Name: Mahmoud S.
Date of Incident: 23 December 2010
Age: 17
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst On 23 December 2010, a 17-year-old boy is shot in the right elbow whilst collecting building gravel in the Gaza Strip, about 350 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Seventeen-year-old Mahmoud lives with his parents and siblings in the Ash Shati’ refugee camp, north Gaza. „We live in a small one-storey house which was built by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) about seven years ago,‟ says Mahmoud, who describes the family’s economic situation as harsh. Mahmound dropped out of school about four years ago and started looking for work to help support his family. „I worked in a vegetable store in the market,‟ says Mahmoud, „and would stay until late at night and earn 20 shekels (US $6) a day.‟
Mahmoud first became aware of gravel collecting when he saw people and donkey carts gathering around the mosque each day in the refugee camp, before they headed off towards the border fence. That was shortly after the end of the war in January 2009. Mahmoud wanted to join them but he didn’t have a donkey cart. „In mid December 2010, some of my neighbours told me that they earned as much as 30 to 40 shekels (US $8 to 11) per day collecting gravel, and they worked less than I did selling vegetables. So I decided to quit my job and join the gravel collectors. I made a deal to work for one of them in return for some money.‟ But Mahmoud says it was dangerous work. „Every day I would hear about, or witness a shooting incident tarteting the gravel collectors by the Israeli army. I would hear that someone had been injured or killed, but I had to carry on because of the money, my desire to help my father and the working hours that sometimes didn‟t exceed 10 hours,‟ says Mahmoud.
On Thursday, 23 December 2010, Mahmoud arrived at the mosque at around 9:00am, but found that the gravel collectors had already left. A 17-year-old neighbour of Mahmoud’s was also at the mosque, and the two boys decided to head for al-Waha, a sandy area north of the camp, in the hope of finding a gravel collector to work with. When the boys reached al-Waha they found a man with a donkey cart who agreed to let the boys work with him, in return for 40 shekels (US $11) each. The two boys climbed onto the cart which continued on into the sand hills, but the cart soon became stuck in the sand and so the boys got down and started to push.
Mahmoud recalls seeing an Israeli watchtower on the border, about 400 metres away, when they started to push the cart. „We had barely pushed the cart 50 metres,‟ recalls Mahmoud, „when I heard gunshots and saw sand flying around us. Then, I looked at the cart‟s tires and saw they had been punctured and I realised we had been targeted.‟ Mahmoud then ran from the cart and hid behind a rock. „Once I hid behind the rock, I shouted for my neighbour to join me, but he and the other man were lying down on the ground taking cover. At that point I felt pain in my right arm. I looked at it and saw my elboy bleeding. I rolled up my sweater and saw two holes on either side of my elbow. I became very scared and started shouting to my neighbour: “I‟m injured, help me.” A few seconds later I felt dizzy and fainted.‟ Mahmoud’s companions rushed him to Kamal Odwan Hospital where he received medical treatment. „For the record,‟ says Mahmoud, „I will never go back to collecting gravel for it‟s a death profession.‟
Under international law, the targeting of civilians is absolutely prohibited, regardless of circumstances. If you would like to take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.
Date of Incident: 23 December 2010
Age: 17
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst On 23 December 2010, a 17-year-old boy is shot in the right elbow whilst collecting building gravel in the Gaza Strip, about 350 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Seventeen-year-old Mahmoud lives with his parents and siblings in the Ash Shati’ refugee camp, north Gaza. „We live in a small one-storey house which was built by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) about seven years ago,‟ says Mahmoud, who describes the family’s economic situation as harsh. Mahmound dropped out of school about four years ago and started looking for work to help support his family. „I worked in a vegetable store in the market,‟ says Mahmoud, „and would stay until late at night and earn 20 shekels (US $6) a day.‟
Mahmoud first became aware of gravel collecting when he saw people and donkey carts gathering around the mosque each day in the refugee camp, before they headed off towards the border fence. That was shortly after the end of the war in January 2009. Mahmoud wanted to join them but he didn’t have a donkey cart. „In mid December 2010, some of my neighbours told me that they earned as much as 30 to 40 shekels (US $8 to 11) per day collecting gravel, and they worked less than I did selling vegetables. So I decided to quit my job and join the gravel collectors. I made a deal to work for one of them in return for some money.‟ But Mahmoud says it was dangerous work. „Every day I would hear about, or witness a shooting incident tarteting the gravel collectors by the Israeli army. I would hear that someone had been injured or killed, but I had to carry on because of the money, my desire to help my father and the working hours that sometimes didn‟t exceed 10 hours,‟ says Mahmoud.
