Palestinian Centre For Human Rights Press Release
According to eyewitnesses' statements collected by PCHR, at approximately 02:00 on Thursday, 29 May 2003, about 20 Israeli soldiers moved into Abu Haddaf area in al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan Yunis. They raided the house of Jihad Salim al-Qedra and forced its 8 residents out. All the family left the house except the owner's son, Mohammed, 25, who was sleeping on the roof. Then, the family heard an Israeli soldier saying: "Everyone in the house must get out." Mohammed tried to exit the house. He was unarmed. When he was trying to get out, the family heard the Israeli soldiers fire 6 live bullets at Mohammed from a distance of only 2m. His family rushed into the house crying but the Israeli soldiers prevented them from helping Mohammed. The soldiers remained in the house for about half an hour, while the son lay injured. When Israeli soldiers withdrew from the house, they detained the owner's other son, Ahmed, 21. As soon as the soldiers left, neighbors attempted to evacuate Mohammed to a hospital in Khan Yunis. However, Israeli soldiers stopped the car and ordered the neighbors to take Mohammed out of the car. Israeli soldiers handcuffed and blindfolded the neighbors. Then, a soldier fired one bullet at Mohammed at point blank range. A second bullet was fired into the air. Mohammed remained on the ground until Israeli soldiers withdrew from the area. A Palestinian ambulance evacuated the body to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. According to medical sources, the victim was hit by 3 live bullets in the chest, the abdomen and the thigh.
Israeli forces also raided a number of houses in the village. They arrested 29 Palestinians; 23 were released later, but 6 remain in custody.
PCHR strongly condemns this extrajudicial execution and expresses deep concern over the escalation in unlawful killings of Palestinians, which constitute war crimes under international humanitarian law. PCHR believes that this latest execution is further evidence of Israel's disregard for international human rights and humanitarian law. PCHR calls upon the international community to discontinue its policy of silence towards such Israeli practices, and reiterates its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal obligations to ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
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