| [ 03/12/2010 - 12:55 PM ] |
 |
| GAZA, (PIC)-- IOF troops fired at a Palestinian man on Friday while he was collecting scrap in the northern Gaza Strip wounding him in the foot, according to Palestinian medical sources. Adham Abu Selmeyyah, medical services spokesman, told the PIC that the victim, who is a resident of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, was wounded as a result of the IOF troops opening machinegun fire at Palestinians collecting gravel and scrap metal in the area. He added that the victim was transferred to the Kamal Odwan hospital and said that his wounds were moderate. Dozens of Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip were wounded in similar circumstances in what local people believe to be a deliberate policy by the IOF as most of the casualties suffered wounds to their feet. Many residents of the Gaza Strip find themselves forced to collect gravel and scrap metal as a means of earning a living. |
Friday, December 3, 2010
Gaza citizen wounded by IOF bullets
Army Shells Khan Younis
Friday December 03, 2010 05:00 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies
Palestinian sources in the Gaza Strip reported that Israeli soldiers shelled on Thursday evening a number of homes east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
The army fired dozens of rounds of live ammunition and a number of shells targeting homes in Al Fakhari area in Khan Younis causing excessive damage.
Border areas in the Gaza Strip are subject to repeated Israeli shelling stemming from military towers and military posts near the border.
Border areas in the Gaza Strip are subject to repeated Israeli shelling stemming from military towers and military posts near the border.
International Day of Solidarity in Gaza greeted with bullets in Beit Hanoun
Posted on: December 2, 2010
1 December 2010 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza
Live bullets were fired from snipers at an Erez control tower within a metre of demonstrators on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Tuesday morning in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza. A German activist Vera Macht was injured as she stumbled while running for cover. The Local Initiative of Beit Hanoun organized the demonstration international mural and with extra attention focusing on the growing international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel for its ongoing human rights violations of the Palestinian people. The demonstration was held in the area where 6 farmers and rock collectors, including 2 children had been shot and injured over the previous 2 days, seeing an escalation of violence against civilians from the Israeli Occupation Forces.
It was actually the United Nations General Assembly who in 1977 called for this annual observance of 29th November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It was on that day, in 1947, that the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine resolution 181, which began the horrific trend of violent land expropriation and expulsion of the Palestinian population. Over two thirds of Gazans are UN registered refugees from this period.
Tuesday morning 30 people, amongst them 5 internationals from the International Solidarity Movement as well as Mavi Marmara survivor Ken O’Keefe and Irish Activist Cormac O’Daly, gathered in Beit Hanoun at approximately 800m from Erez Crossing. Opposite the remains of the destroyed Agricultural College, which was bombed during the war on Gaza, the demonstrators put up a wall of slogans and international and Palestinian flags to express solidarity. All demonstrators held up letters forming the slogan “Boycott Israel boycott!”, before marching down towards the Erez Wall.
They were also protesting their right to their land, much of which is now lost or out of bounds by the Israeli imposed “buffer-zone.” The buffer-zone, extended to 300 metres wide in December 2009, stretches along the entire border fence on the frontier with Israel. According to a recent UN report the violence used to restrict Palestinians from accessing their land actually covers areas up to 1500m from the border fence, meaning that over 35% of Gaza’s most agricultural land is in a high risk area causing severe losses of food production and livelihoods.
As the demonstrators neared to within 100 metres of the wall, chanting and waving flags it was clear one of the watch towers was open, evidently monitoring. The barren waste land all around was a result of the forced neglect as they marched into a place that has been made out of bounds by the threat of Israel snipers and shelling. As a soldier shouted from the tower, the group decided to walk back towards the village center. At around 500 metres from the fence, IOF snipers opened fire at them, the first few shots at head height missing many of the people on the march by a metre or less. Afterwards, another ten shots were fired.
According to Local Initiative organiser Saber Al Za’anin the day highlights the responsibility of international civil society to exert pressure to end the violent siege and occupation of Palestinian lands: “It is vital that Internationals support the Palestinian cause and make the world understand the horrific occupation and attacks Palestinians live under day in day out. The international grass roots boycotts are saying no to Israeli violence and oppression and its time that the International governing community did the same to hold Israel to account for their crimes. We painted flags of countries from around the world on a mural and demonstrated. Now its time for the world to increase the power of their demonstrations, lobbying, festivals, legal work and boycotts to finally end the conflict.”
