Summary

Violations against the right to life right to life and physical safety

During the second half of 2008, 42 Palestinian citizens were killed, including four children

and one woman, as compared to the first half of the same year with eleven Palestinians

being killed. Furthermore, 39 Palestinian citizens were killed in the Gaza Strip, including

22 members of two families: the Doghmosh and the Hallas, who were killed in two major

security campaigns prepared against them by the internal security service of the

deposed government Ministry of Interior. In addition to the above violations, political

factions' gunmen killed three more citizens, including a child and a woman in the West

bank. This brings the total number of Palestinians who were killed during the year 2008

to fifty-three: forty-nine were killed in the Gaza Strip and four in the West Bank. This

number does not include those people who died as a result of family disputes, personal

conflicts, or for "family honor" reasons. The number of those is documented in another

report parallel to this one issued by the Center on the state of tolerance in the

Palestinian National Authority territories. Moreover, this report does not include the

number of people who have died as a result of arms misuse.

Deaths due to torture and cruel, inhuman, degrading conditions, neglect and the use of

violence are considered a form of murder punishable by the law. During the period

covered by this report, one person detained at the headquarters of the Palestinian

security services died, compared to two death cases reported in the first half of the year,

bringing the total number of citizens who died in custody during the year 2008 to three

cases: two in the West Bank and one in the Gaza Strip.

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