2017-P

Misbah Shbeir

contact@ifamericansknew.org

October 30th, 2017: Misbah Fayeq Shbeir, 30, was killed while participating in a rescue operation following the Israeli bombardment of a border tunnel in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. He was one of seven killed in the tunnel bombardment, while 12 more were injured, including three who suffered life-threatening wounds.

Misbah entered the tunnel after the bombing had taken place, to assist with the search and rescue operations, when the tunnel collapsed further, crushing him and one other rescue worker.

During the attack, the Israeli army fired at least five missiles into the tunnel, which was still under construction in the area near Kissufim military base, across the border fence.

The tunnel was run by Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad. Five of those killed were members of the Al-Quds Brigades, while two, including Misbah were members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, who entered the tunnel after the bombing to assist with the search and rescue operations.

The Israeli army said it carried out what it called “a scheduled detonation of a new tunnel, which was under construction near the border fence.” The bombing was instantly followed by heavy deployment of armored vehicles and fighter jets, in the area, especially east of Khan Younis.

A number of Palestinian armed resistance groups responded to the bombardment by issuing calls for retaliation against Israel, and criticizing Israel for what they claimed was an unnecessary escalation.

Misbah, a fighter with the Al-Qassam Brigades, was from Khan Younis. Source: IMEMC

Mohammad al-Aqha

contact@ifamericansknew.org

October 30th, 2017: Mohammad Marwan al-Aqha was killed  while participating in a rescue operation following the Israeli bombardment of a border tunnel in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. He was one of seven killed in the tunnel bombardment, while 12 more were injured, including three who suffered life-threatening wounds.

Mohammad entered the tunnel after the bombing had taken place, to assist with the search and rescue operations, when the tunnel collapsed further, crushing him and one other rescue worker.

During the attack, the Israeli army fired at least five missiles into the tunnel, which was still under construction in the area near Kissufim military base, across the border fence.

The tunnel was run by Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad. Five of those killed were members of the Al-Quds Brigades, while two, including Misbah were members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, who entered the tunnel after the bombing to assist with the search and rescue operations.

The Israeli army said it carried out what it called “a scheduled detonation of a new tunnel, which was under construction near the border fence.” The bombing was instantly followed by heavy deployment of armored vehicles and fighter jets, in the area, especially east of Khan Younis.

A number of Palestinian armed resistance groups responded to the bombardment by issuing calls for retaliation against Israel, and criticizing Israel for what they claimed was an unnecessary escalation.

Mohammad, a fighter with the Al-Qassam Brigades, was from the Central District of Gaza. Source: IMEMC

Ahmad Abu Armana

contact@ifamericansknew.org

October 30th, 2017: Ahmad Khalil Abu Armana, 25, was killed in the Israeli bombardment of a border tunnel in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. He was one of seven killed in the tunnel bombardment, while 12 more were injured, including three who suffered life-threatening wounds.

Two hours after Armana was killed, his pregnant wife was taken to the same hospital as her husband’s corpse, as the news of her husband’s death caused her to go into a premature labor.

The Israeli army fired at least five missiles into the tunnel, which was still under construction in the area near Kissufim military base, across the border fence.

The tunnel was run by Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad. Five of those killed were members of the Al-Quds Brigades, while two were members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, who entered the tunnel after the bombing to assist with the search and rescue operations.

The Israeli army said it carried out what it called “a scheduled detonation of a new tunnel, which was under construction near the border fence.” The bombing was instantly followed by heavy deployment of armored vehicles and fighter jets, in the area, especially east of Khan Younis.

A number of Palestinian armed resistance groups responded to the bombardment by issuing calls for retaliation against Israel, and criticizing Israel for what they claimed was an unnecessary escalation.

Ahmad, an Al-Quds Brigades fighter, was from the Central District of Gaza. Source: IMEMC

Nimir Jamal

contact@ifamericansknew.org

September 26, 2017: Nimir Mahmoud Jamal, 37, was killed by Israeli soldiers and officers after he opened fire on them in Har Hadar Israeli settlement, northwest of Jerusalem, killing three, and wounding two Israelis.

The Israeli army stated that its initial investigation revealed that the Palestinian arrived at the rear entrance of the settlement, along with a group of Palestinian workers, before he carried out the attack.

It added that the Border Guards ordered the Palestinian to stop after suspecting him, before he reportedly pulled out a concealed gun and opened fire, killing a border police officer and two security guards, and seriously wounding the security coordinator of Har Adar.

