Muhammad a-Dasuqi Kamel 'Asaliyah, 27 Muhammad Salah Hassan a-Sawaf, 27
Rami Suleiman Abu el-Sheikh 27 Muhammad Yunes Ahmad Abu Lebdeh, 27
Husam 'Abdallah Ibrahim a-Sane', 27 'Adnan Ahmad Isma'il al-Bhisi, 27
Kamal Ibrahim Abu Sabet 27 Mahmoud Jamil Fakhri al-Khaldi, 27 Muhammad Ahmad 'Abd a-Rahman Tbasha, 27
Ahmad Naser Ahmad Tbeil, 27
Bahaa Nahed Fawzi Sakik, 27
Muhammad 'Awad Yusef 'Awad, 27
Na'im Rizeq Hassan Jendiyeh, 27 Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad Badawi, 27
Ahmad 'Abd al-Qader Ibrahim al-Hadad, 27
Asim Ahmed ShaerRami Jihad 27 Hamid Ahmad Muhammad al-A'araj, 27 Wisam 'Abd al-Majid Ibrahim al-Qoqa, 27
Bassam Issa Akawi
Iyad Sha'ban Ibrahim al-Maqusi, 27
'Omar Suliman Salim Darawsheh, 27
Hatem 'Adnan Yusef Abu Sha'ira, 27
Hisham Salem Abd 'Ajwah, 27 Muhammad Ziad Sadeq a-Nabiya, 27
Husam Sa'id Muhammad Siyam, 27
Muhammad Khalil Hassan al-Moqayad, 27 Mahmoud Muhammad Hilmi al-'Amarin, 28 Muhammad Nabil Muhammad Barghouth, 28 Yahya Awni Muheisen 28 Muhammad Nafez Muheisen 28
Muhammad Soheil Muhammad Hassan, 28 Tammer Muhammad 'Asfah, 28 Yasser Muhammad Dib a-Laham, 28
Ramez Talal Ahmad Hamdan, 28
Ahmad Jamil Mahmoud a-Taluli, 28
Rami Jihad Muhammad a-Salut, 28
'Abd al-Hakim Ahmad 'Abd al-Fatah Abu Sharaf, 28
Ahmed Abdel Majid Abu Odeh
Ibrahim 'Abd a-Rahman ArJabil Zo'arub, 28
Haithem Fadel Muhareb Hamdan, 28
Jamil Nasri Muhammad 'Abd al-'Aal, 28
Suhaib Fawzi Salman 'Abd al-'Aal, 28'
Assem Muhammad Sa'id Abu Kmeil, 28
Ahmad 'Adnan Hamda Hamuda, 28
Muhammad Na'im Muhammad Muharam, 29
Salman Fahmi Hassan al-Astal, 29
Ahmad Jamal Ahmad a-Nuri, 29
Rabi' Mahmoud al-Mazin, 29
Shadi 'Abd al-Majid 'Abd al-Jalil a-Sbakhi, 29
Muhammad Salem Muhammad Abu 'Abadah, 29
Muhammad Sa'di Muhammad al-Katati, 29
Muhammad Amin Ma'sud Hamuda, 29
Yihya Ibrahim 'Abd al-Jawad Diab, 29
Mansur Yasser Muhammad a-Turk, 29
Yihya 'Awani 'Awad Muhisen, 30
Tareq Salah Diab Rahmi, 30
Rafiq Musa Abu 'Agerim, 30
Muhammad Backer Muhammad a-Nims, 30
Anwar Rafiq 'Alian 'Atallah, 30
Samir 'Abeid 'Ali al-'Awawdeh, 30
Na'im a-Sayed 'Abd Rabo Mabit, 30
'Alaa Nasri Muhammad a-Ra'I, 30
Munther Muhammad Ahmad Manieh, 31
Mahmoud Khalil Hassan Abu Harbid, 31
Ghassan Mahmoud Isma'il Abu 'Awwad, 31
Wael Yihya Muhammad Abu N'ameh, 31
'Ali Yihya Muhammad Banat, 31
Hamdan Khamis Rabi' Abu Naqira,32
Ziad Daud 'Odeh Abu 'Iyada, 32
Wael 'Abd al-Karim Shehdeh a-Raqab, 32
Sh'alan 'Abd a-Latif Khalil 'Abd a-Salam, 32
Akram Muhammad Ahmad Abu Zribah, 32
Raed Muhammad Muhammad a-Najar, 32
Raafat Ahmad 'Odeh 'Aqilan, 32
Adib Hassan 'Abd al-'Aziz Abu Harb, 32
Ihab Jaser Ahmad a-Sha'er, 32
Yusef Ibrahim Muhammad Thari, 33
Yusef Rafiq Muhammad a-Diri, 33
Basel Jihad Muhammad Dababesh, 33
Omar Mahmoud Abed 33
Hashem Fares Hashem 'Aweid, 33
Munir Amin Ma'sud Hamuda, 33
Wael Samir 'Ali al-Huajri, 33
'Abd al-Qader Muhammad 'Abd al-Qader Diab, 33
Shadi Mahmoud Faiz 'Atiyyah, 33
Nizar Ibrahim Muhammad a-Diri, 33
Ashraf Zuheir Mahmoud a-Sharabasi, 33
Muhammad Subhi 'Abd a-Rahman Dahlan, 33
Faiz Riad Faiz al-Madhun, 33Faris Al Ashi 33
Soheil Nawaf Hammad a-T'aban, 34
Faris “For the upcoming anniversary of the war, me and other women who lost husbands in the attack plan to give gifts to orphans who lost their fathers during the war. The gifts will be inscribed with the words “On this day you are the beloved ones of your mother.” We want children to remember they still have their mothers and they will always love them”
On the morning of 27 December 2008, at approximately 11:30, Israeli F-16’s targeted a Gaza police initiation ceremony being held in the forecourt of “Arafat City”, a government complex located in Gaza City. The attack resulted in over 60 deaths and 150 injuries. This incident formed part of the wave of attacks which marked the commencement of Israel’s 23 day offensive on the Gaza Strip codenamed “Operation Cast Lead." Amongst those killed was 33 year old Faris Al Ashi, a member of the Gaza police force who was on duty at the time of the attack.
