Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
3 September 2006

 http://pchrgaza.org/files/PressR/English/2006/104-2006.htm

In another crime in the ongoing war crimes in the Gaza Strip, IOF
killed a Palestinian civilian and his son in cold blood in the town
of Beit Hanoun in the predawn hours of Saturday, 2 September 2006.
In addition, two of the slain man's daughters were seriously
injured. The raid by IOF undercover units also resulted in the
injury of 6 civilians, including two parents and their 3 children,
and the destruction of 9 homes. The casualties and damages were
inflicted in an operation aiming to detain 2 "wanted" activists.

PCHR's preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately
02:30 on Saturday, 2 September 2006, an IOF undercover unit moved 2
kilometers inside the Gaza Strip into the town of Beit Hanoun. The
unit advanced towards El-Amal Quarter in the northeast part of the
town and surrounded a number of houses in the area. Under a cover of
intense gunfire, the IOF troops stormed the house belonging to Naser
Subeih Abu Abu El-Fieta (48) to detain one of his sons. The house
owner was injured in the abdomen and legs. The troops ordered the
household to leave their house.

Mohammad Ismail Abu Odeh (53) went out of his nearby house to see
what was going on. IOF fired from a distance of 20 meters, killing
him with bullets to the head. A few minutes later, Abu Odeh's son,
Ismail (27) went out of the house to look for his father. The IOF
undercover unit fired at him, killing him with bullets to the chest
and neck. He fell near his father. Abu Odeh's daughters Hanan and
Azhar (17 and 16 respectively) went out to look for their father and
brother. The troops fired at them. Both were injured by bullets in
different parts of their bodies. They fell at the entrance of their
house. The remaining members of the Abu Odeh family pulled the girls
inside the house. The soldiers sent Sari Abu El-Fieta (21), whom
they were using as a human shield, to investigate Abu Odeh's house.
He informed the troops of the injured girls. The troops ordered him
to bring them out and put them inside one of the tanks stationed in
the area. He complied.

After nearly two hours of bleeding, Palestinian medical crews were
allowed into the area to evacuate the girls to Kamal Odwan Hospital.
Both girls are in very serious condition.

During the incursion, IOF destroyed 9 homes. Six of them were
completely destroyed. One of the destroyed houses was that of the
victims killed by IOF, the house belonging to the late Mohammad Abu
Odeh. And at approximately 10:00 during the withdrawal of IOF from
the area, a helicopter fired a rocket at the house of Eyad Taha Abed
Rabbo El-Kafarna. The house was severely damaged. In addition, the
house owner, his wife, and their 3 children were lightly injured.
PCHR's fieldworker reported that IOF detained 2 Palestinians claimed
to be "wanted" by Israel. They are Younis Naser Subeih Abu El-Fieta
(22) and Mahmoud Mohammad El-Tarabin (22).

PCHR reiterates its strong condemnation of the IOF killing of
Palestinian civilians, which are a form of reprisal and collective
punishment against Palestinians that are 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 tot 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 in article 146 of the convention to
pursue suspects 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