The officers were later identified as Staff Sergeant Solomon Gabrieh, 20, from Be’er Yaakov town, along with security officers Youssef Othman, a Palestinian from Abu Ghosh, west of Jerusalem, and Or Arish, 25, from Har Adar.

Another Israeli, a 32-year-old man was seriously injured, but the doctors at Hadassah Israeli Medical Center in Jerusalem said his wounds were not life threatening.

Following the shooting, the soldiers surrounded Nimir’s hometown, Beit Surik, and imposed curfew, after forcing shut all stores and facilities, including a medical center run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

The army also isolated Beit Iksa nearby village, prevented the Palestinians from entering or leaving it, and enforced a curfew on Beit Iksa.

Nimir was from Beit Surik village, northwest of Jerusalem. Source: IMEMC

Raed al-Salhi

contact@ifamericansknew.org

September 2, 2017: Raed al-Salhi, 21, died of serious wounds sustained three weeks earlier in an Israeli military raid of Deheishe refugee camp in Bethlehem.

Al-Salhi had been shot multiple times in the chest and abdomen on August 9th, puncturing his liver and landing him in critical condition at the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, where he died of his injuries on September 2nd, three weeks after being shot.

While he was being treated at the hospital, he was denied any visits by his family, and was heavily guarded by Israeli soldiers who considered him a prisoner. He remained unconscious the entire time, until his death.

According to his brother Khaled, their mother had tried several times to visit him but was prevented. She suffers from several health issues, and was unable to sleep during the past three weeks after her child was shot.

In addition to keeping the unconscious youth under heavy guard, the Israeli military also arrested his brother and kept him for interrogation. Neither Raed nor his brother were ever charged with any crime.

The Israeli military stated that they entered the camp on August 9th to detain al-Salhi and another young men, but when the two young men ran away, the soldiers pursued them, and fired live ammunition at the two unarmed youth.

The Head of the Palestinian Prisoners Committee, Issa Qaraqe’, told reporters from the Ma’an News Agency that the Committee holds Israel responsible for the 21-year old’s death, and condemned the use of live ammunition by Israel in its invasion of the refugee camp.

Qaraqe added that Salhi was left bleeding for more than 90 minutes, after the soldiers prevented local medics from approaching him.

Dr. Ra’fat Hamdouna, the head of the Prisoners’ Center for Studies, stated that the death of the wounded Palestinian should raise an international outcry, and bring attention to the issue of extrajudicial executions and medical neglect of dozens of Palestinian detainees. Dr. Hamdouna added that the soldiers shot Raed from very close range, with the intent to kill him.

Raed al-Salhi was a member of the leftist political party, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The party said that al-Salhi was involved in a number of volunteer activities in the camp to provide health and social activities for the residents. Source: IMEMC

Aseel Abu ‘Oun

contact@ifamericansknew.org

August 26, 2017: Aseel Tareq Abu ‘Oun, 8, was killed after being struck by an Israeli settler’s car in the Nablus district of the northern West Bank.

Palestinian medical sources said that the girl was run over near Furush Beit Dajan village, in the Nablus district.

The child’s uncle Dirar Abu ‘Oun, said the settler was driving on street more than 10 meters wide, while the child was walking along with her brother on the sidewalk.

“How can the Israeli driver accidentally ram her with his car on a very wide road, and she was on the sidewalk, designated for pedestrians” he stated, “The settler also tried to flee the scene when the child’s father, who was in a nearby agricultural land, rushed to her rescue, and prevented him from fleeing.”

Israel’s Magen David Adom national emergency service, accompanied by several army vehicles, arrived at the scene and evacuated the girl to the hospital, but she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Her corpse was later handed to her family before hundreds of Palestinians participated in her funeral ceremony, during evening hours of the same day.

The funeral procession took off from Rafidia Hospital, in Nablus, heading towards Jaba’ town, southwest of Jenin, in the northern part of the West Bank. Aseel was from Jaba’ town, south of Jenin. Source: IMEMC

Qoteiba Zahran

contact@ifamericansknew.org

August 19, 2017: Qoteiba Yousef Zahran, 17, was killed by Israeli soldiers at the Za’tara military roadblock, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

The Israeli army claimed the boy attempted to carry out a stabbing attack against the soldiers stationed at the checkpoint, and published a picture of a dull kitchen knife lying on the ground.

A soldier was injured in the incident, but it was from the flurry of bullets fired by the Israeli guards toward the 17-year old, not from the boy himself.

The soldier, who was mildly wounded, was treated immediately by medics from the Magen David Adom medical service.

