Issued at 9 pm on Tuesday 18 May 2004 RAFAH DAILY
UPDATE (Volume 2)
On the first day of the Israeli offensive in Rafah, 20 Palestinians
were killed by 6 pm, 7 of whom are children. Medical sources, as
well as Al Mezan’s own fieldworker, reported that the number of
the injured reached over 50 while ambulance movement is still obstructed,
contrary to an Israeli Army’s statement. Medical staff are still
being besieged in a house as Israeli tanks surround the area and
fire on anything moving.
Eyewitnesses in Rafah reported to Al Mezan’s fieldworker that
Asmaa Khalifa, a teacher who lives in Tel Al Sultan, could not reach
a medical center to give birth to her baby. With tanks in front
of her house firing at anything that moves, she was taken from window
to window till she reached the house of a midwife in the area.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights issues an urgent letter to the
United Nations’ Secretary General requesting effective International
intervention to stop war crimes being perpetrated in Rafah and other
places in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). The letter
asserts that international intervention over the past few days has
done nothing to stop the IOF invasion. It then calls for more effective
intervention by the United Nations and the international community
to fulfill its legal and moral obligations under International Law.
For full text, please see www.mezan.org.
Al Mezan’s fieldworker, Muhammad Abdullah, reports the killing
of three children in Rafah, including a 13-year-old boy and his
16-year-old sister when random Israeli machine-gun firing hit their
home in the Tel Al Sultan neighborhood. The two children were Ahmad
Muhammad Al Mghaiar (13), and Asmaa Muhammad Al Mghaiar (16). Both
children died from bullet wounds to their heads.
The Arab League condemns Israel’s operation in Rafah and says
it is aimed at the ethnic cleansing and illegal collective punishment
of Palestinians. Several Arab Governments announced they were going
to sue Israel for perpetrating crimes of war in Rafah.
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said the new operation, called
“Rainbow”, which started in the early morning hours today, Tuesday
18 May 2004, is to continue for as long as the IOF see necessary.
Al Mezan’s fieldworker reported that IOF forces opened the main
street between Rafah and Khan Yunis at 4:30 pm but closed it again
at 7:30 pm, Tuesday 18 May 2004. This procedure will allow for ambulance
movement to hospitals out of Rafah, badly needed as the number of
the killed and injured is increasing.
Sources in Rafah said that the IOF carried out an operation in
a neighborhood that is far from the border with Egypt (Tel as-Sultan).
The IOF have never reported tunnels in this neighborhood. In addition,
IOF showed smuggling tunnels twice on the media, while Al Mezan’s
documentation reports that IOF discovered and destroyed three tunnels
and the Palestinian Authority closed seven since September 2000.
These facts contradict the IOF’s pretext for today’s operation in
the town of Rafah.
The IOF are digging deep holes in the main street connecting Tel
Al Sultan neighborhood and the refugee camp of Rafah.
Rafah Mayor, Mr. Said Zoroub, has informed Al Mezan Center for
Human Rights that the town suffers a serious lack of drinking water
due to an electricity cut off. He added that the IOF are prohibiting
the Municipality’s workers from repairing the destroyed water mains
and electricity lines making the situation even worse.
1. Al Mezan’s lawyers have intervened six times in emergency humanitarian cases today. Details are as follows:
2. Al Mezan’s lawyers contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army requesting safe passage for four ambulance staff besieged into a house in Tel Al Sultan neighborhood after tanks fired at their ambulance. The IOF did not allow them to leave until 6:30 pm today. Mezan’s lawyers contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army to evacuate the two men stuck inside the office container that was turned over by an Israeli tank earlier today. The men, Muhammad Al Baiumi and Muneer Khammash, work as guards of a construction site.
3. Al Mezan lawyers also contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army to requested permission for an ambulance to collect the body of Palestinian who was killed by an apache missile and left in the street for hours and then kept in a fridge by residents of the Western refugee camp near Tel Al Sultan.
4. Three Palestinians killed by Israeli snipers in were left bleeding to death in the streets as ambulances were not permitted to collect them. Al Mezan contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army to ensure that they are collected and buried properly. No results were reported from the field as of 6.45 pm.
5. Israeli tanks destroyed the fence and the pharmacy of a government clinic in the Tel Al Sultan neighborhood. 13 staff members who work at the clinic were besieged inside. The Center contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army in to evacuate the staff.
6. IOF started demolition of the fence of an NGO, Canada Neighborhood Society. Lawyers contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army. No results were reported.
Israeli tank fired a shell on a civilian car owned by the World
Vision Canada. The car was entirely burnt and destroyed. A neighboring
house, Al Bayumi family house, was affected, too. The World Vision’s
Project Coordinator, Shafeeq Yousif said the car was parked near
his house.
IOF bulldozed a newly paved street in Tel Al Sultan. No reasons
were given by IOF to justify the bulldozing.
In a press release, Dr. Abdul Wahid Bul Qzeez, the Secretary General
of the Islamic Conference Organization, condemned Israel’s demolition
of homes in the OPT, and especially in the town of Rafah. He said
that Israel’s actions constitute a clear violation of international
law and considers the IOF’s collective punishment acts as crimes
of war. Bul Qzeez called for international presence to protect Palestinian
civilians and invited the Islamic countries to send relief aid to
the OPT.
Yusi Sarid of Israel Meretz party criticized Israel’s army operation
in Rafah and described it as an illegal act. He added in a press
release issued today that this operation endangers women and children.
