses were also damaged during the
assault. The Fateh Office in Nablus was also struck by Israeli
helicopter gunships and damaged severely.
Today, Israeli Occupying Forces heightened their siege of Occupied
East Jerusalem by increasing the presence of the Israeli Occupying
Forces, border guards and police. Once more, Israel continues to act
in total disregard of international humanitarian law and international
human rights principles and daily demands by local and international
NGOs continue to be ignored.
Al- Haq views with concern the continued Israeli aggression
against Palestinian civilians, and reiterates the following:
- 1. The United
Nations Security Council should take the necessary measures to
pressure the Israeli government to stop its excessive use of
force and aggression against Palestinian civilians and immediately
send an international force to protect Palestinian civilians.
- 2. The United
Nations Security Council should take action and form a tribunal in
order to begin the trials of war criminals.
3. The
reconvening of the adjourned meeting of July 15, 1999 of all High
Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention. High
Contracting Parties are obliged by Article 1 of the Fourth
Geneva Convention “to respect and ensure respect for the present
Convention in all circumstances.” Furthermore Article 146
states that High Contracting Parties are committed “to enact
any legislation necessary to provide effective penal sanctions for
persons committing or ordering to be committed any of the grave
breaches of the Convention” and “… and shall bring such
persons regardless of their nationality before such courts.”
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