On the violence at the borders, demonstration participant Ken O’Keefe said: “When people are shot and killed for collecting rocks so they can be crushed and turned into powder and ultimately into cement, because cement is banned under the Israeli siege, you know the so-called “easing” of the siege is a farce. The siege must be smashed into oblivion, and the only people who will make that happen are people of conscience who are willing to act.”
Released on Wednesday was a report ‘Dashed Hopes, Continuation of the Gaza Blockade’ signed by over 21 international organizations including Amnesty, Oxfam, Save the Children, Christian Aid and Medical Aid for Palestinians. It calls for international action for Israel to unconditionally lift the blockade, stating that the devastation of Palestinian life under the Israeli blockade continues unabated.
63 years before the day of the demonstration, On 29 November, 1947, the UN General Assembly voted for Resolution 181 for the partition of Palestine into two states and envisaged a Special International Regime for the City of Jerusalem. It was this plan that triggered the ongoing suffering for the Palestinians given the hugely unequal partition of the land.
According to Israeli Historian Ilan Pappe, “The injustice was as striking then as it appears now… the Jews, who owned less than six per cent of the total land area of Palestine and constituted no more than one third of the population, were handed more than half of its overall territory”
According to Pappe, from the beginning the major global institutions and power-brokers were pitted against them: “The Palestinians were at the mercy of an international organization [the United Nations] that appeared ready to ignore all the rules of international mediation, which its own charter endorsed…One does not have to be a great jurist or legal mind to predict how the international court would have ruled on forcing a solution on a country to which the majority of its people were vehemently opposed.”
Then after the resolution partition came the Nakba or ‘Catastrophe’ during which the nascent Israeli army forcibly annexed even more land. Israel controlled 78% of the land held for a prospective Israeli State, leaving behind the West Bank and Gaza. During these attacks which began in March 1948 and included massacres such as Deir Yassin village, close to 800,000 Palestinians were uprooted, 531 villages were destroyed, and eleven urban neighbourhoods emptied of their inhabitants. With the ‘slow motion ethnic cleaning’ that has ensued ever since, Israel has now settled over 60% of the 22% of historic Palestine and militarily occupies the rest. [1]
[1] Pappe, I. The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (2006), One World Publications, Oxford
Updated on December 2, 2010
1 December 2010 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza
Live bullets were fired from snipers at an Erez control tower within a metre of demonstrators on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Tuesday morning in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza. A German activist Vera Macht was injured as she stumbled while running for cover. The Local Initiative of Beit Hanoun organized the demonstration international mural and with extra attention focusing on the growing international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel for its ongoing human rights violations of the Palestinian people. The demonstration was held in the area where 6 farmers and rock collectors, including 2 children had been shot and injured over the previous 2 days, seeing an escalation of violence against civilians from the Israeli Occupation Forces.
It was actually the United Nations General Assembly who in 1977 called for this annual observance of 29th November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It was on that day, in 1947, that the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine resolution 181, which began the horrific trend of violent land expropriation and expulsion of the Palestinian population. Over two thirds of Gazans are UN registered refugees from this period.
Tuesday morning 30 people, amongst them 5 internationals from the International Solidarity Movement as well as Mavi Marmara survivor Ken O’Keefe and Irish Activist Cormac O’Daly, gathered in Beit Hanoun at approximately 800m from Erez Crossing. Opposite the remains of the destroyed Agricultural College, which was bombed during the war on Gaza, the demonstrators put up a wall of slogans and international and Palestinian flags to express solidarity. All demonstrators held up letters forming the slogan “Boycott Israel boycott!”, before marching down towards the Erez Wall.
They were also protesting their right to their land, much of which is now lost or out of bounds by the Israeli imposed “buffer-zone.” The buffer-zone, extended to 300 metres wide in December 2009, stretches along the entire border fence on the frontier with Israel. According to a recent UN report the violence used to restrict Palestinians from accessing their land actually covers areas up to 1500m from the border fence, meaning that over 35% of Gaza’s most agricultural land is in a high risk area causing severe losses of food production and livelihoods.
