Ismail Hassan Qdieh

July 24, 2014: Ismail Hassan Qdieh, 55, 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.

Ismail was fleeing heavy Israeli bombardment and shelling, and was killed in this incident along with Nafez Salman Qdeih, 45, and Nafez’s daughter, Dawlat Qdeih, 20.

The Israeli forces reportedly warned the residents to leave the area, but many were trapped, as the town was under heavy shelling. 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 decided to all go out together with white flags. Hundreds of people left the area with them, around 8:00am, carrying white flags, and walking 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 several injuries.

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

The Palestinians continued to walk while carrying white flags, and met another tank where the soldiers told them to sit down, but they continued walking.

Three kilometers later, the army targeted a motorcycle behind them, killing Ismail along with Nafez Salman Qdeih, 45, and his daughter Dawlat Nafez Qdeih, 20.

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