• 22 Palestinians, including 4 women and three children, were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

• 5 of the victims were from the same family.

• 117 Palestinians, including 48 children and 5 women, were injured by IOF gunfire.

• IOF conducted 33 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and 4 into the Gaza Strip.

• IOF arrested 93 Palestinian civilians, including 14 children.  

• IOF razed 259 donums[1] of agricultural land and demolished 2 houses in the Gaza Strip.

• IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.

• IOF have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world and a humanitarian crisis has emerged.

• A Palestinian woman gave birth at an IOF checkpoint in Hebron.

• IOF troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 8 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children.

• IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attacks Palestinian civilians and property.

• The Israeli Ministry of Housing decided to build 1,000 new housing units in the Abu Ghunaim district of occupied East Jerusalem.

• IOF razed 20 donums of agricultural land in the central Jordan Valley.  

Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law escalated in the OPT during the reporting period (3 – 9 January 2008):

Shootings: During the reporting period, IOF killed 22 Palestinians, including four women and three children, and wounded 117 others, including 48 children and 5 women.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF killed 20 Palestinians, including 5 members of one family, and wounded 71 others, including 26 children and 4 women.

On 3 January, IOF moved into the areas of al-Zanna and al-Qarara village, east of Khan Yunis. During this incursion, IOF killed 7 Palestinians, including a woman, her two adult sons, her daughter and her nephew. They also wounded 22 Palestinians. On the same day, IOF killed a Palestinian and wounded 4 others, including 2 children, during an incursion into al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. In addition, they also killed another Palestinian, and wounded 4 others, including 2 children, in Rafah. On 4 January, IOF killed 2 members of the Palestinian resistance in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. On 5 January, IOF killed a member of the Palestinian resistance in Beit Hanoun town. On 6 January, IOF moved into al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. During this incursion, IOF killed 4 Palestinians, including a child, and a woman, and wounded 40 others, including 15 children and 3 women. On the same day, IOF killed a member of the Palestinian resistance and wounded 2 others in al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. On 9 January 2008, IOF killed a woman and a child and wounded 4 other civilians in Beit Hanoun town. On the same day, a Palestinian farmer was wounded by IOF gunfire in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia.  

In the West Bank, IOF killed a Palestinian boy and wounded 46 civilians, including 23 children and a woman. Another Palestinian civilian was killed by the explosion of a landmine of the remainders of IOF.

On 6 January, a Palestinian shepherd was killed when he stepped on a landmine in Wadi al-Maleh area in the northern Jordan Valley. The area is used by IOF for military training. On 7 January, IOF killed a Palestinian boy in al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. They claimed he was shooting at them. During the reporting period, 46 Palestinian civilians, including a woman and 23 children were wounded by IOF, thirty eight of whom were wounded by IOF during a 3-day incursion into Nablus.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 33 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. The largest incursion was into Nablus, and lasted for 3 days. During these incursions, IOF arrested 93 Palestinian civilians, including woman and 13 children.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 4 incursions into Palestinian communities. During those incursions, IOF demolished 2 houses and razed 259 donums of agricultural land. They also damaged 10 houses.

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

To date, IOF have closed all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for almost 18 months continuously. The total siege imposed by IOF on the Gaza Strip has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and has violated the economic and social rights of the Palestinian civilian population, particularly their rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. The siege has also paralyzed most economic sectors. Furthermore, severe restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the Palestinian civilian population. The siege imposed on the Gaza Strip has also severely affected the flow of food, medical supplies and other necessities, such as fuel, construction materials and raw materials for various economic sectors. IOF have further tightened the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip since Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, and the living and economic conditions of Palestinian civilians in Gaza have continued to deteriorate. The Israeli government has declared the Gaza Strip "A hostile entity," and measures of collective punishment against the civilian population have subsequently escalated. Since September 2007, IOF have limited the goods exported to the Gaza Strip to just nine basic materials. As a direct consequence, local markets have run out of many goods, causing sharp increases in prices, which in some cases have amounted to 500%. The IOF have also banned the import of some medicines, furniture, electrical appliances and cigarettes, as well as decreasing the amounts of some other goods being imported into the Gaza Strip, such as fruits, milk and some other dairy products.