On Thursday, 23 December 2010, Mahmoud arrived at the mosque at around 9:00am, but found that the gravel collectors had already left. A 17-year-old neighbour of Mahmoud’s was also at the mosque, and the two boys decided to head for al-Waha, a sandy area north of the camp, in the hope of finding a gravel collector to work with. When the boys reached al-Waha they found a man with a donkey cart who agreed to let the boys work with him, in return for 40 shekels (US $11) each. The two boys climbed onto the cart which continued on into the sand hills, but the cart soon became stuck in the sand and so the boys got down and started to push.
Mahmoud recalls seeing an Israeli watchtower on the border, about 400 metres away, when they started to push the cart. „We had barely pushed the cart 50 metres,‟ recalls Mahmoud, „when I heard gunshots and saw sand flying around us. Then, I looked at the cart‟s tires and saw they had been punctured and I realised we had been targeted.‟ Mahmoud then ran from the cart and hid behind a rock. „Once I hid behind the rock, I shouted for my neighbour to join me, but he and the other man were lying down on the ground taking cover. At that point I felt pain in my right arm. I looked at it and saw my elboy bleeding. I rolled up my sweater and saw two holes on either side of my elbow. I became very scared and started shouting to my neighbour: “I‟m injured, help me.” A few seconds later I felt dizzy and fainted.‟ Mahmoud’s companions rushed him to Kamal Odwan Hospital where he received medical treatment. „For the record,‟ says Mahmoud, „I will never go back to collecting gravel for it‟s a death profession.‟
Under international law, the targeting of civilians is absolutely prohibited, regardless of circumstances. If you would like to take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.
Name: Hatem S.
Date of Incident: 23 December 2010
Age: 17
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst purchasing strawberries to sell at market On 23 December 2010
A 17-year-old boy is shot in the head whilst purchasing strawberries to sell at market in the Gaza Strip, about 800 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Seventeen-year-old Hatem lives at home with his parents and four siblings, in the Jabalia refugee camp, north Gaza. Hatem dropped out of school earlier this year so that he could help support his family. ‘We’re living in harsh financial conditions,’ says Hatem. ‘There are no job opportunities in the Gaza Strip because of the blockade. I couldn’t find a vocational centre that would teach me a profession. I tried so hard and so many times to get a job, but I couldn’t, so I decided to sell vegetables in the market.’
Two or three times a week, Hatem and his cousin Moamen (16), take their donkey cart to farmland north of Beit Lahiya, and buy potatos, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, strawberries, oranges or anything the farmers are selling. The boys then take the produce and sell it in the vegetable market in the refugee camp where they live.
At around 7:00am, on Thursday, 23 December 2010, the two boys took their donkey cart and headed to the farms north of Beit Lahiya as usual. ‘We narrowed our search down to the strawberry farms,’ says Hatem, ‘because they are in season and fetch a high price.’ The boys arrived at a farm situated about 800 metres from the border fence with Israel, situated on a flat plane and easily visible. It was around 8:00am. ‘My cousin got down from the cart and entered the farm, whilst I looked for a place to tie the donkey,’ recalls Hatem. ‘I was about to follow my cousin, who was negotiating with the farmer, when I heard gunshots coming from the border. At first, I thought Israeli soldiers were firing at the gravel collectors working about 300 metres from the border, about 500 metres away from me. I untied the donkey and shouted at my cousin to come so we could leave that dangerous place.
The gunshots confused me, and I got on the cart and started heading towards a strawberry greenhouse. I barely drove the cart 10 metres when I heard more gunshots. I felt something hitting me in the back of my head on the left side. I felt dizzy and as if the ground was spinning around me, so I laid back on the cart whilst still holding the reins. Then, I placed my hand on the back of my head and felt something sticky and warm running through my hair. I looked at my hand and found it covered in blood and realised I had been shot.’ At that point, Hatem’s cousin rushed over and helped him into the farmer’s car who drove the boys to Kamal Odwan Hospital. The doctors told Hatem that his head had been hit by some shrapnel from a bullet which was now embedded in his skull. The doctors said it was safer to leave the shrapnel where it was, rather than try to remove it.
