Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Launch More Attacks in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)

· 3 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were killed by IOF.

· Construction of the “annexation wall” in the West Bank has continued; more areas of Palestinian land were confiscated for this purpose and Jerusalem has been isolated from the rest of the West Bank.

· IOF conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank.

· Houses were raided and at least 40 Palestinian civilians were arrested.

· Continued shelling of residential and a Palestinian child was seriously injured in Rafah.

· Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in the West Bank.

· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; IOF have continued to close a number of roads since the beginning of the current Intifada, IOF have continued to impose severe restriction at Rafah International Crossing Point, IOF positioned at checkpoints arrested a number of Palestinian civilians and IOF imposed curfews on a number of Palestinian villages.

Introduction

Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have launched more attacks against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).  This week, human rights violations perpetrated by IOF included willful killing, incursions into Palestinian areas, indiscriminate shelling and total closure imposed on Palestinian communities. IOF have also continued to construct the annexation wall inside the West Bank territory and confiscated more areas of Palestinian land for this purpose.  They have continued to expand existing settlements at the expense of Palestinian land. This week, 3 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were killed by IOF. 

In the Gaza Strip, on 25 February 2005, IOF killed a Palestinian child and arrested 2 others in Rafah, when they were attempting to infiltrate into Israel to search for jobs. On Wednesday evening, 2 March 2005, IOF opened fire at residential areas in Rafah, seriously wounding a Palestinian child. In the West Bank, 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, died from previous injuries they had sustained by IOF. On 24 February 2005, a Palestinian civilian died from an injury he had sustained on 26 January 2005, when IOF extra-judicially killed a Palestinian in Qalqilya. On 2 March 2005, a child died from an injury he had sustained by IOF in Jenin on 28 January 2003. 

IOF also conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank, during which they raided and searched houses and arrested 40 Palestinian civilian civilians. Two other civilians were also arrested at Israeli military checkpoints. 

IOF have continued to construct the annexation wall inside the West Bank territory. They have confiscated more areas of Palestinian land for this purpose. Israeli plans in this regard aim at isolating Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank, separate between the north and south of the West Bank. This week, IOF issued military orders, confiscating large areas of Palestinian land for the purpose of the construction of the wall. More settlements will be annexed to Israel according to these new plans. 

Israeli settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property. IOF have continued to confiscate areas of Palestinian land for settlement activities. 

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT, including Jerusalem. 

In the Gaza Strip, contrary to Israeli official claims regarding easing measures of closure imposed on the Gaza Strip, IOF have continued to completely or partially close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip, and impose severe restrictions on the internal movement of Palestinian civilians.  IOF have continued to impose severe restriction on the travel of Palestinian civilians through Rafah International Crossing Point. They have also continued to close a number of roads and crossings in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the current Intifada. IOF have continued to impose a strict siege on Palestinian communities near Israeli settlements, causing more suffering to Palestinian civilians.  They have also continued to attacks Palestinian fishermen.   

In the West Bank, IOF have continued to impose a strict siege on Palestinian communities. They have also imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. This week, they erected a number of military checkpoints and arrested a number of Palestinian civilians.  They also beat a number of civilians and imposed restrictions on journalists.  IOF also imposed a strict siege on Tulkarm. Furthermore, they also imposed curfews on a number of villages.  

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