Palestine Center for Human Rights

Black Pages in the Absence of Justice Report on Bloody Fighting in the Gaza Strip from 7 to 14 June 2007

Black Pages in the Absence of Justice

Contents Preface

5

Introduction

6

International Humanitarian Law

9

Background

11

Latest Round of Fighting in Focus

23

Extra-Judicial and Willful Killing

30

Two People Pushed down from High Buildings

30

Abduction and Execution of People

31

Execution of Wounded Persons

38

Execution at the End of Fighting

41

Abduction and Harassment

42

Attacks against Houses and Apartment Buildings during Fighting

52

Using and Attacking Houses and Apartment Buildings in Hostilities

53

Destruction and Arsons of Houses

56

Attacks against Hospitals and Medical and Civil Defense Crews

61

Attacks against Hospitals

61

Attacks against Ambulances and Medical Crews

63

Attacks against Civil Defense Crews

65

Endangering the Lives of Civilians in Streets and Houses

67

Victims at Homes

67

Victims in Streets

69

Attacks against Peaceful Demonstrations

73

Destruction, Seizure and Robbery of Governmental and Non-Governmental Institutions 76 Destruction of Public Institutions

76

Attacks against Offices of Fatah Movement and Affiliated NGOs and Media Institutions

77

Attacks against NGOs

77

Attacks against Media Institutions

80

Attacks on Private Property

83

Conclusion and Recommendations

85

Annexes

87

Annex (1): Palestinians Killed in the Latest Round of Fighting in the Gaza Strip

87

Annex (2): PCHR’s Position towards the Current Crisis in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian National Authority: No Alternative to Political Dialogue

97

3

Black Pages in the Absence of Justice

Preface At least four months have passed since the bloody internal fighting in the Gaza Strip took place. However, the scenes of clashes are still seeable as we live their severely unprecedented results, because of the serious violations of human rights which were perpetrated by Palestinian hands, and the destruction of the self, the Palestinian unity and the national cause. PCHR has paid extra-ordinary attention to those incidents and devoted a team of researchers and lawyers to collate information and investigate crimes that were committed. Members of the team interviewed dozens of victims and eyewitnesses and collated affidavits from them about what they were subjected to or human rights violations which they saw. Nevertheless, PCHR realizes that the facts included in this report are not exclusive and does not claim that it provides the complete truth, rather it highlights the information which PCHR’s team was able to reach. People may ask about the reasons for publishing this report: What do we want through its publication? Why now, at least 3 months after the fighting had ended? First, we would like to unveil the truth as reporting on human rights violations is a basic tool in our work as a human rights organization and because our main duty as human rights defenders is to unveil what happened. “Saying the truth in the face of power” or “saying the truth to a tyrant ruler” is a basic duty of all those who are devoted to serve the high message of human rights. Second, there is no good time for the truth as the timing will be always questionable. Although we are awa