PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
PRESS RELEASE

Ref: 20/2006
Date: 09 February 2006
Time: 11:30 GMT

A Palestinian Family Survives a Stray Rocket Launched by Palestinian Gunmen
against Israeli Targets

At approximately 18:30 on Wednesday, 8 February 2006, an armed Palestinian
group launched a locally made rocket from Beit Lahia town in the northern
Gaza Strip at an Israeli target. The rocket went astray and hit a house
belonging to Saber Mohammed 'Abdul Dayem, nearly 300 meters from the
launching site. Fire broke out in the house and members of the family were
terrified. The rocket hit the southern part of the 3-storey house, where 10
people live. The rocket exploded inside the living room and burnt the
furniture. Members of the family survived, as none were in the room at the
time.

This incident is not the first of its kind. On 2 August 2005, Palestinian
armed groups launched 3 locally made rockets at Israeli targets. One of
these rockets went astray and hit a house belonging to the family of
al-Ashqar in the east of Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip.
'Adnan Mustafa al-Ashqar, 50, and his son Yasser, 6, were killed and 9 other
civilians, including 5 children, were injured.

PCHR has repeatedly warned of launching locally made rockets at Israeli
targets from inside populated areas. Such attacks have endangered the lives
of both Palestinian and Israeli civilians.

PCHR strongly condemns such acts, which endanger civilian lives. PCHR also
reminds the Palestinian resistance groups of their responsibilities with
regard to protection of civilians in keeping with international law. PCHR
calls on them to abstain from launching any military activities from inside
or near civilian areas or which target civilians or civilian areas. Attacks
against civilians are in clear violation of international humanitarian law.

-End-

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Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
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