When visited by a DCI-Palestine fieldworker, Hatem was in a stable condition, but said he had a headache and felt nausious. Hatem’s case is the 22nd shooting incident documented by DCI-Palestine since March 2010. In spite of the unilateral declaration of a 300 metre exclusion zone next to the border by the Israeli army, in 15 out of the 22 cases (68 percent) documented by DCI-Palestine, the children report being shot whilst working 300 metres or more from the fence. Under international law, the targeting of civilians is absolutely prohibited, regardless of circumstances. If you would like to take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.
Date of Incident: 23 December 2010
Age: 17
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst purchasing strawberries to sell at market On 23 December 2010
A 17-year-old boy is shot in the head whilst purchasing strawberries to sell at market in the Gaza Strip, about 800 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Seventeen-year-old Hatem lives at home with his parents and four siblings, in the Jabalia refugee camp, north Gaza. Hatem dropped out of school earlier this year so that he could help support his family. ‘We’re living in harsh financial conditions,’ says Hatem. ‘There are no job opportunities in the Gaza Strip because of the blockade. I couldn’t find a vocational centre that would teach me a profession. I tried so hard and so many times to get a job, but I couldn’t, so I decided to sell vegetables in the market.’
Two or three times a week, Hatem and his cousin Moamen (16), take their donkey cart to farmland north of Beit Lahiya, and buy potatos, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, strawberries, oranges or anything the farmers are selling. The boys then take the produce and sell it in the vegetable market in the refugee camp where they live.
At around 7:00am, on Thursday, 23 December 2010, the two boys took their donkey cart and headed to the farms north of Beit Lahiya as usual. ‘We narrowed our search down to the strawberry farms,’ says Hatem, ‘because they are in season and fetch a high price.’ The boys arrived at a farm situated about 800 metres from the border fence with Israel, situated on a flat plane and easily visible. It was around 8:00am. ‘My cousin got down from the cart and entered the farm, whilst I looked for a place to tie the donkey,’ recalls Hatem. ‘I was about to follow my cousin, who was negotiating with the farmer, when I heard gunshots coming from the border. At first, I thought Israeli soldiers were firing at the gravel collectors working about 300 metres from the border, about 500 metres away from me. I untied the donkey and shouted at my cousin to come so we could leave that dangerous place.
The gunshots confused me, and I got on the cart and started heading towards a strawberry greenhouse. I barely drove the cart 10 metres when I heard more gunshots. I felt something hitting me in the back of my head on the left side. I felt dizzy and as if the ground was spinning around me, so I laid back on the cart whilst still holding the reins. Then, I placed my hand on the back of my head and felt something sticky and warm running through my hair. I looked at my hand and found it covered in blood and realised I had been shot.’ At that point, Hatem’s cousin rushed over and helped him into the farmer’s car who drove the boys to Kamal Odwan Hospital. The doctors told Hatem that his head had been hit by some shrapnel from a bullet which was now embedded in his skull. The doctors said it was safer to leave the shrapnel where it was, rather than try to remove it.
When visited by a DCI-Palestine fieldworker, Hatem was in a stable condition, but said he had a headache and felt nausious. Hatem’s case is the 22nd shooting incident documented by DCI-Palestine since March 2010. In spite of the unilateral declaration of a 300 metre exclusion zone next to the border by the Israeli army, in 15 out of the 22 cases (68 percent) documented by DCI-Palestine, the children report being shot whilst working 300 metres or more from the fence. Under international law, the targeting of civilians is absolutely prohibited, regardless of circumstances. If you would like to take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.
Name: Rami S.
Date of Incident: 21 December 2010
Age: 17
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst collecting building material On 21 December 2010
A 17-year-old boy is shot in his right leg whilst collecting building material in the Gaza Strip, about 400 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Seventeen-year-old Rami lives with his parents and seven siblings in Beit Lahiya, north Gaza. Rami’s father has been confined to a wheelchair for the last 15 years and the family mainly relies on the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs and charities to survive.
About six months ago, Rami dropped out of school when his neighbours told him that he could earn a living collecting building gravel from the evacuated Israeli settlement of Eli Sinai, near the border with Israel. Rami was also joined by two of his brothers who also wanted to collect gravel. „In the beginning,‟ says Rami, „we rented my aunt‟s donkey cart and paid her out of the profits. The three of us earned around 90 shekels a day (US $25). Then my father borrowed 600 dinars (US $845) and bought us a donkey cart and the three of us had to work to pay off the loan. Every day at around 5:30am, we would head to the evacutated settlement of Eli Sinai and return home at around 1:30pm,‟ recalls Rami.
