Part of the destruction caused by IOF in the town of Khuza’a east of Khan Yunis on 4 May
May 8, 2008
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF)
Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)
-
9 Palestinians, including a woman, were
killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
-
3 of the victims were extra-judicially
executed by IOF.
-
35 Palestinians, including 6 children and a
woman, were injured by IOF.
-
IOF conducted 43 incursions into Palestinian
communities in the West Bank, and five into the Gaza Strip.
-
IOF used dozens of Palestinian civilians,
including children and women, as human shields during military operations in
'Abassan village in the southern Gaza Strip.
-
IOF razed 484 donums
of agricultural land and destroyed 5 greenhouses, 9 bird farms and 23 houses
in the southern Gaza Strip.
-
IOF arrested 100 Palestinian civilians,
including 15 children, in the West Bank, and arrested fifty people in the
Gaza Strip, as well as holding another 52 people for questioning.
-
IOF confiscated the contents of a sewing
workshop of the Islamic Charity in Hebron and ordered its closure for 3
years.
-
IOF have continued to impose a total siege
on the OPT.
-
The fuel crisis in the Gaza Strip has
escalated.
-
2 Palestinian civilian were arrested by IOF
at military checkpoints in the West Bank.
-
IOF have continued to construct the
Annexation Wall in the West Bank.
-
IOF issued notices to six Palestinian
civilians in Beit 'Awa village, south of Hebron, that their houses will be
demolished.
-
IOF have continued settlement activities in
the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attacks Palestinian
civilians and property.
-
IOF plan to expand "Har Brakha" settlement
near Nablus on a 229-donum area of Palestinian land.
-
Three Palestinian civilians and 2
international human rights defenders were injured by Israeli settlers.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and
humanitarian law seriously escalated in the OPT, especially in the Gaza Strip,
during the reporting period (30 April – 7 May 2008):
Shooting:
During the reporting period, IOF killed 9
Palestinians, including a woman, in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and
wounded 35 others, including 6 children and a woman, also in the Gaza Strip.
Three of the victims were extra-judicially executed by IOF in southern Gaza.
On 30 April 2008, IOF extra-judicially executed
2 al-Quds Brigades activists (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) and wounded a
third, as well as three civilian bystanders, including 2 children, in Rafah town
in the southern Gaza Strip. An IOF aircraft fired missiles at a workshop in
Rafah, whilst the activists were inside the workshop. On 1 May, IOF
extra-judicially executed an activist from the 'Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the
armed wing of Hamas) in Rafah. An IOF aircraft fired a missile at the activist
whilst he was walking in the street. A nearby child was also injured. On 4 May,
IOF killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 5 others during an incursion into
Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza. On 6 May, IOF killed a
'Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades activist, and wounded a second in Beit Lahia town
in the northern Gaza Strip. IOF fired a surface-to-surface missile at the
activists. On 7 May, IOF killed a Palestinian woman and a Palestinian resistance
activist, and wounded 4 civilians, including 2 children, during an incursion
into 'Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, IOF conducted at
least 43 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF
arrested 100 Palestinian civilians, including 15 children. The number of
Palestinian civilians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of
2008 stands at 1,151. IOF also raided a sewing workshop belonging to the Islamic
Charity in Hebron and ordered its closure for 3 years.
In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 5 incursions
into Palestinian communities. During these incursions, IOF razed at least 484
donums of agricultural land; destroyed 5 greenhouses, 9 bird farms and 23
houses. In addition, 50 Palestinian civilians were arrested, and another 52 held
for questioning.
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
continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for more than one year
and a half. The IOF imposed siege has had a disastrous impact on the
humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, and has violated the human, economic
and social rights of the approximately 1.5 million Palestinian civilian
population, particularly their rights to appropriate living conditions, health
and education. The siege has also paralyzed the Gazan economy. In addition, the
siege has severely impacted the flow of food, medical supplies and other
necessities such as fuel, construction materials and raw materials for various
economic sectors. IOF have continued to prevent the entry of raw materials into
the Gaza Strip, and many factories have been forced to close. Severe
restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the entire Palestinian
civilian population. Regarding civilian movements, IOF permit a few Palestinian
civilians to pass through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in order to travel to the
West Bank or Israel. Rafah
International Crossing Point in the
southern Gaza Strip is the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world
via a country other than Israel. 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.
The following
are the most significant current impacts of the IOF siege of the Gaza Strip,
including the current impacts of fuel deprivation.
·
Streets across the Gaza Strip are empty, and daily life has
almost been paralyzed.
·
Two weeks ago UNRWA was forced to suspend food aid to at
least 650,000 Palestinian refugees living in the Gaza Strip because of fuel
shortages.
·
Livings conditions of the civilian populations have continued
to deteriorate.
·
Hundreds of patients have been denied access to medical
treatment outside the Gaza Strip.
·
Many university and school students have not been able to
reach their educational institutions due to overwhelming demand for public
transport.
