· Nine Palestinians, including a child, killed and
dozens injured;
· Large scale incursions into Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia,
Deir El-Balah, Al-Maghazi, Halhoul and Tammoun;
· Air raids on civilian and security facilities in
heavily populated areas in Gaza and Jabalya;
· Gaza Strip divided into three isolated areas and a
woman from Rafah dies under the siege;
· Dozens of Palestinians arrested.
On
Monday, 11 February, Israeli warplanes and combat helicopters attacked
Al-Saraya security compound in Gaza, which houses the Gaza central prison. The compound and dozens of nearby houses and
civilian facilities were severely damaged. In addition, dozens, including four journalists, were injured.
This
week, Israeli forces invaded areas under the control of the Palestinian
National Authority. The largest invasion
targeted Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Deir El-Balah in the Gaza Strip. Five Palestinians were killed and dozens were
arrested.
Israeli
forces tightened the siege imposed on the OPT. Contrary to Israeli claims that the siege imposed on the OPT was
“eased,” Israeli forces tightened the siege and divided the Gaza Strip into
three isolated areas, causing further deterioration to living conditions in the
Gaza Strip. A woman from Rafah died when
Israeli forces at roadblocks obstructed her access to hospital.
1. Shelling of, and Incursions into, Palestinian
Residential and PNA-Controlled Areas
At
approximately 00:50, Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired an air-to-surface missile
at a water facility in the south of Nablus, in the northern West Bank. Approximately one hour later, they fired
another missile at the governmental compound of the city. A member of the Palestinian National Security
Forces, Ra’ed Talal Ya’qoub Tahhan, 27, from Gaza, was injured by shrapnel in
the back. In addition, 15 Palestinians
sustained bruises while trying to escape and the water tank and the compound
were damaged.
At
approximately 20:00, an Israeli combat helicopter fired an air-to-surface
missile at the headquarters of the Palestinian General Intelligence Service and
Military Intelligence Service in Nablus, causing severe damage, but no
casualties were reported.
At approximately 04:00, Israeli occupation forces,
reinforced with 15 tanks, two armored personnel carriers, and two bulldozers
and supported by a helicopter, moved into Tammoun village, under full control
of the Palestinian National Authority in the northern Jordan Valley. They seized parts of the village and shelled
Palestinian houses. Ten Palestinians
were injured:
1) Bassel Mahmoud Bisharat, 13, injured by a live bullet
in the left thigh;
2) Bassam Mahmoud Bisharat, 18, injured by a live bullet
in the left thigh;
3) Mohammed Khader Bisharat, 23, injured by a live
bullet in the abdomen;
4) Mohammed Nasser Bisharat, 20, injured by a live
bullet in the left thigh;
5) Samer Nouri Bani ‘Oudeh, 19, injured by a live bullet
in the left thigh;
6) Bassel Ahmed Bani ‘Oudeh, 18, injured by a live
bullet in the right leg;
7) Bassem Mohammed Bisharat, 20, injured by a live
bullet in the left thigh;
8) Isma’il Ibrahim Bisharat, 19, injured by a live
bullet in the abdomen;
9) Yousef Ibrahim Bisharat, 17, injured by two live
bullets in the thighs; and
10) Rasoul ‘Abdel-‘Azziz Bisharat, 14, injured by two
live bullets in the right hand and the left leg.
Israeli forces also arrested eight Palestinians,
including three brothers, seized ten houses, and uprooted around 150 olive
trees.
At approximately 22:00, Israeli occupation forces
positioned west of Tulkarm shelled Palestinian houses in the city. Two spouses were injured while at home:
1) Fayez Saber Jaber, 27, injured by a live bullet in
the right forearm; and
2) Tha’era Hikmat Jaber, 23, five months pregnant,
injured by a live bullet in the right shoulder.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupation forces,
reinforced with five tanks, five armored personnel carriers, and jeeps, moved
into the Public Housing neighborhood in the north of Nablus. In the meantime, Israeli special forces,
supported by three helicopters, thrust approximately 200m into PNA-controlled
areas in the north of the city. On their
way, they destroyed a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces. A Palestinian civilian, Fahmi Mohammed Hazim
Sweikat, 43, from ‘Askar village, father of seven children, died from a heart
attack. According to eyewitnesses,
Israeli forces besieged his house and opened fire in all directions. Palestinian security men and gunmen
confronted the invading Israeli forces. Five Palestinians, including a civilian, Walid Hussein ‘Atteya, 31, from
‘Askar refugee camp, were injured.
