As reported early yesterday morning, Israeli forces killed a
man east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Centre for
Human Rights conducted its own investigation into Thursday’s death and issued
the following report:
“In the early morning hours of Thursday (24 August 2006), an
under cover Israeli Army unit killed a Palestinian in cold
blood in the town of Greater Abasan,
east of Khan Yunis…”
“IArmy troops fired at him from close range during an
operation to arrest his brother, who is allegedly wanted by Israeli Army and
lives in a nearby house. After withdrawing from the area, the Army bombed the
house of the victim with several rockets from the air, despite
the presence of the family inside, causing significant destruction to the house.
PCHR's preliminary investigation indicates that the victim, Yousef
Mohammad Abu Daqqa (55), did not pose any threat to the soldiers when he was shot from a
distance of 12 meters. He was an unarmed civilian inside his house when he was
killed.
“PCHR's preliminary investigation into the incident
indicates that at approximately 02:50, an undercover Israeli Army unit
infiltrated nearly 800 meters into El-Farahin area in the town of Greater Abasan, east of
Khan Yunis. Israeli drones and helicopters provided aerial cover for the force,
which surrounded the houses belonging to the brothers Younis and Yousef
Mohammad Salim Abu Daqqa.
The force stormed the house of Younis Abu Daqqa (40) who
works as a lab technician at the Islamic University of Gaza and is a prominent
Hamas activist. Yousef (55) opened a window on the northern side of his
besieged house. Immediately, a soldier fired at him from a distance of 12
meters. He was hit in the head by a bullet that killed him instantly. During
the withdrawal of the force, one of the victim's sons fired from inside the
house at them.
“After ensuring that the ground forces had left the area, planes
fired 5 rockets at the victim's 2-story house. The rockets hit the southern, eastern,
and northern sides of the second storey of the house. The 17-member family was
in the northwest corner of the ground floor. They escaped the bombardment by a miracle;
although extensive damage was inflicted on the house.
“PCHR reiterates its strong condemnation of the Israeli
Army's killing of Palestinian civilians. It is a form of reprisal and
collective punishment against Palestinians, a violation of article 33 of the
Fourth Geneva Convention.
“In the Center’s view, the complacency of the international
community and the High Contracting Parties of the 4th Geneva Convention and
their failure to take effective steps to stop Israeli war crimes has been a
supporting and encouraging element for Israel to continue perpetrating
additional war crimes against Palestinian civilians. The Centre reminds the
High Contracting Parties of: their obligations under article 1 of the
convention, to ensure respect of the convention under all circumstances;
Their obligations, as stipulated in article 146 of the
convention,is to pursue those suspected of committing serious violations of the
convention, noting that these violations are war crimes according to article 147,
as specified in the first protocol additional to the convention”