·
Only 15% of public transport is operating, due to lack of
fuel.
·
The operation of 15 wells have been stopped and at least
100,000 people across the Gaza Strip now face severe difficulties in accessing
safe drinking water.
·
Access to 125 reservoirs has decreased due to lack of fuel.
·
Twelve sewage treatment plants lack the necessary fuel
supplies to operate at full capacity, and subsequently at least 40,000 liters of
untreated sewage have been pumped into the sea daily.
·
Piles of garbage are seen in the streets, which may cause
environmental and widespread sanitary problems.
·
At least 85% of vehicles of the Coastal Municipalities Water
Utility have not been able to operate in order to supply safe drinking water,
treat sewage and maintain the current sewage networks.
·
Poverty and employment have sharply increased.
The closure of border crossings is depriving the
Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip of their right to freedom of
movement, education and health. IOF have also continued to impose severe
restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip. Fishermen in the Gaza Strip have been
subjected to intensive monitoring by IOF, which use helicopter gunships and
gunboats to monitor and harass the fishermen. Under the 1994 Interim Agreement,
Palestinian, fishermen are permitted to fish up to 20 nautical miles away from
the Gaza seashore. However, IOF have never honoured the rights of the fishermen
under the Interim Agreement.
West Bank
Contrary to Israeli claims to have eased
restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians, IOF have continued to
impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout
the West Bank. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank, and the
Gaza Strip, have been denied access to Jerusalem, including occupied East
Jerusalem. IOF have established numerous checkpoints around and inside East
Jerusalem. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate
on Fridays in order to prevent them from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque. IOF
often harass and assault Palestinian civilians who attempt to bypass checkpoints
and enter the city. IOF positioned at checkpoints across the West Bank have also
continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian
civilians. During the reporting period, IOF imposed comprehensive closures on
the OPT on Friday, 2 May, and on Tuesday, 6 May. In addition, IOF troops
positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank arrested two Palestinian
civilians.
Annexation Wall:
IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank. For
this purpose, during the reporting period,
IOF handed notices
to six Palestinian civilians in Beit 'Awa village, southwest of Hebron, that
their houses, which are located 450-1,000 meters away from the Annexation Wall,
will be demolished. IOF claimed that the houses were built without licenses, and
gave the owners until 24 May to appeal against the demolition decision.
Settlement Activities:
IOF have continued settlement activities and
Israeli settlers living in the OPT have continued to attack Palestinian
civilians and property in violation of international human rights law. During
the reporting period, IOF revealed a plan to expand "Har Brakha" settlement,
south of Nablus. The plan includes the construction of several housing units on
229 donums of land belonging to Bourin village, which is a Palestinian village.
Israeli settlers also continued to attack Palestinian civilians and their
property. On 2 May, at least 15 armed Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian
family in the al-Teera area west of Ramallah. On the same day, Israeli settlers
armed with stones and batons also attacked a number of Palestinian civilians in
Tawani village, south of Hebron. A number of international solidarity activists
arrived at the area to protect the civilians. However, more Israeli settlers
arrived in the area and also attacked the solidarity activists. One Palestinian
civilian and two international solidarity activists subsequently sustained
bruises. On 3 May, a number of Israeli settlers from "Yits’har" settlement,
south of Nablus, attacked a house belonging to Jamal Yousef Saleh in the
southeast of 'Assira village, south of Nablus. The settlers set fired to
agricultural areas and threw stones at the house. A number of local villagers
came to the area to support Saleh and assist him in extinguishing the fire. The
settlers also beat the locals who came to his assistance.
Israeli Violations Documented during the
Reporting Period (30 April – 7 May 2008)
1.
Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on
Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Wednesday, 30 April
·
At approximately 01:00,
IOF moved into Hebron. They raided a sewing workshop belonging to the Islamic
Charity, which is located on the first floor of the building of the House of
Female Orphans, in the west of the town. They confiscated the contents of the
workshop and ordered its closure for 3 years. IOF had already issued military
orders to close and seize all properties belonging to the Islamic Charity and
the Islamic Youth Association. Fifteen female workers work in the workshop,
which provides clothes for at least 4,000 orphans.
·
At approximately 01:30,
IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring 'Askar refugee camp. They raided and
searched many houses and arrested 27 Palestinian civilians:
1.
Ra’ed Mustafa Abu Lail,
23
2.
Talab Za’al Abu Lail, 25
3.
Mohammed Deeb Hassoun,
30
4.
Bassel Sameer Abu Lail,
27
5.
Rabah Saleh 'Olayan, 26
6.
Salah Saleh 'Olayan, 23
7.
Tamer Saleh 'Olayan, 21
8.
Firas 'Adnan 'Olayan, 24
9.
Mahdi Mousa Fadel, 19
10.
Mohammed Nabhan Saqer,
25
11.