As the demonstrators neared to within 100 metres of the wall, chanting and waving flags it was clear one of the watch towers was open, evidently monitoring. The barren waste land all around was a result of the forced neglect as they marched into a place that has been made out of bounds by the threat of Israel snipers and shelling. As a soldier shouted from the tower, the group decided to walk back towards the village center. At around 500 metres from the fence, IOF snipers opened fire at them, the first few shots at head height missing many of the people on the march by a metre or less. Afterwards, another ten shots were fired.
According to Local Initiative organiser Saber Al Za’anin the day highlights the responsibility of international civil society to exert pressure to end the violent siege and occupation of Palestinian lands: “It is vital that Internationals support the Palestinian cause and make the world understand the horrific occupation and attacks Palestinians live under day in day out. The international grass roots boycotts are saying no to Israeli violence and oppression and its time that the International governing community did the same to hold Israel to account for their crimes. We painted flags of countries from around the world on a mural and demonstrated. Now its time for the world to increase the power of their demonstrations, lobbying, festivals, legal work and boycotts to finally end the conflict.”
On the violence at the borders, demonstration participant Ken O’Keefe said: “When people are shot and killed for collecting rocks so they can be crushed and turned into powder and ultimately into cement, because cement is banned under the Israeli siege, you know the so-called “easing” of the siege is a farce. The siege must be smashed into oblivion, and the only people who will make that happen are people of conscience who are willing to act.”
Released on Wednesday was a report ‘Dashed Hopes, Continuation of the Gaza Blockade’ signed by over 21 international organizations including Amnesty, Oxfam, Save the Children, Christian Aid and Medical Aid for Palestinians. It calls for international action for Israel to unconditionally lift the blockade, stating that the devastation of Palestinian life under the Israeli blockade continues unabated.
63 years before the day of the demonstration, On 29 November, 1947, the UN General Assembly voted for Resolution 181 for the partition of Palestine into two states and envisaged a Special International Regime for the City of Jerusalem. It was this plan that triggered the ongoing suffering for the Palestinians given the hugely unequal partition of the land.
According to Israeli Historian Ilan Pappe, “The injustice was as striking then as it appears now… the Jews, who owned less than six per cent of the total land area of Palestine and constituted no more than one third of the population, were handed more than half of its overall territory”
According to Pappe, from the beginning the major global institutions and power-brokers were pitted against them: “The Palestinians were at the mercy of an international organization [the United Nations] that appeared ready to ignore all the rules of international mediation, which its own charter endorsed…One does not have to be a great jurist or legal mind to predict how the international court would have ruled on forcing a solution on a country to which the majority of its people were vehemently opposed.”
Then after the resolution partition came the Nakba or ‘Catastrophe’ during which the nascent Israeli army forcibly annexed even more land. Israel controlled 78% of the land held for a prospective Israeli State, leaving behind the West Bank and Gaza. During these attacks which began in March 1948 and included massacres such as Deir Yassin village, close to 800,000 Palestinians were uprooted, 531 villages were destroyed, and eleven urban neighbourhoods emptied of their inhabitants. With the ‘slow motion ethnic cleaning’ that has ensued ever since, Israel has now settled over 60% of the 22% of historic Palestine and militarily occupies the rest. [1]
[1] Pappe, I. The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (2006), One World Publications, Oxford
Updated on December 2, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
PCHR weekly report 25/11 - 1/12/2010:
extracts from PCHR weekly report 25/11 - 1/12/2010:
IOF continued to fire at Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the Gaza Strip. - 10 Palestinian workers, one farmer and one fisherman were wounded.
In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted one limited incursion into the northern Gaza Strip, during which they leveled areas of Palestinian land, which they had already razed.
Thursday, 25 November 2010
At approximately 07:00, IOF moved nearly 350 meters into the northeast of the Bedouin Village in the northern Gaza Strip. They leveled areas of Palestinian land.
Saturday, 27 November 2010
At approximately 09:10, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers on the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northwest of Beit Lahia town opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of "Elli Sinai" used to stand. As a result, Shamekh Sa'id al-Debes, 16, from Jabalya town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 150 meters away from the border.