West Bank

IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have systematically been denied access to Jerusalem. IOF have established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays to prevent them from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque. IOF often assault and beat Palestinian civilians who attempt to bypass checkpoints and enter the city. IOF have also tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian communities 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 have erected numerous checkpoints on the main roads and intersections in the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at checkpoints and border crossings in the West Bank arrested at least 8 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children.

Settlement Activities: IOF have continued settlement activities and Israeli settlers living in the OPT have, in violation of international humanitarian law, continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. During the reporting period, IOF razed 20 donums of agricultural land in the central Jordan Valley for the purpose of settlement expansion. The Israeli Ministry of Housing also decided to build 1,000 housing unit in Abu Ghunaim area in the south of occupied East Jerusalem.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (3 – 9 January 2008)

1.      Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

Israeli Offensive on al-Qarara and al-Zanna

On Thursday, 3 January 2008, IOF moved into al-Zanna area and al-Qarara village, east of Khan Yunis. During this incursion, IOF killed 7 Palestinians, including a woman, her two sons, her daughter and her nephew. They also wounded 22 Palestinians, destroyed houses and razed large areas of agricultural land.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 02:30 on Thursday, IOF warplanes fired 7 missiles at various areas in al-Zanna area in the northeast of Bani Suhaila village, east of Khan Yunis. As a result, 11 members of the Palestinian resistance were wounded. Nine of them were evacuated to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, but medical crews were not able to reach the remaining two, who subsequently bled to death. Their bodies were found buried after the IOF withdrew from the area that night. The two victims, who were both members of the 'Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas), were identified as:

1.      Muneer Ibrahim Ahmed Barham, 21.

2.      Barham Dahmi Abu Lihya, 26.

Soon afterwards, IOF moved into al-Zanna area and al-Qarara village. At approximately 08:30, IOF fired a tank shell at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance and a number of civilians. Sami Hamdan 'Abdul Rahim Fayadh, 28, a member of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad), was killed, and a second man was injured. The shell also hit a house belonging the victim’s family, wounding his sister, 22-year-old Asmaa’. As residents of the house attempted to flee for their lives, IOF troops opened fire at the front door. They also fired two additional tank shells. As a result, the victim’s mother, brother, sister and cousin were all killed:

1.      Karima 'Abdul Rahman Ahmed Fayadh, 59, hit by several gunshot to the chest.  

2.      Ahmed Hamdan 'Abdul Rahim Fayadh, 32, hit by shrapnel throughout his body.

3.      Asmaa’ Hamdan 'Abdul Rahim Fayadh, 22, hit by several gunshots to the chest.

4.      Mohammed Khudair 'Abdul Rahman Fayadh, 18, hit by a gunshot to the chest.

Five other Palestinians, including 2 members of the Fayadh family, were also wounded:

1.      Mohammed Hamdan 'Abdul Rahim Fayadh, 24, sustained shrapnel wounds. 

2.      Islam Hamdan 'Abdul Rahim Fayadh, 23, wounded by shrapnel to the back.

3.      Zayed Mohammed Fayadh, 24, sustained shrapnel wounds.  

4.      Ahmed As’ad Fayadh, 30, sustained shrapnel wounds.

5.      'Adnan Mansour Fayadh, 23, sustained shrapnel wounds.

The family’s house was also damaged. As a result of indiscriminate IOF shelling, 7 more Palestinian civilians were wounded:

1.      Ramadan Yousef Qassem al-Agha, 75, wounded by shrapnel to the shoulder;

2.      Samia 'Abdul Hamid Fayadh, 40, sustained shrapnel wounds.

3.      'Emad Nabeel al-Qarra, 14, sustained shrapnel wounds.

4.      Bilal 'Ezzat Abu Shab, 13, sustained shrapnel wounds.

5.      Jihad Salem al-Najjar, 15, sustained shrapnel wounds.

6.      Marwa Ibrahim Abu Mustafa, 10, sustained shrapnel wounds.

7.      Ahmed Fakhri Abu Mustafa, 9, sustained shrapnel wounds.

At approximately 22:00, IOF withdrew from the area,after they had destroyed a 237-year-old, 4-storey house belonging to Sameer Fayez Abu Teeba, 53. They also razed 49 donums of agricultural land planted with olives, and a vegetables garden.

