· 11 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including a
journalist, killed by Israeli occupying
forces
· Israeli F-16 fighter jets destroy a house and a
workshop in the Gaza Strip
· Continued Israeli incursions into Palestinian areas,
many Palestinians arrested and public and private properties destroyed
· Israeli forces raze large areas of Palestinian
agricultural land in the Gaza Strip
· Continued strict siege on the OPT
Israeli occupying forces have continued their full-scale
offensive in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), killing more
Palestinians, destroying public and private property and violating fundamental
rights of Palestinian civilians, including the right to free movement, medical
treatment, food, education and work. They have maintained control over most of the West Bank, imposing a
curfew on about 1.5 million Palestinians. This week, Israeli occupying forces encroached into more Palestinian
areas, killing a number of Palestinians and destroying some public and private
facilities using tanks and warplanes. 11
Palestinians, including 10 civilians, one of whom is a journalist, were killed
by Israeli occupying forces during this week.
In a continuation of the assassination policy officially
adopted by the Israeli government against Palestinian activists and political
leaders, on Sunday, 14 July, Israeli occupying forces carried out an
assassination attempt in Khan Yunis, when an Israeli F-16 fighter jet launched
two missiles at a house, targeting five allegedly wanted Palestinians. No casualties were reported, but the houses
and adjacent houses were severely damaged. An Israeli military spokesman
claimed that the attack targeted a factory, that makes mortars, in order to
destroy it and kill the owner’s son who manages it.
On Wednesday, 17 July, an
Israeli F-16 fighter jet attacked a turnery workshop in al-Maghazi refugee camp
in the central Gaza Strip, completely destroying it and severely damaging an
adjacent workshop.
In incidents of willful
killing, this week, Israeli occupying forces shot dead three Palestinians in
Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip and Nablus in the West Bank. On Thursday, 11 July, Israeli occupying
forces moved into Deir al-Balah and raided houses. They mounted the roof of a house they sized,
from which they fired at Palestinians, killing a 17-year old civilian who was
near his house, and a policeman. The
two bled to death as Israeli occupying forces denied them access to medical
care.
On Sunday, 14 July, Israeli
occupying forces that were re-imposing curfew on Nablus and its refugee camps
opened fire at Palestinian houses and civilians. A 24-year-old Palestinian civilian from
Balata refugee camp was killed by a live bullet in the neck.
As part of the Israeli policy of targeting local
and foreign journalists and reporters working in the OPT, Israeli occupying
forces opened fire at a number of Palestinian journalists in Jenin, who were
filming an Israeli offensive on the West Bank town. Two journalists were wounded, one of whom
died from his wound the following day.
Israeli
occupying forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT in a
collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
Israeli forces have separated Palestinian areas, transforming
them into cantons, violating economic, social and cultural rights of
Palestinian civilians. More than 1.5 million Palestinians have been under
a curfew imposed by Israeli occupying forces. Palestinian civilians who try to move from one area to another in the
West Bank when curfews are lifted are subject to humiliation and shooting by
Israeli occupying forces at military checkpoints and roadblocks. In Nablus, secondary schools students have
still not been able to attend final exams of the General Certificate of
Education (Tawjihi), although these exams ended two weeks ago in other
areas. This may delay declaring results
of these exams in the whole West Bank, which may affect students’ ability to
apply for universities on time. In the
Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, 16 July, Israeli occupying forces closed Abu Houli and
al-Matahen military checkpoints, north of Khan Yunis, on Salah al-Din
Street. They blocked many cars between
the two checkpoints, including an UNRWA bus carrying students on their way to
Gaza. Israeli soldiers forced
Palestinian civilians to get out of cars and checked them. Then, they detained about 30 civilians,
including about 26 students of the UNRWA Vocational Training Center in
Gaza. 9 students were taken to an
Israeli military location where they were interrogated. They were all released, except one who
remained in custody by Israeli occupying forces.
This report covers Israeli violations against
Palestinian civilians in the OPT during the period 11-17 July 2002.
At approximately 13:30, Israeli occupying forces, positioned
at the eastern border of the Gaza Strip east of Beit Hanoun, fired three
artillery shells at children from the family of Abu Salah who were playing on
their farm approximately 600m to the west. ‘Eid Sa’id Fahmi Abu Salah, 17, was wounded by shrapnel in the right
hand, the face, the chest and the neck. He was taken to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza where the fingers of his right hand
were amputated. According to his brother
who was accompanying him, Israeli occupying forces first fired two artillery
shells at them for no apparent reason. They all escaped towards an agricultural pool. Then, Israeli forces fired a third artillery
shell wounding Abu Salah.
