· 6 Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli
occupying forces
· Continued Israeli incursions into Palestinian areas
and dozens of Palestinian civilians arrested
· In an apparent willful killing, a Palestinian woman
and her niece killed by Israeli forces
· Continued strict siege on the OPT and new
restrictions at al-Tuffah checkpoint at the entrance to al-Mawasi area in the
Gaza Strip
· Large areas of Palestinian agricultural land razed
and a number of civilians facilities destroyed in the Gaza Strip
After the
full-scale offensive on the West Bank cities that began on 29 March 2002 and
the redeployment of Israeli occupying forces outside these cities, incursions
into parts of the OPT nominally under the control of the Palestinian National
Authority (PNA) have become routine. This week, Israeli forces invaded the West Bank cities of Jenin,
Tulkarm, Qalqilya, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron. Israeli incursions into Palestinian areas did
not provoke any international reaction from either Arab or wider international
circles, unlike the reaction to the full-scale Israeli offensive in April. During these incursions, Israeli occupying
forces kill more Palestinian civilians, detained hundreds in prison camps,
razed large areas of agricultural land and demolished houses and civilian
facilities.
This week,
Israeli occupying forces used excessive force against Palestinian civilians and
shelled Palestinian residential areas. Six Palestinian civilians were killed, including a woman and her
niece. On Thursday, 23 May, a
Palestinian young man was killed when Israeli occupying forces shelled houses
in Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza strip.
On
Saturday, 25 May, in an apparent willful killing, Israeli occupying forces
killed a Palestinian woman and her niece while grazing animals in a Gaza Valley
village, south of Gaza. Israeli forces
opened fire at the two civilians for no apparent reason. Then, Israeli forces moved into the area and
shot at nearby farms. The grass was set
aflame and the bodies of the two civilians were burnt.
On Sunday,
26 May, a Palestinian civilian was killed by Israeli occupying forces during an
Israeli incursion into Tulkarm. On
Tuesday, 28 May, a Palestinian civilian bled to death after he was wounded by
Israeli occupying forces during an Israeli incursion into Jenin.
In another
apparent willful killing, Israeli occupying forces shot dead a Palestinian
civilian from Yatma village in the West Bank while he was on his way back home
from his farm.
In the
Gaza Strip, Israeli forces invaded more PNA-controlled areas this week. On Friday, 24 May, Israeli occupying forces
moved approximately 1200m into al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City and
destroyed a lathe workshop. Seven adjacent
workshops and factories and two houses were also damaged. Israeli forces claim that the workshops they
attack manufacture mortars, but according to PCHR’s investigations, these
workshops were used only for civilian purposes and appeared to have been attacked
as part of a systematic attempt by Israeli forces to strike at Palestinian
infrastructure and economy. On Thursday,
23 May, Israeli occupying forces destroyed 22 commercial stores in Rafah. On Sunday, 26 May, Israeli forces razed more
than 30 donums of agricultural land in the east of Gaza (each donum is 1,000
square meters).
Israeli
occupying forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT in a form
of collective punishment against the Palestinian people. Israeli
forces have separated Palestinian areas, transforming them into cantons. In
the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying forces have divided the strip into three
isolated zones for several weeks. They
have denied access of students to their schools and universities, and employees
to their work places, violating their
economic, social and cultural rights. In
violation of the right to free movement, Israeli occupying forces imposed new
measures at al-Tuffah checkpoint, separating Khan Yunis from nearby al-Mawasi
area. They established facilities to
check “magnetic
cards” that were issued to residents of the area last week. PCHR has received complaints from dozens of
women and children who went out of the area and have not been allowed entry
into the area. This week, three
Palestinian civilians, including a newborn child, died at Israeli military
roadblocks and checkpoints.
At approximately 01:00, Israeli heavy military
vehicles, covered by intense shelling, moved approximately 300m into Qaeshta
neighborhood and Block O area adjacent to the Egyptian border, south of Rafah
in the Gaza strip. During this incursion,
which continued until 03:00, Israeli forces destroyed 22 stores owned by the
Qeshta family. They also severely
damaged five houses:
1.Furniture and
electrical sets of a 150-square-meter, asbestos-roofed house, in which 8 people
live, owned by ‘Abdullah Musbah Mowafi, were severely damaged. Israeli forces also put ruins of the stores
that were demolished in the house.