At approximately 19:00, Israeli F-16 fighter jets
fired two air-to-surface missiles at Ansar security compound in Gaza. The first missile hit a site used by the
Palestinian National Security Forces. The site, which was also shelled earlier this month, was severely
damaged. The second missile fell onto a
space between a site of the Palestinian Presidential Guard (Force 17) and a
site of the Naval Police, causing severe damage to the two buildings. Dozens of Palestinian houses, civilian
facilities, and offices of ministries and Arab and international representative
offices were damaged, including:
1) the Jordanian representative office;
2) the United Nations Special Coordinator Office (UNSCO)
– two employees were injured;
3) offices of the Ministry of Planning and International
Cooperation;
4) offices of a society for the handicapped;
5) Sheikh Zayed mosque; and
6) dozens of houses.
In addition, more than 20 Palestinians were slightly
injured by shrapnel and dozens were terrified and shocked.
At approximately 21:10, an Israeli combat helicopter
fired seven missiles at a metal workshop in a heavily populated area in
Jabalya. Five missiles exploded while
the other two did not. The
950-square-meter workshop is owned by Yassin Nemer El-Madhoun. The workshop was destroyed and a number of
nearby houses and civilian institutions were severely damaged:
1) a private school owned by Rushdi and Fahmi Mohammed
Dhumeida;
2) the building of Palestine Bank;
3) a three-story house owned by sons of Rabi’ Mohammed
Dhumida; and
4) a four-story house owned by Dhib Mustafa Dhumeida.
Less than 30 minutes later, an Israeli combat
helicopter fired two missiles at a metal workshop that occupies the first floor
of a four-story house, in which 39 people live, owned by Jihad Muhareb Abu
Habel and brothers, in Jabalya refugee camp. Internal walls of the workshop were destroyed and its equipment was
severely damaged. The building itself
was also severely damaged. In addition,
five Palestinian civilians were injured, including:
1) Mohammed Salman Nassar, 13, seriously injured by
shrapnel in the left eye, which he lost, and other parts of the body;
2) Mjdi Husni Abu ‘Eita, 17, injured by shrapnel in the
face, the right hand and the left leg; and
3) Ussama Husni Abu ‘Eita, 21, injured by shrapnel in
the left leg and the head.
In addition, nine houses and some cars were
damaged.
At approximately 04:00, Israeli forces, reinforced
with 30 armored personnel carriers and a military jeep, moved into the east and
north of Nablus. They shelled a
roadblock of the Palestinian National Security Forces and Palestinian houses in
Public Housing area and Balata and ‘Askar refugee camps. Israeli forces thrust approximately 2km into
PNA-controlled areas. Iman ‘Omar
El-Dajani, 24, mother of three children, died from a heart attack. According to her family, she was terrified
when Israeli forces shelled Palestinian houses, including hers. At approximately 06:00, Israeli forces
withdrew from the area.
At approximately 11:50, two Israeli combat
helicopters fired four missiles at the headquarters of the Palestinian General Security
(Saraya), which includes Gaza Central Prison and offices of Palestinian
security services. Ten minutes later,
Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired three missiles at the same building. A number of offices were set on fire and some
nearby houses were damaged. Dozens of
Palestinians suffered from shock, while ten were injured by shrapnel, including
four journalists:
1) George Kotcheniak, 54, a photographer for the Denver
Rocky Mountain News, injured by shrapnel in the left hand;
2) Samer Khalil Abu Daqqa, 26, a cameraman for
Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel, injured by shrapnel in the left hand;
3) Mohammed Mahmoud Shabat, 30, a sound technician for
Ramatan media centre in Gaza, injured by shrapnel in the left hand; and
4) Nabil Samih Abu Dayeh, a cameraman for Palestine
Television, injured by shrapnel in the left hand.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces, supported by
helicopters, moved into Halhoul town, north of Hebron. They shelled a roadblock
of the Palestinian National Security Forces and Palestinian houses. A member of the Palestinian National Security
Forces, Tariq Hassan Mohammed El-Hindawi, 22, from Gaza, was killed by Israeli
forces. A metal workshop and a house
were also damaged.
