The Israeli Occupation Forces continue to commit grave violations of human rights in the occupied territories, in spite of their continued claims that they are complying with a cease fire and are taking measures to lessen Palestinian civilians’ suffering.
The situation on the ground refutes these claims.
Israeli shelling and destruction continues to target Palestinian civilian residents and their property.
The Occupation forces not only persist in their policy of killing children, but they also continue to carry out assassinations.
As extra-judicial killings, such murders represent a crime punishable by international law.
Last Thursday 5/7/2001 three children were injured when a suspicious object exploded in the middle of the road in the Brazil district of Rafah.
They were left with broken bones and fractures throughout the body.
The placing of different forms of bombs and explosives on the roads is considered to be one of the Occupation army's common practices.
It normally ends in the killing of children.
Moreover, at approximately 8:00 p.
m.
on Saturday 7/7/2001, Israeli army forces opened fire on a group of children playing near the border fence in Block J in Rafah.
No problems of any note were occurring in the area at the time.
Khaleel Ibraheem al-Mughraby, age eleven, was killed when he was shot in the head with a live bullet.
In addition, two other children were struck with grave injuries.
They are: Ibraheem Kamil Abu Souseen, 10 years of age, shot in the stomach by a live bullet.
Suleiman Turky Abu Rjal, 13 years of age, shot in the left testicle by a live bullet.
According to an eyewitness testimonial given to Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, "al- Mughraby was playing with a group of his friends near the borderline near one of the sand barriers in the area.
The situation was very calm and some of the children were playing with kites.
One of them was Khaleel Ibraheem al-Mughraby.
Then suddenly, one of the kites fell on the Egyptian side of the border.
Several children asked the Egyptian soldiers on the other side if they could return the kite.
Some of the children rushed to the border fence in an effort to get the kite back, and at that moment a number of occupation soldiers stationed at the observation tower near the border opened fire in their direction.
I saw several children fall into one of the ditches that are scattered throughout the area.
I also saw Khaleel standing on one of the sand barriers.
I saw him fall to the ground the moment that the soldiers started shooting.
Some young men tried to get to him to bring him away from the danger, and then the soldiers opened fire on them, as well.
After a few minutes, one of the boys was able to get to Khaleel.
He picked him up and carried him to a civilian car to take him to the hospital.
" In light of this escalation of events, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights implores the international community to do the following: FIRST: to break out of its silence.
Its silence represents a true conspiracy, as it is equivalent to acceptance of the Occupation army's butchery of the rights of the Palestinian people and their property.
SECOND: to offer immediate international protection to civilian residents and their property.
This appeal is imperative in order to prevent the Israeli Prime Minister from repeating that which he carried out in previous massacres.
It has become even more urgent due to the grave deterioration occurring on the ground.
END