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"A flimsy story": UNRWA Gaza director Rene Aquarone responds to Israel's Qassam allegations

6 October 2004


“There are all sorts of theories, which you can imagine colleagues are musing about as to why [Israel is trying to discredit UNRWA] … now or why at all. And also, why on the basis of such a flimsy story? It is not just us, even people from outside who have seen the film had absolutely no doubt the minute they saw the film that this was not a rocket. It didn’t look at all like a rocket and nobody would throw a rocket into a car in that manner, I don’t think.” This week Palestine Report Online interviews director of the UNRWA executive office in Gaza, Rene Aquarone, on Israel’s recent claims that a UN ambulance was used to transport Qassam rockets. 

Youth in Gaza bear the brunt of Israeli war crimes, 20 children killed in current invasion

5 October 2004


For seven consecutive days, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have carried out brutal raids on the northern part of the Gaza Strip in the largest attack in this area since the current intifada began. The siege and invasion of Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya and Jabaliya town and refugee camp has seen the IOF targeting civilians and their properties. A total of 75 Palestinians have been killed during Israel’s so-called “Days of Penitence” military campaign, among them 20 children in the north of Gaza. In addition, one child was killed in the south and two children in the central area of the strip. More than 285 Palestinians have been injured in the raids, among them over 100 children. 

UN team arrives to probe Israeli accusations against UNRWA

5 October 2004


A United Nations team has arrived in Jerusalem to look into allegations by Israel that a UN ambulance driver was filmed loading a Kassam rocket into his vehicle, a UN spokesman said today. The team will meet with officials over the next few days and will be asking the Israeli Government and UNRWA to cooperate with them, Fred Eckhard said. Early this week UNRWA Commissioner-General Peter Hansen said an investigation and analysis of the footage captured by an Israeli drone established that the object in question was a patient stretcher. The group, which was headed to the region on a previously scheduled visit to review UN operations there, will report back to Mr. Annan after its return to New York, Mr. Eckhard said. 

Israel backs off accusations against UN refugee agency

5 October 2004


Matthias Burchard, chief of the liaison office of UNRWA told journalists that an Israeli spokesperson for the Israeli army had retracted allegations in the past few days that UNRWA’s ambulances in Gaza might have been misused by Hamas and calls by Israel’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York for the resignation of Peter Hansen, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA. UNRWA had maintained since the weekend that what was seen in the footage was a stretcher and not a rocket as alleged. UNRWA had been able to establish this in a matter of 24 hours, and it was very astonished that the IDF with its superior technology had not been able to do so. 

Israel's 'malicious propaganda' endangers UN staff

4 October 2004


Peter Hansen, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), has written a strongly-worded protest to Silvan Shalom, Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, demanding an apology for allegations made against UNRWA’s ambulance drivers in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s military and its ambassador to the United Nations have alleged that it has footage of a Palestinian rocket being transported in an UNRWA ambulance. An investigation by UNRWA and analysis of the footage has established that the object in question was a patient stretcher. 

Humanitarian Situation Update: Northern Gaza

5 October 2004


Heavy fighting has taken place in the last six days. The Palestinian Ministry of Health (MoH) has recorded 82 Palestinian deaths of which 24 were children. Three hundred and sixteen Palestinians have been injured of which over 110 were children. Five Israelis have died including two children who were killed by a home made rocket fired by Palestinian militants from northern Gaza into Sderot on 29 September. The Israeli incursion has particularly focused Jabalia refugee camp. Israeli forces have isolated Beit Hanoun from the rest of the Gaza Strip with no movement for the local population in and out of the area. 

Gaza Daily Update, 7.00 PM

5 October 2004


Since the wide-scale Israeli military assault on the northern part of the Gaza Strip, 84 Palestinians have been killed, including 25 children and three Palestinians in the south of Gaza. At least 268 Palestinians, including 91 children were injured. Numerous homes and private property have also been destroyed as IOF utilize air force and heavy tanks in this military operation. In addition, as the incursion continues, the civilian population of the area suffer shortage in food and water supply. In the areas which IOF occupy civilians lack the most basic needs. Al Mezan is still receiving plights from people who have been in urgent need for medicine and water. 

International community must act to stop killing Palestinian children

4 October 2004


Al Mezan Center for Human Rights requests your urgent intervention. The Center calls upon the international community to take effective action to put an end to Israeli violations of human rights and the rights of children in the occupied Palestinian territories, in particular in the north of the Gaza Strip. The Center also calls human rights organizations and child rights NGOs, coalitions and individuals to take whatever steps within their power to mobilize a more effective intervention to prevent violations of international humanitarian law and human rights standards. 

Survey: 70 percent of Palestinian households need assistance

1 October 2004


The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics conducted another round of the survey on the impact of Israeli measures on the economic conditions of Palestinian households. Data collection was conducted in the second quarter of 2004. The survey found that 226,000 Palestinian households lost more than 50 percent of their usual income and about 22.6 percent of Palestinian households in the Gaza Strip suffered from highly critical living conditions. The survey indicates that 59.7 percent of Palestinian households decreased their income during the Intifada of which 62.5 percent lost more than half of their usual income. 

Amnesty concerned about excessive use of force in Gaza

5 October 2004


Amnesty International is concerned about the deterioration of the human rights and humanitarian situation as a result of the Israeli army incursion in the Jabaliya refugee camp and surrounding areas in the northern Gaza Strip, including sectors in the nearby towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya. In the past week more than 70 Palestinians have been killed, more than a third of whom were unarmed and including some 20 children. Hundreds of others have been injured. The Israeli army has repeatedly used excessive force, including heavy shelling from tanks and helicopter gunships. Experience has shown that the use of such weapons in densely populated residential areas, invariably results in a high rate of death and injury of bystanders and people who are not involved in armed confrontation.