At approximately 06:30, Israeli forces thrust
approximately 2km into agricultural areas east of Jabalya refugee camp. Special
forces raided Palestinian houses and forced their residents to go out in the
bad weather conditions. No further
information has been available due the difficulties in accessing the area.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli tanks and armored
personnel carriers, supported by combat helicopters, moved from “Dogit”
settlement and “Erez” area in the northern Gaza Strip seized control over the
town of Beit Lahia. They raided houses
and arrested a number of Palestinians, including As’ad Mahmoud Abu Halima, 16,
and Sa’id Mahmoud Abu Halima, 18. Israeli forces withdrew from the town at approximately 04:00.
At approximately 01:30, five Israeli tanks moved from
the eastern border of the Gaza Strip into Deir El-Balah. They thrust approximately 700m into the city
and carried out a comprehensive search. During this invasion, Israeli forces fired three flechette weapons
(shells that spray dart-like shrapnel over a wide area) at three members of the
Palestinian National Security Forces who moved to a room adjacent to their
roadblock near the border. The three
were killed. They were identified as:
1) Khaled Abu Sitta, 25, from Zawayda village;
2) Shadi Mustafa El-Hassanat, 25, from Deir El-Balah;
and
3) ‘Abdel-Hakim Sabri El-Hassanat, 41, from Deir
El-Balah.
Israeli forces withdrew from the town at
approximately 04:00. Three hours later,
they invaded the same area again.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces, reinforced
with tanks, armored personnel carriers and helicopters, moved from the eastern
border of the Gaza Strip and “Erez” area in the northern Gaza Strip into the
town of Beit Hanoun. They shelled
Palestinian civilian buildings at the center of the town, including offices of
Fateh and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. A number of Palestinian gunmen confronted the
invading Israeli forces, which fired at them. Amjad Yasser Hamad, 24, from Beit Hanoun, was killed by several live
bullets in the head and the chest. Israeli forces carried out house raids in
the town. They have also arrested more
than 20 Palestinians, all of whom were released later except for:
1) Sharif ‘Aatef ‘Edwan, 20; and
2) Jamil Mohammed Abu Suleiman, 25.
At approximately 08:00, Israeli forces, reinforced
with tanks and bulldozers, thrust approximately 800m into Al-Maghazi refugee
camp in the middle Gaza Strip, under the cover of intensive shelling that
targeted Palestinian houses. They razed
areas of agricultural land:
1) They razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives owned by Mahmoud ‘Eid El-‘Ashi;
2) They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives owned by Ahmed Suleiman Sa’id;
3) They razed a 6-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives and destroyed an irrigation network owned by Erhim
El-Qashtan;
4) They razed a 1.5-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives owned by ‘Aadel Ibrahim Sa’id; and
5) They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives and grapes owned by ‘Ali El-Musaddar.
At approximately 11:00, a number of Palestinian
civilians demonstrated at Salah El-Din Street, north of Jabalya. Israeli forces at the entrance to Beit Hanoun
fired at them, injuring 12:
1) Ibrahim Ahmed Daoud, 14, injured by a live bullet in
the chest;
2) Mohammed Hisham El-Da’our, 12, injured in the left
foot;
3) Majed Mohammed Shahin, 18, injured by two live
bullets in the right thigh and hand;
4) Younis El-Kafarna, 22, injured by a live bullet in
the left leg;
5) Mahmoud ‘Aadel ‘Oukal, 14, injured by shrapnel from a
live bullet in the left hand;
6) Zakaria Mohammed Shehada, 35, injured by two live
bullets in the legs;
7) Radwan Mohammed ‘Awwad, 22, injured by shrapnel from
live bullets throughout the body;
8) Ahmed Hamad, 19, injured by a live bullet in the left
leg;
9) Amin Abu ‘Oudeh, 12, injured by a live bullet in the
left foot;
10) Mohammed ‘Aqel, 10, injured by shrapnel from live
bullets;
11) Bilal Abu Lehia, 10, injured by shrapnel from live
bullets; and
12) Saleh ‘Asalia, 12, injured by shrapnel from live
bullets throughout the body.
