IOF Involvement in the Murder of 3 Members of Hajjaj Family, 8 July 2006

After an investigation conducted by its Legal Unit, PCHR concluded that Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) murdered three members of the Hajjaj family by targeting their house on 8 July 2006.

PCHR’s preliminary investigation into that incident included field visits to the attack site, eyewitness accounts, examining shrapnel and rocket remains in the house, and examining official documents such as medical reports and pictures of the dead and wounded. The investigation clearly points that the Hajjaj family house, located on the western part of the East Road, at the end of Mansour Street in Shejaeya Quarter, was targeted by three rockets from Israeli drones in the evening of 8 July 2006.

The rockets hit the western end of the house backyard, where the family members were located. They were hit directly. Three family members were killed:

  • Ammouna Yousef Hajjaj (42);
  • Mohammad Farid Hajjaj (her 23-year old son);
  • Rawan Farid Hajjaj (her 6-year old daughter); and
  • Four other family members were injured.

    The house sustained damage as well. The investigation refutes the Israeli claim after the attack which rejected the possibility of the house being targeted by IOF. The Israeli army denied targeting the house or firing the rockets that killed the mother and her two children, and injured the rest of the family, excluding the father and a son, who were outside at the time of the bombardment. The IOF spokesman declared at the time that an IOF plane targeted an armed Palestinian with one rocket in the vicinity of the Hajjaj family house.

    In light of the investigation results, PCHR submitted an official complaint to the Israeli Military Attorney requesting a serious investigation into the incident, to submit the perpetrators to justice, and compensate the victims of this incident that is classified as a war crime.

    PCHR stresses that the Hajjaj family members fell victim to Israeli measures that clearly do not differentiate between civilians and others. IOF does not hesitate to target civilian property for the sake of inflicting additional casualties among Palestinians in contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

    Related Links

  • The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
  • BY TOPIC: Israel invades Gaza (27 June 2006)