Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate
Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory (OPT)
· 4 Palestinians were killed by IOF & a 5th
Dies of Wounds in the Gaza Strip.
o IOF Commit two failed
Extra-judicial executions.
· 11 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and an
elderly, were wounded by IOF gunfire in the West Bank.
o 6 of the Injured were wounded in
the weekly Bal’in Demonstration, and 5 were wounded in Ein Beit El-Ma’ Refugee
Camp west of Nablus.
· IOF conducted 29 incursions into Palestinian communities in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
· IOF arrested 38 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and 35 in the Gaza Strip.
· IOF raze tens of Dunums of agricultural land in the 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 6,000 Palestinians stuck on the
Egyptian side of the Gaza Strip border for 6 weeks. The number of travelers who
died in Egypt so far is 16.
o IOF positioned at various
checkpoints and border crossings in the West Bank arrested 2 Palestinian
civilians.
· Israeli settlement activity and attacks by Israeli settlers
continue:
o Palestinian house demolished in
Asakra village east of Bethlehem.
o Settlers set fire to farms in the
West Bank
Summary
IOF escalated violations
of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting
period (19-25 July 2007):
Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF
killed 4 Palestinians; and a fifth Palestinian died of wounds sustained during
an IOF incursion on 27 June 2007. In addition, IOF wounded 11 Palestinians,
including 5 children and an elderly woman.
In the Gaza Strip, IOF
killed 4 members of the Palestinian resistance in 2 incidents on Sunday, 22
July 2007. In the early morning, IOF fired at 2 resistance activists north of
Beit Lahia and prevented ambulances from rescuing them. They died of their
wounds by bleeding. And in the evening, IOF killed 2 members of Al-Quds
Battalions by firing a surface-to-surface missile at them in Beit Hanoun. And
on Thursday, 19 July 2007, officials at Shifa Hospital announced the death of
Ali Hilles of wounds sustained from a tank shell fired by IOF during an
incursion into Sheja’eya Quarter east of Gaza on 27 June 2007.
And on 22 and 24 July,
IOF committed two failed extra-judicial executions in Gaza City. In both
attacks by IOF planes, the rockets missed their targets. The first execution
attempt took place against members of Al-Quds Battalions on Gaza’s coastal
road. And the second attack was against a member of the same group near Al-Quds
Open University in Gaza City. The rocket strayed and hit a residential
building, causing extensive damage, but no injuries.
In the West Bank, 11
Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and an elderly woman were injured IOF
gunfire. On Friday, 20 July 2007, IOF moved into Ein Beit El-Ma’ refugee camp
and fired rubber-coated metallic bullets at children and youth throwing stones
at troops. Five people were injured, including 3 children and an elderly woman.
One of the injuries was serious. In addition, IOF used force against a peaceful
demonstration organized in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall
in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah, injuring 6 demonstrators, including 2
children.
Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF
conducted at least 29 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the
West Bank and Gaza Strip. During those incursions, IOF arrested 72 Palestinian
civilians, including 1 child. And in the Gaza Strip, IOF razed tens of dunums
of agricultural land in Beit Lahia and Gaza Valley villages.
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 have been stuck in Egypt waiting to be
allowed in the Gaza Strip. According to PCHR’s documentation, 16 Palestinians
of those who are stuck in Egypt have died due to the deterioration in their
health conditions.
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 have been 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.
Settlement
Activities: Israeli
settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have
continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. On 19 July 2007, settlers from Beni Hefer
settlement set fire to 255 olive trees in Hebron. And on 22 July 2007, settlers marched to the evacuated
settlement of Homesh northwest of Nablus. They attacked Palestinian civilian
homes and vehicles in the area, causing damages to at least 1 vehicle and 4
houses. And on the same day, settlers from Alon Moreh set fire to olive trees
near the settlement; and settlers from Yitzhar set fie to olive trees near that
settlement.
Israeli Violations
Documented during the Reporting Period (19-25 July 2007)
The
full report is available PDF format.