Israeli Occupation Forces commit 49
incursions into the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) in the week before
Gaza ‘disengagement’

· Two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were killed by
IOF.

· IOF conducted 45 incursions into Palestinian communities in
the West Bank and 4 incursions into the Gaza Strip.

· Houses were raided and 45 Palestinian civilians were
arrested by IOF. 

· 10 houses were transformed by IOF into military sites.

· IOF continued to use Palestinian civilians as human shields
during military operations.

· IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; IOF
have closed al-Mawasi area in the southern Gaza Strip; IOF have prevented
Palestinian civilians aged 16-35 from traveling through Rafah International
Crossing Point; IOF have resumed the use of a special checking machine at the
crossing point; and IOF arrested 8 Palestinian civilians at military
checkpoints in the West Bank.

· IOF have continued to construct the ‘Annexation’ Wall in the
West Bank; 4 Palestinian civilians were injured and 17 solidarity activist and
two Palestinian farmers were arrested by IOF during protests against the
construction of the Wall.

· Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian
civilians and property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; an Israeli settler
fired at a number of Palestinian workers and wounded two of them.

Summary

Israeli violations of
international law continued in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) during
the reporting period (04 – 10 August 2005):

Willful Killing: On 07 August 2005, IOF opened fire
at Palestinian houses in Rafah and killed a Palestinian civilian. On 08 August 2005, IOF shot dead a
Palestinian child in Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. The child had not participated in the clashes
that two place between the IOF and a number Palestinian children – he was
visiting his relatives in the camp.  During the reported period, 9 Palestinian
civilians were wounded by the Israeli gunfire.  

Incursions and
Shelling: IOF
conducted 45 military incursions into Palestinian areas in the West Bank and 4
incursions into the Gaza Strip. During
these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 45 Palestinian civilians. IOF also seized 10 houses and transformed
them into military sites.  During one
incursion into the Gaza Strip, IOF used a Palestinian civilian as a human
shield when searching houses.    

Restrictions on
Movement: IOF have
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians through al-Matahen and Abu Houli checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street
(the main road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip). During the
reported period, IOF closed the two checkpoint several times and for several
hours. IOF have also imposed a complete
siege on al-Mawasi area in Khan Yunis, a few days before the expected
implementation of the ‘disengagement’ plan. For the fourth consecutive week,
IOF have continued to prevent Palestinians aged 16-35 from traveling through
Rafah International Crossing Point. Also
for the fourth consecutive week, IOF have continued to close Za’tra checkpoint,
south of Nablus, and Enab gate, east of Tulkarm, in the West Bank. They also erected a number of checkpoints and
arrested at least 8 Palestinian civilians.   In the West Bank PCHR
field workers documented 3 cases of inhumane treatment by IOF at military
checkpoints.

‘Annexation’ Wall: IOF have continued to construct the ‘Annexation’
Wall inside the West Bank territory. For
this purpose, they razed more areas of agricultural land in Beit Sourik village,
northwest of Jerusalem. In addition, IOF
used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian
civilians and international solidarity activists in protest to the construction
of the Wall. Four demonstrators suffered
from tear gas inhalation and IOF arrested 17 international and Israeli
solidarity activists. IOF also imposed
severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians on both sides of
the Wall. On Sunday, 07 August 2005, IOF
informed a Palestinian civilian in Kherbat Jebara village in Tulkram near the
Wall that his house would be demolished. 

Illegal Settler Activities: Israeli settlers in breach of
international humanitarian law continue to reside in the OPT and have launched
a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property. Two Palestinian
civilians were wounded by lives bullets and 6 others, including 4 children,
sustained bruises. The settlers also
burnt parts of a house in al-Maswasi area in Khan Yunis. 

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting
Period (04 – 10 August 2005)The full report is available PDF format.