Sarid questioned the army’s claims that homes are only destroyed
when used by militants to fire from them and said that these excuses
are not accurate. He asserted that the Israeli forces destroy homes
inside the town for different reasons, including expanding the illegal
Philadelphi route.
The Government of Japan prompted Israel to immediately stop its
home demolitions in Rafah in a press release issued by the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs today. The statement added that the circle of
violence would only worsen the situation and called for dialogue
and the implementation of the Roadmap.
The Israeli High Court rejected a third petition requesting banning
IOF’s home demolitions in Rafah today. In its ruling No. 4694/04
dated 18 May 2004, the Court permitted house demolition when justified
by military necessity or when a soldier’s life is endangered. Again,
the Court’s wording is very general and leads to controversial interpretations.
Arab Knesset Member, Jamal Zahalqa, was expelled from Israeli
Knesset meeting today. In his speech before the Knesset, Zahalqa
accused Israel of perpetrating war crimes in Rafah, including killing
civilians, banning ambulance movement and demolition of civilians’
homes. He added that the number of Palestinians who have been made
homeless by IOF is more than the number of Israeli settlers in the
Gaza Strip. he also remarked that there are people in Israel carrying
out crimes, others clapping for them, others justifying them, others
keep silent, and that silence is a crime.
List of Palestinians killed in IOF’s first day operation in Rafah:
No. Name Age Cause of death
1. Muhammad Khalil Al Jindi 24 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
2. Walid Mousa Abu Jazar 27 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
3. Muhammad Abdul Rahman An Nawajha 27 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
4. Hany Muhammad Qufeh 17 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
5. Tariq Ahmad Sheikh Al Eid 24 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
6. Ibrahim Ismail Al Bal’awi 18 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
7. Ismail Al Bal’awi (previous person’s father) 45 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
8. Muhammad Jasir Al Shair 17 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
9. Ahmad Jasir Al Shair (previous person’s brother) 18 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
10. Zyad Hussain Shanana 22 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
11. Imad Fadel Al Mghari 34 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
12. Mahmud Ismail Abu Touq 34 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
13. Yousif Zahi Qahwash 25 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
14. Saeed Ibrahim Al Mghaiar 23 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
15. Muhammad Abdullah Darweesh 27 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
16. Ahmad Muhammad Al Mghaiar 13 A live bullet in the head
17. Asmaa Ahmad Muhammad Al Mghaiar 16 A live bullet in the head
18. Muhammad mas’ud Zourob 33 A live bullet in the abdomen
19. Ibrahim Jihad Al Qun 17 A live bullet in the head
20. Taysir Zaki Kaloub 31 A live bullet in the abdomen
End
1. Al Mezan’s lawyers have intervened six times in emergency humanitarian cases today. Details are as follows:
2. Al Mezan’s lawyers contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army requesting safe passage for four ambulance staff besieged into a house in Tel Al Sultan neighborhood after tanks fired at their ambulance. The IOF did not allow them to leave until 6:30 pm today. Mezan’s lawyers contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army to evacuate the two men stuck inside the office container that was turned over by an Israeli tank earlier today. The men, Muhammad Al Baiumi and Muneer Khammash, work as guards of a construction site.
3. Al Mezan lawyers also contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army to requested permission for an ambulance to collect the body of Palestinian who was killed by an apache missile and left in the street for hours and then kept in a fridge by residents of the Western refugee camp near Tel Al Sultan.
4. Three Palestinians killed by Israeli snipers in were left bleeding to death in the streets as ambulances were not permitted to collect them. Al Mezan contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army to ensure that they are collected and buried properly. No results were reported from the field as of 6.45 pm.
5. Israeli tanks destroyed the fence and the pharmacy of a government clinic in the Tel Al Sultan neighborhood. 13 staff members who work at the clinic were besieged inside. The Center contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army in to evacuate the staff.
6. IOF started demolition of the fence of an NGO, Canada Neighborhood Society. Lawyers contacted the Legal Advisor of the Israeli Army. No results were reported.
List of Palestinians killed in IOF’s first day operation in Rafah:
No. Name Age Cause of death
1. Muhammad Khalil Al Jindi 24 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
2. Walid Mousa Abu Jazar 27 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
3. Muhammad Abdul Rahman An Nawajha 27 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
4. Hany Muhammad Qufeh 17 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
5. Tariq Ahmad Sheikh Al Eid 24 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
6. Ibrahim Ismail Al Bal’awi 18 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
7. Ismail Al Bal’awi (previous person’s father) 45 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
8. Muhammad Jasir Al Shair 17 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
9. Ahmad Jasir Al Shair (previous person’s brother) 18 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
10. Zyad Hussain Shanana 22 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
11. Imad Fadel Al Mghari 34 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
12. Mahmud Ismail Abu Touq 34 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
13. Yousif Zahi Qahwash 25 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
14. Saeed Ibrahim Al Mghaiar 23 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
15. Muhammad Abdullah Darweesh 27 Missile shrapnel in different parts of the body
16. Ahmad Muhammad Al Mghaiar 13 A live bullet in the head
17. Asmaa Ahmad Muhammad Al Mghaiar 16 A live bullet in the head
18. Muhammad mas’ud Zourob 33 A live bullet in the abdomen
19. Ibrahim Jihad Al Qun 17 A live bullet in the head
20. Taysir Zaki Kaloub 31 A live bullet in the abdomen
End