2.Israeli
forces destroyed the fence of a 200-square-meter, one-story house, in which 15
people live, owned by Ashraf ‘Abdul Karim Suleiman Qaeshta. Three pillars of the house were cracked.
3.Israeli
forces destroyed the fence of a 180-square-meter, one-story house, in which 8
people live, owned by Sa’id Mahmoud Hamad Qeshta. Three pillars of the house cracked.
4.Pillars of a
300-square-meter, three-story, in which 15 people live, owned by Yousef
Mohammed Mahmoud Qeshta.
5.Israeli
forces destroyed the fence and a room of a 180-square-meter, asbestos-roofed
house, in which one person live, owned by Suhaila Suleiman ‘Abdul Hadi
Qeshta.
Four Palestinian civilians were also wounded by
Israeli gunfire:
1. Fida’ Nabil Ziada, 18, seriously wounded by a live
bullet in the head;
2. Mohammed Saleh al-Sidudi, 15, wounded by shrapnel in
the head and the left arm;
3. Hussein Nazhmi Mowafi, 17, wounded by shrapnel in the
right foot; and
4. Faraj ‘Abdul Hai Abu Lebda, 30,
wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen.
In addition, the infrastructure of the area was
severely damaged.
At approximately 02:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with tanks and armored personnel carriers, invaded Seilat al-Harthia
village, west of Jenin in the northern West Bank. They imposed a curfew, and raided and
searched houses. During this invasion,
Israeli forces opened fire at houses, wounding 60-year-old ‘Abdul Karim Najib
Jaradat with a live bullet in the leg, who was on his way to the mosque for the
dawn prayer. Before they withdrew from
the village, Israeli forces also arrested two Palestinians:
1. Shadi Ahmed al-Sa’di, 19; and
2. Amir Mousa Mohye al-Din, 18.
At approximately 18:00, Israeli occupying forces
positioned at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian
houses that had been shelled in the morning. A Palestinian civilian, Bassam Hamad Qeshta, 30, was killed by a live
bullet in the chest. According to PCHR’s
investigation, Qeshta was shot while he was helping his relatives to evacuate
their house after it was damaged by Israeli shelling in the morning.
As part of their policy of targeting Palestinian
civilian facilities and property, Israeli occupying forces destroyed a workshop
in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza, causing severe damage to adjacent workshops
and factories.
According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately
01:00, Israeli heavy military vehicles, covered by intense shelling, moved
approximately 1200m into al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the southeast of Gaza,
coming from a settler road linking al-Shuhada’ junction and al-Mentar crossing,
east of the city. At approximately
03:15, Israeli forces planted bombs in a lathe workshop owned by Ahmed Ibrahim
Mahmoud ‘Aashour and destroyed it. According to the owner, his workshop stood on a 400-square-meter area of
land, was tin-roofed and contained 12 lathes designed for manufacturing
machines that cut marble. Products of
the workshop used to be exported to the West Bank. As a result of the attack, the nine
Palestinian workers working in the workshop were deprived of the primary source
of income. Israeli forces also razed a
4-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and olives owned by
‘Alla’ Nazhmi Dallul. Seven Palestinian
civilians were moved to Shifa’ Hospital in Gaza, suffering from shocks and
bruises while trying to escape from the area.
A number of adjacent workshops and factories were
damaged:
1. A 500-square-meter, tin-roofed workshop for car
painting owned by As’ad Mohammed As’ad al-Aswad:
The eastern part of the workshop was destroyed, and two Mercedes cars
owned by Riad al-Sirhi and ‘Aatef As’ad al-Aswad were severely damaged.
2. A 1500-square-meter factory of domestic gas cylinders
and parts of cooking gas sets, in which 20 persons work, owned by Mousa Ibrahim
Eshteiwi:
§ The northern wall of the factory was bulldozed.
§ The roof and external wall of the factory were
severely damaged.
§ An oven was destroyed.