„Israeli soldiers guarding the border north of the evacuated settlement would often open fire on us and on about 200 other gravel collectors and their horses and donkeys,‟ says Rami. „About 20 days ago, on 1 December, my brother Murad was shot in his left leg. He was discharged from the hospital the same day but had to stay home for three weeks. There‟s nothing to do,‟ says Rami, „we have to support our family since there are no other job opportunities.‟
„At around 5:30am, on Tuesday, 21 December, we headed for the evacuated settlement near the border as usual,‟ recalls Rami. „When we arrived, we chose a spot and we started collecting gravel. Things were calm and I didn‟t see any Israeli soldiers at the border. At around 7:00am, I was about 400 metres away from the border fence with a hammer in my hand and was about to break some concrete blocks to get some gravel when I felt something hitting me in the leg. I heard the shot when it hit my leg. I felt the bullet entering my leg but I can‟t describe it in words,‟ says Rami. „I fell down on the ground and was very scared. I quickly stood up again without looking at my injury because I was very scared and confused. I ran for about 10 metres but felt great pain in my right leg. I couldn‟t run anymore. I sat down on the ground and leant against a pile of sand., and started screaming: “Oh my God, my leg.”‟
Rami’s two brothers immediately rushed over to him and took him to Kamal Odwan Hospital where his injuries were treated and he was discharged later the same day. „I don‟t know whether I will go back to collect gravel after I recover,‟ says Rami. „My brothers went today and I think I will go there again after I recover, in spite of the pain and fear. What can I do? Life is really tough for me and my big family. There is no way to make money in a better, safer way, than collecting gravel, which has injured my brother and me, so far.‟
Under international law, the targeting of civilians is absolutely prohibited, regardless of circumstances. If you would like to take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.
Date of Incident: 21 December 2010
Age: 17
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst collecting building material On 21 December 2010
A 17-year-old boy is shot in his right leg whilst collecting building material in the Gaza Strip, about 400 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Seventeen-year-old Rami lives with his parents and seven siblings in Beit Lahiya, north Gaza. Rami’s father has been confined to a wheelchair for the last 15 years and the family mainly relies on the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs and charities to survive.
About six months ago, Rami dropped out of school when his neighbours told him that he could earn a living collecting building gravel from the evacuated Israeli settlement of Eli Sinai, near the border with Israel. Rami was also joined by two of his brothers who also wanted to collect gravel. „In the beginning,‟ says Rami, „we rented my aunt‟s donkey cart and paid her out of the profits. The three of us earned around 90 shekels a day (US $25). Then my father borrowed 600 dinars (US $845) and bought us a donkey cart and the three of us had to work to pay off the loan. Every day at around 5:30am, we would head to the evacutated settlement of Eli Sinai and return home at around 1:30pm,‟ recalls Rami.
„Israeli soldiers guarding the border north of the evacuated settlement would often open fire on us and on about 200 other gravel collectors and their horses and donkeys,‟ says Rami. „About 20 days ago, on 1 December, my brother Murad was shot in his left leg. He was discharged from the hospital the same day but had to stay home for three weeks. There‟s nothing to do,‟ says Rami, „we have to support our family since there are no other job opportunities.‟
„At around 5:30am, on Tuesday, 21 December, we headed for the evacuated settlement near the border as usual,‟ recalls Rami. „When we arrived, we chose a spot and we started collecting gravel. Things were calm and I didn‟t see any Israeli soldiers at the border. At around 7:00am, I was about 400 metres away from the border fence with a hammer in my hand and was about to break some concrete blocks to get some gravel when I felt something hitting me in the leg. I heard the shot when it hit my leg. I felt the bullet entering my leg but I can‟t describe it in words,‟ says Rami. „I fell down on the ground and was very scared. I quickly stood up again without looking at my injury because I was very scared and confused. I ran for about 10 metres but felt great pain in my right leg. I couldn‟t run anymore. I sat down on the ground and leant against a pile of sand., and started screaming: “Oh my God, my leg.”‟
Rami’s two brothers immediately rushed over to him and took him to Kamal Odwan Hospital where his injuries were treated and he was discharged later the same day. „I don‟t know whether I will go back to collect gravel after I recover,‟ says Rami. „My brothers went today and I think I will go there again after I recover, in spite of the pain and fear. What can I do? Life is really tough for me and my big family. There is no way to make money in a better, safer way, than collecting gravel, which has injured my brother and me, so far.‟
Under international law, the targeting of civilians is absolutely prohibited, regardless of circumstances. If you would like to take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.
