OPT: Four children and their mom killed by Israeli fire in Beit Hanon

In Arabic

[GAZA, 28 April 2008] - The Gaza based Palestinian Center for Human Rights has strongly condemned the attack by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, which led to the killing of a mother and four of her children, aged 1-5, and the injury of another two.

The Centre said that on Monday 28 April 2008, at 6am, the Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF), supported by more than 20 heavily armored military vehicles, moved approximately 1200 meters inside the Gaza Strip in the town of Beit Hanoun. They took positions on Water Reservoir Hill, apposite El-Nada Housing Project, in Izbit Abed Rabbo, and in Sultan Abd El-Hamid Street, west of the town. They fired heavily as they  took up positions.

Around 8:15, an IOF plane fired a rocket at a group of resistance members near Abdallah Azzam Mosque, southwest of Izbit Abd Rabbou, approximately 1000 meters away from the main area of the incursion. The rocket fell 10 meters away from the house of Ahmad Eid Hassan Abu Me’tiq, seriously injuring a resistance member. Less than a minute later two rockets were fired at the same area and landed at the door of the same house, killing another resistance member: Ibrahim Salem Suliman Hajouj (20).

Shrapnel from the rockets destroyed the house door and spread through the house. Meyasar Metliq Abu Me’tiq (40) and her 6 children were eating breakfast only 2 meters away from the door. The shrapnel killed four of the children immediately. The mother was seriously injured; and the other two children were moderately injured. The mother later died of her wounds. In addition, 10 bystanders were injured. The children killed are:

-   Mes’id Ahmad Eid Abu Me’tiq (1 year).

-   Hana Ahmad Eid Abu Me’tiq (3 year).

-   Rudeina Ahmad Eid Abu Me’tiq (4 year).

-   Saleh Ahmad Eid Abu Me’tiq (5 year).

The IOF incursion continued at the time of publication. And IOF forces were bombarding El-Nada Housing Project and conducting raids and arrests in Sultan Abd El-Hamid Street and El-Ghazalat area near Erez Crossing north of Beit Hanoun.

These victims bring to 312 the total number of Palestinians who have been killed in the Gaza Strip in 2008. They include 197 unarmed civilians (63 per cent). Among the civilians killed are 44 children and 14 women. As a result, the year 2008 is worse than the last three years in terms of number of victims killed.

PCHR is extremely concerned by this new IOF escalation; and:

• Reiterates condemnation of these war crimes, which are a continuation of Israeli war crimes in the OPT, reflecting IOF disregard for civilian lives. The Centre views these crimes as reprisals and a form of collective punishment for Palestinians in violation of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949).
• Holds Israel fully responsible for the safety of Palestinian civilians under all circumstances. According to International Law, the presence of armed resistance in any form does not justify disproportionate and excessive force. In addition, International Law stipulates differentiating between civilian and military targets.
• Calls upon the international community to act immediately to stop these crimes; and renews the call to the High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligation under Article 1 of the Convention to ensure that it is respected at all times, and their responsibilities under Article 146 to pursue perpetrators of serious violations of the Convention, which are determined in Article 147 that lists violations of the Convention amounting to war crimes.

Further Information

• Geneva Convention on the protection of civilian persons in time of war (Human Rights Index)
• First Optional Protcol on the protection of victims of international armed conflicts (Human Rights Index)
• PCHR: weekly report on Israeli human rights violations in the OPT (23 April)
• More on Children in Palestine
• CRIN'S Page on Armed Conflict