According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 15:00pm on Monday, 16 March 2009, Zayed Jaradat was pronounced dead on arrival at Martyr Mohammed Yousif al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah city. The body was then transferred to the forensic department at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City for further examination. Jaradat had been arrested by members of the police in the morning of Monday 15 March 2009. Police sources told PCHR that Jaradat had been detained in al-Quds Girls’ Secondary School, near al-‘Awda Square in the centre of Rafah. The police have been using the school as their headquarters since Israeli warplanes destroyed Rafah police station during their latest offensive on Gaza. According to the police sources, Jaradat was arrested on charges of drug possession.
A PCHR field worker, who visited the forensic department at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, and took photographs of the body, witnessed traces of bruising throughout the body. The bruises were concentrated in the area around the neck and shoulders. The PCHR field worker also reported that Jaradat’s toenails had been removed. This indicates that Jaradat had been subject to torture during his detention.
Just another average day in Hamas-controlled Gaza. Perhaps George Galloway can add "toenail clipping"to his list of wonderful things Hamas does for Gazans.The 2009 PalArab self-death count is now at 54.