I regret to inform you that Palestinian children continue to be the target of the excessive use of force by the Israeli occupying forces. Yesterday, 17 June 2001, an 11-year-old Palestinian boy was brutally shot and killed by Israeli occupying forces in Khan Yunis refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. Today, a 16-year-old, died of bullet wounds to his abdomen that he suffered yesterday in the same incident at the hands of the Israeli occupying forces. These brutal killings occurred when Israeli occupying forces opened fire, including the use of live ammunition, at a group of children in Khan Yunis refugee camp.

Such brutal killings continue despite recent Palestinian agreement and serious effort to stop attacks emanating from the territory under its control. On the other hand, Israel, the occupying Power, has continued with its military campaign against the Palestinian people, including its excessive use of force against unarmed Palestinian civilians and children, and has continued to impose its siege against Palestinian towns and cities.

The Israeli occupying forces have also continued to provide protection for illegal settlers’ aggression against the Palestinian people and their property. Israeli settlers, who have been illegally transferred by the occupying Power to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, in grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and in total violation of relevant Security Council resolutions, have aggravated their attacks against Palestinian civilians, property and crops. In a serious and dangerous development, Israeli settlers, on a daily basis, are burning trees and crops belonging to Palestinians, erecting new settlement posts, as they continue humiliating and assaulting Palestinian civilians.

In this context, a mob of illegal Israeli settlers, on 13 June 2001, opened fire onto a car travelling on a road between Hizma and Khan Al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem, killing the driver, Awni Abed Al-Ra’ouf Hadad as well as injuring 2 other passengers. This brutal killing follows an attack on 3 June 2001, in which illegal Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian truck, west of Ramallah, causing the truck to overturn, resulting in the killing of two Palestinian civilians.

Since our last letter to you, dated 13 June 2001 (A/ES-10/90-S/2001/586), Israeli occupying forces and Israeli illegal settlers have killed 4 more Palestinians bringing the total number of Palestinian martyrs to 501. (The names of the martyrs are contained in the annex to the present letter). In addition, many Palestinian civilians have been seriously injured as a result of the excessive use of force by the Israeli occupying forces and the perpetual violence of Israeli settlers.

Further, I am writing this letter in follow-up to our previous letters to you on this grave and ongoing situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, dated from 29 September 2000 to 13 June 2001 (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; A/ES-10/80-S/2001/432; A/ES-10/81-S/2001/447; A/ES-10/82-S/2001/463; A/ES-10/83-S/2001/471; A/ES-10/84-S/2001/479; A/ES-10/85-S/2001/486; A/ES-10/86-S/2001/496; A/ES-10/87-S/2001/504; A/ES-10/88-S/2001/508;A/ES-10/89-S/2001/544; and A/ES-10/90, S/2001/586).

 

1. Awni Abed Al-Ra’ouf Hadad

 

1. Hassan Abu Sha’era

 

1. Ali Murad Abu Shawish (11 years old)

 

1. Adel Qanan (16 years old) (from wounds sustained on 17 June 2001)

 

Total number of Palestinian martyrs killed by Israeli occupying forces since 28 September 2000 = 501