Second attack in 24 hours: Israel assassinates two Palestinians in Gaza

Israeli war plane fires missile into car in Al Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, killing two Palestinians February 5, 2006. (MAANnews/Wesam Saleh)


On Sunday evening, 5 February 2006, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) extra-judicially executed two members of the al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, in Gaza City. This attack came less than 24 hours after a similar attack, also in Gaza City, which left 3 members of the Fatah movement dead. This escalation in violence represents a confirmation of the Israeli official statement vowing to continue to search for and target activists of Palestinian factions.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 21:15 on Sunday, 5 February 2006, IOF aircrafts launched two missiles at two civilian cars (a white Renault and a Volkswagen minibus) that were traveling near the Doula building in the densely populated al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the southeast of Gaza City. The two cars were destroyed and the two drivers, who are members of the al-Quds Brigades of Islamic Jihad, were killed: ‘Adnan Bustan, 38; and Jihad al-Sawafeeri, 34.

An IOF spokesman stated that the Israeli Air Force targeted a number of members of Islamic Jihad in Gaza City.

PCHR strongly condemns this latest crime and asserts that such crimes by IOF increase tension and threaten the lives of Palestinian civilians. PCHR calls upon the international community to meet its responsibilities and calls particularly upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to fulfill their obligations under the Convention to ensure protection for Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Related Links

  • BY TOPIC: Israel’s Assassination Policy
  • Palestinian Centre for Human Rights