The following is a statement under oath by Mr. Talal Abu Rahma, a photographer of the
French TV France 2, to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights on October 3, 2000, giving
details of what he had seen:
"I, the undersigned, Talal Hassan Abu Rahma, resident of the Gaza Strip and who
bears ID no. 959852849, give my statement under oath and after having been given legal
warning and choice by Lawyer Raji Sourani, on the killing of Mohammed Jamal Al-Durreh and
the injuring of his father Jamal Al-Durreh both shot at by the Israeli Occupying Forces.
"I work as a correspondent for the French TV France 2. On September 30, 2000, as
part of my duties, I was at Netzarim area from 7:00a.m reporting on the clashes. At noon,
when I was about to finish work and go back to the broadcasting studio, I heard intensive
shooting from all directions. At that moment, I was at the northern part of the road
leading to Al-Shohada' Junction (Netzarim Junction). I was in a position which enabled me
to see and observe the Israeli military outpost at the northwest of the junction, and the
two Palestinian apartment buildings located to the north of the junction. I could also see
the outpost of the Palestinian National Security Forces, located south of the junction,
and another Palestinian outpost 30m away, which was a temporary booth where members of
Palestinian forces were resting.
"Suddenly, intensive shooting started across the road which is of 30m width. Shams
Oudeh, Reuters photographer caught my attention, as he was sitting besides a man and a
child (Jamal and his son Mohammed). They were all sheltering behind a concrete block. What
the journalist was observing attracted my attention. I was trying to focus on the outpost
of the Palestinian National Security Forces, from where shooting was directed, and at
which the Israeli army was shooting, during the first minutes. Suddenly, I heard a cry of
a child. Then, I focused my camera on the child Mohammed Jamal Al-Durreh who was shot in
his right leg. His father tried to calm, protect and cover his son with his hands and
body. Sometimes, the father Jamal was raising his hands asking for help. Other details of
the incident are as they were apparently shown at the film. I spent approximately 27
minutes photographing the incident which took place for 45 minutes. After the father and
the child were evacuated by an ambulance to the hospital, I stayed 30-40 minutes. I could
not leave the area, because all of those who were in the area, including me, were being
shot at and endangered.
"Shooting started first from different sources, Israeli and Palestinian. It lasted
for not more than 5 minutes. Then, it was quite clear for me that shooting was towards the
child Mohammed and his father from the opposite direction to them. Intensive and
intermittent shooting was directed at the two and the two outposts of the Palestinian
National Security Forces. The Palestinian outposts were not a source of shooting, as
shooting from inside these outposts had stopped after the first five minutes, and the
child and his father were not injured then. Injuring and killing took place during the
following 45 minutes.
"I can assert that shooting at the child Mohammed and his father Jamal came from
the above - mentioned Israeli military outpost, as it was the only place from which
shooting at the child and his father was possible. So, by logic and nature, my long
experience in covering hot incidents and violent clashes, and my ability to distinguish
sounds of shooting, I can confirm that the child was intentionally and in cold blood shot
dead and his father injured by the Israeli army.
"On the following day of the incident, I went to Shifa Hospital in Gaza, and
interviewed the father of child Mohammed Al-Durreh. The interview was videotaped and
broadcast. In the interview, I asked him about his reason and circumstances of being at
the place of the incident. I was the first journalist to interview him on this subject.
Mr. Jamal Al-Durreh said that he was going accompanied by his son Mohammed to the car
market, which is about 2km away to the north of Al-Shohada' Junction, to buy a car. He
told me that he failed to buy a car, so decided to go home. He and his son took a taxi.
When they got close to the junction, they could not move forward because of the clashes
and shooting there. So, they got out of the taxi and tried to walk towards Al-Bureij. As
shooting intensified, they sheltered behind a concrete block. Then the incident occurred.
Shooting lasted for 45 minutes.
"I am a professional and specialized journalist. I have worked in this field for
many years. I am committed to the principles of journalistic work, and to convey reality
indiscriminately, objectively and neutrally. This is why I am a distinguished journalist.
I have my own press office, and I work as a correspondent for the French TV France 2. I
work also for CNN through Al-Wataneya Press Office.
"I have hereby given my testimony under oath and after being legally warned and
granted the choice. I swear that all the above * mentioned statement is right and
consistent with reality and law." Signature:
Talal Hassan Abu Rahma, Gaza, October 3, 2000
