Press Release

Israeli occupation forces use artillery shells and heavy and medium bullets against Palestinian civilians:

A Palestinian man from Hebron dies from a previous injury;

More sweeping and demolition by the Israeli occupation forces

This morning, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire with machine guns on Palestinian civilians and houses near the borderline in Rafah, wounding 10. The past 24 hours witnessed shelling with rockets and heavy and medium bullets by the Israeli occupation forces on Khan Yunis, Rafah, Hebron, Beit Jala and Bethlehem. As a result, a number of Palestinian civilians were wounded and a number of houses were severely damaged. This morning, clashes broke out between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces, and a number of Palestinian civilians were also wounded. In the past 24 hours, the Israeli occupation forces swept more agricultural land and destroyed agricultural facilities and equipment in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories, and to divide the north and south of the Gaza Strip.

• Shooting at Palestinian Civilians

In Rafah, this morning, the Israeli occupation forces shot and wounded Palestinian demonstrators near Salah El-Din Gate on the Palestinian-Egyptian border. Among the wounded was Mohammed Khafaja, 24 years old, who was seriously wounded in the head, and evacuated to Shifa’ hospital in Gaza. PCHR’s field officer reported that an ambulance of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, which was on duty, was shot at by the Israeli occupation forces. The lift door of the vehicle was hit with a bullet. Its driver Khalil Suboh and two nurses were able to escape unharmed.

In the area near Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, clashes broke out this morning between Palestinian civilians and the Israeli occupation forces. These forces shot at Palestinian civilians, wounding four with live bullets. Similar clashes broke out in the same area yesterday evening, and five Palestinian civilians were wounded with live bullets. Among the wounded were:

1. Hamed Muhie El-Din Harazallah, 15 years old, from Al-Tuffah neighborhood, wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen; and
2. A’lla’ Salem Siam, 20 years old, wounded with a live bullet in the abdomen.

Yesterday evening, at 19:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces, positioned in two military posts in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement to the west and southwest of the refugee camp of Khan Yunis, opened fire from their machine guns at Palestinian civilians on their way to pray in the mosque in the neighborhood known as the “Austrian Neighborhood,” 200 meters away from the settlement. As a result, the child A’ayed Kayed El-Loul, 10 years old, was wounded with a live bullet in the right foot. He was evacuated to Nasser hospital.

Yesterday, Walid Hassan El-Ja’afreh, 32 years old, died from a previous wound caused by a live bullet in the chest on October 2, 2000, when the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian civilians in Hebron. El-Ja’afreh was transferred to Riyadh military hospital in Saudi Arabia on October 10, 2000, and was pronounced dead yesterday.

Yesterday evening, the Israeli occupation forces shot at Palestinian demonstrators in the village of Yatta in Hebron, wounding five with live bullets. Among the wounded was Nasser Ibrahim El-Shawahin, 24 years old, who was seriously wounded with a live bullet in the left eye.

• Continued firing of shells and heavy and medium bullets

This morning, at about 9:00 local time, after a bomb exploded at the borderline in Rafah, the Israeli occupation forces opened fire from their heavy and medium machine guns on Palestinian houses in Al-Salam and Al-Barazil neighborhoods. The indiscriminate firing wounded nine Palestinian civilians, mostly in Al-Barazil neighborhood, despite the fact that all of them were approximately 500 meters away from the military post of the Israeli occupation forces at the borderline. Immediately after that, a bulldozer of the Israeli occupation forces, accompanied by tanks and military jeeps, demolished the fence of Bahloul gas station from the eastern and southern sides. The station is in Al-Salam neighborhood near the borderline.

Yesterday evening, at about 21:30 local time, after a bomb exploded heavily in Rafah, sounds of intensive shooting were heard near Salah El-Din Gate on the borderline, where there is a fortified military post of the Israeli occupation forces. In the aftermath of the explosion and shooting, hundreds of Palestinian citizens gathered in the area of Block “O” and Omar Ben El-Khattab Street, opposite to the Gate, to discern what had happened. Without prior warning, Israeli occupation troops, positioned at their military post at Salah El-Din Gate, fired ten artillery shells on houses and civilians in the street. As a result, 20 Palestinian civilians were wounded with shrapnel from shells. They were all evacuated to Al-Joneina hospital in Rafah. Among the wounded was Mahmoud Jamil El-Sindi, 40 years old, who was seriously wounded with shrapnel in the abdomen. One of the wounded stated that he was 500 meters away from the source of the shelling when he was wounded with shrapnel in the head. He was evacuated to Al-Joneina hospital.

Yesterday evening, at about 21:00 local time, the Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim settlement, to the west of the refugee camp of Khan Yunis, and additional Israeli occupation troops, positioned opposite to the Austrian Housing Project, fired artillery shells and heavy and medium bullets at the area. A number of houses were damaged.

1. A 90-square-meter apartment, owned by Nedal Dheeb El-Badrasawi, in which he lives with his wife, was hit. The apartment is about 250 meters away from the military post of the Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of Neve Dekalim. As a result, windows broke and furniture was damaged.
2. A 600-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 13 people live, owned by Ahmed Mohammed Hneideq, was hit. The house is about 150 meters away from Neve Dekalim settlement. The shelling made holes 4-5 centimeters in diameter and completely destroyed the asbestos roof.
3. The house of A’wni Ibrahim Abu Seif, a 150-square-meter, two story house, in which eight people live, was hit. The house is about 150 meters away from Neve Dekalim settlement. The shelling made holes in the walls 10-15 centimeters in diameter and burned the external door.
4. The house of Abdel-Hamid Mohammed Ali A’abed, a 130-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which eight people live, was hit with a shell that destroyed the roof.