At approximately 12:30, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers at the beach to the northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian fishermen who were fishing nearly 350 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. As a result, Ahmed Mahmoud Jarbou', 26, from al-Shati refugee camp in the west of Gaza City.
At approximately 14:00, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the debris of buildings in Erez industrial zone. As a result, Khaled Ashraf Abu Sitta, 21, from Beit Hanoun town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg.
Sunday, 28 November 2010
At approximately 08:15, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the debris of buildings in Erez industrial zone. As a result, Mukhles Jawad al-Masri, 15, from Beit Hanoun town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 250 meters away.
At approximately 09:15, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers at the beach to the northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the evacuated Israeli settlement of "Elli Sinai." As a result, Mamdouh 'Aayesh al-Sous, 28, from Beit Lahia town, was wounded by a bullet to the left foot.
At approximately 09:30, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the debris of buildings in Erez industrial zone. As a result, Mohammed Khalil al-Za'anin, 20, from Beit Hanoun town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 100 meters away.
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
At approximately 07:20, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers at the beach to the northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the evacuated Israeli settlement of "Elli Sinai." As a result, Isma'il Sa'ed Ghaben, 31, from Beit Lahia town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 150 meters away from the border.
At approximately 08:20, Israeli soldiers fired at Palestinian workers in the same area. As a result, two workers were wounded:
1. Ghassan Mas'oud Abu Riala, 21, from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded by a bullet to the left leg; and
2. Ameen Akram Abu Shawish, 22, from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded by a bullet to the left leg.
At approximately 08:40, a fourth worker was wounded by IOF in the same area. He was identified as Nader Mohammed al-Anqar, 21, from Beit Lahia town, wounded by a bullet to the left leg.
At approximately 10:40, IOF stationed at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast of Beit Lahia town opened fire at Palestinian agricultural areas near the border. As a result, Bayan Farouq Tanboura, 26, a farmer from Beit Lahia, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 400 meters away from the border.
Wednesday, 24 November (sic - means 1 December) 2010
At approximately 11:45, Israeli soldiers positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials in Bourat Abu Samra area, nearly 400 meters away from the border. As a result, Murad Bassam al-Souq, 19, was wounded by a bullet to the right leg.
IOF continued to fire at Palestinian workers, farmers and fishermen in border areas in the Gaza Strip. - 10 Palestinian workers, one farmer and one fisherman were wounded.
In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted one limited incursion into the northern Gaza Strip, during which they leveled areas of Palestinian land, which they had already razed.
Thursday, 25 November 2010
At approximately 07:00, IOF moved nearly 350 meters into the northeast of the Bedouin Village in the northern Gaza Strip. They leveled areas of Palestinian land.
Saturday, 27 November 2010
At approximately 09:10, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers on the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northwest of Beit Lahia town opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers from a site where the evacuated Israeli settlement of "Elli Sinai" used to stand. As a result, Shamekh Sa'id al-Debes, 16, from Jabalya town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 150 meters away from the border.
At approximately 12:30, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers at the beach to the northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian fishermen who were fishing nearly 350 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. As a result, Ahmed Mahmoud Jarbou', 26, from al-Shati refugee camp in the west of Gaza City.
At approximately 14:00, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the debris of buildings in Erez industrial zone. As a result, Khaled Ashraf Abu Sitta, 21, from Beit Hanoun town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg.
Sunday, 28 November 2010
At approximately 08:15, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the debris of buildings in Erez industrial zone. As a result, Mukhles Jawad al-Masri, 15, from Beit Hanoun town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 250 meters away.
At approximately 09:15, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers at the beach to the northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the evacuated Israeli settlement of "Elli Sinai." As a result, Mamdouh 'Aayesh al-Sous, 28, from Beit Lahia town, was wounded by a bullet to the left foot.
At approximately 09:30, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers near Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the debris of buildings in Erez industrial zone. As a result, Mohammed Khalil al-Za'anin, 20, from Beit Hanoun town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 100 meters away.
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
At approximately 07:20, Israeli soldiers stationed on observation towers at the beach to the northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials from the evacuated Israeli settlement of "Elli Sinai." As a result, Isma'il Sa'ed Ghaben, 31, from Beit Lahia town, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 150 meters away from the border.