Zahran reportedly approached the checkpoint carrying a bag, and the border guard stationed there attempted to arrest him.

The army claims that the boy then pulled out a knife and tried to attack them, but they fired a barrage of bullets, critically wounding Zahran, then leaving him to bleed to death.

Following the killing of Zahran, Israeli forces closed the Za’tara checkpoint for most of the day, preventing Palestinians from crossing in either direction.

The soldiers later invaded Qoteiba’s village and homes, arrested his brother Tareq, and took him to an interrogation center. Qoteiba was from Illar village, in Tulkarem. Source: IMEMC

Mahdi al-Saadi

contact@ifamericansknew.org

Mahdi Jamal al-SaadiJuly 29, 2017: Mahdi Jamal al-Saadi, 22, was shot and killed by Israeli police near the Jaffa port. Another young man was moderately wounded by police gunfire as well.

The Israeli police claimed that the two tried to shoot at police from a motorcycle, but their families denied those claims. No police were injured.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Mahdi was shot six times in the upper body and neck. His neighbor Avi Ohaion, told the Post, “They didn’t have to kill him. He [Saadi] came to my clothing store just two days before the shooting. I knew him and his father. They are good people.”

The police also removed surveillance footage from businesses near where the shooting occurred.

Following the killing, the Israeli police held the body of al-Saadi in custody, preventing the family from holding the funeral (Islamic custom requires a funeral to be held as quickly as possible after a death).

Hundreds of people gathered at the family home of al-Saadi, then marched to the Abu Kabir Detention Facility, where his body was held for a number of hours, until successful negotiations between the family of al-Saadi and Israeli authorities.

At the same time, dozens of heavily-armored Israeli police lined up outside the detention facility where the protesters were gathered. Clashes broke out between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters, in which the Israeli police fired tear gas and concussion grenades at the crowd.

Four were arrested during the protest, including a leader with the Islamic Organization in Jaffa, Abdel-Qader Abu Shehada, and took them to the police station ‘Yftah’ in the city, where Abu Shehada was arrested from the center of ‘Yvit’, following the clashes that erupted between Police and youths angry at Saadi’s death.

Al-Saadi was the third Palestinian to be killed by Israeli forces in 24 hours. On Friday, a 24 year old man was killed at a military base south of Bethlehem, and a 16-year old boy was killed at a protest in Gaza. Source: IMEMC

Abdul-Rahman Abu Hamisha

contact@ifamericansknew.org

July 28, 2017: Abdul-Rahman Hussein Abu Hamisha, 16, was killed by Israeli soldiers who fired live rounds at Palestinians protesting Israeli violations at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said Abu Hamisha was shot near al-Boreij refugee camp in central Gaza when Israeli troops opened fire on the protesters. The Ministry added that the soldiers wounded at least ten others in the area, and other parts of the Gaza Strip.

The injured were all said to have received bullet wounds from live ammunition fired by the Israeli soldiers.

The soldiers also fired teargas bombs, causing many Palestinians to suffer the severe effects of teargas inhalation. Two Palestinian medics were among those who had to be hospitalized for teargas inhalation.

Another young Palestinian man was shot in the foot and was taken to Shifa hospital, while others suffered from tear gas inhalation, after the soldiers attacked protesters near Nahal Oz military base, across the fence, east of Gaza City.

In Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, the soldiers fired live bullets and tear gas, injuring at least two youths with live bullets in their feet. The two children suffered moderate wounds, and were taken to Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Younis. Abdul-Rahman was from al-Boreij refugee camp. Source: IMEMC

Abdullah Taqatqa

contact@ifamericansknew.org

July 28, 2017: Abdullah Mahmoud Taqatqa, 24, was killed by Israeli soldiers at the Gush Etzion settlement junction, south of Bethlehem, in the West Bank, after the soldiers claimed he ran toward the while wielding a knife.

An eyewitness told the Maan News Agency that the Palestinian was walking towards Bethlehem, and was at least twenty meters away from the nearest soldier, when one of them shouted at him, and fired a live round, before other soldiers fired five more rounds.

He added that the soldiers then approached the Palestinian, before one of them kicked him to flip him over, and fired another round at him.

Israeli daily Haaretz quoted the army stating that the Palestinian ran towards soldiers, standing near a hitchhiking spot, while carrying a knife.

“I swear to God; the young man had no weapon of any kind… he had no knives, no weapons… nothing,” the eyewitness said. Abdullah was from Marah M’alla town, east of Bethlehem. Source: IMEMC