Name: Fadi H.
Date of Incident: 13 December 2010
Age: 17
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst grazing his goats On 13 December 2010
A 17-year-old boy is shot in his left leg whilst grazing the family’s goats in the Gaza Strip, about 500 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Seventeen-year-old Fadi lives with his parents and six siblings in the village of Um an-Nasr, in the north of the Gaza Strip. Fadi spends much of his time looking after the family’s herd of 12 goats, which he takes grazing every day on grasslands located about 500 metres from the border fence with Israel.
On Tuesday, 13 December 2010, Fadi left the family home at around 1:00pm, and took the family’s goats grazing as usual. ‘Two of my neighbours brought their goats as well,’ recalls Fadi. ‘When we reached the land, I saw two gravel collectors working about 300 metres away from the border fence, where there is an observation tower. They were about 200 metres away from us and we were about 500 metres from the border fence. Suddenly, while I was grazing the goats, I heard four gunshots being fired from, I assume, beyond the border fence. I felt my left leg shaking and I fell down on the ground, feeling great pain just below my left knee,’ says Fadi.
Fadi managed to get up and walk about 100 metres to an adjoining property and the owner rushed him to the Kamal Odwan Hospital. ‘Once we arrived at the hospital, doctors cleaned my wound and my leg was x-rayed. A doctor then looked at the x-ray and told me my injury was minor and didn’t affect the bone. Then he injected me with two shots and about an hour later the doctor allowed me to go home.’
Two days later Fadi says that he still feels pain in his leg but he is able to move about. ‘My other brother now grazes the goats instead of me,’ says Fadi. ‘But my father told him to be vigilant and not to approach the border fence.’
Fadi’s shooting is the 20th case documented by DCI-Palestine since March 2010, of children being shot close to the border fence in Gaza. In all but Fadi’s case, the children were collecting building material at the time of their shooting for use in the construction industry. Every day, hundreds of men and boys risk their lives and venture close to the border region to collect building material due to the absence of alternative job opportunities, and a lack of building material being permitted to enter Gaza. Although in May 2009, the Israeli air force dropped pamphlets over Gaza warning the population that anybody who approached within 300 metres of the border fence was endangering their lives, in 13 out of the 20 cases (65 percent) documented by DCI-Palestine since March, the children report being shot on, or beyond the 300 metre exclusion zone unilaterally imposed and enforced by the Israeli army. In one case a child reports being shot whilst collecting building gravel 800 metres from the fence.
Under international law, the targeting of civilians is absolutely prohibited, regardless of circumstances. If you would like to take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.
Date of Incident: 13 December 2010
Age: 17
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst grazing his goats On 13 December 2010
A 17-year-old boy is shot in his left leg whilst grazing the family’s goats in the Gaza Strip, about 500 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Seventeen-year-old Fadi lives with his parents and six siblings in the village of Um an-Nasr, in the north of the Gaza Strip. Fadi spends much of his time looking after the family’s herd of 12 goats, which he takes grazing every day on grasslands located about 500 metres from the border fence with Israel.
On Tuesday, 13 December 2010, Fadi left the family home at around 1:00pm, and took the family’s goats grazing as usual. ‘Two of my neighbours brought their goats as well,’ recalls Fadi. ‘When we reached the land, I saw two gravel collectors working about 300 metres away from the border fence, where there is an observation tower. They were about 200 metres away from us and we were about 500 metres from the border fence. Suddenly, while I was grazing the goats, I heard four gunshots being fired from, I assume, beyond the border fence. I felt my left leg shaking and I fell down on the ground, feeling great pain just below my left knee,’ says Fadi.
Fadi managed to get up and walk about 100 metres to an adjoining property and the owner rushed him to the Kamal Odwan Hospital. ‘Once we arrived at the hospital, doctors cleaned my wound and my leg was x-rayed. A doctor then looked at the x-ray and told me my injury was minor and didn’t affect the bone. Then he injected me with two shots and about an hour later the doctor allowed me to go home.’