At approximately 08:20, Israeli soldiers fired at Palestinian workers in the same area. As a result, two workers were wounded:
1. Ghassan Mas'oud Abu Riala, 21, from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded by a bullet to the left leg; and
2. Ameen Akram Abu Shawish, 22, from al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, wounded by a bullet to the left leg.
At approximately 08:40, a fourth worker was wounded by IOF in the same area. He was identified as Nader Mohammed al-Anqar, 21, from Beit Lahia town, wounded by a bullet to the left leg.
At approximately 10:40, IOF stationed at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast of Beit Lahia town opened fire at Palestinian agricultural areas near the border. As a result, Bayan Farouq Tanboura, 26, a farmer from Beit Lahia, was wounded by a bullet to the left leg, when he was nearly 400 meters away from the border.
Wednesday, 24 November (sic - means 1 December) 2010
At approximately 11:45, Israeli soldiers positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired at a number of Palestinian workers who were collecting raw construction materials in Bourat Abu Samra area, nearly 400 meters away from the border. As a result, Murad Bassam al-Souq, 19, was wounded by a bullet to the right leg.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Gazan Worker Injured After Being Shot by Israeli Troops
Wednesday December 01, 2010 16:44 by Ane Irazabal - IMEMC & Agencies
On Wednesday, the Israeli military shot and injured a resident from Gaza, while he was working collecting stones and rubble in the northern area of the strip. The victim has moderate wounds, Ma'an News Agency reported.
An Israeli military spokesperson said that forces opened fire with warning shots at some people who were approaching the northern border, which the Israeli army considers a combat and live fire zone. He also declared that the victim's leg was targeted in one of these shots.
However, according to the local government health services authority, more than 80 people have been injured in similar circumstances since the Israel's blockade of Gaza started three years ago.
The collection of stone and other materials is one of the few regular sources of income for workers in the strip, due to Israel prohibiting the entry of reconstruction materials such as iron re-bar, stone and cement.
However, according to the local government health services authority, more than 80 people have been injured in similar circumstances since the Israel's blockade of Gaza started three years ago.
The collection of stone and other materials is one of the few regular sources of income for workers in the strip, due to Israel prohibiting the entry of reconstruction materials such as iron re-bar, stone and cement.
IOF Shoot Palestinian Civilian Collecting Scrap in North Gaza District
1-12-2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Limited IOF Incursion Northwest of Beit Hanoun
30-11-2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Buffer zone attacks continue: three more workers shot
28 November 2010 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza
The northern border area of the Strip is for the second day under attack of IOF snipers. Yesterday three people were shot, including a 12 year old boy, leaving one man in a critical condition. Today three more people were injured by Israeli gunfire while working in the buffer zone, amongst them was yet again a child. Mokles Jawad Al Masri (15), Mamdoe Ajesh Alsoes (20) and Mohamed Khalil Zanin (21) were shot in Beit Hanoun, north Gaza.
15 year old Mokles Jawad Al Masri was shot at 7 am this morning while collecting rubble at approximately 500 meters from Eretz Crossing. The boy was shot in the lower leg and is now hospitalized with a fractured bone in Beit Lahyia. According to the doctor, recovery will take one to two months.
“Because of the siege, there are not many options for my family to survive. We are 17 in our home and I bring food to the table by collecting and selling rubble. It’s dangerous and I only make 50 shekels a day, but it is the only thing I can do to help. I have one older brother who is in his final year at secondary school. I also go to school, but am only in grade nine; it is still easy, so I have more spare time than my older brother. He needs to concentrate in school to get good final results, so he can get a good job.”
Mokles regularly frequents the area around Eretz Crossing to go about his daily business as a scrap collector. Today he and a friend from the neighbors went out with a rented donkey cart when he was suddenly shot.
Mokles’ father used to work in Israel as a construction worker, but since 2003 the Israeli authorities have not allowed him to travel to Israel. Like 42 percent of the Gazan population, he is unemployed. According to OCHA, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the number of people living in abject poverty in Gaza has risen from 100,000 to 300,000 in the last two years.
