March 31, 2008
MARCH 2008 CASUALTY STATISTICS
(119) Palestinians were killed by Israeli Security Forces. 5 of the 119 deaths were children (between 0 and 14 years old). 13 of the 119 deaths were children (between 15 and 18). 11 of the 119 deaths were of women.
(5) Unclear Palestinian deaths (The source of the explosions or other accidents is unknown).
(7) Palestinians killed by Palestinian gunfire.
(2) Israeli soldiers killed by Palestinians.
(8) Israeli civilian killed by Palestinians.
THE PHRMG SUMMARY REPORT FOR MARCH 2008
Bloody Day in
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have continued to escalate an open war against the entire Gaza Strip population for the fourth consecutive day, indiscriminately killing civilians, including children in the process. 30 Palestinians, including 14 unarmed civilians, have been killed, and the death toll is expected to continue to rise.
Eight of the victims killed were children, including a brother and sister. These children were all killed by IOF in Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip. Since 27 February, a total of 62 Palestinians have been killed, including 28 unarmed civilians, eighteen of whom were children. In addition, another 160 Palestinians, most of them unarmed civilians, have been injured, many seriously.
At
approximately 00:30 on 1 March, IOF armored vehicles and troops, accompanied by
heavy aerial support, moved approximately 1.5 kilometers into Ezbet Abd Rabbo,
east of Jabaliya, and Rayees Hill northeast of
Another Bloody Day in
Air and land bombardments have killed 101 Palestinians since 27 February, and injured hundreds of others. The Centre also denounces continuing international silence over the carnage which has effectively encouraged the IOF to commit additional war crimes against Palestinian civilians and their property. The Centre warns that deaths and injuries will undoubtedly rise if the IOF operation continues, and reiterates its demand that the international community act immediately and effectively to put an end to these crimes, and to protect the lives of Palestinian civilians
Another 39 Palestinians were killed throughout the Gaza Strip. Twenty-two of
them were unarmed civilians, including 9 children. Six of the victims were from
one family, including 3 women and 3 men who were killed in an air strike in
The
majority of IOF operations took place in and around the town of
Palestinian homes demolished without warning
The Israeli army
demolished more homes in Palestinian villages in the occupied
In all of these
homes, children comprised the majority of the families. Three generations, the
grandparents, parents, and children, resided in these homes. In Hadidiya, there
were four families, and in Furush Beit Dajan, five families.
"All of the people have had homes demolished before, but this time they had no
warning. The people were very, very upset. They were running to get their things
out of their homes, but the bulldozer just went on demolishing."
Soldiers of the Israeli army arrived early in the morning in jeeps accompanied
by a bulldozer and then demolished the buildings where the four families were
living. The destroyed properties belonged to Mohammed Fahed Bani Odeh, Mohammed
Ali Shaikh Bani Odeh, Ali Shaikh Musleh Bani Odeh, and Omar 'Arif Mohammed
Bisharat and their families – at least 34 people, including some 26 children.
After destroying the homes, the soldiers moved on to destroy homes and
livelihoods in Jiftlik and Furush Beit Dajan, where there had also been house
demolitions in recent months.
2 Persons Wounded in Khan Yunis by Gunmen Thought to Be Members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades
On Monday morning, 24 March 2008, 2 members of the al-Ghalban clan were wounded by gunmen thought to be members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) during a quarrel in Khan Yunis.
At approximately 01:30 on Monday, 28 March 2008, a verbal debate between members of the al-Ghalban clan and masked gunmen thought to be members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, who were deployed on a branch road in Ma’an village, east of Khan Yunis, developed into a physical quarrel. Soon after, the masked gunmen opened fire. As a result, Ibrahim Ahmed al-Ghalban, 22, was wounded by a gunshot to the left leg, and Hind Hussein al-Ghalban, 38, was wounded by shrapnel to the left arm. Other members of the al-Ghalban clan, including an 85-year-old man, sustained bruises. The gunmen withdrew from the area at approximately 03:00.
3
Members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades Killed and 2 Others Wounded During
Training Activities in Khan Yunis and
3
activists of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) were
killed and 2 others were wounded during training activities in Khan Yunis town
and
At
approximately 07:30 on Friday, 21 March 2008, 2 activists of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam
Brigades were wounded when a bomb exploded during a training activity in the
west of Khan Yunis. They were evacuated to
At
approximately 13:30 on Thursday, 20 March 2008, 2 members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam
Brigades were killed and a third one was wounded during a training activity in
the south of
3 Palestinians, Including
a Child, Killed and 10 Others Wounded in
On Friday afternoon, 28 March 2008, 3 Palestinians were killed and 10 others were wounded in Kufor Thuluth village, southeast of Qalilya, while a reconciliation meeting was being held.
A statement issued by the public relations department at the police of Qalqilya, at approximately 14:00 on Friday, a reconciliation meeting was held between the clans of Shawahna and Mara’ba at a secondary school in Kufor Thuluth village, to end a dispute between the two clans, which had taken the life of Eyad Qassem Mara’ba on 24 October 2008. After meeting the demands of the Mara’ba’s clan, including receiving an amount of 40,000 JD (approximately US$ 60,000), and signing an agreement between the two clans, a member of the Shawahna clan was fired it, which led to an exchange of fire between the two clans. As a result, 3 persons were killed:
1. Kamal Qassem ‘Awadh Mara’ba, 45, hit by 6 gunshots to the chest, the back and the limbs;
2. Mohammed ‘Awadh Qassem Mara’ba, 22, hit by 4 gunshots to the chest, the side and the leg; and
3. Nour Sa’id ‘Ali Mara’ba, 13, hit by a gunshot to the head.
An addition 10 people were wounded.