§ A room for washing metals was destroyed.
§ The electricity network was destroyed.
§ An electrical paint oven was severely damaged.
3. A 300-square-meter, tin-roofed factory of water
pumps, watering facilities and car parts, in which 2 persons work, owned by
Isma’il Mustafa Mohammed al-Zard:
§ The fence of the factory cracked.
§ The roof was damaged.
§ The electricity network was destroyed.
§ An oven was damaged.
4. A 300-square-meter, tin-roofed metal painting
workshop, in which 3 persons work, owned by Khader Mahmoud Tawfiq Abu Shahla:
§ Walls of the workshop cracked.
§ The electricity network was destroyed.
§ An electrical painting machine stopped working.
§ A large amount of raw materials and chemicals were
destroyed.
5. A 450-square-meter, tin-roofed factory of fiber glass
that produces playthings for kindergartens and amusement places, in which 8
persons work, owned by Khamis Jasser ‘Abdullah Hasaballah:
§ Walls of the factory cracked.
§ The roof was severely damaged.
§ The electricity and water networks were destroyed.
§ A 300-square-meter workshop that belongs to the
factory was severely damaged.
6. A 650-square-meter, two-story commercial building
owned by Khaled and Hassan Yousef ‘Abdul Qader al-Sirhi:
§ The southern façade of the second floor cracked.
§ Nine iron doors of stores were destroyed.
§ Four internal doors were destroyed.
7. A 650-square-meter, three-story carpentry workshop
owned by Muhsen Yousef ‘Abdul Qader al-Sirhi:
§ The southern façade of the building cracked.
§ Doors of all stores were destroyed.
§ All windows were broken.
§ Some furniture made in the workshop was destroyed.
§ A number of machines stopped working.
8. A 1000-square-meter, tin–roofed factory of painting
materials, in which two persons work, owned by Mohammed Mohammed Ibrahim
al-Sharif:
§ The roof and external walls were severely damaged.
§ The electricity network was damaged.
§ A number of windows were broken.
In addition, two houses, approximately 500m away from ‘Aashour’s workshop, were
damaged:
1. A number of
windows and doors of a 400-square-meter, two-story house, in which 6 people
live, owned by ‘Abed ‘Ali Mohammed Dallul, were broken.
2. A number of
windows and doors of a 400-square-meter, two-story house, in which 7 people
live, owned by Mustafa ‘Ali Mohammed Dallul, were broken.
At approximately 15:00, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with heavy military vehicles and covered by intense shelling,
invaded and seized complete control over Tulkarm and its two refugee camps,
Tulkarm and Nour Shams. An artillery
shell hit a flat in al-Dhabe’ building in the west of the city, owned by Hassan
Mahmoud Hassan Jamil, 33. Israeli forces
fired the shell from an area approximately 300m away from the building. The flat’s owner, his wife, Hanadi Mohammed
‘Abdul Rahim Da’bas, 30, and their four children, aged 1-9, were wounded by
shrapnel.
In an apparent willful killing, Israeli occupying
forces killed a Palestinian woman and her niece while they were grazing animals
in Gaza Valley village, southeast of Gaza.
According to PCHR’s investigation and eyewitnesses’
testimonies, at approximately 16:00, Kamal Saleh Suleiman Abu ‘Oleyan, 40, and
her niece Anwar ‘Oleyan Saleh Abu Sa’id, 12, were grazing animals approximately
400m away from the eastern border of the Gaza Strip, east of Gaza Valley
village. Suddenly and for no apparent
reason, Israeli occupying forces at the border opened fire at the area. The two Palestinian civilians were wounded by
live bullets. Then, a tank and an
infantry unit moved approximately 200m into the area. They opened fire at farms in the area,
causing grass to catch aflame and burning the two wounded civilians. Five ambulances moved to the area upon a call
by the child’s brother who saw the incident from a distance, but they were not
able to reach the wounded due to intense gunfire from Israeli occupying
forces. At approximately 19:00, Israeli
forces withdrew from the area and ambulances were able to reach the two
victims, but they found them totally burnt.