“Every day we live in fear when he goes out to work. But it’s all we have . . . All the time we’re afraid someone will come and alert us that Mokles has been arrested or shot by the soldiers,” his father exclaims in despair.
A couple of hours later, around 9:30 am, IOF attacked again and made the second victim of the day: Mamdoe Ajesh Alsoes, age 20, was shot by snipers. Mamdoe was hit in the knee and left the hospital later that day.
Mohamad Khalil Zanin, age 21, was working his land when he heard a shot and saw someone being carried away in the distance. Approximately one hour later, at 10:30 am, he himself was shot too in the leg. Yet again, the shot was fired without any warning. The bullet exited his leg, but has left Mohamed with a comminuted fracture of the bone, requiring surgery: six metal pins are placed in his leg. Recovery will require six months to a full year, according to the doctor.
The family Khalil Zanin has farming land that runs close to the border, where they grow oranges and olives.
“I must have been at 130 meters from the fence. It is close, but this is our land. We have 100 olive trees that need caring. I come here often: this week I have been here every single day. For sure, the soldiers know me from their cameras. I don’t know why they did this to me.
“I had just finished working and was making my way home when all of a sudden they shot me with an M16. I couldn’t walk, so my friend had to carry me to a car to get to the hospital.”
21 years old, Mohamed is the sole provider for his three young brothers and his parents. His father had a heart attack 13 years ago and is paralyzed on one side of his body.
“I don’t know what will happen now. No one is able to go to the land except for me. It’s the first time that they have fired at me. But who knows what will happen? I don’t want people to risk their lives there either.”
Today’s shootings bring the total amount of people injured while working in the buffer zone to 15 this month alone.
Updated on November 29, 2010
Mokles Jawad Al Masri, 15
15 year old Mokles Jawad Al Masri was shot at 7 am this morning while collecting rubble at approximately 500 meters from Eretz Crossing. The boy was shot in the lower leg and is now hospitalized with a fractured bone in Beit Lahyia. According to the doctor, recovery will take one to two months.
“Because of the siege, there are not many options for my family to survive. We are 17 in our home and I bring food to the table by collecting and selling rubble. It’s dangerous and I only make 50 shekels a day, but it is the only thing I can do to help. I have one older brother who is in his final year at secondary school. I also go to school, but am only in grade nine; it is still easy, so I have more spare time than my older brother. He needs to concentrate in school to get good final results, so he can get a good job.”
Mokles regularly frequents the area around Eretz Crossing to go about his daily business as a scrap collector. Today he and a friend from the neighbors went out with a rented donkey cart when he was suddenly shot.
Mokles’ father used to work in Israel as a construction worker, but since 2003 the Israeli authorities have not allowed him to travel to Israel. Like 42 percent of the Gazan population, he is unemployed. According to OCHA, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the number of people living in abject poverty in Gaza has risen from 100,000 to 300,000 in the last two years.
“Every day we live in fear when he goes out to work. But it’s all we have . . . All the time we’re afraid someone will come and alert us that Mokles has been arrested or shot by the soldiers,” his father exclaims in despair.
A couple of hours later, around 9:30 am, IOF attacked again and made the second victim of the day: Mamdoe Ajesh Alsoes, age 20, was shot by snipers. Mamdoe was hit in the knee and left the hospital later that day.
Mohamad Khalil Zanin, age 21
The family Khalil Zanin has farming land that runs close to the border, where they grow oranges and olives.
“I must have been at 130 meters from the fence. It is close, but this is our land. We have 100 olive trees that need caring. I come here often: this week I have been here every single day. For sure, the soldiers know me from their cameras. I don’t know why they did this to me.
“I had just finished working and was making my way home when all of a sudden they shot me with an M16. I couldn’t walk, so my friend had to carry me to a car to get to the hospital.”
21 years old, Mohamed is the sole provider for his three young brothers and his parents. His father had a heart attack 13 years ago and is paralyzed on one side of his body.
“I don’t know what will happen now. No one is able to go to the land except for me. It’s the first time that they have fired at me. But who knows what will happen? I don’t want people to risk their lives there either.”
Today’s shootings bring the total amount of people injured while working in the buffer zone to 15 this month alone.
IOF Opens Fire at Palestinian Farmers East Beit Hanoun
29-11-2010
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