PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

Security Chaos and Proliferation of Small Arms
Misuse of Weapons by Armed Groups and Security Personnel

Field Update
30 March 2006

Gaza Strip Witnesses a New Wave of Security Chaos Incidents

The central and southern areas of the Gaza Strip have seen more incidents
involving misuse of weapons by armed groups and security personnel, which
constitute a continuation of the general security chaos in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory (OPT). Yesterday evening, 2 citizens were injured by
gunfire from members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, against the backdrop
of a dispute over a plot of government owned land in Khan Yunis.
Furthermore, 2 children were injured while they were handling a locally
manufactured explosive device. And in the early hours of this morning, an
explosion targeted the vehicle of an officer from the Preventive Security
Forces, in El-Bureij refugee camp. Following the explosion, gunmen from the
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades closed Salah El-Deen Road, opposite El-Bureij
refugee camp.

PCHR's initial investigation indicates that at approximately 18:30 on
Wednesday, 29 March 2006, gunmen from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the
armed branch of Fatah, fired gunshots during a dispute with members of the
Al-Lahham family. The dispute was over the use of a plot of land, adjacent
to land owned by the Al-Lahham family, in the Mawasi area of Khan Yunis. It
is noted that the disputed land is government owned land. The gunfire
resulted in the injury of Atteyya Mohammad El-Lahham, 17, who was injured in
the abdomen and Majed Khamis Zu'rob, 23, injured by shrapnel in the right
hand. The injured were taken to Naser Hospital in Khan Yunis, where the
injuries of Al-Lahham were classified as moderate and those of Zu'rob
classified as minor.

At approximately 21:00 on Wednesday, Mohammad Husam Abu Tir, 15, and Hisham
Ismail El-Habbash, 16, sustained shrapnel injuries all over their bodies,
while they were handling a locally produced explosive device in Abu Tir's
house, located in Nuseirat refugee camp. They were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs
Hospital for treatment, where their injuries were classified as moderate.

At approximately 3:00 on the morning of Thursday, 30 March 2006,
unidentified assailants detonated an explosive device against the garage
door of a house belonging to Hatem Sabir Othman, 35, who is a Major in the
Preventive Security Forces and lives in El-Bureij refugee camp. The
explosion destroyed the garage door and caused extensive damage to Othman's
car. The windows of a nearby house were also damaged.

At approximately 8:00 on Thursday morning, a group of about 30 gunmen,
including members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, closed the section of
Salah El-Deen Road opposite El-Bureij refugee camp. They were demanding
jobs from the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The gunmen lit tires on
the road and prevented citizens from passing, causing a traffic jam. The
closure continued for 2 hours and the road was reopened at approximately
10:00.

PCHR is gravely concerned over the continued misuse of weapons by armed
groups and security personnel, which constitutes a continuation of the
security chaos in the OPT. The Centre calls upon the PNA, represented by
the Attorney General, to investigate these crimes and to bring the
perpetrators to justice.

Public Document
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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8
2824776 - 2825893
PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip.
E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org, Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
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