At approximately 20:30, 20 Israeli tanks, supported
by helicopters and covered by intense shelling, invaded Bethlehem. They imposed a curfew on large areas in the
city. Then, Israeli occupying forces
seized a building and surrounded the house of Mohammed Shehada in Wadi Ma’ali
area. They called through loudspeakers
at Shehada and his family, comprised of his wife and four children, to exit the
house and surrender. Israeli forces
withdrew from the city at approximately 04:00 on the following day after they
terrified Palestinian civilians and without making arrests.
In the afternoon, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with dozens of tanks and armored personnel carriers and covered by
intense shelling, invaded Tulkarm in the West Bank. A Palestinian civilian, Asa’d Ibrahim
al-Qutob, 57, was killed by a live bullet in the head. At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces opened
fire at al-Qutob’s house. When he was trying
to move from his room to a more secure place inside the house, he was hit by a
live bullet in the head.
At approximately 23:20, Israeli occupying forces,
accompanied by a bulldozer, coming from the eastern border of the Gaza Strip,
moved approximately 400m into the east of Gaza City. Immediately, an Israeli bulldozer demolished
a site used by the
Palestinian National Security Force, and razed large areas of Palestinian
agricultural land:
1. It razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted
with vegetables and olives owned by Mahzhia Hassan Mohammed Muheisen.
2. It razed a
1-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and olives owned by
Mohammed Mohammed ‘Abdullah Muheisen.
3. It razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted
with vegetables and olives owned by Sha’ban Mohammed ‘Abdullah Muheisen.
4. It razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted
with vegetables and olives owned by Rebhi Hassan ‘Ali Jindia.
5. It razed a
1-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and olives owned by ‘Abdul Hadi Mohammed ‘Ali ‘Ayad.
6. It razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted
with vegetables and olives owned by Mahdi Mohammed ‘Ali ‘Ayad.
7. It razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted
with vegetables and olives owned by ‘Ali Mohammed ‘Ali ‘Ayad.
8. It razed a 1-donum area of agricultural land planted
with vegetables and olives owned by Hussein Mansour ‘Ali Hamattu.
9. It razed a 2-donum area of agricultural land planted
with vegetables and olives owned by Rezeq Mansour ‘Ali Hamattu.
10. It razed a
1-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and olives owned by
Mohammed Yousef Muhsen.
11. It razed a
4-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and olives owned by
Farah Daoud and brothers.
12. It razed a
4-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables and olives owned by ‘Ali Sa’di Hamdi Hamdi
Hamattu.
13. It razed a
1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Sa’id Yousef
Ahmed al-Mughanni.
14. It razed a
1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Mahmoud Kamel
Ibrahim al-Mughanni.
15. It razed a
1-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by ‘Abdul Karim Ibrahim
al-Mughanni.
16. It razed a
4-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Bashir Salem
Daoud.
17. It razed a
4-donum area of agricultural land planted with olives owned by Mudallala Salem
Muheisen.
18. It razed a
1-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables owned by Diab Yousef
Ahmed al-Mughanni.
19. It razed a
4-donum area of agricultural land planted with vegetables owned by Salama Sa’id
‘Abdullah Jindia.
At approximately 04:30, Israeli occupying forces
invaded the Bethlehem area again. They
seized complete control over the towns of Bethlehem, Beit Jala, and Beit Sahur,
as well as al-Duha
village and al-Duheisha refugee camp. They raided Palestinian houses, especially in al-Dheisha refugee camp
and the centre of Bethlehem. Israeli
forces, accompanied by interrogators, raided the house of Mousa Hammash,
father-in-law of Ahmed al–Mughrabi, a Fatah activist wanted by Israeli
forces. They interrogated al-Mughrabi’s
wife and humiliated residents of the house. During the Israeli invasion of al-Duheisha refugee camp, two Palestinian
children were wounded by Israeli gunfire:
1. ‘Abdullah Ibrahim ‘Abdullah al-‘Eissa, 15, seriously
wounded by a live bullet that cut an artery in the right thigh; and
2. Nazir Ibrahim ‘Abdullah al-‘Eissa, 15, wounded by a
live bullet in the left hand.