Two days later Fadi says that he still feels pain in his leg but he is able to move about. ‘My other brother now grazes the goats instead of me,’ says Fadi. ‘But my father told him to be vigilant and not to approach the border fence.’
Fadi’s shooting is the 20th case documented by DCI-Palestine since March 2010, of children being shot close to the border fence in Gaza. In all but Fadi’s case, the children were collecting building material at the time of their shooting for use in the construction industry. Every day, hundreds of men and boys risk their lives and venture close to the border region to collect building material due to the absence of alternative job opportunities, and a lack of building material being permitted to enter Gaza. Although in May 2009, the Israeli air force dropped pamphlets over Gaza warning the population that anybody who approached within 300 metres of the border fence was endangering their lives, in 13 out of the 20 cases (65 percent) documented by DCI-Palestine since March, the children report being shot on, or beyond the 300 metre exclusion zone unilaterally imposed and enforced by the Israeli army. In one case a child reports being shot whilst collecting building gravel 800 metres from the fence.
Under international law, the targeting of civilians is absolutely prohibited, regardless of circumstances. If you would like to take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.
Name: Suhaib M.
Date of Incident: 10 December 2010
Age: 15
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst collecting building material
On 10 December 2010, a 15-year-old boy is shot in his left leg whilst collecting wood in the Gaza Strip, about 250 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Fifteen-year-old Suhaib lives with his parents and siblings in Beit Lahiya, north Gaza. Suhaib’s father works as a policeman but the economic situation for the family is still harsh. In order to supplement the family’s income, Suhaib and his brothers have been collecting gravel from the evacuated settlements close to the border with Israel for the last five months, and earn around 100 shekels per ton (US $28).
On Friday, 10 December 2010, Suhaib and his older brother Belal (18) left the house early and headed to the border region north of their house to collect gravel. ‘We arrived at around 7:00am,’ recalls Suhaib, ‘and started working about 200 metres from the border fence. There were other gravel collectors in the area but their number was small compared with other days.’ Two hours later the brothers had managed to fill their cart with gravel and decided to go home to unload before returning for a second time. ‘
'On the way home,’ recalls Suhaib, ‘we saw uprooted trees and pieces of wood and assumed that the Israeli army had done this to remove all objects that blocked their line of sight. We also saw signs of bulldozer and tank tracks which was confirmed by people we met.’ The brothers decided to come back and collect the wood instead of gravel as they thought this work would be easier.
After unloading the gravel at home, the brothers returned to the area where they had seen the uprooted trees, about 250 metres from the border fence with Israel, near the coast, and started loading the wood. ‘About half-an-hour later, I suddenly felt as if I had received an electric shock in my left leg,’ says Suhaib. ‘I immediately fell down as I heard a gunshot being fired. I assumed it was fired from a five metre high Israeli observation tower on the border. I looked down at my left leg and saw my trousers were covered in blood.’ Suhaib’s brother and another person soon rushed to his aid and placed him on a horse-drawn cart and took him to a taxi which then transferred him to an ambulance. ‘Inside the ambulance, paramedics tore off my trousers but prevented me from looking at the injury,’ recalls Suhaib.
‘I think I fainted a couple of times.’ Suhaib was taken to Shifa Hospital and the doctors immediately removed the bandages that the paramedics in the ambulance had wrapped around his leg. ‘I was feeling great pain,’ recalls Suhaib. ‘I looked at my left leg and couldn’t believe it. I saw a small hole just below my knee and a big hole on the other side. The big hole was about five centimetres in diameter. At that point I realised that my injury wasn’t a light one,’ says Suhaib. ‘Doctors cleaned my wound and I heard them saying that the gunshot had exploded inside my leg, but I don’t know what kind of gunshot it was. The doctors x-rayed my leg and I heard them talking about a fracture. After they cleaned the wound, they wrapped my leg in bandages to stop the bleeding and gave me tranquilizers. I don’t know if I will be able to walk again,’ says Suhaib, ‘but certainly I will never go back to collecting gravel.’
Since March 2010, DCI-Palestine has documented 19 cases of children shot whilst collecting building gravel close to the border with Israel. To take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.
