Israeli Occupation Soldiers Shot and Killed an Elderly Man While Sleeping In His Bed

Friday January 07, 2011 09:11 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli occupation soldiers broke, on Friday at dawn, into the house of Omar al-Qawasimy, 66 years old, in al-Sheikh neighborhood in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and shot him dead as he slept in his bed, local sources reported.

His son, Raja’ei stated that the soldiers broke into the home, directly headed to the bedroom of his parents, and fired several rounds that riddled his upper body and face.

Raja’ei added that his mother was not hurt as she was conducting dawn prayers. The soldiers forced her into the room of her disabled son, and proceeded to kill her husband.

He further stated that the soldiers were after resident Wael Mohammad al-Beitar, who lives in the first floor.

The son added that after the soldiers left the house, the family found the body of Omar soaked with blood and riddled with bullets. Raja’ei said that the soldiers apparently used a gun with a silencer in the killing of his father as gunshot sounds were never heard.

“The soldiers apparently thought al-Beitar lived in the second floor”, Raja’ei said. “That is apparently why they opened fire the moment they broke into the room; they did not bother checking his identity”.

Al-Beitar, along with five other Hamas members, was released from a Palestinian prison on Thursday following a direct order made by President Mahmoud Abbas. He is one of hundreds of Hamas members imprisoned by the Security Forces of Mahmoud Abbas.

They were all arrested last September and were imprisoned at a Palestinian detention facility in Hebron.

The five members were kidnapped by the Israeli Forces during the attack. They were identified as Majdi Obaid, Ahmad Oweiwy, Mohannad Nairoukh, Wisam al-Qawasmi and Mohammad Souqiyya.

During an arrest raid in Hebron which appeared to target Hamas men released from PA custody the day before, Israeli forces shot and killed a 66-year-old Omar Salim Al-Qawasmi in his bed, in what appeared to be a case of mistaken identity.

Medics said there were 13 gunshot wounds in the man's face and neck. His son Raja’e said soldiers asked to see his identity card only after he was shot.

The execution came during the arrest of Wael Al-Bitar, who was released to his home in Hebron, one floor under Al-Qawasmi, the elderly victim.

During his funeral, at least 4,000 came out to mourn his death, where Hamas officials joined Fatah leaders to condemn the death, while spokesmen for the parties launched accusations laying blame for the death on either side.

Israeli military officials said they "regret" the death, and admitted that Al-Qawasmi was not a target.

In wake of Hebron execution, rival parties to talk

Published yesterday (updated) 08/01/2011 10:20

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) --

Gaza's Hamas official Ahmed Yousuf said Friday that the lessons learned from the death of a Hebron man in a mistaken identity execution earlier in the day could provide new ground for unity talks between rival factions.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and head of the governmental committee to break the siege, Yousuf told Ma’an that efforts were underway to put together a meeting between Fatah and Hamas, following a fierce exchange of accusations over who bore responsibility for the Hebron death, and simultaneous detention of 5 Hamas affiliates who had been released from PA custody only the day before.

The brutal killing of a sleeping civilian in his home shows "Israel does not respect international laws or any agreement with the Palestinian Authority," whose security services are generally told to evacuate an area under PA control when Israeli forces plan a raid, Yousuf said.