IOF Opens Fire at Young Palestinian Men East of Jabaliya, One Person Injured

Al Mezan

18-1-2013

At approximately 4:20 pm on Friday 18 January 2013, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) fired live ammunition and gas canisters at a group of young Palestinian men who were in Abu Safiya area near the separation fence between Gaza Strip and Israeli east of Jabaliya. As a result, Yousif Ismail Abu Odwa, 21, sustained a wound in the head as a gas canister fell over his head. Medical sources at Kamal Odwan Hospital described his injury as light. The sporadic firing lasted for about one hour.

Israeli forces 'shoot, injure man in north Gaza'

 

 

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- A Palestinian man was shot and injured by Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday, medics said.

Paramedics told Ma'an that the man was hit in the foot by gunfire in the al-Ghoul area north of Beit Lahiya.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said Palestinians rioted near the border in northern Gaza, and that Israeli soldiers acted in accordance with the army's rules of engagement.

She could not say whether live fire was used.

IOF Opens Fire on Palestinian Civilians Collecting Rubble and Scrap North of Beit Lahyia

Al Mezan

17-1-2013

At approximately 7:30 am on Thursday 17 January 2013, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) opened fire at Palestinian civilians who were collecting scrap and rubble from the destroyed structures in Buret Abu Samra area near the border fence between Gaza and Israel north of Beit Lahiya. The group was about 200 meters from the border fence when IOF fired at them.The sporadic fire continued for about two hours. No casualties or injuries were reported.

IOF Opens Fire North of Bedouins Village

Al Mezan

16-1-2013

At approximately 11:30 am on Wednesday 16 January 2013, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) opened fire at a number of young Palestinian men who were collecting rubble and woods near the separation fence north of Um An-Naser (Bedouins) village in North Gaza district.  No casualties or injuries were reported.

IOF Fires Several Artillery Shells at Agricultural Land Northeast of Al Maghazi Refugee Camp

Al Mezan

16-1-2013

At approximately 8:30 am on Wednesday 16 January 2013, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) fired about three artillery shells at an agricultural piece of land north east of Al Maghazi refugee camp. No casualties or injuries were reported.  

Israeli special forces penetrate northern Gaza

[ 15/01/2013 - 06:50 PM ]

NORTHERN GAZA, (PIC)-- Israeli special forces penetrated on Tuesday morning, dozens of meters in the Abu Samra area northwest of the town of Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip. Local sources told PIC reporter that "an Israeli infantry unit has stepped forward several meters within the territory of the Palestinian farms in that area, while farmers withdrew from the region in order to preserve their lives. The farmer Mustafa Abdul Hakim Abu Jarad, was martyred on Monday evening after being shot by Israeli bullets in the town of Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip at noon. In November 21, Palestinian factions signed a truce with the Israeli side under the mediation of Egypt in Cairo a agreement, to stop the Israeli operations that lasted for eight days in Gaza, in return of stopping the Palestinian factions' rockets. Among the truce terms imposed by the resistance was canceling the so-called buffer zone imposed by "Israel" along the Gaza border, and allow farmers to have access to their lands, and this is what actually happened, where the farmers have returned to their land with great joy, the occupation has surprised them - as expected - with violating the agreement.

Israel's Definition of a Ceasefire‏

Mustafa Abu Jarad, in hospital shortly before he died (photo: Desde Palestina)

Beit Lahiya, Gaza Strip
Monday 14th January

Just three days after the fatal shooting of Anwar Al-Malouk near 
Jabalia, the Israeli military has murdered another Palestinian 
civilian despite a supposed ceasefire being in place. Mustafa Abu 
Jarad, 20, was one of a group of farm labourers working on a plot of 
land in an area north of Beit Lahiya in the very north of the Gaza 
Strip, over a kilometre away from the border fence.

From the border, the Israeli army began firing heavily in their 
direction, causing them to flee the area. Later, when the situation 
had calmed, they returned to work believing it was safe to do so. 
Suddenly a single shot targeted Mustafa directly in the forehead. 
Witnesses say it was sniper fire from an Israeli military watchtower 
on the border. With this level of pinpoint accuaracy, the Israeli 
sniper must have had a clear enough view of Mustafa to be able to 
identify him as a civilian farmer.

The bullet went straight through Mustafa's head leaving a massive exit 
wound. He was rushed to Kamal Adwan Hospital in the north of the Gaza 
Strip but was quickly transferred to Al Shifa, Gaza's main hospital, 
due to the severity of his injuries. He arrived in a critical 
condition and underwent emergency surgery to remove bone fragments 
from the remaining part of his brain and to relieve internal bleeding. 
Unfortunately, he had sustained a massive brain trauma and his 
prognonis was bleak. He died in the ICU a few hours after the 
operation as his family anxiously waited for news.

Mustafa's older brother, Loay, was killed two and a half months ago 
whilst active with the Palestinian resistance. Mustafa had no 
involvement with the resistance himself. He was trying to earn a 
little extra income for his family whilst he completed his studies. 
The latest attacks increase the number of Palestinian casualties since 
the ceasefire announcement to more than 30, according to officials in 
Gaza.

To further flout the ceasefire agreement, several Israeli military 
vehicles were reported to have breached the border with Gaza this 
morning in an agricultural area east of Khan Younis in the south of 
the Gaza Strip (Ma'an News Agency). After continual violations of the 
November ceasefire, committed by the Israeli military against 
Palestinian civilians, the question remains:

When will the international community take notice - and furthermore 
take action - to prevent an escalation of bloodshed?