In addition, during the Israeli invasion, a number of
houses were damaged. Israeli forces also
seized an UNRWA school and Araras building. They raided offices of Bethlehem 2000 Radio and destroyed the doors and
furniture. They also confiscated a
broadcasting set, cutting off broadcasts of the radio station.
At approximately 13:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved into Um al-Sharayet neighborhood in Ramallah in the West bank. Soon, they surrounded a 3-story apartment
building, in which 4 families live. They
ordered the families through loudspeakers to get out of the building. Then, they forced 32-year-old Mustafa ‘Ali
Mutair, a supermarket owner, to enter the building with them, using him as a
human shield. After they had searched
the building, they held him with other residents of the building. Before their withdrawal from the area,
Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian girl, ‘Abir Zeidan, 21, and a young man,
Mohammed al-Nubani, 20, and took them to a concentration camp west of
Ramallah. The girl was released in the
evening, while the young man was kept in custody.
At approximately 02:30, Israeli occupying forces,
reinforced with dozens of tanks and armored personnel carriers, and covered by
intense shelling, invaded Jenin. A
Palestinian civilian, Yousef Saleh Shureim, 55, was killed by a live bullet in
the knee, while he was on his way to the mosque. Israeli forces left Shureim bleeding to death
without offering him any medical help, even though his wound was moderate. Two other Palestinian civilians were wounded:
1. ‘Ersan ‘Awadh al-Qureini, 80,
wounded by shrapnel in the head; and
2. Nasser Hassan Salah, 33, wounded by a live bullet in
the right hand.
Israeli forces raided houses, gathered civilians in
streets and yards and arrested nine of them:
1. Wasfi Hassan Qabaha, 39;
2. Khaled Amin al-Haj, 38;
3. Ayman Hassan Mohammed, 33;
4. Ma’mun al-Mubayedh, 29;
5. Ashraf Mohammed Abu Kheitan, 32;
6. Jawad Mahmoud Abu Sibaa’, 28;
7. Fawzi Ragheb al-Sa’di, 24;
8. ‘Abdul Jabbar Khalil Jarrar,
25; and
9. Rami ‘Awad ‘Awartani, 25.
At approximately 08:00, Israeli occupying forces
moved approximately 800m into the north of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza
Strip. They raided a site used by the Palestinian National
Security Force. Israeli forces held two
Palestinian security men and confiscated their guns before their withdrawal
from the area.
At approximately 17:00, Israeli occupying forces
positioned at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian
houses in Block O in Rafah refugee camp. A child and a woman were wounded:
1. ‘Abdullah Marwan al-Rikhawi,
14, wounded by a live bullet in the buttocks; and
2. Lamiaa’ ‘Abdullah Ghuneim, 21, wounded by shrapnel in
the face.
At approximately 21:00, three Israeli tanks and six
armored personnel carriers moved into Bitounia village, southwest of
Ramallah. They surrounded the house of
Hassan Yousef, a political leader of Hamas in the West Bank. They called through loudspeakers on residents
of the house. When Yousef’s wife and six
children got out of the house, Israeli forces held them. They interrogated the wife about where Yousef
and his son Nasrallah were hiding. At
approximately 21:30, Israeli forces opened fire at the house. The Israeli gunfire continued until midnight. Fire broke out in the reception room and
windows of the house were broken. Israeli forces withdrew from the area at 01:00 on the following day
after they had searched the house.
At approximately 13:00, Israeli occupying forces
positioned at the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian
houses in Block O in Rafah. Five
Palestinian civilians were wounded:
1. Fawzi Fayez Abu Taha, 15, seriously wounded by an
explosive live bullet in the chest;
2. Zuhair Khami al-Zummar, 46, wounded by an explosive
live bullet in the right leg;
3. Eyad Mohammed Abu Taha, 33, wounded by shrapnel in
the right thigh;
4. Wa’el Hassan Abu Jazar, 27, wounded by shrapnel in
the right thigh; and
5. Mohammed Jamal al-Tawil, 27, wounded by shrapnel in
the nose.