In an apparent willful
killing and explicit excessive use of force, at midnight, Israeli occupying
forces shot dead two Palestinians in Deir al-Balah during an incursion into the
town. According to PCHR’s investigation,
at approximately midnight, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy
military vehicles, moved approximately 3km into the southeast of Deir
al-Balah. They raided houses in Heker
al-Jame’ area and arrested three Palestinians: Yasser Abu Sakher, 32; Jalal Abu
Rikab, 38; and ‘Abdul Rahim ‘Abdul Qader Abu Houli, 30. Abu Saker and Abu Rikab were released two
hours later, while Abu Houli remained in custody by Israeli occupying
forces. Then, Israeli forces mounted the
roof of the house of Nazhmi Mahmoud Baraka and fired at every moving
object. A young Palestinian man, Mo’ein
‘Ali al-‘Odeini, 18, was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head, while
he was near his house, approximately 70m away from Baraka’s house. He bled to death as ambulances were denied
access to the area. Meanwhile, Israeli
occupying forces opened fire for no apparent reason at five members of the
Palestinian Naval Police who were patrolling in al-Berka area. A policeman, Jamal al-Khatib, 22, was
seriously wounded by a live bullet in the abdomen. He bled to death as no one was able to offer
him help. The other four policemen and a
civilian were also wounded:
1. Ahmed Mohammed Abu Jarad, 21, seriously wounded by a
live bullet in the chest;
2. Dhiaa’ Hammuda Hamad, 23, wounded by a live bullet in
the pelvis;
3. Muhannad ‘Aatef Abu Nasser, 22,
wounded by a live bullet in the forehead;
4. Khaled Salama Khattab, 33, wounded by a live bullet
in the left leg; and
5. Ayman
Mohammed ‘Awad, 20, wounded by a live bullet in the left leg
while he was inside his house.
A PCHR’s field officer in
the area reported that Israeli tanks destroyed a 6-donum area of agricultural
land planted with olives and a greenhouse owned by Salim and Farhan Mohammed
Abu Salim in Heker al-Jame’ area. They
also destroyed three electricity pillars cutting electricity from the area for
one day.
Attacks on Journalists
As part of their systematic policy of targeting local and foreign
journalists and reporters working in the OPT, Israeli occupying forces opened
fire at a number of Palestinian journalists in Jenin, who were filming an
Israeli offensive on the West Bank town. At approximately 15:30 on Thursday, 11 July, two tanks and an armored
personnel carrier of Israeli occupying forces moved into Jenin when the curfew
imposed on the city was temporarily lifted. A group of Palestinian children
threw stones at the Israeli military vehicles. A number of Palestinian journalists were filming the Israeli incursion
into the town. Soon, Israeli soldiers on
a tank opened fire at the journalists, wounding two:
1. ‘Emad Subhi Abu Zahra, 30,
director of al-Nakhil Office for Media and Press in Jenin, wounded by a heavy
caliber bullet in the right thigh that cut an artery; and
2. Sa’id Shawqi al-Dahla, 27, a photographer of the
Palestinian News Agency (Wafa), wounded by a live bullet in the left leg.
Abu Zahra underwent a
5-hour surgery at hospital. He was
pronounced dead the following day.
At approximately 02:00, a
number of Israeli occupying soldiers coming from “Gani Tal” settlement, northwest of Khan Yunis, stole 70m into
al-Rabwat area, east of the settlement. They raided and searched the house of Shu’aib ‘Abed Rabbu
al-‘Adini. They arrested his two sons,
Shadi, 19, and ‘Ammar, 18.
At approximately 19:00
Israeli occupying
forces, positioned at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at
Palestinian houses in al-Salam neighborhood adjacent to the border. A woman, Siddiqa Ussama al-Ghoul, 39, was
seriously wounded by a live bullet in the head, while she was near her
house.
At approximately 22:30,
Israeli occupying forces opened fire at Palestinian houses in Jenin. Two Palestinian civilians were wounded:
1. Zayed Khaled al-Dis, 37, wounded by shrapnel in the
right forearm; and
2. ‘Ezzat Wasef ‘Ezzat, 17, wounded by
shrapnel in the right hand and the abdomen.
