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Al-Mezan Press Release<br>
<br>
Tuesday, October 12, 2004 6:06 AM<br>
<br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2>Reference:
68/2004<br><br>
Date: 12 October 2004<br><br>
<br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4 color="#000080"><b>Press
Release<br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4 color="#800000">The
slaughter of children in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) must
stop now<br><br>
</b></font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2> <br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>Al Mezan Center for
Human Rights gravely condemns the killing of Palestinian children by the
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). The Center demands effective protection
by the international community to stop the killing and severe injury of
children, which cannot be justified by military necessity under any
circumstances whatsoever. <br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2> <br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>At approximately 11 am
today, Tuesday 12 October 2004, the IOF shot 10-year-old Ghadeer Jaber
Mkhemar, from Khan Younis. Witnesses said IOF troops opened fire from
Neve Dekalim settlement towards the UNRWA Al Khalidyeh Primary School,
which is located in Khan Younis refugee camp. The schoolgirl sustained
critical wounds in the chest while she was inside her
classroom</font><a name="_ftnref1"></a><font face="arial" size=2>[1]</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>.<br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2> <br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>Earlier on 22 September
2004, an 11-year-old girl, Raghda Al Assar died from wounds she sustained
on Tuesday 7 September, 2004, from a live bullet in the head when she was
in her classroom in Khan Younis.<br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2> <br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>In Rafah, in the south
of the Gaza strip, Israeli soldiers killed 13-year-old Iman Samir
Darweesh Al Hams near a military post. Fifteen bullets were extracted
from her body. Eyewitnesses, including Israeli soldiers from the unit
that killed her, said the unit's commander opened his automatic rifle at
her at close range after she had been identified as a child and therefore
not a
threat</font><a name="_ftnref2"></a><font face="arial" size=2>[2]</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>.
Numerous other children have been injured inside their classrooms in
UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip from IOF fire over the past two
years.<br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2> <br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>Since 28 September
2004, the IOF have killed 115 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, of whom 29
were children. Another 127 children have been injured in the IOF
offensive, called "Days of Penitence", in north Gaza. Children
have been killed by missiles, artillery and by snipers as IOF evidently
used indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force in residential
areas. This latest offensive so far raises the toll of Palestinian
children killed by the IOF in Gaza since September 2000 to 516.<br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2> <br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>Al Mezan Center for
Human Rights voices its grave concern and strongest condemnation of the
slaughter of Palestinian children in the OPT. Children have been killed
and injured at home, in schools and in the streets. They are the main
victims of home demolitions and other violations committed by the IOF.
Facts on the ground refute the IOF's claim of military necessity. It is
evident, as mentioned in the Center's previous releases, that Israel has,
for a long time, been in full breach of its obligations towards
Palestinian children under international humanitarian law and the
Convention on the Rights of the Child. The IOF's conduct will only be
encouraged by the failure of the international community to ensure
respect for international law.<br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2> <br><br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>The Center therefore
renews its call upon the international community to effectively intervene
and stop such violations, including the violation of Palestinian
children’s right to life. The most recent events in the Gaza Strip
reinforce the fact that the absence of such intervention leads to more
violations, and to the loss of civilians’ and children’s lives. Al Mezan
also calls upon the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to
investigate Israel's violations of the provisions of the Convention.
Israel must uphold its obligations under international law, and
immediately stop the violation of Palestinian children’s
rights.<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>END</b> <br><br>
</font><font face="arial" size=2><br>
<a name="_ftn1"></a>[1]</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2>
Contrary to IOF claims, the girl was at her desk. She sat at the second desk of the fourth row according to witnesses from the school. The teacher who was in the class at the time suffered from severe shock when the incident occurred.<br><br>
</font><font face="arial" size=2><a name="_ftn2"></a>[2]</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2> See <a href="http://www.mezan.org/site_en/press_room/affidavit_iman.php">http://www.mezan.org/site_en/press_room/affidavit_iman.php</a> for more information on this case.<br><br>
</font><font face="arial" size=2> <br>
</font><font size=3 color="#FF0000">The Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br>
(415) 863-9977<br>
</font><font size=3><a href="http://www.freedomarchives.org/" eudora="autourl">www.freedomarchives.org</a></font></body>
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