Gaza

Ahmad Harb Ayyad

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July 05, 2022: Ahmad Harb Ayyad, 32, was killed by Israeli soldiers who assaulted and repeatedly struck him when he and other workers tried to cross through a breach of the illegal Annexation Wall, in Tulkarem, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

The slain man was from the besieged and impoverished Gaza Strip but had been living in the West Bank and was working in construction inside the Green Line to support his family.

The Israeli soldiers also fired many live rounds and gas bombs at Palestinian workers in the same area, wounding one.

The Ayyad family in Gaza said Israel informed them about their son’s death and added that the Israeli occupation authorities allowed the transfer of his corpse to them through the Erez (Beit Hanoun) Terminal in northern Gaza.

His funeral procession was held, on Tuesday morning, at a local mosque in the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza before being buried at the Shuhada Graveyard, east of Gaza.

The Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions issued a statement denouncing the Israeli crime and said that Ahmad is not the first worker to be killed by the Israeli occupation army, in addition to the hundreds who have been shot and injured and those who have been abducted and imprisoned.

The Federation added that many workers from the Gaza Strip have to leave their homes and families in the impoverished region to look for work in the West Bank or Israel and face constant violations.

It called on the International Labor Organization to intervene and ensure Israel abides by International Law and stops its deadly violations against the Palestinian workers.

The Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates also denounced the worker’s killing and described it as an execution.

It called on the International Community to hold Israel accountable for its violations against the Palestinian civilians and to act on ending the illegal occupation.

On June 19, 2022, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian worker, Nabil Ahmad Taiseer Ghanem, 53, near the Annexation Wall, south of Qalqilia, in the northern part of the West Bank.

On the same day, the soldiers attacked workers and detained thirteen Barta’a towns southwest of Jenin in the northern part of the West Bank.

Ahmad was from the Zeitoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza city. Source: IMEMC

Yasser Atiya al-Masri

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June 01, 2022: Yasser Atiya al-Masri, 41, died of wounds he sustained when he was hit by shrapnel from an Israeli missile during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip in May of 2021.

In an official statement, the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, said Yasser was one of its members.

The Brigades stated that Yasser was seriously injured when the army fired missiles at him and other fighters in Deir al-Balah during the Israeli offensive on the coastal region.

The Israeli offensive on Gaza (May 10 – May 21, 2021) led to the death of 240 Palestinians, including sixty-five children, thirty-nine women, and seventeen elders. The Israeli missiles and shells also caused 1900 injuries, including 560 children, 380 women, and ninety-one elders.

The Israeli bombardment displaced more than 75.000 Palestinians after the Israeli army and the air force targeted hundreds of homes, residential towers, commercial buildings, medical centers, and infrastructure.

The Israeli missiles destroyed three mosques and caused damage to forty mosques and one church, destroyed 1447 residential units, and caused partial damage to 13.000 and fifteen public buildings.

Also, the Israeli missiles and shells destroyed 205 homes and apartment buildings, thirty-three media facilities, seventy-five government-run buildings, including police stations and service centers, and 490 agricultural structures.

Also Wednesday evening, Israeli soldiers killed a young Palestinian man, Bilal Awad Kabaha, 24, after shooting him with live rounds in the chest and thigh, and injured at least six, including three who suffered serious wounds, during protests that took place after many army jeeps invaded Ya’bad town, southwest of Jenin, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

Earlier Wednesday, the army killed a Palestinian journalist, Ghofran Haroun Warasna, 31, after shooting her at the entrance of the al-‘Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.

Yasser was from Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Source: IMEMC

Fatma Jalal al-Masri

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FatimaMarch 25, 2022: Fatma Jalal al-Masri, 1, was declared dead at the Gaza European Hospital after she was denied access to a hospital outside Gaza by Israeli authorities at the Erez crossing.

Fatma was subjected to Israel’s arbitrary and discriminatory permit system, which delays access to hospitals outside the Strip and denies care in around 30 percent of urgent cases. The continued movement restrictions by Israeli authorities on Palestinian patients in the Gaza Strip systematically violate inhabitants’ right to health by aggravating health conditions and placing numerous barriers to health access.

According to Al Mezan, Fatma’s legal representative, she was diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect in 2021. Despite having obtained a medical referral from the Palestinian Ministry of Health and confirming three hospital appointments at Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem, Israeli authorities denied Fatma the requisite exit permit to travel to Jerusalem for the appointments, the last of which was on 5 March 2022.