At approximately 02:00,
Israeli occupying forces moved into Maithalun village, east of Jenin. They raided houses and arrested three
Palestinians, a man and his brother and son:
1. Fa’ed Ahmed Mohammed No’eirat, 34;
2. Farahat Ahmed Mohammed No’eirat, 42; and
3. Mohammed Farahat Ahmed No’eirat, 21.
At approximately 05:00,
Israeli heavy military vehicles, covered by intense shelling, moved
approximately 700m into al-Qarara village, northwest of Khan Yunis. Israeli tanks destroyed areas of Palestinian
agricultural land:
1- They destroyed a 2-donum area of agricultural land
planted with okras and peppers, and an irrigation network owned by ‘Abdul Hadi al-Astal.
2- They destroyed a 1-donum area of agricultural land
planted with peppers, and an irrigation network owned by Younis Hussein
al-Astal.
3- They destroyed a 2.5-donum area of agricultural land
planted with peppers, and an irrigation network owned by ‘Abdul Karim al-Astal.
A number of houses were
damaged by Israeli gunfire. A heavy
caliber bullet also hit the motor of a tractor owned by Ghassan Jamil Killab,
damaging it.
At approximately 23:30,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with a tank and an armored military
bulldozer, moved approximately 200m into Palestinian agricultural land, west of ‘Kfar Darom” settlement in
the east of Deir al-Balah. They razed
areas of agricultural land:
1. They razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives, and destroyed an irrigation network and an iron-made
penthouse owned by Hussein Mohammed al-Louh.
2. They razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives owned by Maher Suleiman Abu Salim.
3. They razed a 500-square-meter area of agricultural
land planted with olives and palms owned by Khalil Abu Baraka.
At approximately 11:00,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with a tank and an armored military
bulldozer, moved approximately 100m into Palestinian agricultural land south of “Kfar Darom”
settlement, east of Deir al-Balah. They
razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land planted with okras and uprooted four
fruit trees owned by Jaber ‘Abdul Dayem Baraka.
In the morning, Israeli
occupying forces lifted the curfew imposed on Nablus and its refugee camp from
08:00 to 17:00. At approximately 16:00,
Israeli forces re-imposed the curfew on the area, an hour before the time they
first decided. They opened fire at
Palestinian houses and civilians. A
Palestinian civilians, Ghazi Jamal Abu ‘Ebaya, 24, from Balata refugee camp,
was killed by a live bullet in the neck. According to eyewitnesses, an Israeli military jeep tried to run over
his body when he was shot. When another
civilian tried to pull him away, the jeep tried to run him over as well. He sustained fractures and bruises.
At approximately 13:30,
Israeli occupying forces broke into offices of Palnet computer company in
Masrouji building. Services provided by
the company, including internet services, were cut for 24 hours. The company provides internet services for
more than 75% of the internet users in Palestine. Israeli forces arrested and interrogated 5
employees. Four of them were released
later, while the fifth remained in custody by Israeli forces.
At approximately 10:30,
Israeli occupying soldiers on tanks and armored personnel carriers fired
flaring sound bombs at a 5-story apartment building at Habla-Qalqilya
road. Fire broke out into the first
floor, which serves as a tricot workshop. Fire engines and ambulances moved towards the area, but Israeli forces
obstructed their arrival on time. The
body of Mahmoud Samir Hilal, 22, was found burnt inside the workshop.
At approximately 11:00,
Israeli occupying forces razed a 4-donum area of Palestinian agricultural land
planted with vegetables owned by Suleiman Abu Halima, south of “Dogit” settlement
in the north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. This tract of land is located near the buffer
zone Israeli occupying forces are establishing south of the aforementioned
settlement.
At approximately 12:00,
Israeli occupying forces moved into Nimra, Dhahdah, Abu Ekteila and al-Jilda
neighborhoods in Hebron. They raided and
searched houses. Israeli forces forced 7
families living in a 4-story apartment building out and seized it. They also seized a building that serves as meeting hall for the family
of Mujahed. Additionally, Israeli forces
arrested three Palestinians:
1. ‘Eissa Khairi al-Ja’bari,
40;
2. Firas Mohammed Imam, 20; and
3. ‘Azmi Ya’qoub al-Ja’ba,
45.
