Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate
Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory (OPT)
· 12 Palestinians including 6 Children killed by IOF and a 13th
Dies of previous Wounds.
o 3 children killed in 2 extra-judicial executions.
o 5 children killed by excessive force in the Gaza
Strip.
· 33 Palestinians, including 11 children and a mentally ill
person, were wounded by IOF gunfire in the OPT.
o Mother and brother of a killed child among the
injured.
· IOF conducted 21 incursions into Palestinian communities in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
o IOF arrested 30 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and 13
in the Gaza
Strip.
o IOF raze 12 Dunums of agricultural land in the southern
Gaza Strip.
· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT, and
continues to isolate the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
o Severe humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip due to
the closure.
o IOF positioned at various checkpoints and border
crossings in the West Bank arrested 3 Palestinian civilians, including a woman
and a child.
o 1 Gaza resident detained at Erez on his way to Gaza
from Ramallah.
· Israeli settlement activity and attacks by Israeli settlers
continue:
Summary
IOF escalated violations
of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting
period (23 – 29 August 2007):
Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF
killed 12 Palestinians including 6 children. Five children were killed in the
Gaza Strip in 2 extra-judicial executions. A 13th Palestinian died
of wounds sustained two weeks ago during an incursion into the town of New
Abasan in the southern Gaza Strip. 33 Palestinians, including 11 children were
injured.
In the Gaza Strip, IOF
killed 8 Palestinians, including 5 children, and a 9th died of wounds
sustained two weeks ago during an incursion into the town of New Abasan in the
southern Gaza Strip. On 29 August, 3 children were killed in Beit Hanoun by an
Israel surface-to-surface missile fired near launchers of locally produced
rockets. There were no launching cells in the area at the time, and the
children were at a considerable distance from the launching ladders. And on 23
August, IOF killed 2 members of Izzedeen El-Qassam Battalions (the armed wing
of Hamas) by a surface-to-surface missile fired near the Palestine Car Market
east of Gaza City. On 4 August, IOF used excessive force to kill 2 children
east of Jabalia. The children were carrying hand grenades and were shot at a
distance of 400 meters away from the border. On 27 August, IOF killed a sheep
herder in the village of Wadi Gaza in the center of the Gaza Strip as he was
herding his sheep near the border.
A Palestinian civilian
was injured on 25 August by shelling of El-Shoka town in the southern Gaza
Strip. And on 23 August, 6 Palestinians were injured during an incursion into
the town of Khuza’a in the southern Gaza Strip. A mentally-ill civilian was
injured by IOF gunfire north of Beit Lahia.
In the West Bank, IOF
killed 4 Palestinians and injured 25 others. On 24 August, IOF killed an
activist in Al-Quds Battalions (armed wing of Islamic Jihad) and a child in the
town of Saida near Tulkarm. The child’s mother and brother were injured in the
attack. And on 25 August, IOF conducted an extra-judicial execution of 2
Islamic Jihad activists, killing both and injuring 3 others, in Jenin. Four
civilians were injured in Jerusalem when IOF fired sound charges at a dinner in
a house in the city. And on 29 August, 14 Palestinians were injured during an
incursion into Qalqilya. Finally, 2 demonstrators were injured in the weekly
demonstration against the Annexation Wall in the village of Bal’in near
Ramallah.
Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF
conducted at least 21 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the
West Bank and Gaza Strip. During those incursions, IOF arrested 46 Palestinian
civilians. And in the Gaza Strip, IOF razed 12 dunums of agricultural land in the
southern Gaza Strip.
Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPT and
imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
Gaza Strip
IOF have imposed a strict siege on
the Gaza Strip. They have closed its border crossings as a form of collective
punishment against Palestinian civilians.
IOF have closed Rafah International
Crossing Point, even though they do not directly control it. They have
prevented European observers working at the crossing point form reaching it.
IOF had already closed Rafah International Crossing Point following an armed
attack against an IOF military post in Kerem Shalom area, southeast of Rafah,
on 25 June 2006. The crossing point had been partially reopened for short,
sporadic periods to allow few numbers of Palestinian to travel through it. The
crossing point has been completely closed since Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza
Strip and the withdrawal of Palestinian security forces from the crossing
point. At least 6,000 Palestinians stuck in Egypt were allowed in the Gaza
Strip through El-Ojah – Erez route. According to PCHR’s documentation, 19
Palestinians of those who are stuck in Egypt have died due to the deterioration
in their health conditions. This week, IOF allowed 70 Palestinians residing in
other countries or studying abroad to travel outside the Strip through Erez –
El-Ojeh.
IOF have
also closed commercial crossings, especially al-Mentar (Karni) crossing. During
the reporting period, IOF reopened the crossing for some hours to allow the
entry of some goods into the Gaza Strip. If this closure continues, a
humanitarian crisis is likely to emerge in the Gaza Strip. IOF have also
continued to close Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip. Hundreds of thousands of
Palestinians from the Gaza Strip are prevented from traveling through this
crossing. They prevented traders and patients from passing through. IOF
allow very few patients to travel through the crossing, but following
coordination through the ICRC. During the reporting period, IOF reopened Kerem
Shalom crossing, southeast of Rafah, and Sofa crossing, northeast of the town.
During the reporting period, Nahal Ouz crossing, east of Gaza City, which is
deigned for the entry of fuels into the Gaza Strip, witnessed active movement.
West Bank
IOF have tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian communities in the
West Bank. They have isolated Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank.
Contrary to promises by the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to ease
restrictions on movement in the West Bank, IOF positioned at various
checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on
the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF also erected more checkpoints on the
main roads and intersections in the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF
soldiers positioned at various checkpoints and border crossings in the West
Bank arrested at least 2 Palestinian civilians. In addition, IOF closed
checkpoints surrounding Nablus several times during the week, especially during
rush hour traffic.
Settlement
Activities: Israeli
settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have
continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. During the reporting
period, Israeli settlers from the settlement of Kiryat Arba near Hebron attacked
Palestinian houses near the settlement, damaging the windows of 4 houses.
Israeli Violations
Documented during the Reporting Period (23 – 29 August 2007)
The
full report is available PDF format.