Yesterday evening, the Israeli occupation forces shelled residential neighborhoods in Hebron, Beit Jala and Bethlehem. Four houses in the refugee camp of A’ida were damaged, and a number of Palestinian civilians were slightly wounded by shrapnel.

• Continued Sweeping of Agricultural Land

Yesterday afternoon, a group of settlers, under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces, swept a 40-donum area of agricultural land in Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area in Khan Yunis, to the west of Neve Dekalim settlement, adjacent to the road between Khan Yunis and the sea from the southern side.

This morning, at about 1:00, the Israeli occupation forces swept areas of agricultural land on the eastern side of Salah El-Din Street, 400 meters to the north of the junction leading to Kissufim Border Crossing. PCHR’s field officer reported that Palestinian citizens faced the aggression of the Israeli occupation forces, but these forces used tear gas against them. Sweeping by bulldozers of the Israeli occupation forces lasted for four hours. PCHR’s field officer added that the sweeping included:

1. A 10-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and vegetables, owned by A’wwad Abu Haddaf. In addition, an agricultural pool and an irrigation network were destroyed.
2. A nine-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives and vegetables, owned by Mousa Abu Haddaf. In addition, an irrigation network was destroyed.
3. A major water line that irrigated 200 donums of agricultural land and provided water for more than 100 families.

On the road between Al-Shuhada’(Netzarim) junction and Al-Mentar (Karni) Outlet, to the east of Gaza City, PCHR’s field officer reported that tanks and bulldozers were still positioned on the agricultural land that was swept in the past two days. PCHR’s field officer added that the sweeping included:

1. On November 26, 2000, an eight-donum area of agricultural land planted with orange trees, owned by Joma’a El-Safadi.
2. On November 26, 2000, a four-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Sa’d Munib El-Mashharawi.
3. On November 26, 2000, a five-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by brothers Zuhair and Zuhdi Rashad A’ashour.
4. On November 27, 2000, a five-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by El-Abed Ramadan A’ashour.
5. On November 27, 2000, a three-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, owned by Fuad El-Samni. Sweeping also included walls of an atelier.
6. On November 27, 2000, a 15-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, owned by Rashad Abu Heiraz.
7. On November 27, 2000, a five-donum area of agricultural land planted with citrus, along with a well, and a 100-square-meter house, owned by the El-Moghanni family.
8. On November 27, 2000, a five-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives, along with a well, owned by the Sabra family.

• Continued Reinforcements and Road-blocking in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli occupation forces

The Israeli occupation forces have continued to reinforce their presence throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. In the Gaza Strip, tanks and armored vehicles of the Israeli occupation forces are still stationed on Salah El-Din Street (the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip). This road and its branch and agricultural roads have been closed by the Israeli occupation forces near Kfar Darom settlement. This has divided the Gaza Strip into isolated areas. Internal restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians inside the Gaza Strip can be detailed in the following:

1. A heavy presence of Israeli occupation troops reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles at the junction that crosses the western Rafah-Khan Yunis road, leading to the east to Morag settlement in Rafah, and at the junction leading to Gush Qatif settlement block (known as Oraybeh road). The Israeli occupation forces re-closed the area.
2. A heavy presence of Israeli occupation troops reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles on the part of Salah El-Din Street between the junction leading to Gush Qatif settlement block in the west (Al-Matahen junction) and the junction leading to Kissufim Crossing on the eastern borderline. The road has been completely closed since November 19, 2000.
3. A heavy presence of Israeli occupation troops reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles near Kfar Darom settlement on Salah El-Din Street, to the southeast of Deir El-Balah.
4. A heavy presence of Israeli occupation troops reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles on the road branching from Salah El-Din Street, near the northern side of Kfar Darom settlement which goes to the east and then to the south around the settlement. Palestinian civilians usually resort to this road when Salah El-Din Street is closed, but the Israeli occupation forces have closed this road since November 19, 2000. In the past three days, the Israeli occupation forces have opened the road between 10:00-12:00 and 16:00-18:00 local time. Palestinian citizens have been forced to wait for hours to travel along this road. Many Palestinians were prevented from returning home to the southern part of Gaza late yesterday afternoon on the first day of Ramadan. Palestinians hoping to break the fast of Ramadan at home had bullets shot over the tops of their cars by the Israeli occupation forces as a warning to turn back.
5. A heavy presence of Israeli occupation troops reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles at the junction on Salah El-Din Street leading to Netzarim settlement (Al-Shuhada’ Junction). The Israeli occupation forces have continued to close the road leading to the settlement and the coastal road parallel to Salah El-Din Street, prohibiting the movement of Palestinian civilians on the two roads. The Israeli occupation forces have also continued to close the road branching from the above junction going to the east and then to the north towards Gaza City, at its northern end (Al-Mentar road).
6. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to close the coastal road between Gaza and Rafah opposite to Gush Qatif settlement block, prohibiting the movement of Palestinian civilians on the road.
7. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to close the road between Khan Yunis city and its Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area – under the control of these forces – since November 20, 2000. These forces closed the mentioned road with cement blocks.
8. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to close the road between Rafah city and its Al-Mawasi (agricultural) area at these forces’ roadblock known as “Tal El-Sultan roadblock,” to the west of the city.
9. The Israeli occupation forces have continued to close all roads branching from Salah El-Din Street, through which Palestinian farmers go to their agricultural land in Rafah near Rafah Border Crossing.

The Israeli occupation forces have kept up their actions of collective punishment by continuing to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories and by closing Gaza International Airport and Rafah Border Crossing. On November 25, 2000, the Israeli occupation forces re-closed Al-Karama border crossing on the Palestinian-Jordanian border.