At approximately 02:00,
Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with tanks and armored personnel carriers,
moved into Jaba’ village, southeast of Jenin. They arrested 4 Palestinians:
1. Nu’man ‘Aabdullah ‘Aalwna, 27;
2. Mujahed ‘Ajaj ‘Aalwna, 32;
3. Ziad ‘Ajaj ‘Alawna, 40; and
4. Mahmoud Ridha Abu ‘Oun, 35.
At approximately 11:00,
Israeli heavy military vehicles moved approximately 300m into Palestinian
agricultural land west of a settler road linking between al-Maentar crossing
and al-Shuhada junction, south of Gaza City. Until approximately 19:00 on the following day, Israeli occupying forces
razed and destroyed areas of Palestinian agricultural land:
1. They razed and destroyed a 7-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, palms and citrus, and an irrigation network and well owned by
Bader Younis Khalil Sabra (this area is a part of a 48-donum area of
agricultural land, 28 donums of which were razed on 10 July)
2. They razed and destroyed a 10-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives, and an irrigation network owned by ‘Ouda Sa’ad al-Ghefari (this
area is a part of a 100-donum area of agricultural land, 18 donums of which
were razed on 10 July).
3. They razed and destroyed an 8-donum area of
agricultural land planted with olives and citrus owned by Nemer Mohammed
Shuheiber and brothers (this area is a part of a 120-donum area of agricultural
land, 20 donums of which were razed on 10 July).
4. They razed a 4-donum area of agricultural land
planted with olives, and destroyed two rooms and a water pump owned by Khaled
Rezeq al-Ghefari.
At approximately 13:10
Israeli occupying forces fired at a number of Palestinian civilians who were
near their houses in al-Salam Street in Hebron. Rebhi Sadiq Nairukh, 21, was seriously wounded by a live bullet in the left eye. Israeli occupying forces claimed that they
fired at civilians because they violated the curfew imposed on the town.
At approximately 14:10,
Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of “Neve Dekalim” settlement,
west of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Nimsawi
neighborhood. No casualties were
reported, but houses were further damaged.
At approximately 17:00, an
undercover unit of the so-called “Border Guard” of Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with
heavy military vehicles, coming from “Homesh” settlement, northwest of Nablus,
moved into Seilat al-Zhaher village. They surrounded a deserted house in the center of the village. Then, Israeli occupying forces opened fire
intensely at the house, wounding Bashar Bassem al-Hantuli, 18, who was on the
roof, with a live bullet in the pelvis. When Hantul fell onto the ground, Israeli soldiers shot him dead with 4
live bullets in the head, the chest, the abdomen and the right knee. Israeli occupying forces resumed firing at
the house, wounding three other men:
1. ‘Aamer Isma’il Hantuli, 26;
2. Ghassan Rateb
Sa’ad, 23; and
3. Samer ‘Aahed Abu Diak, 22.
Israeli occupying forces
arrested the three and took them in a helicopter to an unknown
destination. Then, Israeli occupying
forces destroyed the house. An Israeli
military spokesman said that
a number of Palestinian gunmen confronted a unit of Israeli forces, but
according to eyewitness, the four young men were not armed and Israeli
occupying forces opened fire at them. Later, Israeli forces declared that ‘Aamer Isma’il Hantuli
died.
At approximately 21:00, an
Israeli F-16 fighter jet launched a missile at a 300-square-meter, iron-roofed
turnery workshop owned by Mahmoud Rajab Isma’il, located at Salah al-Din Street
near the entrance to al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. The workshop was completely destroyed. An adjacent marble factory, owned by Majed
Joma’a al-Shaf’ei, was also severely damaged. In addition, a passing Palestinian civilians, Salah ‘Ali Abu Khaled, 40,
was wounded by shrapnel in the right shoulder.
In a continuation of the
assassination policy officially adopted by the Israeli government against Palestinian
activists and political leaders, an Israeli F-16 fighter jet attacked a house
in al-Rabwat area in Khan Yunis, targeting four wanted Palestinians who were
inside. No casualties were reported but
the house was partly destroyed and a number of adjacent houses were severely
damaged.
According to PCHR’s
investigation, at approximately 13:25 on Saunday, 14 July, an Israeli F-16
fighter jets and two helicopters flew over Khan Yunis. The fighter jet launched two missiles at an
uninhibited house owned by ‘Aabdul Rahman Yousef ‘Aabdul Wahab. The first missile missed the target and fell
onto a tract of agricultural land owned by Majdi ‘Abdul al-Hallaq, making a
large pit. As a result, the fence of the
tract of the northern part of the ground floor of ‘Abdul Wahab’s house were
destroyed. The second missile directly
hit the facade, destroying parts of the second and ground floors. According to ‘Abdul Wahab, his son Yousef,
24, who is wanted by Israeli occupying forces, was in the house with four of
his friends. They were all able to escape when the first missile hit the tract
of agricultural land.