At approximately 10:00, while Mahmoud Musbah Qadah,
20, from Shaqba village, west of Ramallah, was traveling in his car inside his
village, two Israeli military jeeps raided the village. Israeli occupying soldiers got out of the
jeeps, and for no apparent reason opened fire at the car. Qadah was wounded by two live bullets in the
right arm and shoulder. His family was
not able to evacuate him to hospital due to restrictions on movement imposed by
Israeli military roadblocks and checkpoints, so a physician came to the house
and offered him first aid. His family
was able to evacuate him to hospital in the following morning.
At approximately 15:00, Israeli occupying forces
positioned at a settler road between al-Mentar crossing and al-Shuhada’
junction, south of Gaza City, fired at a number of Palestinian young men who
threw stones towards those forces from a distance of approximately 400m. Two young men were wounded:
1. Sameh Muhannad Abu ‘Amru, 18, from al-Shojaeya
neighborhood in Gaza, wounded by a live bullet in the left thigh; and
2. Mohammed Faraj al-‘Emrani, 25, from
al-Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza, wounded by a live bullet in the left foot.
At approximately 15:30, a number of Palestinian young
men and children gathered at the entrance of Kufor Malek village, east of
Ramallah. They threw stones towards four
passing Israeli military jeeps. Israeli
soldiers chased them inside the village. Israeli forces imposed a curfew on the village and fired live
ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, and tear gas at villagers. Israeli forces besieged four young men and
children in an alley and fired at them from a very close distance. The four were wounded:
1. ‘Aamer ‘Abdul Hamid Abu Rustom, 16, wounded by shrapnel from
live bullets in the left leg and the right shoulder and side;
2. Mohammed Jom’a Yamin, 26, wounded by shrapnel from
live bullets in the left hand;
3. Tahrir Sari Ghuneimat, 24, wounded by shrapnel from
live bullets in the left leg; and
4. Mousa Hamayel, 14, wounded by shrapnel from live
bullets in the left foot.
In the evening, Israeli soldiers at a military
checkpoint near Qalandya, north of occupied Jerusalem, fired at Palestinian
civilians who were on their way back to their houses. Two civilians were wounded:
1. ‘Ali Mohammed ‘Abdul Sami’, 26, from Qalandya
refugee camp, wounded by shrapnel from live bullets in the legs; and
2. Baha’ ‘Abdul Hamid Shehda, 17, from al-Am’ari refugee
camp, wounded by shrapnel from live bullets in the hands.
Also in the evening, Israeli occupying soldiers in an
armored personnel carrier opened fire at a civilian car that was traveling on
Dura-Hebron road. The driver, Yasser
Shehda Mohammed Hamdan, 23, was wounded by shrapnel in the neck and the left
shoulder.
In an apparent willful killing, Israeli occupying
force shot dead a Palestinian civilian while on his way back home from his farm. At approximately 17:00, Mohammed Ahmed Daoud Sonoubar, 26,
from Yatma village, south of Nablus, was on his donkey on his way back from his
farm, adjacent to a settler road. When
he was
about to cross the road, Israeli soldiers got out of a military jeep that was
patrolling the area and for no apparent reason shot him dead. An Israeli ambulance took his body to a site
used by Israeli liaison forces south of Nablus before the body was delivered to
the PNA. Israeli military sources
claimed that the incident took place when Israeli soldiers were patrolling in
Ussarin village, south of Nablus, and they noticed a Palestinian. They ordered him to stop, but he escaped. Israeli soldiers shot him. They claimed that they thought that the young
man was holding a gun, but he was carrying a farming tool.
At approximately 05:50 on Saturday, 25 May 2002, a
Palestinian baby died shortly after being born at an Israeli military roadblock
in Bethlehem. Early in the morning,
Fadia Kamel Za’oul, from Nahalin village, west of Bethlehem, felt pains of
childbirth. At approximately 04:00, her
husband Jamal took her in his brother’s car towards a hospital in
Bethlehem. When they arrived at the
junction of al-Khader village, they found by sand barriers established by
Israeli occupying forces to block the road. They were forced to get out of the car and take another car that
traveled towards Bethlehem through al-Sidra-Beit Jala road. When they arrived at an Israeli military
roadblock in the area, Israeli soldiers denied them passage. The woman’s pains increased, so her husband
called an ambulance, which quickly arrived. Israeli soldiers refused to allow the evacuation of the woman into the
ambulance, and allowed an obstetrician to deliver the baby. Lives of the woman and her baby were
endangered, so Israeli soldiers allowed the passage of the ambulance towards
hospital, but the baby died at approximately 05:50, shortly after arrival at
the hospital.
