Two killed; Israeli forces shell civilians in
Tulkarem and Khan Younis
7 May 2001
Two Palestinians have been killed due to Israeli shelling; one
a 45-year-old Palestinian from Tulkarem and the other a 4-month-old
baby girl from Khan Younis. The number of Palestinians killed in
the past 24 hours has risen to three, including 47-year-old Mohammad
Abyat from Al Taíamra, who died on Sunday during the Israeli shelling
of Beit Jala. According to LAWís documentation, on Sunday evening
Israeli forces stationed at the Military Liaison Headquarters and
Ghishuri factory shelled civilian homes in the southern part of
Tulkarem, wounding ten Palestinians including 45-year-old Hussein
Abu Tamam, who was shot in the chest and the left arm while at home.
Abu Tamam was taken to Tulkarem State Hospital and then to Rafidia
Hospital in Nablus where he died on Monday morning. Abu Tamam was
the father of seven children, including two - Nadir and Nasser -
who have been detained at Megiddo prison for the past 18 months.
The other injured people were 1. Maram Karmash, 10, shrapnel in
the left knee 2. Asad Abu Tabeekh, 14, shrapnel in the left knee
3. Amar Alyan, 10, shrapnel in the head 4. Linda Ata, 21, shrapnel
in the head 5. Hussein Al Sarghali, 17, injured in the right eye
6. Said Katawi, 25, shrapnel in the left leg 7. Siham Abu Tamam,
40, shrapnel in the left arm 8. Wiíam Karmash, 5, shrapnel and burns
in the left knee 9. Mohammad Drubi, 26, injured in the right eye
In Gaza, Israeli forces stationed in the area surrounding Gani Tal
and Neve Dakalim settlements and Al Tufah checkpoint shelled the
residential areas of Al Satr Al Gharbi, Khan Younis refugee camp,
Al Namsawi and Al Amal quarters. Israeli artillery shelling killed
4-month-old Iman Haju as she sat in the lap of her mother, 39-year-old
Sumaya Haju who was critically wounded. Two of Sumayaís sisters
were also wounded ñ 6-year-old Dunia Haju was hit by shrapnel in
the arms and 21-year-old Suzan Haju was critically wounded after
being hit by shrapnel in various parts of her body. Their brother,
18-year-old Mahmoud Haju, was hit by shrapnel in the abdomen. At
least 20 other people were also wounded. LAW Society strongly condemns
the Israeli shelling of Palestinian civilians and reiterates the
following: 1. Israeli forces are committing increased crimes and
using the Israeli war arsenal against unarmed Palestinian civilians.
2. They continue to shell Palestinian residential areas. 3. They
continue to use collective punishment against Palestinians and deprive
them of their basic human rights. 4. Israeli forces use settlements
as bases from which to bomb Palestinian areas 5. Israeli settlers,
aided by Israeli forces, continue to assault Palestinian civilians
6. The international community, its organisations, and the High
Contracting Parties of the 4th Geneva Convention have so far failed
to take action to ensure Israelís compliance with the international
resolutions and the Convention LAW demands: 1. The Israeli government
to immediately stop its crimes and collective punishment against
Palestinians. 2. An international investigation committee to be
set up, working according to UN Resolution 1322. 3. The Contracting
Parties to the 4th Geneva Convention to ensure Israelís compliance
with the Convention. 4. Palestinians to be placed under international
protection. 5. The international community to put an end to these
crimes and the Israeli occupation. 6. The international community
to investigate the killing of Palestinians by Israeli soldiers.
The investigation shall be in compliance with Article 146 of the
4th Geneva Convention, which stipulates "The High Contracting Parties
undertake 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 present ConventionÖ" 7. The Security
Council to set up an international war crime tribunal to bring the
Israeli war criminals and those in charge of them to justice