An Israeli military
spokesman claimed that the attack targeted a factory, that makes mortars, in
order to destroy it and kill ‘Aabdul Wahab.
Two houses were also
severely damaged:
1. A 180-square-meter, 3-story house, in which 3
families comprising of 7 persons live, owned by heirs of Yousef ‘Abdul Wahab: the northern facade and two bedrooms were
destroyed and windows were broken. A
pregnant woman, Sabah Zuhair ‘Aabdul Wahab, 22, was shocked an injured while
attempting to escape, and her child Yousef, 2, was lightly injured in the hands.
2. A 250-square-meter, 4-story house, in which 4
families comprising 24 persons live, owned by heirs of Isma’il Ahmed al-Dirbashi.
Windows were broken and the roof of an adjacent furniture shop was
destroyed.
In addition, 4 other houses
were lightly damaged and 10 civilians were shocked.
On Wednesday evening, 17
July, a child and a teenager were killed in al-Amari refugee camp in Ramallah,
when a mysterious object exploded. At
approximately 22:00, Fadi Mu’awadh Mohammed al-‘Ejel, 18, from al-Amari refugee
camp and some young men came to the refugee camp, holding a copper pipe,
approximately 40cm long, whose spout was open. Young men in the area warned him that the pipe might be dangerous. He told them that he brought it from the yard
of a school in al-Bireh to sell it. To
prove that it was not dangerous, he moved approximately 70m away from them and
hit it on a wall. It exploded and he was
immediately killed. A 7-year-old child,
Ahmed ‘Abdul Jawad Sa’id Abu Radaha was seriously injured and he died at
hospital. In addition, four Palestinians
were injured, one of them, Hamdan al-Shahbari, was in serious condition.
Israeli occupying forces
had seized control over the aforementioned school and used it as a detention
camp. They withdrew from it only one
week ago.
At approximately 16:00,
Israeli occupying forces at Habla military checkpoint, south of Qalqilya, fired
at a number of Palestinian civilians who were walking on a branch road in
Qalqilya valley, approximately 200m away, seriously wounding 35-year-old Jamal
Yousef Daoud ‘Ouda with a live bullet in the heart. He was pronounced dead on the following
day.
In the afternoon,
35-year-old Mahmoud Hassan Shousha, from Housan village in Bethlehem district,
was pronounced dead in an Israeli hospital. Shousha and Murad Hussein ‘Eissa, 21, from al-Khader village, were seriously
wounded each by a live bullet in the head on Thursday, 3 July 2002, when
Israeli occupying forces fired at them from a close distance while they were
sitting in front of a shop owned by Shousha.
At approximately 19:00,
Israeli occupying forces positioned at the eastern border of the Gaza Strip,
east of Gaza City, fired at Marwan Jamal Khayal, 54, from Gaza, for no apparent
reason, wounding him with a live bullet in the left foot. According to PCHR’s investigation, Khayal was
going from his farm, approximately 800m west of the border, back home. When he was wounded, Israeli occupying forces
moved into the area and arrested and interrogated him. He was released at approximately two hours
later.
In the morning, Israeli
occupying forces closed Abu Houli and al-Matahen military checkpoints, north of
Khan Yunis, on Salah al-Din Street. They
blocked many cars between the two checkpoints, including an UNRWA bus carrying
students on their way to Gaza. Israeli
soldiers forced Palestinian civilians to get out of cars and checked them. Then, they detained about 30 civilians,
including about 26 students of the UNRWA Vocational Training Center in
Gaza. 9 students were taken to an
Israeli military location where they were interrogated. They were all released, except one, ‘Alaa’
Barud, 17, from Rafah, who remained in custody by Israeli occupying
forces.
*****
PCHR calls:
1. Upon the international community to provide immediate and independent
international protection for the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories.
2. 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, to ensure the respect of the Convention.
3. Upon the international community to investigate and prosecute those
believed to have committed war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
before international courts.
4. Upon the ICRC to enhance its presence, expand its activities, and
intensify its field observations throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
5. Upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israeli
Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights.
6. Upon the international community to provide humanitarian and medical
assistance for the Palestinian people, whose living conditions are continuing
to deteriorate as a result of the continued siege imposed by Israeli occupation
forces on the entire Occupied Palestinian Territories.