Also on the same day morning, 64-year-old Mustafa ‘Abdul Jawad al-Qarut
Edkeidek, from al-‘Eizaria village, east of occupied Jerusalem, died at
an Israeli military roadblock while on his way from Jerusalem to
Bethlehem. He suffered from a heart
attack while waiting at the Israeli military roadblock. Israeli occupying soldiers denied the access
of ambulances to the area. Two hours
later, they brought an Israeli ambulance, but Edkeidek was dead.
In the Gaza Strip, on Wednesday, 29 May, Ghalia Ahmed
Shalah, 70, from Rafah, died from a heart attack at an Israeli military
roadblock, south of Deir al-Balah. According to PCHR’s investigation, at approximately 11:00, Shalah
arrived at an Israeli military roadblock in Abu Houli area, south of Deir
al-Balah, on her way home in Rafah. The
roadblock was closed. She remained at
the roadblock until 17:00. Then, she
suffered from difficulties in breathing. An ambulance of the Palestine Red Crescent Society was in the area. Medics of the ambulance offered her first
aid, but her health condition continued to deteriorate. After communication with the Israeli side
through the Palestinian liaison, the ambulance was allowed to cross the Israeli
military roadblock. When the ambulance
arrived at another Israeli military roadblock at al-Matahen junction, north of
Khan Yunis, Israeli forces thoroughly searched it. Twenty minutes later, the ambulance was
allowed to travel to hospital, but the woman died on the way.
This
week, Israeli occupying forces arrested a number of Palestinians. The arrests took place in the
following circumstances:
1. At international border
crossings, under the control of Israeli occupying 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 areas.
The
following are significant arrests that took place this week:
No. |
Name |
Age |
Place |
Date |
Notes |
1. |
Ra’fat Nabil al-Akhras |
20 |
Seilat |
23 May |
Arrested |
2. |
Mahmoud ‘Abdul Hamid |
20 |
Seilat |
23 May |
Arrested |
3. |
Mohammed Rayan |
22 |
Beit |
23 May |
Arrested |
4. |
Shadi Ahmed al-Satari |
19 |
Seilat |
23 May |
Arrested |
5. |
Amir Mousa Muhye al-Din |
18 |
Seilat |
23 May |
Arrested |
6. |
Mahdi ‘Omar Shawar |
22 |
Hebron |
23 May |
Arrested |
7. |
Hamdi ‘Omar Shawar |
20 |
Hebron |
23 May |
Arrested |
8. |
Muhannad Hammuda al-Je’ba |
21 |
Hebron |
23 May |
Arrested |
9. |
‘Alla’ Hammuda al-Je’ba |
23 |
Hebron |
23 May |
Arrested |
10. |
Sanaa’ Mohammed Shehada |
26 |
Qalandya, |
24 May |
Arrested |
11. |
Muyassar Ahmed Hammuda |
51 |
Hebron |
28 May |
Arrested |
12. |
Majed ‘Abdul Qader Abu Markhia |
20 |
Hebron |
28 May |
Arrested |
13. |
Ashraf ‘Abdul Qader Abu Markhia |
19 |
Hebron |
28 May |
Arrested |
14. |
Ghassan ‘Abdul Qader Abu Markhia |
22 |
Hebron |
28 May |
Arrested |
15. |
Fikri Mohammed Humeid |
30 |
Bet ‘Anan, Jerusalem |
28 May |
Arrested |
16. |
Khaled Ibrahim Jamhur |
24 |
Bet ‘Anan, Jerusalem |
28 May |
Arrested |
17. |
Nidhal Ahmed Raslan |
31 |
Abu |
29 May |
Arrested |
*****
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.