15/1/2025

3/2025

Statement Issued by the Independent Commission for Human Rights on the Israeli Attack Injuring Human Rights Defender Raafat Salha and Killing His Family

On the night of Tuesday/Wednesday, the Israeli military committed a heinous crime in southern Deir Al-Balah, targeting the home of Raafat Salha (Abu Mohammed), Director of the Independent Commission for Human Rights in Gaza and the North. The attack resulted in the tragic loss of 12 family members, including his wife, Faten Ramadan Shaqoura (Um Mohammed), and his children: Mohammed (24 years old), Ahmad (22 years old), Hala (22 years old), and Saba (17 years old)
Raafat himself sustained critical injuries, including a severe head injury, the amputation of his right leg, and the loss of several fingers. He is currently in critical condition at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the lack of essential medical equipment poses a severe threat to his life.

The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) holds the occupying power, Israel, fully responsible for this atrocity, which adds to a long series of crimes against civilians in Gaza. This attack is part of an ongoing campaign of genocide that has continued for more than 15 months.

The ICHR urgently calls upon the World Health Organization and the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate the immediate medical evacuation of Raafat Salha for life-saving treatment abroad. The ICHR also stresses the urgent need to provide adequate medical resources for other wounded and patients in Gaza.

Furthermore, the ICHR demands that the International Criminal Court and the Permanent Commission of Inquiry established by the UN Security Council investigate this crime and other attacks targeting civilians.

The ICHR stands in full solidarity with our colleague, Raafat Salha, during this immense tragedy, and extends its deepest condolences to him and all Palestinian families who have lost loved ones due to ongoing genocide and aggression.