Ahmed Waheed 'Olayan, 22
12.
Mohammed Waheed 'Olayan,
24
13.
'Alaa’ Mustafa Abu
Salem, 25
14.
Bassel As’ad al-Shanteer,
28
15.
Mohammed As’ad al-Shanteer,
21
16.
Mohammed Jamal al-Shanteer,
19
17.
Maher Mousa Edris, 24
18.
'Othman Talal Saqer, 24
19.
Nasser Ramzi Badran, 25
20.
Eyad Sameer Hajjaj, 22
21.
Ahmed Mohammed Abu
Qa’oud, 24
22.
Bilal Mohammed Abu
Qa’oud, 26
23.
Saif Sa’id al-Batta, 30
24.
Mohammed 'Ata Saleem, 20
25.
Yassin Qassem Abu Lafah,
27
26.
Ahmed Mohammed Qatanani,
22
27.
Sa’ed Mahmoud Qatanani,
26.
·
At approximately 01:45,
IOF moved into al-'Eizariya village, southeast of Jerusalem. They raided and
searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:
1.
Mohammed Falah Khalaf,
20
2.
Mohammed 'Omar Abu Ziad,
19
3.
Hassan Khaled Khalaf, 21
4.
Diaa’ Ahmed al-Soubani,
20.
·
Also at approximately
01:45, IOF moved into Abu Dis town, southeast of Jerusalem. They raided and
searched a number of houses and arrested 7 Palestinian civilians:
1.
'Abdul Karim Younis
Halabiya, 19
2.
Mohammed Jameel
'Oraiqat, 19
3.
'Aamer Hani 'Arabiya, 18
4.
Malek Hassan Qurai’, 18
5.
Mohammed Sami Shihada,
21
6.
Mohammed Rajeh 'Ayad, 20
7.
Mohammed 'Allan Shuqair,
18.
·
At approximately 02:00,
IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of
houses, but no arrests were reported.
·
Also at approximately
02:00, IOF moved into Sourif village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched
a number of houses and arrested Ahmed Mousa Ehmaidat, 27.
·
At approximately 02:30,
IOF moved into Zabbouba village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a
number of houses and arrested Ahmed Fat’hi 'Amarna, 17.
·
At approximately 16:30,
IOF moved into Ya’bad village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the streets
and opened fire. They arrested Khaled Ghaleb Abu Baker, 15, near the
northeastern entrance of the village claiming that he threw stones at their
vehicles.
·
Also at approximately
16:30, IOF moved into Fahama village, southwest of Jenin. They patrolled in the
streets and opened fire. They arrested 5 Palestinian children claiming that they
threw stones at their vehicles:
1.
Sofian Mahmoud Sa’abna,
12
2.
Mohammed Nayef Mara’ba,
17
3.
'Abdul Fattah Anwar
Nawasra, 13
4.
Saif Tariq Sa’abna, 12
5.
Shadi 'Aatef Sa’abna,
16.
·
At approximately 20:00,
IOF moved into Kufol Hares village, east of Salfit, and imposed a curfew to
allow Israeli settlers to conduct religious ceremonies in the village.
Thursday, 1 May
·
At approximately 01:00,
an IOF infantry unit moved nearly 800 meters into al-Farrahin neighborhood in
'Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis. IOF troops raided a number of houses and
transformed them into military sites. Later, a number of IOF tanks and
bulldozers arrived at the area opening fire. IOF troops held some civilians in
open areas endangering them as IOF troops exchanged fire with activists of the
Palestinian resistance. IOF troops also forced a number of civilians to get on
tank, apparently using them as human shields. At approximately 10:55, IOF fired
a tank shell that fell near a house belonging to Hussein Khalil Qaudaih, about
600 meters away from the affected area. As a result, 15-year-old 'Emad Hussein
Qudaih, was seriously wounded by shrapnel to the head, the back and the feet. At
approximately 15:00, Mohammed Musallam Saleem Abu Daqqa, 58, was seriously
wounded by a gunshot to the right side, when IOF troops positioned on the roof
of a house in the area fired at him. He died on the way to the hospital. During
this incursion, IOF arrested and interrogated 21 Palestinian civilians, but
released them at night. They also razed 225 donums of agricultural land planted
with olives, palms, fruits, vegetables, parleys and wheat, and destroyed a
greenhouse, a number of irrigation networks and a number of rooms. They further
damaged 6 houses, where 36 people live. IOF withdrew from the area at 22:30.
·
At approximately 01:15,
IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of
houses, but no arrests were reported.
·
At approximately 01:30,
IOF moved into al-'Azza refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. They raided and
searched a number of houses and arrested Firas Hashem Jaber, 27.
·
At approximately 22:00,
IOF moved into Tulkarm. They opened fire at houses and shops, damaging a number
of them. Neither casualties nor arrests were reported.
Friday, 2 May
·
At approximately 00:30,
IOF moved into Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses and arr
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