The young patient’s health deteriorated over the course of several months of denied care and she died three weeks after her last missed appointment.

Al Mezan deeply regrets Fatma’s death and strongly condemns Israel’s ongoing closure of the Gaza Strip and its associated restrictions on the movement of Palestinians, which includes denying patients access to the hospitals in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Israel, and abroad.

Al Mezan’s documentation shows that since 2011, 71 Palestinians—including 25 women and nine children—have died following Israel’s denial of requests for exit permits and delays. Notably, Israel’s targeted, discriminatory permit system is one of the practices and policies at the core of its apartheid regime against the Palestinian people as a whole.

This case is yet another example of Israel’s continuing violation of international humanitarian and human rights law and its obligations as an occupying power, notably to respect and ensure freedom of movement in occupied territory and to guarantee the right to health of the occupied population.

These obligations bear greater weight when involving children and as provided in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Israel has an obligation to ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child. Delaying access to necessary medical care for a toddler for more than five months is unwarranted and grave.

Al Mezan emphasizes that Israel is fully responsible for Fatma’s death as the occupying power and relevant duty bearer in these circumstances.

The State’s persistent breaches of its international law obligations require the intervention of the international community and accountability of perpetrators.

Al Mezan calls on the international community—in particular, the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Geneva Conventions—to uphold their moral and legal obligations vis-à-vis the protected Palestinian people and to ensure Israel complies with its obligations under international law, ends the closure and blockade on the Gaza Strip, and stops its ongoing restrictions of Palestinian patients’ access to medical care outside the Gaza Strip.

Fatma was from the Gaza Strip. Source: IMEMC

Fatma Jalal al-Masri

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March 25, 2022: Fatma Jalal al-Masri, 19 months, died at the Gaza European Hospital after she was denied access to a hospital outside Gaza by Israeli authorities at the Erez crossing.

The Al-Mezan Center For Uman Rights said Fatma was subjected to Israel’s arbitrary and discriminatory permit system, which delays access to hospitals outside the Strip and denies care in around 30 percent of urgent cases. The continued movement restrictions by Israeli authorities on Palestinian patients in the Gaza Strip systematically violate inhabitants’ right to health by aggravating health conditions and placing numerous barriers to health access.

According to Al Mezan, Fatma’s legal representative, she was diagnosed with a ventricular septal defect in 2021. Despite having obtained a medical referral from the Palestinian Ministry of Health and confirming three hospital appointments at Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem, Israeli authorities denied Fatma the requisite exit permit to travel to Jerusalem for the appointments, the last of which was on 5 March 2022.

The young patient’s health deteriorated over the course of several months of denied care and she died three weeks after her last missed appointment.

Al Mezan deeply regrets Fatma’s death and strongly condemns Israel’s ongoing closure of the Gaza Strip and its associated restrictions on the movement of Palestinians, which includes denying patients access to the hospitals in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Israel, and abroad.

Al Mezan’s documentation shows that since 2011, 71 Palestinians—including twenty-five women and nine children—have died following Israel’s denial of requests for exit permits and delays. Notably, Israel’s targeted, discriminatory permit system is one of the practices and policies at the core of its apartheid regime against the Palestinian people as a whole.

This case is yet another example of Israel’s continuing violation of international humanitarian and human rights law and its obligations as an occupying power, notably to respect and ensure freedom of movement in occupied territory and to guarantee the right to health of the occupied population.

These obligations bear greater weight when involving children and as provided in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Israel has an obligation to ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child. Delaying access to necessary medical care for a toddler for more than five months is unwarranted and grave.

Al Mezan emphasizes that Israel is fully responsible for Fatma’s death as the occupying power and relevant duty bearer in these circumstances. The State’s persistent breaches of its international law obligations require the intervention of the international community and accountability of perpetrators.

Al Mezan called on the international community—in particular, the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Geneva Conventions—to uphold their moral and legal obligations vis-à-vis the protected Palestinian people and to ensure Israel complies with its obligations under international law, ends the closure and blockade on the Gaza Strip, and stops its ongoing restrictions of Palestinian patients’ access to medical care outside the Gaza Strip.

Fatima was from Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Source: Al-Mezan Center For Human Rights

Dia’ Kamal Dahdouh

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December 2, 2021: Dia’ Kamal Dahdouh, 26, died from serious wounds he suffered, a year earlier, in an explosion near his home in Gaza city.

The Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, said Dia’ was one of its members, and added that he suffered serious wounds, a year ago, in an “accidental explosion” in Tal Al-Hawa.

Many Palestinian fighters have been killed in accidental explosions, or during training, in addition to the hundreds who were assassinated or killed by Israeli soldiers during the frequent invasions and bombings in the Gaza Strip.

Some have also been killed or seriously injured while dismantling explosives dropped by Israeli soldiers, in addition to unexploded ordnances that were fired by the Israeli army, or while manufacturing homemade shells.

It is worth mentioning that, on June 10, 2021, a Palestinian child, identified as Obeida Dahdouh, only nine years of age, was killed when an undetonated Israeli explosive that was dropped during the recent Israeli offensive on Gaza, exploded near him.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that the Israeli explosive went off near the child, causing serious wounds before the medics rushed him to the Shifa Medical Center where he succumbed to his wounds. His brother was also injured in the explosion.

During the eleven days of the Israeli offensive on Gaza in May of this year, the death toll reached 247, including sixty-six children and thirty-nine women, while 1416 Palestinians, including 277 women and 412 children have been wounded, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) has confirmed.

Dia’ was from Tal-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza city. Source: IMEMC

Sami al-‘Amour

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November 18, 2021: Sami al-‘Amour, 39, died at an Israeli medical center after years of medical neglect despite having congenital heart disease, and his need for constant follow-up.

In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has confirmed the detainee’s death and stated that Sami was taken prisoner by the Israeli army in the year 2008 and was sentenced to nineteen years in prison.

Sami was transferred to an Israeli hospital on Wednesday at night, where he was officially pronounced dead by the physicians.

His fiancé, who remained engaged to him for fourteen years since his abduction, said that the family received the news about his death from media outlets.

It is worth mentioning that only his mother was able to visit with him just a few times since his abduction due to Israeli restrictions.

His sister said that the last time the family was able to talk to him over the phone was before he was sent to the Israeli hospital when he informed them that he was being transferred cuffed and sitting in a wheelchair.

The PPS said the detainee was born with congenital heart disease and has been receiving specialized treatment for his condition until he was abducted and imprisoned by Israel.

The PPS held Israel accountable for his death especially since he should have been monitored and examined by heart specialists.

It also said that al-Amour was transferred, a few days ago, from Nafha prison to Asqalan, and was just recently moved to Soroka Israeli medical center where he underwent two surgeries, including one that was performed just a day before his death.

Al-‘Amour was from Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip. Source: IMEMC

Ahmad Mustafa Mahmoud Saleh

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September 2, 2021: Ahmad Mustafa Mahmoud Saleh, 26, was killed by Israeli army fire when the soldiers attacked Palestinian protesters on their lands near the perimeter fence, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Health Ministry stated that Ahmad, from Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, was shot by an Israeli soldier near the perimeter fence, east of the refugee camp.

It added that Palestinian medics rushed the seriously injured young man to the Indonesian Hospital in Jabalia city, but he succumbed to his wounds despite all efforts to save his life.

Medical sources said the soldiers fired live rounds and high-velocity gas bombs at Palestinian protesters along the perimeter fence, in the eastern parts of the Gaza Strip, wounding fifteen, among them five children including one who sustained life-threatening wounds.

They added that 10 Palestinians suffered burns and lacerations due to the Israeli live rounds and gas bombs.

On Tuesday night, the soldiers killed a Palestinian man, identified as Raed Yousef Rashed Jadallah, 39, in the western area of Beit Ur at-Tahta, west of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, after the army attacked Palestinian workers in a crossing area of the Annexation Wall.

On Monday, an Israeli Border Police officer from Be’er Ya’akov, identified as Barel Hadaria Shmueli, 21, died from serious wounds he suffered nine days earlier.

As he stuck his rifle through a hole in the border wall, Shmueli was shot and critically wounded on August 21st when a Palestinian armed with a handgun walked up to the sniper hole in the heavily fortified wall and fired his weapon.

On the same day, the Palestinian Health Ministry stated that the soldiers shot and injured 41 Palestinian civilians, with live rounds and tear gas canisters, including a twelve-year-old child who was shot in the head.

The child, identified as Omar Hasan Abu an-Neel, remained in critical condition until he succumbed to his serious wounds on August 28th.