Date of Incident: 10 December 2010
Age: 15
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst collecting building material
On 10 December 2010, a 15-year-old boy is shot in his left leg whilst collecting wood in the Gaza Strip, about 250 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Fifteen-year-old Suhaib lives with his parents and siblings in Beit Lahiya, north Gaza. Suhaib’s father works as a policeman but the economic situation for the family is still harsh. In order to supplement the family’s income, Suhaib and his brothers have been collecting gravel from the evacuated settlements close to the border with Israel for the last five months, and earn around 100 shekels per ton (US $28).
On Friday, 10 December 2010, Suhaib and his older brother Belal (18) left the house early and headed to the border region north of their house to collect gravel. ‘We arrived at around 7:00am,’ recalls Suhaib, ‘and started working about 200 metres from the border fence. There were other gravel collectors in the area but their number was small compared with other days.’ Two hours later the brothers had managed to fill their cart with gravel and decided to go home to unload before returning for a second time. ‘
'On the way home,’ recalls Suhaib, ‘we saw uprooted trees and pieces of wood and assumed that the Israeli army had done this to remove all objects that blocked their line of sight. We also saw signs of bulldozer and tank tracks which was confirmed by people we met.’ The brothers decided to come back and collect the wood instead of gravel as they thought this work would be easier.
After unloading the gravel at home, the brothers returned to the area where they had seen the uprooted trees, about 250 metres from the border fence with Israel, near the coast, and started loading the wood. ‘About half-an-hour later, I suddenly felt as if I had received an electric shock in my left leg,’ says Suhaib. ‘I immediately fell down as I heard a gunshot being fired. I assumed it was fired from a five metre high Israeli observation tower on the border. I looked down at my left leg and saw my trousers were covered in blood.’ Suhaib’s brother and another person soon rushed to his aid and placed him on a horse-drawn cart and took him to a taxi which then transferred him to an ambulance. ‘Inside the ambulance, paramedics tore off my trousers but prevented me from looking at the injury,’ recalls Suhaib.
‘I think I fainted a couple of times.’ Suhaib was taken to Shifa Hospital and the doctors immediately removed the bandages that the paramedics in the ambulance had wrapped around his leg. ‘I was feeling great pain,’ recalls Suhaib. ‘I looked at my left leg and couldn’t believe it. I saw a small hole just below my knee and a big hole on the other side. The big hole was about five centimetres in diameter. At that point I realised that my injury wasn’t a light one,’ says Suhaib. ‘Doctors cleaned my wound and I heard them saying that the gunshot had exploded inside my leg, but I don’t know what kind of gunshot it was. The doctors x-rayed my leg and I heard them talking about a fracture. After they cleaned the wound, they wrapped my leg in bandages to stop the bleeding and gave me tranquilizers. I don’t know if I will be able to walk again,’ says Suhaib, ‘but certainly I will never go back to collecting gravel.’
Since March 2010, DCI-Palestine has documented 19 cases of children shot whilst collecting building gravel close to the border with Israel. To take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.
Name: Rasmi G.
Date of Incident: 10 December 2010
Age: 15
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst collecting building material On 10 December 2010
A 15-year-old boy is shot in his right leg whilst collecting building material in the Gaza Strip, about 200 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Fifteen-year-old Rasmi lives in Beit Lahiya, north Gaza with his parents and eight siblings. The family’s only source of income is from their strawberry greenhouse and Rasmi describes their economic situation as ‘harsh.’
Rasmi heard from his classmates and neighbours that money could be made collecting building gravel from the evacuated settlements near the border with Israel, but his father refused to allow him to go: ‘Don’t go, don’t you know about all those children and young men who have been injured working there?’ Rasmi’s father would tell him. On 9 December 2010, Rasmi’s 22-year-old cousin, Mohammad, mentioned that he was going to collect gravel the following day, and Rasmi decided to join him. ‘That evening,’ recalls Rasmi, ‘I told my father about me joining my cousin collecting gravel, but my father of course said no. I was mad at him, especially as I had promised my cousin that I would join him,’ says Rasmi, who decided to disobey his father.
On Friday, 10 December 2010, Rasmi’s alarm went off at 5:00am. ‘I woke up, changed my clothes and sneaked out of the house very quietly so no one would wake up. Mohammad was waiting for me outside and we both headed to Eli Sinai, north of Beit Lahiya,’ recalls Rasmi. ‘At around 8:00am, I was working about 200 metres from the border fence with about 100 gravel collectors,’ says Rasmi. ‘Suddenly at that moment I felt something hitting my right leg. I felt myself flying in the air and hitting the ground. Workers started running in all directions upon hearing the gunshot that hit me. I felt great pain in my right leg, just below the knee,’ says Rasmi. ‘I grabbed my leg and pressed on it, hoping I could alleviate the pain, but at that moment I saw blood covering my trousers.’ A short time later other workers came to Rasmi’s aid and put him on a donkey-cart in order to take him to an ambulance. ‘While they were carrying me I saw my leg shaking by itself as if it was cut off,’ recalls Rasmi.
