Ref: 63/2014
Date: 15 June 2014
Time: 11:12 GMT

In the context of implementing the collective punishment policy in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), Israeli forces have imposed a series of arbitrary measures in violation of the international humanitarian and human rights laws against Palestinian civilians. Following their declaration of the disappearance of 3 Israeli settlers in Hebron in the south of the West Bank, since Thursday evening, 12 June 2014, Israeli forces carried out a large-scale arrest campaign in the West Bank and launched airstrikes on many targets in the Gaza Strip, in addition to imposing a comprehensive security closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip and restrictions on the border crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Only a limited number of patients and companions have been allowed to pass through Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing, and only fuels have been allowed to enter via Kerm Abu Salim Crossing. Moreover, residents of Hebron, who are less than 50 years old, have been prevented from travelling outside the West Bank.

In the West Bank, Israeli forces launched dozens of house raids and arrest campaigns in all governorates, during which, they arrested 64 Palestinian civilians, including 5 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) representing “the Hamas Change and Reform Bloc”, two former ministers as well as political leaders and academics affiliated with Hamas. The arrest campaigns were as follows:

• Hebron: Israeli forces arrested 17 Palestinians, including Usamah Hussein Yousif Shahin (38), Director of Palestine Prisoners Center;
• Nablus: Israeli forces arrested 16 Palestinians, including Husni Mohammed Ahmed Yasin al-Burini (58), Member of the PLC, and Dr. Mohammed ‘Azzam Subhi Husni Ghazal (58), a university professor;
• Ramallah: Israeli forces arrested 6 Palestinians, including Hasan Yousif Dar Khalil (59) and Dr. Ibrahim Sa’id Hasan Abu Salem (67), both are PLC Members;
• Jerusalem: Israeli forces arrested 5 Palestinians, including Mohammed ‘Omran Totah (45), Member of the PLC, and Khaled Abu ‘Arafah (53), Former Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, who were both arrested from their houses in Ramallah to which they had been deported from Jerusalem;
• Jenin: Israeli forces arrested 5 Palestinians, including Wasfi Qabaha (54), Member of the PLC;
• Tulkarm: Israeli forces arrested 5 Palestinians, including ‘Abdel Rahman Zidan (54), former Minister of Public Works;

• Bethlehem: Israeli forces arrested 5 Palestinians;
• Tubas: Israeli forces arrested 5 Palestinians;
• Qalqilya: Israeli forces arrested 5 Palestinians; and
• Salfit: Israeli forces arrested 5 Palestinians.

In the Gaza Strip, on Saturday moring, 14 June 2014, Israeli forces launched two air strikes on Khan Yunis and Rafah towns in the Southern Gaza Strip. The first one targeted a site for an armed group; and the second one targeted a vacant area. Moreover, on the same day evening, 6 other airstrikes were carried out. During the airstrikes, Israeli warplanes targeted greenhouses in the west of Rafah causing damages to the place. Moreover, a woman, who was present in her house near the Saudi neighborhood, was wounded. Damages were caused to an UNRWA clinic overseeing the aforementioned neighborhood. Meanwhile, another airstrike targeted a tin-made room attached to a house in Rafah resulting in the destruction of it and partial damages to 13 nearby houses. The rest of the airstrikes targeted sites for armed groups in the Central and Southern Gaza Strip. The airstrikes were as follows:

• At approximately 11:15, an Israeli drone launched a warning missile at a military site of the Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, in Ermeidah area in Bani Sheilah village, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. Minutes later, an Israeli helicopter gunship launched a missile at the site. As a result, it was partially destroyed and the windows of the nearby houses were broken. No injuries were reported.
• At approximately 11:30, Israeli warplanes fired at least one missile at a vacant land near a site of the Palestinian Popular Resistance Committees in the west of Rafah. No injuries were reported.
• At approximately 23:00, Israeli warplanes launched at least one missile at a tin-made room in the yard of a house belonging to Yunis Salem Abu Jleidan in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah. As a result, the room was completely destroyed, and 13 nearby houses were partially damaged. No injuries were reported.
• At approximately 23:15, Israeli warplanes launched at least one missile at “Martyr Mohammed Jebril” Site belonging to al-Qassam Brigades in Tebet Zare’a area in the east of Rafah. As a result, damages were caused to the site, and no injuries were reported.
• At approximately 23:20, Israeli warplanes launched at least one missile at a land and greenhouse in the former settlements area in the west of Rafah. As a result, damages were caused to the place, and Islam Mohammed ‘Aweidah (27) sustained a deep injury and a fracture in the left thigh when she was at her house in the Saudi neighborhood near the targeted greenhouses. Moreover, damages were caused to an UNRWA health clinic overseeing the aforementioned neighborhood. The wounded woman was taken to Abu Yousif al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah and then transferred to the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis to receive the medical treatment. Her condition was described as moderate.

• At approximately 23:28, Israeli warplanes launched at least one missile at “al-Qadisyah” site belonging to al-Qassam Brigades in the west of Khan Yunis. As a result, damages were caused to the site, but no injuries were reported.
• At approximately 23:35, Israeli warplanes launched at least one missile at a paramilitary site of Palestinian armed groups in the former “Nitser Hazani” settlement, northwest of Khan ounis. As a result, damages were caused to the place, but no injuries were reported.
• At approximately 23:45, Israeli warplanes launched at least one missile at a paramilitary site of armed groups, north of Nussairat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. As a result, damages were caused to the place, but no injuries were reporte