Ahmad was from Jabalia refugee camp, in Jabalia city, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Source: IMEMC

Barel Hadaria Shmueli

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August 30th, 2021: Barel Hadaria Shmueli, 21, died from a critical gunshot injury that he sustained along the border wall with Gaza nine days earlier.

Barel, an Israeli Border Police officer from Be’er Ya’akov, was on duty as a sniper, shooting unarmed Palestinians, including children, who were gathered near the border wall. One of the 41 Palestinian protesters who were shot that day was a 12-year old child who was shot in the head and later died of his injury.

As he stuck his rifle through a hole in the border wall, Shmueli was shot and00 critically wounded on August 21st . First, the protesters tried to stop the shooting by grabbing at the rifle that Barel kept sticking through the hole. Some tried throwing stones at the rifle and finally, an armed Palestinian with a handgun walked up to the sniper hole in the heavily fortified wall and fired his weapon.

The Israeli media stated that the soldier sustained a life threatening gunshot wound to the head, and despite undergoing emergency surgery, he remained on a ventilator at Soroka Medical Center in critical condition, until he was pronounced dead.

The same day, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israeli soldiers shot and injured 41 Palestinian civilians, with live rounds and teargas canisters, including a twelve-year-old child who was shot in the head. The child, identified as Omar Hasan Abu an-Neel, 12, remained in critical condition until he succumbed to his serious wounds on August 28th.

Omar Hasan Abu an-Neel, 12, shot by Israeli Forces – Gaza

Furthermore, just days later, Israeli forces shot 14 Palestinians, while drones dropped teargas canisters at those gathered east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, 14 people were shot and wounded on August 25th, adding that 5 were shot with live rounds, suffering moderate injuries; 2 were shot with rubber-coated steel rounds; and 7 were shot with teargas canisters.

Quds Press’s correspondent said that the soldiers, stationed along the security fence stood behind earth mounds, far away from the protesters, which shows that there was no reason for the use of live rounds.

Barel was from Be’er Ya’akov in Israel. Source: IMEMC

Omar Hasan Abu an-Neel

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August 28th, 2021: Omar Hasan Abu an-Neel, 12, succumbed to wounds he suffered a week earlier when Israeli soldiers shot and seriously wounded him, in the eastern part of the coastal region.

Omar was shot in the head during a protest near the perimeter fence in Malka area, east Gaza city.

The medics rushed him to a hospital where he was admitted to surgery.

He remained in a critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit until he succumbed to his serious wounds.

On the day that he was shot, 41 Palestinians were injured, many of whom were shot with live ammunition, including Omar.

Israeli sources report that an Israeli soldier was seriously injured when he was shot by a Palestinian protester through a hole in the perimeter wall where protesters were gathered.

According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, beginning on 30 March 2018, 215 civilians were shot and killed, including 47 children, 2 women, 9 persons with disabilities, 4 paramedics, and 2 journalists.

Omar was from the Tuffah neighborhood, in Gaza city, in the central Gaza Strip. Source: IMEMC

Osama Khaled D’eij

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Osama DeijAugust 25, 2021: Osama Khaled D’eij, 32, died of wounds sustained the previous Saturday, August 21st, when he was shot with live ammunition by Israeli forces during protests that took place near the perimeter fence, east of Gaza city.

After he was shot, he was rushed to the Shifa Medical Center where he was immediately admitted to surgery, but remained in a critical condition at the Urgent Care Unit until he succumbed to his wounds.

Medical sources at the Shifa Medical Center, west of Gaza city, reported on Wednesday morning, that Osama died from serious wounds he suffered when he was shot by Israeli forces with expanding bullets and seriously wounded on Saturday.

His family said that he got married only about a month before he was shot and subsequently died from his serious wounds.

          Palestinian medics transferring Osama to hospital

On the same day, the soldiers shot and injured 41 Palestinians, including several children, during protests on Palestinian land near the fence, commemorating the 52nd anniversary of the burning of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied Jerusalem.

The holy site was burnt, on August 23rd, 1969, by Denis Michael Rohan, a fanatic Australian citizen.

Israel arrested Rohan, before alleging that he was “insane”, and hospitalized him in a mental institution, and on May 14th, 1974, he was released and deported on what Israel called “humanitarian grounds, further psychiatric treatment near his family”.

On Tuesday at dawn, Israeli soldiers invaded Balata refugee camp, east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, and killed a child, identified as Emad Hashash, 15, while he was on the rooftop of his home.

Osama was from Gaza City, in central Gaza. Source: IMEMC