Like many of the wives who lost husbands during the offensive, Amna Al Ashi was left with sole responsibility for bringing up her and her deceased husband’s young children, Khawla, 6, Osama, 5, Yomna, 3, and Faris, 2, whom she was five months pregnant with at the time of the attack. Amna’s reaction to her challenging circumstances has been defiant, “I am a woman and I have the right to live my own life, many men have proposed but I choose to dedicate myself entirely to the cause of my children.” Discussing the last three years of her life, Amna is keen to press upon the mini victories that have kept her going along the way.
It is clear that Amna has thought carefully about the solutions to the problems faced by her children following the loss of their father. “After he lost his father Osama was very traumatised," says Amna, “he didn’t want to interact with others and he developed speech problems as a result. Even though he was very young I enrolled him in a local martial arts course. At first he didn’t not want to go, but slowly he gained confidence and now he is an orange belt and has overcome a huge amount of his shyness." Likewise, Amna has found a novel means to allow her children to express their trauma. “I registered Osama and Khawla in a course for movie animation. Of course their movies are based around their lives and those of their siblings and reflect a lot of what they are thinking and feeling. The movies give me an insight into their problems and allow me to talk with them about it." She plans to enrol all the children in traditional Palestinian Dabka (Dance) classes to make sure they grow up strong and healthy.
Nevertheless, Faris’ killing has left an empty space in the family life of the children and Amna . “My children see their cousins with their fathers, they hear them calling him “Baba” and they are deeply aware of the absence of a relationship with their own father” says Amna, “sometimes I try to make up for this by getting them to call me Baba, but it’s not the same, they need the feeling only their father could give them." The loss of her husband has also led to feelings of loneliness and isolation for Amna. “During the day I am strong for the children but at night I become weak, I need the arms of Faris, I need everything he gave to me."
Amna describes the initial year after Faris’s death as being the most traumatic. “At first I had huge trouble sleeping. The problem thankfully improved but I still find it difficult at times to sleep at night," says Amna. One way Amna has looked to keeping her outlook positive is to keep busy on projects and hobbies. “I want to keep myself busy with good goals for my life. Currently I’m busy setting up a Kindergarten, which I have already received funding for.” “For the upcoming anniversary of the war, me and other women who lost husbands in the attack plan to give gifts to orphans who lost their fathers during the war. The gifts will be inscribed with the words “On this day you are the beloved ones of your mother". We want children to remember they still have their mothers and they will always love them.
During the offensive, Israel illegally classified members of the civilian police force as combatants: this classification constitutes a wilful violation of the principle of distinction, a key component of customary international law. Hamas is a multi-faceted organisation, exercising governmental control of the Gaza Strip. As an organisation, it cannot be considered an armed group. Rather, a distinction must be made between Hamas’ armed and political/civil components. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades are the military wing of the Hamas organisation, they are an armed group, and are considered combatants according to IHL. However, Hamas’ political and civil wings are comprised of civilians, who are legally entitled to the protections associated with this status, provided they do not take an active part in hostilities. Civil police, and governmental officials cannot be considered combatants. Attacks intentionally directed against these individuals constitute wilful killing, a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions, and a violation of customary international law.
PCHR submitted a criminal complaint on behalf of Fares Al Ashi on 5 May 2009. To-date, no response has been received.
