Rafah Massacre, 21 February 2002: Raid and Shelling on the Eve of Eid

At dawn on Thursday, 21 February 2002, on the eve of Eid al-Adha, Israeli occupation forces raided Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip while their helicopters fired missiles at the city. Six Palestinians were killed, the youngest a teenager of about 17; more than 35 were wounded, and a house was demolished. [1] [2] [3]

The Rafah massacre came at the height of a campaign of escalation by the occupation against the Gaza Strip and the West Bank during the Al-Aqsa Intifada. It is one of the Zionist massacres against the Palestinian people. [3]

The Rafah massacre at a glance

Context: escalation on Gaza

In the days before the massacre the occupation escalated its assault on the Gaza Strip. On 19 February 2002, F-16 jets struck a Palestinian security building in Rafah, and gunboats fired a missile at President Yasser Arafat’s compound in Gaza, killing four members of Force 17. [5]

On 20 February F-16 jets, Apache helicopters and gunboats attacked President Arafat’s Gaza headquarters, killing four Force 17 members and wounding ten, in a bombardment that lasted about five hours. [3] The WAFA register lists six people killed that day in al-Maghazi and around the President’s compound. [1]

The massacre: dawn of 21 February 2002

At dawn on 21 February 2002 occupation forces stormed Rafah refugee camp, killing at least five Palestinians, wounding more than 35, and demolishing a house, according to the letter sent by Palestine’s mission to the United Nations that same day. [2] Helicopter gunships fired missiles at two buildings of the military intelligence and Force 17 in Rafah. [3]

The same day, tanks and armoured vehicles destroyed the Voice of Palestine radio headquarters in Gaza, and helicopters and warships attacked sites in the West Bank and the Strip. Palestinian doctors reported about six killed and about 40 wounded. [3] Tens of thousands attended the funerals in Gaza. [3]

The victims

The Palestinian National Information Center (WAFA) records six Palestinians killed in Rafah on 21 February 2002, four of them under 23: [1]

Ages are approximate, calculated from the years of birth given in the WAFA register.

The toll: what do the sources say?

This article adopts the names of the six victims listed in the WAFA register. The circulating figures of “10 killed” and “80 wounded” could not be found in any documenting source.

Rafah during the Eid

The assault on Rafah did not stop after the massacre; it went on throughout the days of Eid al-Adha. On 23 February occupation forces stationed on the Egyptian border shelled homes facing the border with artillery and heavy-calibre fire, wounding 20 civilians, including 11 children. [4]

In the following days children were wounded in “Block O” of Rafah camp, a mother and her 18-month-old daughter were wounded in Tal al-Sultan, and occupation soldiers fired on al-Nour mosque in the Brazil neighbourhood, wounding worshippers. [4]

Conclusion

On the eve of Eid al-Adha, occupation forces stormed Rafah camp and rained helicopter missiles on it, killing six of its people, teenagers among them, wounding dozens and demolishing a home. They then kept shelling homes and mosques throughout the Eid, turning the holiday in Rafah into days of mourning.

Frequently asked questions about the 2002 Rafah massacre

When did the 2002 Rafah massacre take place?

It took place at dawn on Thursday, 21 February 2002, on the eve of Eid al-Adha.

How many people were killed in the 2002 Rafah massacre?

Six according to the WAFA register, with more than 35 wounded according to the letter of Palestine’s mission to the UN.

Who were the victims of the 2002 Rafah massacre?

Ihab Abd al-Wahhab, Basel al-Attar, Muhammad al-Nims, Mahmoud Abu Taha, Raed Abu Luli and Samir Abu al-Saud.

How did the occupation carry out the 2002 Rafah massacre?

Through a ground incursion into Rafah camp, and with helicopter missiles that struck two security buildings in the city.

What happened in Rafah after the massacre?

The occupation kept shelling homes and mosques throughout Eid al-Adha, wounding dozens of civilians, including children.

Sources and references

Arabic-language sources are listed with translated titles.

1. “Martyrs of the Gaza Strip, 2002,” Palestinian National Information Center – WAFA.
2. Identical letters dated 21 February 2002 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations (A/ES-10/149 – S/2002/190), United Nations.
3. “Chronological Review of Events – February 2002,” Division for Palestinian Rights, United Nations.
4. Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (21–27 February 2002), Palestinian Centre for Human Rights.
5. “Tuesday, February 19, 2002,” Chronology, Institute for Palestine Studies.