Category: Gaza - Page 7 - International Solidarity Movement

In memory of Tom Hurndall

13th January 2017 | International Solidarity Movement, al-Khalil team | Gaza, occupied Palestine

January 13th, 2017 marks the 13th anniversary of British ISM activist, Tom Hurndall’s, death. He was shot in the head by Israeli forces in Gaza, while working with other ISM members to peacefully protest the shooting by Israeli forces in the Yibna district of Rafah. Human Rights Watch interviewed witnesses of the shooting. One witness remembers:

“Tom was standing in between me and Laura. There were two girls playing behind the barrier, very frightened; they did not know how to speak. So Tom walked forward and led them back down the street. Then he returned. He saw a boy behind the barrier. I saw him too, Salim Barhum. I wonder if I could have helped him more… . Tom went towards the boy, about two to three meters forward. The boy was stunned, petrified. Tom went to carry him, bent towards him with his arms out. Then he fell as a bullet hit him, and blood and brains began to pour onto his chest.”

Tom Hurdall after being shot by Israeli forces
Photo credit: silviacattori.net

Hurndall was wearing a fluorescent vest so he would not be mistaken for a combatant. The official report, however, claims that the commander who killed Hurndall saw a man wearing camouflage and moving towards the soldiers while shooting: the soldier claimed that he simply returned fire. A formal investigation was not opened until months after Hurndall was shot, after immense pressure from Israeli Human Rights groups, the media, and Hurndall’s family.

The investigation was carried out by the Israeli military, while Hurndall was in a coma. It claimed that the causes of Hurndall’s injuries were uncertain. This investigation ignored the numerous eyewitness reports; it was based entirely on the testimony of the commander, who killed Hurndall, and a soldier who was in the area. The majority of the official investigation report focuses on Palestinian attacks and condemns ISM activity. The part of the report that actually describes the shooting, gives an incorrect location—claiming that Hurndall was closer to the military outpost.

The investigation was reopened after Hurndall’s death due to pressure from the British Foreign Office and the Hurndalls. The commander, Sgt. Taysir, was found guilty of manslaughter and admitted to lying about Hurndall having a weapon. He also explained that he was given orders to fire at unarmed people. Taysir was sentenced to only 8 years in prison for manslaughter and obstruction of justice. He was released from prison early—in 2010—for good behavior.

The pressure from foreign governments and Hurndall’s family forced the Israeli military to take some action and assume responsibility. But the short sentencing and early release cause one to question if this is really justice. When we remember Hurndall today, we should realize that the fight for justice and peace is not over. The Israeli forces continue to act irresponsibly and aggressively towards civilians. When Palestinians are killed, the Israeli forces are rarely pressured to investigate and convict those responsible.

End medical apartheid: Israel kills patient Abd al-Kareem after banning him to enter Erez for treatment

27th December 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza team | Gaza, occupied Palestine

On 26th December, Israel occupation kills the patient, Abd al-Kareem Nahid Abu Halloub, a 32 year old, from Gaza after preventing him to get his treatment in a hospital in the West Bank.

The paitent Abd al-Kareem in the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza

The patient, Abd al-Kareem, had been suffering for about 90 days without having the right to get his treatment in the West Bank. He had a heart attack on 6/10/2016 and was in a coma for more than 60 days and his doctors stated and he had to get his treatment in the West Bank. Abd al-Kareem’s family tried to contact several organizations after being denied access through Erez crossing twice by the Israeli occupation authority.

The family took their son to different hospitals in Gaza, but the hospitals have limited medical equipment that the medical device needed for treating the paitent Abu Halloub, is not found in Gaza. The paitent needs to get his treatme

The paitent Abd al-Kareem Abu Halloub while in the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza After 90 days sufferingnt

It’s worth mentioning that the Israeli seige of the Gaza Strip that began in mid 2007 has serious repercussion on the Palestinian health sector, resulting in an aggravation of the humanitarian situation facing Gaza’s 2 million people.

According to the International Hummaitarian Law and International Human Rights Law, Israel is obliged to protect civilian people, the wounded and sick in times of armed conflicts. It must prevent the deterioration of the humanitarian situation and allow the free passage of all consignment of medical stores with a decent medical care. However, the Israeli occupation continues to violate these rights. Consequently, the request for permits to recieve treatment outside the Gaza Strip increased.

End medical apartheid: Israel banning entry of Gaza patient Abd al-Kareem

10th November 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza team | Gaza, occupied Palestine

Abd al-Kareem Nahid Abu Halloub, a 32 year old paitent had a heart attack on 6/10/2016 and is in a coma for about 36 days now as a result of a sudden fall to the floor. He was convulsed. His health condition is extremely serious as the doctors stated and has to get his treatment in the West Bank. Though, the paitent was denied access through Erez crossing twice.

“We took him directly to Al-Awda hospital and they made him Artificial ventilation to assist him to breath until his heart worked again. In the evening, we took him to the Indonesian hospital in Tal al-Za’tar – north Gaza and the doctors there helped my son with all what they can possibly do. But they advised us to treat him in the West Bank.” Explained the paitents father.

