Dawlat Nafez Qdeih

July 24, 2014: Dawlat Nafez Qdeih, 20, was killed by Israeli soldiers who fired a missile at a motorcycle in Khuza’a town, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

Dawlat was fleeing heavy Israeli bombardment and shelling, and was killed in this incident along with her father, Nafez Qdeih, 45, and Ismail Hassan Qdieh, 55.

The Israeli forces reportedly warned the residents to leave the area, but many were trapped, as the town was under heavy shelling by Israeli forces.

Israeli air strikes hit many civilian homes and destroyed the local mosque; dozens of people were reportedly killed during the ground invasion.

Dr. Kamal Mohammed Qdieh, 40, whose brother, Ahmad, 19, was killed in the bombardment a day earlier, said that more than 200 residents took refuge in his clinic thinking that it would be a safe place, but the situation became very difficult with heavy bombings.

The Palestinians taking shelter in the clinic took the decision to all go out together with white flags.

Hundreds of people left the area with them, around 8:00am, carrying white flags, and walked toward the main entrance of the town.

Once they reached the neighborhood near the main entrance, they were exposed to intense fire from the Israeli army, causing many injuries.

The Israeli soldiers told them that they did not have permission to leave the village – so they decided to return to the clinic.

Israeli air strikes hit many civilian homes and destroyed the local mosque; dozens of people were reportedly killed during the ground invasion.

The International Middle East Media Center said that the corpse of Anas Hatem Qdeih, 7, was pulled from under the rubble on July 24. Dawlat was from Khuza’a. Source: IMEMC, Mezan Center For Human Rights