Attacks in the “bufferzone” and their consequences

June 10, 2012

Fact Sheet
May 2012

Following
disengagement from the Gaza Strip in September 2005, Israel has unilaterally
and illegally established a so-called “buffer zone”, an area prohibited to
Palestinians along the land and sea borders of the Gaza Strip. The precise area
designated by Israel as a “buffer zone” is unknown and Israeli policy is typically
enforced with live fire. The establishment of the ‘buffer zone’ is illegal
under both Israeli and international law.

Preventing
Palestinians from access to their land, and fishing areas, violates numerous
provisions of international human rights law, including the right to work, the
right to the highest attainable standard of living, and the right to the
highest attainable standard of health. Enforcing the “buffer zone” by means of
live fire often results in, inter alia,
the war crimes of direct targeting of civilians and indiscriminate attacks.

Dimensions

On
land: inside Palestinian territory:

· Second Intifada (2000): 150 metres

· According to Israel (2010) : 300 metres

· In reality:

Minimum: 300
metres to approximately 2 kilometres

· Approximately 17% of the total territory of the Gaza Strip

At
sea, area off coast for Palestinian fishing:

· Oslo Accords (1994): 20 nautical miles (NM)

· Bertini Commitment (2002): 12 NM

· October 2006: 6 NM

· End of 2007 : 3 NM

· 1.5 NM
in the north along the maritime boundary with Israel

· 1 NM
in the south along the maritime boundary with Egypt

Impact

On
Land:

· Approximately 27,000 dunums, 35% of the Gaza Strip’s
agricultural land can only be accessed under high personal risk, as
Israeli attacks may result in injury or death of civilians.

· 95% of
the restricted area is arable land

· After the evacuation of settlements (2005) and Operation Cast
Lead (2008-2009) the majority of Palestinians families abandoned their land
and houses.

At
Sea:

· Palestinians are totally prevented from accessing 85% of the
maritime areas in reference to 1994 Gaza Jericho Agreement.

· Approximately 3,700 fishermen expose themselves to high
risk every day at sea.

· Approximately 8,200 persons are working in the fishing
industry.

· Approximately 65,000 persons, including individuals in the
fishing industry and their dependents are affected by the “buffer zone”
restrictions at sea.

· The area near
the coast is markedly over-fished.

Attacks

May 2012

Attacks	Total	Within Land “buffer zone”	Within Maritime “buffer zone”
Shelling	2	2	0
Shooting	26	16	10
Incursions	23	12	11
Land leveling	2	2	0
Total of incident	53	32	21

Consequences of
attacks

a. Deaths and Injuries

May 2012

CONSEQUENCES	Total	Within Land “buffer zone”	Within Maritime “buffer zone”
Deaths of Persons	0
Minors	0	0	0
Women	0	0	0
Injuries of Persons	1	1	0
Minors	0	0	0
Women	0	0	0

b. Property related violations

May 2012

CONSEQUENCES	Total	Within Land “buffer zone”	Within Maritime “buffer zone”
Property damaged	0	0	0
Property confiscated	4	0	4
Dunums razed	20	20	0

c. Detention

May 2012

CONSEQUENCES	Total	Within Land “buffer zone”	Within Maritime “buffer zone”
Total persons detained	9	0	9
Minors detained	1	0	1
Women detained	0	0	0

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