The hospitals in Gaza have limited medical equipment that the medical device needed for treating the paitent Abu Halloub, is not found in Gaza. The paitent needs to get his treatment in a hospital where all medical devices needed for his situation in available as the doctors explained to the paitent’s family.

“We waited 72 hours as the doctors requires and then we sent his medical reports to hospitals in the West Bank and we got an approval from al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron on the reception of the patient. We also had an approval from Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem. Unfortunately, we received a denial from entry from the Israeli side, they refused to give the patient permission to enter through Erez crossing.” The father added.

The paitent Abd al-Kareem Abu Halloub while in the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza

After a week, the family received another refusal for the paitents entry through Erez crossing to get his treatment. However, they are looking for any other ways to make him travel for treatment.

Israeli Forces Shoot a Palestinian Fisherman for the Third Time

24th October 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza-team | Gaza, occupied Palestine

On Sep 5th, 2016, the Gaza fisherman, Ahmed Mohamed Zaied. 32 years of age, was fishing along with his friend using a hasaka (small boat). They were fishing closer than 1.5 miles in the Palestinian territorial waters, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, when the tarrad (Israeli warship) was at 3 miles.

ism-fisherman-2 — Fisherman Ahmed Zaied on his bed with his three sons after his injury from the Israeli forces while he was fishing.

“The Israeli occupation warship approached us and started to shoot at our boat, without even warning us. I got injured in my right arm and my belly. I was screaming out loud in pain when my friend was trying to escape, trying to go back to the beach. Luckily, an ambulance was there, it took me directly to the hospital,” says Zaied.

Zaied stayed in the hospital for 9 days and is now forced to stay in his bed for a period of six months. Since the date of the incident, Zaied was not able to get out of bed but for a short walk that the doctor ordered him to have.

picture-ism — Fisherman Ahmed Zaied third injury shot by the Israeli Forces while he was fishing in Gaza sea.

“The suffering of the Palestinian fishermen in Gaza doesn’t end with the ‘shoot to kill’ policy that the Israeli occupation is applying,” Zaied’s brother who is also a fisherman, says. “My four brothers and I, we are all fishermen. Each one of us used to have his own small boat, but the occupation has taken 3 of them 2 years ago.”

“They say that we are working against the security of Israel, but generally, tell me what do I want from going to fish but to provide for my family?”, explains Zaied.

Palestinian fishermen depend on fishing as their only source of livelihood in the Gaza Strip, but the navy continuously attacks the fishermen, preventing them from providing for their families. Such attacks also led to many casualties, like Zaied’s case, including fatalities, dozens of arrested, in addition to the high costs of repairing the boats, while many other boats are illegally confiscated by the navy.

“Now it’s the fishing season, during those months they save money for all the year,” his brother explains. “Instead he is lying in bed. He wants to sell his boat, even for half of its value, because he needs about 20 NIS each day for medicine for 6 months, and he simply can’t afford it.”

Zaied has been shot 3 times by the Israeli occupation warships, the first time was in 2000 while he was at the beach, and he was injured in his leg. He was also shot in 2006 while he was fishing. His injury was in his chest and his right arm.

fisherman-ism-picture — Ahmed Zaied second injury, shot by the Israeli forces while he was fishing.

“They say that we can’t fish here, but that’s our land, how can they forbid us to fish in our own land and our own sea?” Zaied explains trying to move on his left side with pain: “I am waiting for another operation that I have to do to take away what is left of the bullet in my belly. I am dying slowly with all this pain I am bearing.”

He continues, “Whenever I came back home with 20 NIS I feel happy. I don’t belong to any faction and never have I shot any rocket. What do they want from me? I just want to live.”

Palestinians are enduring various forms of suffering, mainly because of the imposed siege on Gaza, and the fishermen are facing so many hardships due to their nature of work, that requires them to go to the sea to fish.

“Despite his situation, my husband is always thinking of another way to provide for his family, me and our three sons, in the time that he is unable to leave his bed,” his wife expresses.

Palestinian Committee for Breaking the Siege

22nd September 2016 | International Solidarity Movement, Gaza team | Gaza, occupied Palestine

Yesterday the Palestinian Committee for Breaking the Siege organized an event in Gaza’s port in order to welcome the two boats that left a few days ago from Barcelona and intend to break the siege in the coming weeks.

Adham Abu Slimiya thanked those women for reminding the world about the suffering of the people of Gaza. He also reminded that since the last aggression the pain of Gaza’s population hasn’t decreased, as even the reconstruction hasn’t taken place yet. He also invited all human rights associations and all those who care about freedom and human rights to support and protect those women so they can arrive safely to Gaza.

On the same line spoke Mona Skeik, who thanked each one of these persons and asked for the protection of the boats by the international community, reminding of what happened with the Mavi Marmara. She reminded that women, men and children of Gaza are dying slowly because of the blockade, which she said is clearly a crime against humanity. For that reason their efforts are really appreciated.