Today, the Israeli occupying forces brutally killed a four-month-old baby girl, Iman Mustafa Hijo, and critically wounded her mother as well as wounding more than 20 other Palestinian civilians, including at least 10 children. This savagery occurred when soldiers of the occupying Power, Israel, unleashed tank shelling and machine gun fire on the Khan Yunis refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. In addition to the shelling of homes, a school in the camp was also shelled.

Also today, Israeli occupying forces carried out incursions into two Palestinian towns under full Palestinian control in the West Bank, killing a Palestinian teacher and injuring dozens of civilians. Throughout the day, Israeli occupying forces continued shelling an area near Bethlehem, including the Aida refugee camp. A school in the camp was among those hit by heavy Israeli fire, which resulted in several injuries. In Al-Khalil, a frequent site of Israeli violence, a Palestinian police officer was also killed today and two civilians were injured by Israeli fire.

Yesterday, Israeli occupying forces carried out incursions in the town of Beit Jalla near Bethlehem, using tanks and machine gun fire. The attacks resulted in the killing of a Palestinian man and the injury of more than 20 people. Among the children injured were a 10 year-old girl who lost her eye and a 6 year-old boy whose arm was shot off as he fled his home, which was being shelled. The attacks also caused extensive damage and destruction to several homes in the town.

At the same time, the Israeli occupying forces continued to pursue the illegal and criminal policy of extrajudicial killing. On Saturday, 5 May 2001, Israeli forces shot and killed a man in the village of Irtas near Bethlehem. The man was targeted as he stood in front of his house and was struck by more than 20 bullets fired at him from an Israeli military outpost, killing him instantly.

These violent actions follow Israel’s other destructive and lethal actions over the past week throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Last week in Gaza, approximately 18 homes were demolished in an attack by the Israeli occupying forces on the Brazil refugee camp in Rafah. In addition to one dead and more than 15 injured, this attack left dozens of Palestinians

homeless, for whom the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is now providing emergency shelter and care. A mosque in the area was also severely damaged by the shelling. The cities of Tulkarem and Jericho were other targets of recent Israeli attacks, in which one Palestinian man was killed and more than 10 civilians were wounded.

In follow-up to my previous letters to you on this grave matter, dated from 29 September 2000 to 1 May 2001 (A/55/432-S/2000/921; A/55/437-S/2000/930; A/55/450-S/2000/957; A/55/466-S/2000/971; A/55/474-S/2000/984; A/55/490-S/2000/993; A/ES-10/39-S/2000/1015; A/ES-10/40-S/2000/1025; A/ES-10/42-S/2000/1068; A/ES-10/43-S/2000/1078; A/ES-10/44-S/2000/1093; A/ES-10/45-S/2000/1104; A/ES-10/46-S/2000/1107; A/ES-10/47-S/2000/1116; A/ES-10/48-S/2000/1129; A/ES-10/49-S/2000/1154; A/ES-10/50-S/2000/1173; A/ES-10/51-S/2000/1185; A/ES-10/52-S/2000/1206; A/ES-10/53-S/2000/1247; A/ES-10/54-S/2001/7; A/ES-10/55-S/2001/33; A/ES-10/56-S/2001/50; A/ES-10/57-S/2001/101; A/ES-10/58-S/2001/131; A/ES-10/59-S/2001/156; A/ES-10/60-S/2001/175; A/ES-10/61-S/2001/189; A/ES-10/64-S/2001/209; A/ES-10/65-S/2001/226; A/ES-10/66-S/2001/239; A/ES-10/67-S/2001/255; A/ES-10/68-S/2001/284; A/ES-10/69-S/2001/295; A/ES-10/70-S/2001/304; A/ES-10/71-S/2001/314; A/ES-10/72-S/2001/332; A/ES-10/75-S/2001/352; A/ES-10/76-S/2001/372; A/ES-10/79-S/2001/418; and A/ES-10/80-S/2001/432), I wish to inform you that, since my last letter to you, 6 more Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli occupying forces. (The names of the martyrs are contained in the annex to the present letter.) Regretfully, this brings the total number of Palestinian martyrs killed since 28 September 2000 to a total of 443 people.

This Israeli campaign of violence, terror and brutality against Palestinian civilians, their homes, properties and land has now entered into its eighth month. Thus, in addition to the hundreds of killings and tens of thousands of injuries of Palestinian civilians, the actions of the Israeli occupying forces in wholly civilian areas have endangered the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children, women and men. As Israel, the occupying Power, continues to pursue this inhuman military campaign against the civilian population under its occupation, the need of the Palestinian people for international protection continues to be a matter of great urgency. We call upon the international community and the Security Council to take the necessary action in this regard.

1. Mahmoud Nimr Abdel Hadi Aqel (17 years old)

 

1. Ahmed Khalil As’ad

 

1. Mohammed Ibrahim Obead

1. Iman Mahmoud Hijo (4 month old)
2. Hussein Khadr Abu Tammam
3. Murad Fayez Al-Gharoush

 

 

* Total Number of Palestinian Martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces since 28 September 2000 = 443