Israeli forces kill disabled Palestinian during ongoing incursion in Nablus

Date: 19 / 09 / 2007 Time: 09:13

Nablus – Ma'an –

A Palestinian citizen was killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday morning in Al-'Ayn refugee camp, west of Nablus, during an incursion which began on Tuesday.

Palestinian medical sources told Ma'an's correspondent that the Israeli occupation forces opened fire at thirty-eight-year-old Adib Damuni while he sat in his home. He received a bullet to his head and died instantly.

The medical sources added that the Israeli forces fired intensively in the Qatuni neighbourhood, striking Damuni, who was physically disabled and used a wheelchair.

Medical sources also stated that the Israeli soldiers are holding Damuni's corpse and have prevented Palestinian ambulances from transferring the body to hospital.

Damuni was the brother of Hamas leader, Jamal Salim, who was assassinated by the Israeli forces in Nablus as the start of the Second Intifada.

Last 48 hours

The Israeli military operation has completely paralyzed activity in the refugee camp in which six-thousand people live.

Israeli bulldozers have closed-off all entrances to the camp with huge piles of earth.

The Israeli forces have expanded their area of operation and imposed curfew throughout the refugee camp. Schools in the camp were also closed.

Medical relief

Director of the Palestinian medical relief in Nablus, Dr. Ghassan Hamdan, told Ma'an that the Israeli forces ordered all employees to vacate the only medical centre in the refugee camp. When the staff refused, the Israeli soldiers besieged the centre and prohibited the movement of its employees.

Hamdan said that dozens of patients inside the refugee camp need urgent medical assistance, but the medics are prevented from reaching them. Furthermore, the patients cannot access the medical centre.

Many patients are suffering from chronic diseases, included kidney failure and diabetes and require daily treatment.

Intensified action

Palestinian medical sources told Ma'an that the Israeli troops intensified their military operation inside the camp. On Wednesday morning dozens of additional troops were deployed inside the camp.

Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli soldiers forced families in their homes to remain in one room, denying them access to telephones and prohibiting them from communicating amongst each other.

Day one

On Tuesday, a Palestinian youth was killed by the invading Israeli forces in Al-'Ayn refugee camp, in the northern West Bank.

Eighteen-year-old Muhammad Khalid Rida was shot to death when clashes erupted between Israeli troops and Palestinian resistance fighters.

For the second day the army continues to attack Nablus, killing one

Wednesday September 19, 2007 14:15 by Ameen Abu Wardah & Ghassan Bannoura & Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News ghassanb at imemc dot org

Israeli forces continued, on Wednesday, the military operation in El-Ein Beit Al Ma refugee camp in the northern West Bank city of Nablus for the second consecutive day. Israeli soldiers shot and killed a disabled Palestinian man in his home during the early hours of Wednesday morning. The man, Adeeb Al Damouny, received serious injuries to his head and neck.

Eyewitnesses reported that he was shot at 7am and died of his wounds half an hour later. Al-Damouny is thought to be the second Palestinian killed by the Israeli army in its continuing operation against the El –Ein Beit Al Ma refugee camp. Witnesses added that the military is still bringing in reinforcements through the Beit Iba and Huwarra checkpoints. According to Israeli sources, this military offensive is intended to target a group of resistance men who were planning attacks against Israeli targets.

The military offensive started on Tuesday at dawn, after storming the camp, Israeli troops commandeered several residential buildings, using their roofs as military outposts, and moved from house-to-house by destroying the walls dividing separate homes. Eyewitnesses stated that armed clashes broke out between Palestinian resistance fighters and Israeli forces as the troops besieged several homes in the camp.

Dr. Ghassan Hamdan, Director of the Palestinian Medical Relief Services in Nablus, told IMEMC on Tuesday that one young Palestinian man was killed when, after being shot, soldiers refused to allow ambulances to enter the camp. The man subsequently bled to death. Dr. Hamdan added that Israel soldiers opened fire on and injured a member of the medical services as he transported the wounded from the area.

Witnesses to the invasion on Tuesday also told IMEMC that the military used several Palestinian youths as human shields during the operation, a practice deemed illegal under international and Israeli law. Um Ahmad spoke to IMEMC.

"The army surrounded the camp entirely, and then invaded through people's homes, either demolishing them with bulldozers or breaking in. Soldiers forced local civilians to act as human shields. While families in the camp were not allowed to open their own doors to leave their homes, the army ordered the human shields to do so."

Troops continued today to commandeer several homes, using the rooftops as military outposts, and moving from house-to-house by destroying dividing walls. Local sources in the camp expressed their fear that the violent attacks by the Israeli forces were a response to the death of an Israeli soldier on Tuesday. The soldier was killed during the Israeli raid on the camp on Tuesday, as Palestinian resistance fighters clashed with invading Israeli force Israeli forces.

At least seven Palestinian from several parts of El Ein Beit Al Ma refugee camp were kidnapped so far by the military, local sources confermened that the operation is till going.

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.