This month-old story came to my attention last night. It is the story of an honor killing of a young woman named Rifqa—murdered by family members in a “refugee” camp in the Gaza Strip.
Here is the post, and then I recommend exploring the blog, Stop Honour Killings.
On Friday afternoon, 27 November 2009, Rifqa Ghazi ‘Abdullah Salama, 29, from al-Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City, was killed allegedly “to maintain family honor.”
According to police sources in al-Shati, at approximately 13:30 on Friday, 27 November 2009, the woman’s brother, two uncles and two cousin strangled her using a wet towel while she was sleeping at home near Hmaid intersection in al-Shati refugee camp. The police initiated an investigation into the murder and arrested the 5 accused persons. Initial investigations indicate that the woman was killed allegedly to “maintain family honor.”
Sources of the forensic medicine department at Shifa Hospital reported that the woman was strangled by a wet towel.
According to PCHR’s documentation, the number of people killed allegedly “to maintain family honor” since the beginning of 2009 has amounted to 10 (7 women, two men and a child) in 8 crimes. One of these crimes was committed in the West Bank, whereas the rest of the crimes were committed in the Gaza Strip.
PCHR must be the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, here.