On Tuesday evening, 5 September 2006, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) committed two extra-judicial executions in Rafah in two hours, which killed four members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and wounded 27 civilian bystanders, including five children.

According to preliminary investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 21:20, an IOF droned fired a missile at a civilian car (a grey Mitsubishi) that was traveling near al-Istiqama Mosque in Saddam Street in the densely-populated al-Junaina neighborhood. Two members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, were traveling in the car. One of them, 28-year-old Ahmed ‘Abdul Karim ‘Aashour, was instantly killed, and the other one, 34-year-old Ahmed ‘Abdul Katim al-‘Arqan, was seriously wounded. Al-‘Arqan was evacuated to Gaza European Hospital in Khan Yunis, but he died from his wound two hours later. In addition, 26 civilian bystanders, including five children, were wounded.

Two hours later, an IOF drone fired a missile at a civilian car (a white Daewoo) that was traveling near al-Jawazat Square in Sadam Street in al-Junaina neighborhood in Rafah. Two members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, who were traveling in the car, were instantly killed:

1. ‘Aa’ed ‘Abdul Qader al-Bashiti, 33; and
2. ‘Ali ‘Eissa al-Nashar, 26.

In addition, a civilian bystander was wounded.

PCHR strongly condemns these latest crimes and asserts that such crimes by IOF increase tension and threaten the lives of Palestinian civilians. PCHR calls upon the international community to intervene to stop such crimes, 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.

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Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

BY TOPIC: Israel’s assassination policy

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