Israeli Offensive on Nablus

On Thursday morning, 3 January, one day after Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak visited a checkpoint in Nablus, IOF invaded the city and neighboring refugee camps. This IOF operation lasted for 3 days, during which time 38 Palestinians civilians, including 19 children, were wounded and 31 others, including a child and paramedic, were arrested by IOF troops.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 01:55 on 3 January, IOF, reinforced by 40 military vehicles and a number of bulldozers, moved into Nablus and neighboring refugee camps, and imposed a curfew. IOF troops moved into the old city, and transformed a number of houses into military sites, from where they fired indiscriminately at anything that moved. At approximately 06:00, IOF imposed a curfew on the old city. They also besieged hospitals and obstructed the activities of medical crews. IOF arrested a paramedic and fired a tear gas canister into an ambulance. At approximately 15:30 on Saturday, 5 January, IOF troops set fire to a 120-square-meter, 2-storey store belonging to Lu’ai Mohammed Samaru in the old city. Samaru estimated his loss at approximately US$ 250,000.

When Palestinian civilians in Nablus demonstrated during the 3-day military operation, IOF troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets at the demonstrators, wounding 38 civilians, including 19 children. IOF also arrested 31 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a paramedic, during house raids.

Attacks against Medical Crews

On Thursday, 3 January, IOF troops fired at an ambulance of the Palestinian Union of Medial Relief Committees and arrested Taher Zuhair al-Kousa, 28, a local paramedic, after he had evacuated a patient to hospital.

On the same day, IOF troops stopped an ambulance belonging to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Rafidya neighborhood in the west of Nablus city. They humiliated the medical crew and forced the ambulance to stop between them and Palestinian children who were throwing stones at them. IOF troops then threw a tear gas canister into the ambulance.

On Friday, 4 January, IOF raided Rafidya Hospital in the west of Nablus city. They searched for Ahmed Abu Hantash, 38, who had been wounded by 3 rubber-coated metal bullets in his head  and was in the operating theatre. An IOF soldier, who is apparently a doctor, entered the theatre, and remained there for 10 minutes. IOF troops then left the hospital.

Israeli Offensive on al-Boreij Refugee Camp in the Central Gaza Strip

On Sunday morning, 6 January, IOF moved into al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. They opened fire indiscriminately. During this military operation, which continued until the evening, IOF killed 4 Palestinians, including a child and a woman, and wounded 40 others, including 15 children and 3 women. They also arrested and interrogated dozens of Palestinian civilians, and kept one of them in custody. Additionally, IOF razed at least 90 donums of agricultural land, destroyed a house and damaged 10 others. They also fired at ambulances and medical crews.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 01:00, IOF troops moved nearly 1,000 meters into al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. They raided and occupied 4 houses, and blew holes in walls in order to fire at anything that moved. IOF troops also detained male civilians inside one of these houses. At approximately 03:30, at least 12 IOF heavy military vehicles, supported by a helicopter, moved into the area. They started to raze areas of agricultural land.

At approximately 08:00, IOF troops opened fire at a number of Palestinian children and young men who were watching the incursion. As a result, 6 young men were wounded. At approximately 10:00, IOF troops opened fire at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance and children. As a result, Ziad Isma’il Abul Rukba, 16, was killed and 5 Palestinians were wounded.

At approximately 11:00, IOF troops fired at an ambulance when it attempted to evacuate the wounded from the area. The ambulance was damaged. At approximately 12:00, IOF troops continued to fire at Palestinian civilians. As a result, 20 Palestinian civilians were wounded.

At approximately 15:00, an IOF tank fired 2 shells at a house belonging to Mohammed Ibrahim Hamdan in Block 7. As a result, his daughter, 25-year-old Iman, was killed. In addition, Hamdan's two wives and two of his children were wounded. The house was also damaged.

At approximately 16:00, an IOF tank fired 2 shells at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance in the center of the camp, killing 19-year-old Ahmed Mohammed Khalaf.

At approximately 17:00, IOF troops fired at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance, killing 18-year-old Mahmoud Rabah 'Aadel. Altogether forty Palestinians were injured, including three women and 15 children.  

