Israeli military forces have imposed a severe siege upon Jenin city and its neighboring refugee camp after announcing that it is a closed military zone.
Under such circumstances, journalists, international representatives, humanitarian aid and medical staff are barred entry.
Since the siege and invasion of Jenin began on April 3, 2002, there has been a growing shortage of food, water, medical supplies and cooking gas.
The occupation forces have cut the electric and telephone lines as well as have destroyed Jenin’s water system, completely isolating the area from the outside world.
During this time, Palestinian civilians and their properties have endured horrendous amounts of suffering at the hands of the Israeli military forces, especially in the refugee camps.
Tanks, helicopters and heavy guns have incurred massive amounts of damage, while civilian homes have been systematically demolished by bulldozers.
In addition, Palestinian children, women and the elderly have been used as human shields to protect these operations and to further move into the camp.
These crimes have resulted in a massive toll of dead and wounded, with at least 32 Palestinians killed, some of whom have laid in the streets for up to four days.
Other bodies have remained in the homes of their families or are buried in the demolished residences because ambulances have been barred from reaching them.
Many of the wounded have bled to death because they too have been denied medical attention by the Israelis.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has decided to minimize the movements of its staff in the West Bank, especially in the Jenin Refugee Camp, due to dangers faced by Israeli gunfire.
Al-Mezan spoke with the director of Al-Razi Hospital in Jenin who said that the Israeli forces have forbidden hospital staff and its emergency teams from leaving to treat the wounded in the city.
In addition, the hospital has been attacked by Israeli tanks which smashed the building’s water and electricity networks, inflicting great difficulties on the staff and hindering surgical operations.
The director also noted that with dwindling supplies, operations have been difficult to carry out regardless.
For example, a body of one of those killed in the fighting has sat for three days, reflecting the miserable health situation there as they have no ability to move the corpse or even keep it in sanitary conditions.
On the morning of April 7, 2002, Israeli forces open fired on a fire engine belonging to the Palestinian Civil Defenses which was attempting to reach Al-Razi Hospital to supply it with water.
In continuing Israeli attacks upon civilians in the Gaza Strip, on the evening of April 6, 2002, the Tel As-Sultan area west of Rafah City was bombarded, killing three civilians including two children.
They are: Sumaya Najah Abdel Hadi Hassan, age 6, killed by a bullet in the head in Brazil quarter Salwah Hammad Halees, age 12, killed by a bullet in the head in Tel As-Sultan Shadi Fawsi Abu Ghadi, age 21, killed by a bullet in the head in Tel As-Sultan Another ten people sustained a variety of injuries in the attack, while numerous homes in the area were damaged.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights feels that the activities of the Israeli Occupation Forces have reached the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity, especially in regards to what is now going on in Jenin Refugee Camp.
We call upon the International Community to immediately intervene to stop these massacres and to work to enable journalists, medical staff, Red Cross and other international representatives to perform their work without hindrance in the area.
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