ei: Two Killed and Five Injured in Gaza Weapons Mishandling

PCHR's preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 19:00 on Saturday, 20 January 2007, Ashraf Matar (22) was injured by a bullet in the head during weapons training in a camp for Izzedeen El-Qassam Battalions to the southwest of Gaza City. He was taken to Shifa hospital for treatment, where his injury was listed as serious.

At approximately 11:30 on Friday, 19 January 2007, Salim Sobhi Ibrahim Abu El-Kheir, a 51-year old resident of El-Amal Quarter in Khan Yunis, was killed by bullets to the head and chest. Unknown gunmen traveling in a car fired at the victim as he was heading to the mosque in his neighborhood. The police started an investigation into the murder.

On Thursday, 18 January 2007, Kamal Mohammad Sarhan El-Bashiti (32) was killed and two children were injured by gunfire in a wedding celebration in Khan Yunis. PCHR's fieldworker reported that a gunman lost control of an assault rifle he was firing in the air during the wedding celebration, in the Batn El-Samin area in Khan Yunis. Three people were initially injured by the gunfire:

Kamal El-Bashiti, a security officer, was injured by a bullet to the chest;

Ahmad Walid El-Bashiti (13) was injured by a bullet in the right leg; and

Marqouq Atef El-Bashiti (14) was injured by a bullet in the left leg.

The injured were taken to Naser Hospital for treatment. Kamal, the groom's brother, died of his wounds at the hospital; while the children's injuries were listed as moderate.

At approximately 16:00 on the same day (18 January), Mahmoud Adnan Abu Ma'rouf, a 23-year-old resident of Jorit El-Lout area in Khan Yunis, was moderately injured by a bullet in the left leg. The injury occurred due to the accidental discharge of a bullet from a friend's weapon in El-Mawasi area, west of Khan Yunis. Abu Ma'rouf was taken to Naser Hospital for treatment.

At the same time as the previous incident, Anwar Badawi El-Yazji (51-year-old resident of Gaza), was injured by shrapnel in the back while he was in El-Remal Quarter in the city. El-Yazji informed PCHR's fieldworker that masked gunmen fired at him after they failed to abduct him.

PCHR is concerned over the continued falling of victims due to the misuse of weapons. The Centre reiterates the call to the Palestinian National Authority, represented by the Attorney-General, to seriously investigate these crimes, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

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