At approximately 13:00, Salem Mousa Abu Shinnar, 30,
a member of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service, was killed in an
exchange of fire with Israeli forces positioned at the entrance to Beit
Hanoun.
At approximately 18:30, Israeli forces withdrew from
Beit Hanoun and its entrance, but remained north and east of the town.
2. A Child Killed by Israeli Police
On
Friday, 8 February, Samer Ziad Suleiman Abu Mayala, 14, from Al-Thawri
neighborhood in occupied east Jerusalem, was killed by the Israeli police,
which arrested him near “Armon Hanatsiv” settlement in the occupied city. A spokesman of the Israeli police claimed
that Abu Mayala died from a heart failure, but later it was clear that he
received a live bullet in the buttocks which settled in the abdomen.
According
to investigations carried out by LAW – the Palestinian Society for the
Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, at approximately 13:30 on 8
February, while three Palestinian children were having a picnic in the “Peace
Forest” near Jabal Al-Mukabber neighborhood, residents of Al-Thawri
neighborhood heard sounds of shooting. Then, they saw three children running and a number of Israeli policemen
were chasing them. One of the children,
Ahmed Salah El-Shweiki, 14, was wounded by a live bullet in the foot and he was
arrested together with another child. They were seen lying on the ground and many Israeli policemen
surrounding them. In the evening, the
Israeli radio in Arabic said according to a spokesman of the Israeli police
that four Palestinian boys were arrested after they had stabbed a Jewish
settler and that one of the boys died from a heart failure.
On
Sunday evening, 10 February, the Israeli police stated that Abu Mayala was
killed by a live bullet, contrary to what was mentioned by the spokesman of the
Israeli police on Friday that he died from a heart failure upon his
arrest. This statement preceded the
autopsy of Abu Mayala’s body on Sunday evening. The autopsy was carried out at the Israeli Legal Medicine Institute in
Jaffa and Dr. Jalal El-Jabri, representative of the family, was present.
According
to the family, a physician informed them that their son was killed by a live
bullet that entered the buttocks and settled in the abdomen. It caused a serious hemorrhage. A representative of the Israeli police came
to the institute and he was informed of the cause of the victim’s death. He informed his superiors, who declared the
results before the autopsy was concluded.
3. Shooting at Palestinian Civilians
At
noon, a number of Palestinian school children demonstrated near the office of
the Palestinian President on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah. Israeli forces positioned in the area fired
rubber-coated metal bullets at the demonstrators, wounding three:
1) Fadi Karim El-Asmar, 13, from Al-Bireh, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the back;
2) Mousa Hassan El-Khawaja, 12, from Bitounia, wounded
by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the head; and
3) Isma’il Ahmed Khalaf, 15, from Abu Dis, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the face.
Israeli forces chased El-Asmar after he had been
wounded. They detained him for half an
hour, during which he was severely beaten by Israeli soldiers.
At
approximately 13:00, Palestinian civilians organized a demonstration near the
office of the Palestinian President on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah. Israeli forces positioned in the area fired
live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas
canisters at the demonstrators, wounding six:
1) Nasser Barakat ‘Askar, 24, wounded by a tear gas canister
that caused burns in the face and the hands;
2) Ashraf Mohammed Khassib, 23, wounded by a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the head;
3) ‘Omar Mohammed Shabana, 26, wounded by a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the left hand;
4) ‘Arafat Mahmoud Zayed, 20, wounded by a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the back;
5) Sultan Mohammed El-Kasawani, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated
metal bullet in the right foot; and
6) Daoud Ghazi ‘Abdullah, 18, wounded by a rubber-coated metal
bullet in the left hand.
7) Saber Ahmed Musleh, 18, wounded by a live bullet in the
chin.