After being transferred to an ambulance, Rasmi was rushed to Kamal Odwan Hospital, where he arrived at around 8:30am. The nurses on duty stemmed the bleeding and gave Rasmi some tranquilizers because he was screaming in pain. Because it was a Friday, there were few doctors on duty and Rasmi was not operated on until 3:00pm. ‘I woke up at around 8:00pm and saw my father and some relatives around me,’ recalls Rasmi. ‘I was still in great pain and couldn’t look my father in the eye because I had refused to listen to him.’ When interviewed the next day, Rasmi was still in the hospital. ‘I still feel great pain in my leg and don’t know whether I will walk again or not. That was the first and last time I will go to the evacuated settlements,’ says Rasmi, ‘from now on I’ll listen to whatever my father says.’
Since March 2010, DCI-Palestine has documented 18 cases of children shot whilst collecting building gravel close to the border with Israel. To take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.
Date of Incident: 10 December 2010
Age: 15
Location: The Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory Nature of Incident: Shot whilst collecting building material On 10 December 2010
A 15-year-old boy is shot in his right leg whilst collecting building material in the Gaza Strip, about 200 metres from the border fence with Israel.
Fifteen-year-old Rasmi lives in Beit Lahiya, north Gaza with his parents and eight siblings. The family’s only source of income is from their strawberry greenhouse and Rasmi describes their economic situation as ‘harsh.’
Rasmi heard from his classmates and neighbours that money could be made collecting building gravel from the evacuated settlements near the border with Israel, but his father refused to allow him to go: ‘Don’t go, don’t you know about all those children and young men who have been injured working there?’ Rasmi’s father would tell him. On 9 December 2010, Rasmi’s 22-year-old cousin, Mohammad, mentioned that he was going to collect gravel the following day, and Rasmi decided to join him. ‘That evening,’ recalls Rasmi, ‘I told my father about me joining my cousin collecting gravel, but my father of course said no. I was mad at him, especially as I had promised my cousin that I would join him,’ says Rasmi, who decided to disobey his father.
On Friday, 10 December 2010, Rasmi’s alarm went off at 5:00am. ‘I woke up, changed my clothes and sneaked out of the house very quietly so no one would wake up. Mohammad was waiting for me outside and we both headed to Eli Sinai, north of Beit Lahiya,’ recalls Rasmi. ‘At around 8:00am, I was working about 200 metres from the border fence with about 100 gravel collectors,’ says Rasmi. ‘Suddenly at that moment I felt something hitting my right leg. I felt myself flying in the air and hitting the ground. Workers started running in all directions upon hearing the gunshot that hit me. I felt great pain in my right leg, just below the knee,’ says Rasmi. ‘I grabbed my leg and pressed on it, hoping I could alleviate the pain, but at that moment I saw blood covering my trousers.’ A short time later other workers came to Rasmi’s aid and put him on a donkey-cart in order to take him to an ambulance. ‘While they were carrying me I saw my leg shaking by itself as if it was cut off,’ recalls Rasmi.
After being transferred to an ambulance, Rasmi was rushed to Kamal Odwan Hospital, where he arrived at around 8:30am. The nurses on duty stemmed the bleeding and gave Rasmi some tranquilizers because he was screaming in pain. Because it was a Friday, there were few doctors on duty and Rasmi was not operated on until 3:00pm. ‘I woke up at around 8:00pm and saw my father and some relatives around me,’ recalls Rasmi. ‘I was still in great pain and couldn’t look my father in the eye because I had refused to listen to him.’ When interviewed the next day, Rasmi was still in the hospital. ‘I still feel great pain in my leg and don’t know whether I will walk again or not. That was the first and last time I will go to the evacuated settlements,’ says Rasmi, ‘from now on I’ll listen to whatever my father says.’
Since March 2010, DCI-Palestine has documented 18 cases of children shot whilst collecting building gravel close to the border with Israel. To take action, please see our Urgent Appeal.