Photo courtesy of Desde Palestina:
http://desde-palestina.blogspot.com/2013/01/mustafa-abu-jarad-was-murdered-today-by.html?m=1

IOF Opens Fire Northwest of Beit Lahiya, One Person Killed

Al Mezan

14-1-2013

At approximately 2:30 pm on Monday 14 January 2013, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) opened fire at a number of young Palestinian men who were about 100 meters away from the separation fence between Gaza Strip and Israel northwest of Beit Lahiya in North Gaza district. As a result, Mustafa Abdel Hakeem Abu Jarad, 19, sustained a bullet wound in the head. Medical sources at Kamal Odwan Hospital described his injury as critical and referred him to Shifa Hospital in Gaza. At approximately 7:15 pm on the same day, medical sources announced his death.

In his affidavit to Al Mezan, Saddam Jamal Warsh Agha, Abu Jarad’s friend, stated that at around midday on Monday his friend Mustafa Abu Jarad came to visit him at his field. While they were setting in the field a number of young Palestinian men came. At around 1:00 pm he heard shooting and saw sand scattered around him and his friend. He heard his friend calling him and telling him to lie down and he did. His friend Abu Jarad crunched. Saddam added that he saw his friend falling on the ground and bleeding from head. He tried to let his friend say Shehada (truthfully reciting the Muslim profession and faith and also worshiping the one and only god Allah and his messenger Mohammed) but he was bleeding and could not say it.  His brother called ambulance and Abu Jarad went to ask people to help them. Abu Jarad managed to get a car to carry his friend to the hospital.

Israeli military vehicles 'breach Gaza border'

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- Several Israeli military vehicles breached the border with the Gaza Strip on Monday morning, but no confrontations were reported.

Locals told Ma'an the vehicles were scanning agricultural land east of Khan Younis, in south Gaza. Farmers immediately evacuated their fields, fearing troops would open fire, they said.

An Israeli military spokesman said the troops were conducting "routine activity" in the area.

Israel had barred Palestinians from coming within hundreds of meters of the border, but in a November ceasefire deal agreed to ease curbs on Gaza.

Fatal attack east of Jabalia - a further violation of the ceasefire‏

 

Omar Wadi (21) sitting in his house in Jabalia refugee camp, still recoverig from wounds in both legs after being shot by Israeli soldiers on January 11th 2012, while he was in the "Buffer Zone". He was injuried by the shrapnel of a hollow-point bullet when he was trying to help Anwar Almalouk (19), who was shot in the stomach. Anwar would later die while being transferred to the hospital.

An X-ray showing the piece of shrapnel embedded in Omar´s leg (white spot).

Jabalia, Gaza Strip
Friday 11th January, 2013

The fragile ceasefire announced on 21st November, following Israel's eight-day offensive on Gaza, was yet again violated by the Israeli military today after a fatal attack on a group of Palestinian civilians east of Jabalia. 19 year-old Anwar Al-Malouk, a law student from the Shajaia district of Gaza City was shot dead and 21 year-old Omar Wadi from the Jabalia refugee camp, north of Gaza City, was injured as he came to Anwar's aid.

At about 2.30pm on 11th January, Omar was in a local cemetary visiting the graves of friends killed under the occupation. He noticed a group of around 30 Palestinians a few hundred metres away to the east, between the cemetary and the fence marking the eastern border of the Gaza Strip.

From the cemetary, which was over half a kilometre from the border fence, Omar approached the group to investigate the situation. Four Israeli military jeeps were positioned on the other side of the fence and around 12 Israeli soldiers were present, firing tear-gas canisters towards the group of Palestinians.

At this point, the group was at a distance of approximately 100 metres from the fence but then fled a further 100 metres back, amid the tear-gas attack. By around 4pm, Anwar had been separated from the group and remained alone about 40 metres from the fence, when he was shot by the soldiers and fell.

Three of the group, including Omar, went back to assist Anwar. Omar says he acted instinctively at the sight of a fellow Palestinian in danger and didn't consider his own safety - despite not having previously known Anwar. As he arrived to where Anwar lay, he was hit in both legs by shrapnel from a hollow-tip bullet which exploded on impact with the ground nearby and showered metal fragments in his direction.

The two others managed to evacuate Omar and Anwar from the scene to safety but Anwar had sustained a serious gunshot wound to his abdomen and died en route to hospital. Anwar had to be driven from the area to the main road in a toc-toc, where he was then transferred to an ambulance. Unfortunately, by this time he had already passed away in the toc-toc.

At Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabalia, Omar was treated for ankle injuries. He has since been released but the shrapnel remains embedded in his bones. As an outpatient of the osteological department, he must return next week for assessment regarding the possibility of surgery to remove the shrapnel. It is understandable that Omar was terrified during the attack. He has been traumatised by the experience and has not been able to sleep due to reliving the memory of it.

Omar has two brothers and six sisters. His 18 year-old brother, Mohammed, was seriously injured during an Israeli incursion in the east of Jabalia five years ago when he was only 13 years old. Mohammed underwent treatment in Egypt for four months and is still receiving treatment in Gaza to this day.

The young mens' father expressed concern about Omar ever visiting the cemetary again, whilst their mother said she feared one day all her sons would be killed. The Wadi family yearn for a genuine ceasefire yet anticipated from the outset that Israel would never respect it. Omar's principal hope is that Israel's crimes against Palestinians will end.

Anwar was the youngest son of the Al-Malouk family and the only one still living at home due to his older brothers being married. His 55 year-old mother hopes he is now at peace.

The first Palestinian killed after the ceasefire announcement was also named Anwar. On 23rd November, just two days into the agreement, Anwar Qudieh was shot dead, this time in the rural area of Abassan, east of Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip.

There have been numerous Israeli attacks against Palestinian civilians in Gaza during the ceasefire. One can only imagine the response had it been the other way around.

Photos courtesy of Desde Palestina:
http://desde-palestina.blogspot.com/2013/01/omar-wadi.html?m=1