In the evening, Mhamoud Mohammed Kabaja, 29, from
Rafah, was pronounced dead from a wound he received on 3 February. He was seriously wounded by a live bullet in
the head fired by Israeli forces positioned near Salah El-Din Gate at the
Egyptian border, south of Rafah.
In the morning, Taha Rebhi Taha Abu Sneineh, 22, from
Hebron, was pronounced dead at a Jordanian hospital from a wound received on 7
October 2001. Abu Sneineh was seriously
wounded by a live bullet in the neck when Israeli forces fired at a civilian
car in Hebron. A Palestinian civilian
was killed and four were wounded, including Abu Sneineh.
At
approximately 15:00, a number of Palestinian boys demonstrated near the office
of the Palestinian President on Al-Ersal Street in Ramallah. Israeli forces positioned in the area fired
rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas at the demonstrators, wounding four:
1) Khaled Ibrahim Nahla, 12, from Qaddoura refugee camp,
wounded by rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg;
2) Mohammed Hani ‘Azziz, 11, from Al-Bireh, wounded by a
rubber-coated metal bullet in the left leg;
3) ‘Omar Mahmoud Sadiq, 17, from Beit Rima village,
wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet in the right hand; and
4) Ayman Mahmoud Jouhar, 18, from Beit Liqia village,
wounded by two rubber-coated metal bullets in the left leg and the right hand.
4. Arrests
This week, Israeli occupation forces arrested
a number of Palestinians. The arrests
took place in the following circumstances:
1. At international border crossings, under the control
of Israeli occupation forces.
2. At Israeli military roadblocks on main and branch
roads at the entrances to Palestinian cities and villages.
3. In Palestinian towns and villages, often during house
raids.
4. During incursions into Palestinian controlled areas.
The following are significant arrests that took place
this week:
At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces raided a
building, which serves as a dormitory for students of Bir Zeit University. They forced all students to get out and kept
them outside for several hours. Then,
they arrested two:
1) Muhannad ‘Omar Shahin, 20, from Hebron; and
2) Mohammed ‘Abdel-Karim Thabet, 21, from Ramallah.
At approximately 17:00, Israeli forces arrested a
10-year-old from Jalazoun refugee camp. They took him to a building they had already seized in Ramallah. There he was severely beaten. It is not known whether he was released.
Israeli forced invaded Al-Ram village, north of
Jerusalem, and arrested five Palestinians:
1) Mohammed Mahmoud Ghazawna, 38;
2) Jamil Bassem Ramia, 23;
3) Amir ‘Ali El-Za’tari, 14;
4) Ahmed Musleh El-Salayma, 13; and
5) Mahmoud Musleh El-Salayma, 14.
In the afternoon, Israeli forces positioned west of
Tulkarm arrested a 17-year-old Palestinian girl who suffers from psychological
disturbances. According to her father,
‘Aatef Hassan Abu Zeina, he was informed that his daughter Nisreen was arrested
by Israeli forces. He informed the
Palestinian liaison forces in order to check on her whereabouts. At approximately 20:00, he was informed that
she was arrested while carrying a knife and moving towards Israeli
soldiers.
*****
PCHR calls:
1. Upon governments that participated in the World
Conference Against Racism in Durban
in South
Africa to adopt crucial decisions condemning practices by Israel in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories, which amount to inhumane acts under the crime
of apartheid, as defined in international law.
2. Upon the international community to provide immediate
and independent international protection for Palestinian civilians in the
Occupied Palestinian Territories.
3. Upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth
Geneva Convention of 1949 to reconvene in order to take effective measures to
protect Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in
accordance with their obligations under Article 1.
4. Upon the international community to investigate and
prosecute before international courts, and in accordance with international
standards, those believed to have committed war crimes in the Occupied
Palestinian Territories.
5. Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence, expand its
activities, and intensify its field observations throughout the Occupied
Palestinian Territories.
6. Upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the
Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect
human rights.
7. Upon the international community to provide
humanitarian and medical assistance for the Palestinian people, whose living
conditions continue to deteriorate as a result of the continued siege imposed
by Israeli occupation forces on the entire Occupied Palestinian Territories.