Muhammad Nafez Sha'ban Muhisen, 34
Ramadan Ahmad Ibrahim Abu al-Kheir, 34
Muhammad Subhi Isma'il al-Maqadmeh, 34
Yusef Muhammad al-Jalad, 34
Isma'il Ahmad Muhammad Salem, 34
Salem Ahmad Salem Abu Shamleh, 34
Hatem Khader Muhammad 'Ayad, 34
Naser Mahmoud Ma'sud Hamuda, 34
Muhammad 'Abd a-Latif al-Ashqar, 34
Ahmad Muhammad Shreitah al-Kurd, 35
Isma'il Ibrahim al-J'abri, 35
'Arafat Frajallah Suliman Frajallah, 35
'Abd a-Sami' Muhammad 'Abdallah a-Nashar, 35
Mazen Mahmoud 'Abd al-'Aziz 'Alian, 35
Nizar 'Atiyyah Hassan Abu Salem, 35
Yusef Muhammad Mahmoud Diab, 35
Hisham Salameh Salam Kware'a, 36
Na'im 'Ashur Ahmad al-Ghafri, 36
Raed Nazmi Muhammad Daghmash, 36
Maher Isma'il Diab 'Azzam, 36
Haydar Mahmoud Muhammad Hasuna, 36
Muhammad 'Abd al-Fatah Ahmad al-Qatrawi, 36
Ahmad Muhammad Salameh al-Qrenawi, 37
Walid Jaber Muhammad Abu Hin, 37
Ayman Hamed Ahmad Abu Amuna, 37
Osamah Mahmoud Salem Dardas, 37
Mumtaz Muhammad Ramez al-Bana, 37
Tal'at Mahmoud Salman Salman, 38
'Imad 'Abd al-Hamid Muhammad Abu al-Haj, 38
Khalil Ramadan Salim al-Marnakh, 38
Yousef al-Najjar Guide 38Yousef al-Najjars wife
Mahmoud Fuad Ahmad Abu Matar, 38Hisham Mahmoud 'Ali Abu Sharar, 39
Hisham at work
Yousef al-Najjar's wife when the Mossad shoot to kill her husband Abu Yousef al-Najjar (one of the founders of the Fatah movement) she has to throw her body to receive the bullets with him and cite him
Muhammad 'Abd a-Shafuq Sa'id al-'Abadleh, 39
Mahmoud Mutawe'a Mahmoud al-Khaldi, 39
Ayman Hussein Ahmed Ahmed 40
Khalid Yusef Jaber Shahin, 40
'Abd al-Hai Shafiq 'Abed a-Dahshan, 40
Hassan 'Atallah Muhammad 'Abdallah, 40
Muhammad Jamil 'Atiyyah Abu Hajaj, 41
Ibrahim Yusef Ahmad Nufal, 41
Khalid 'Abd al-Fatah 'Ali Abu Hasnah, 42
Mansur 'Abdallah Sha'ban al-Gharah, 43
Osama Hassan Abu Rish 43
Muhammad Jamil 'Atiyyah Abu Juha, 43
Hamdan Qassem 'Abdallah Safi, 43
Nabil Ahmad Mahmoud al-Birm, 43
Osama Abdel-Fattah Fadel 43
Ahmad Mahmoud 'Abd a-Rahman al-Khatib, 43
Mu'in Mahmoud 'Abd a-Rahman al-Qan, 43
Bassem 'Omar 'Awad Jendiyeh, 43
Soheil Muhammad Nasser Tanburah, 43
Faiz 'Abed Muhammad Eqtifan, 45
Majed Tawfiq Muhammad Mteir, 45
'Abd al-Karim Isma'il 'Ali Abu Jarbu'a, 45
Zaki Ibrahim Muhammad a-Dweik, 45
Yasser Ahmed Muhammad a-Sha'er 46
Naser 'Abdallah Sha'ban al-Gharah, 46
Ibrahim Muhammad 'Ali Mahfuz, 46
Muhammad Mahmoud Hammad a-Najrah,46
Mohammed Abdullah 47****
Abdullah Mohammed
dec 27 2008 security headquarters
Tawfiq Jaber Muhammad Yusef, 47 police chief in Gaza
Khalid Salim Salam Zorob 47
Khalit's family
Myasarah Muhammad Muhammad 'Adwan, 47
'Abd a-Salam Isma'il Muhammad a-Ruba'I, 48
Khalil Mahmoud Abdul Kurds 49
Hassan Salem Rahal 49
Abdullah Ismail Abdullah Zein 50
Shhadeh 'Abd a-Rahman Hussein Qafah, 50
Diab 'Abed 'Issa Hamid, 50
Suliman Subhi Muhammad al- 'Aziz, 50
Tawfiq Ali Fallit 51
khamis Mustafa Mahmoud Abu Ramadan, 51
Khalil Alelloukh 52
Nu'man Fadel Salman Heji, 55
Muhammad 'Atiyyah Hassan Kharuf, 55
Sarah 'Eid 'Ali al-Hawajri, 57Abdullah Mohammed Ghafari 59