De mensenrechtenorganisatie Defence for Children International bericht:'The death of a 7-year-old in Gaza
At around 7:00pm on Sunday, 28 December 2008, the Keshko family was sitting around a fire in farmland near their home in al-Zaitun, central Gaza. Around the fire were Abdallah (55) and his wife Sabah (49) and their five children, Ebtihal (7), Mohammad (11), Latifa (16), Fatema (18) and Talal (23). Also by the fire were Talal’s two children, Islam (1 ½) and Ayat (4). During the course of the evening, Abdallah asked his daughter Ebtihal to get some tea from the kitchen and to ask Maysa (22), Talal’s wife, to come out of the house and join the rest of the family. Almost as soon as Ebtihal entered the house it was hit by a missile and reduced to rubble. Family members who remained outside all sustained shrapnel wounds. Abdallah remembers being covered in rubble and hearing the sound of screaming which continued on after the ambulances had arrived. Neighbours and rescue workers helped Abdallah and his family out of the rubble and they were transferred to Al-Shifa hospital for treatment for broken bones, cuts and bruises. Abdallah, and other family members were discharged from hospital after two hours. Abdallah was then informed that his daughter in-law, Maysa, was dead. Ebtihal was not at the hospital. Abdallah gathered together the rest of the family to go home, except for his wife Sabah, who had sustained a broken pelvic bone and hand and had to stay in hospital. Abdallah asked where Ebtihal was, and was told that the rescue workers were still searching the rubble of the house for her. Abdallah arrived home at around 10:00pm and joined in the search for his daughter. Some workers were searching the rubble of the house, whilst others searched the surrounding areas in case Ebtihal had been blown clear. As time passed, Abdallah began to lose hope that he would find his daughter alive.By 6:30am the next morning, rescue workers had cleared all the rubble except in the kitchen. Abdallah and other family members started clearing the kitchen and it was Abdallah who found a clump of hair covered in dust. Abdallah began to frantically dig until he uncovered the body of his daughter, Ebtihal. At this point Abdallah was no longer able to continue and sat down amongst the rubble of his home and wept. Later on in the day, Abadallah returned to the hospital to pick up the bodies of Ebtihal and Maysa for burial. Ebtihal was just seven years old. DCI-Palestine’s fieldworker could find no obvious explanation as to why the Keshko family home was targeted. As of 31 December 2008, the BBC is reporting 374 Palestinian deaths since the attacks commenced on Saturday. Reports from the Gaza based organisation, Al-Mezan indicate that as many as 39 children have been killed, but DCI-Palestine is not yet in a position to confirm this figure. Please consider sending an urgent appeal to your elected representatives demanding:
An immediate end to Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip and a ceasefire by all parties.
The immediate provision of urgent humanitarian and medical assistance to the Gaza Strip.
The immediate lifting of Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip to allow the free flow of goods and services in and out of the territory.
An immediate cessation by EU institutions and member states of all steps to implement the EU-Israel Upgraded Action Plan approved by the EU Council of Ministers on 9 December 2008.
For further information please go to DCI-Palestine Urgent Appeal.'
At around 7:00pm on Sunday, 28 December 2008, the Keshko family was sitting around a fire in farmland near their home in al-Zaitun, central Gaza. Around the fire were Abdallah (55) and his wife Sabah (49) and their five children, Ebtihal (7), Mohammad (11), Latifa (16), Fatema (18) and Talal (23). Also by the fire were Talal’s two children, Islam (1 ½) and Ayat (4). During the course of the evening, Abdallah asked his daughter Ebtihal to get some tea from the kitchen and to ask Maysa (22), Talal’s wife, to come out of the house and join the rest of the family. Almost as soon as Ebtihal entered the house it was hit by a missile and reduced to rubble. Family members who remained outside all sustained shrapnel wounds. Abdallah remembers being covered in rubble and hearing the sound of screaming which continued on after the ambulances had arrived. Neighbours and rescue workers helped Abdallah and his family out of the rubble and they were transferred to Al-Shifa hospital for treatment for broken bones, cuts and bruises. Abdallah, and other family members were discharged from hospital after two hours. Abdallah was then informed that his daughter in-law, Maysa, was dead. Ebtihal was not at the hospital. Abdallah gathered together the rest of the family to go home, except for his wife Sabah, who had sustained a broken pelvic bone and hand and had to stay in hospital. Abdallah asked where Ebtihal was, and was told that the rescue workers were still searching the rubble of the house for her. Abdallah arrived home at around 10:00pm and joined in the search for his daughter. Some workers were searching the rubble of the house, whilst others searched the surrounding areas in case Ebtihal had been blown clear. As time passed, Abdallah began to lose hope that he would find his daughter alive.By 6:30am the next morning, rescue workers had cleared all the rubble except in the kitchen. Abdallah and other family members started clearing the kitchen and it was Abdallah who found a clump of hair covered in dust. Abdallah began to frantically dig until he uncovered the body of his daughter, Ebtihal. At this point Abdallah was no longer able to continue and sat down amongst the rubble of his home and wept. Later on in the day, Abadallah returned to the hospital to pick up the bodies of Ebtihal and Maysa for burial. Ebtihal was just seven years old. DCI-Palestine’s fieldworker could find no obvious explanation as to why the Keshko family home was targeted. As of 31 December 2008, the BBC is reporting 374 Palestinian deaths since the attacks commenced on Saturday. Reports from the Gaza based organisation, Al-Mezan indicate that as many as 39 children have been killed, but DCI-Palestine is not yet in a position to confirm this figure. Please consider sending an urgent appeal to your elected representatives demanding:
An immediate end to Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip and a ceasefire by all parties.
The immediate provision of urgent humanitarian and medical assistance to the Gaza Strip.
The immediate lifting of Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip to allow the free flow of goods and services in and out of the territory.
An immediate cessation by EU institutions and member states of all steps to implement the EU-Israel Upgraded Action Plan approved by the EU Council of Ministers on 9 December 2008.
For further information please go to DCI-Palestine Urgent Appeal.'
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