During this incursion, IOF troops took at least 60 Palestinian civilians to an IOF military base on the border between the Gaza Strip, and interrogated them. The civilians were later released, excluding Akram Hasan Abu Khousa, 28.

IOF troops also razed at least 90 donums of agricultural land planted with olive and citrus trees, and demolished a house belonging to Hasan 'Abdul Karim al-Nabahin. In addition, 10 houses and a chicken farm were damaged, and 20 beehives were destroyed by the IOF shelling.

Other Incursions

Thursday, 3 January 2008

·      At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into al-'Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 5 Palestinian civilians:

1.      Ahmed Younis Mhaisen, 26.

2.      Amjad 'Abdul Fattah al-Hlaiqawi, 25.

3.      Nihad Ibrahim Ayoub, 21.

4.      'Abdullah Mustafa Abu Shousha, 21.

5.      'Ammar Mohammed Mahdi, 35.

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They patrolled the streets and opened fire at houses. They later withdrew from the town and the camp. No arrests  were reported.

·      Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Manshar and Wadi al-Hariya neighborhoods in the southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

1.      Faraj 'Ata Abu Shukor, 50.

2.      Ahmed Mohammed al-Ja’ba, 48.  

3.      'Abdul Salam Nasser al-Salaima, 22.

4.      Ma’moun Mohammed Hraiz, 22.

·      Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Doura area in the north of Halhoul town, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Farid 'Ali Abu Rayan, 35.

·      At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. They patrolled the streets and fired at houses. They later withdrew from the village. No arrests or casualties were reported.

·      Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Seilat al-Harthiya village, west of Jenin. They patrolled the streets and fired at houses. They later withdrew from the village. No arrests or  casualties were reported.

·      At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Nahalin village, west of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ibrahim Sami Shakarna, 38, and arrested him.

·      At approximately 02:15, IOF moved into Beit Siera village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child:

1.      Yousef Mohammed al-Haj, 17.

2.      Mujahed Mohammed Dar Hamdan, 19.

·      At approximately 04:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mohammed Mahmoud Abu 'Ayash, 27, and arrested him.

·      At approximately 13:30, an IOF fighter jet fired dropped a bomb on an uninhabited house belonging to the family of Kareem Marwan al-Dahdouh, a member of the al-Qauds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) who was killed by IOF on 17 December 2007, in Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in the south of Gaza City. The houses was destroyed, but no casualties were reported.

·      At approximately 14:00, IOF moved into al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. A number of militants from the Palestinian resistance clashed with IOF. Soon after, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a number of militants from the Palestinian resistance near al-Wafaa’ Rehabilitation Hospital. A militant, Yasser Rafeeq Helles, 24, was killed, and two others were injured. In addition, two children were injured.

1.      Ahmed Mousa Shanyoura, 15, sustained shrapnel wounds.

2.      Mohammed Anwar al-Shamali, 14, wounded by shrapnel to the head and the right leg.

·      At approximately 16:00, IOF moved into Far’oun village, south of Tulkarm. They patrolled  the streets and fired at Ma’ath Yasser 'Ata, 18, without warning. He was wounded by a gunshot to the right leg, and IOF troops arrested him.

·      At approximately 16:30, an IOF aircraft fired 2 missiles at a site of the 'Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas), in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood of western Rafah city. 'Abdullah Mohammed Qeshta, a member of Fatah movement who had previously been detained in the site, was killed by shrapnel. Two members of the 'Izzidin al-Qassam, and two children, were also injured:

1.      Ameer Mohammed Khafaja, 27, wounded by shrapnel to the face.  

2.      Sameer Mohammed Mo’raj, 48, seriously wounded by shrapnel to the back.  

3.      Mohammed Mahmoud Mousa, 17, wounded by shrapnel to the left leg.

4.      Hussam Darwish al-Saqqa, 16, seriously wounded by shrapnel to the back.

Friday, 4 January 2008

·      At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Murad 'Eissa Abu Daghash, 30, in the north of the town and arrested him.

·      At approximately 02:00, an IOF infantry unit moved nearly 1,500 meters into the northeast of Beit Hanoun. IOF troops shot dead 2 members of the Palestinian resistance:

1.      Mohammed 'Awadh Hasan al-Kafarna, 25.

2. :: Article nr. 40029 sent on 12-jan-2008 06:40 ECT