THE MIDDLE EAST: Rawan Mohammed Said Abu Ziad would have celebrated her fifth birthday today had she not been shot in the head over the weekend near her home in the Brazil neighbourhood of Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza. Nuala Haughey in Rafah reports
Her family claim she was shot by Israeli troops who had occupied the Brazil neighbourhood early on Thursday and who partially retreated on Friday, leaving behind scores of bulldozed homes and extensive damage to roads and infrastructure. An Israeli army spokesman said the claim was being investigated.
Rawan's father had given her one shekel (20 cent) to buy treats in the local shop, according to her stepmother, Ms Nema Abu Ziad (30).
She set off from her home on Saturday morning along with her sister, Huda (9), her step-sister Sabah (2), and cousin Fatma (8).
Huda said they had "done a deal" between them to buy crisps, biscuits and some sweets, which they were going to share.
A witness to the incident, Mr Mohammed Al Katrus (23), said he saw the four children pass by at about 10 a.m. He said there had been overnight shooting in the area, but none at the time.
"We were shocked to hear a spate of gunfire. After the fire, the three girls ran away and the fourth one was on the ground, dead," he said.
He indicated that she had been shot in the left side of her head, behind her ear, and the bullet came out though her right eye. He took her to hospital in a private car.
"I closed her eyes while we were in the car," he added.
The records at Rafah's Abu Yousef Al Najar Hospital state that Rawan was shot twice, in the neck and the head.
As is customary with Muslims, Rawan was buried within hours of her death.
She had fallen some 20 feet from the sweet shop, where an alley intersected with Osama Street. At the end of the alley, an Israeli army tank could be seen some 300 metres in the distance, partly obscured by a sand bank.