PCHR Weekly Report

PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights http://www.pchrgaza.org
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory	No. 26/2006 29 June- 05 July 2006

Palestinians checking the destruction incurred to the office of the Palestinian Prime Minister by an Israeli air strike.

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and Isolate the Gaza Strip from the Outside World

As the international community has remained silent, IOF have continued to wage a full scale offensive on the Palestinian people, especially in the Gaza Strip. PCHR, monitoring with utmost concern the developments of this offensive, calls upon the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and United Nations Agency, to immediately intervene to force IOF to stop this offensive and allow the passage of foodstuffs, medical supplies and fuels into the Gaza Strip. PCHR warns the international community of the policies of collective punishment and reprisals practiced by IOF against the Palestinian civilian population, especially the destruction of electricity sources and the denial of passage of foodstuffs and fuels into the Gaza Strip, which will lead to a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

PCHR believe that the international conspiracy of silence and US official statements that Israel has the right to take all measures that could ensure the release of a captured Israeli soldier, constitute a green light for IOF to wage a full scale offensive and impose a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip.

During the reported period, IOF continued to impose strict siege on the Gaza Strip and attack civilian facilities, using their highly developed arsenal without paying any consideration to proportionality in the use of force. IOF also threatened to extra-judicially execute Palestinian political leaders in the Gaza Strip. In the west Bank, IOF arrested 7 Palestinian ministers and 24 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) representing Hamas. Thus, the number of ministers arrested by IOF has increased to 8.

o 10 Palestinians have been killed by IOF (3 have been extra-judicially executed and 6 have been killed by shelling).

o 79 Palestinian civilians, including 21 children, have been wounded by the IOF gunfire.

o 82 air-to-surface missiles and hundreds of artillery shells have been fired at Palestinian civilians and military targets in the Gaza Strip.

o Two buildings of the Palestinian Ministry of Interior, the office of the Palestinian Prime Minister and a number of educational institutions have been destroyed.

o 3 bridges linking Gaza City with the southern Gaza Strip and 3 roads in Khan Yunis and al-Nusairat have been destroyed.

o Hundreds of donums of agricultural land and 5 houses have been destroyed, and 6 other houses have been transformed into military sites.

o At least 180 Palestinian civilians, including 8 ministers and more than 20 PLC members have been arrested in the West Bank, and 4 Palestinian civilians have been arrested in the Gaza Strip.

o Gaza International Airport in the southern Gaza Strip and parts of the northern Gaza Strip have been occupied by IOF.

Israeli violations of international law continued in the OPT during the reported period (29 June – 5 July 2006):

Killing: During the reported period, IOF killed 9 Palestinians (6 in the Gaza Strip and 3 in the West Bank). In the Gaza Strip, 4 Palestinians were killed by IOF air strikes and the remaining two were killed when IOF gunboats shelled a site of the Palestinian Naval Force in the northern Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, IOF killed one Palestinian when they attacked a number of members of the Palestinian resistance in a cemetery in Nablus. They also extra-judicially executed two Palestinian in two separate attacks in Jenin and Jericho.

In addition, 71 Palestinians, including 18 children, were wounded by the IOF gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF launched a series of air strikes on civilian targets and mock air raids using fighter jets and helicopter gunships. During the reported period, they attacked the office of the Palestinian Prime Minister Isma’il Haniya, the office of the Minister of Interior Sa’id Siam and the building of the Ministry of Interior. During the reported period, IOF fired at least 86 air-to-surface missiles and hundreds of artillery shells at dozens of civilian targets, including educational institutions and electricity facilities in the Gaza Strip.

Incursions: During the reported period. IOF conducted at least 81 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 7 ministers, 24 PLC members and 71 other civilians, including 6 children and two women. Thus, the number of Palestinians arrested by IOF since the beginning of 2006 has increased to 1940. IOF also raided at least 35 civil institutions and closed a number of them. During the reported period, IOF invaded and reoccupied areas in the northern Gaza Strip, while they have continued to occupy Gaza International Airport in the southern Gaza Strip. In addition, IOF conducted a number of limited incursions into Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip, during which they arrested two Palestinians, demolished 5 houses, transformed 6 other houses into military sites and used 6 Palestinian civilians as human shields. IOF also razed large areas of agricultural land in the Gaza Strip. The southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah lack electricity supplies as the electricity network of the town was destroyed, an IOF have denied access of maintenance crews to areas occupied by IOF to repair the network. In these incursions, IOF employed undercover units and trained dogs.

Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a comprehensive siege on the OPT, in violation of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinian civilians.

Following an attack launched by Palestinian militants on 25 June 2006 near the Israeli-Egyptian border, southeast of Rafah, which left two IOF soldiers and two of the attackers dead and a third IOF soldier missing, IOF have closed all border crossings of the Gaza Strip.

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. According to information gathered by PCHR, the number of Palestinians stuck in Egypt is more than 3,000. Most of them have been forced to stay in different cities including Cairo, al-Arish and Egyptian Rafah. These Palestinians had traveled to Egypt or through Egypt to other destinations for the purposes of medical treatment, education, visiting relatives or work. In addition, scores of expatriate Palestinian families living in the Gulf States, who had traveled to Rafah International Crossing Point to spend the summer in Gaza, were forced to return to the Gulf. Furthermore, more than 400 Palestinians, mostly patients, are stuck in the waiting hall at the Egyptian side of Rafah Crossing. They are enduring extremely difficult conditions due to the hot weather and lack of adequate services and facilities, especially for patients. These patients were returning to Gaza after undergoing medical treatment abroad, including surgery. Some of the patients have undergone heart, ophthalmic or orthopedic surgeries. Such patients require special facilities that are not available at the border. Travelers are deprived of services required to meet their basic needs, especially for women, children and the elderly. Furthermore, they are being forcibly separated from their families in the Gaza Strip. During the reported period, IOF refused to allow the transfer of the body of a Palestinian patient who died at an Egyptian hospital into the Gaza Strip. His family was forced to bury him in Egypt.

IOF have closed commercial crossings of the Gaza Strip. As a consequence, the economic situation inside the Gaza Strip has further deteriorated and many goods have been lacked in markets. IOF have prevented the free flow of fuel, food and medical supplies since. The Gaza Strip was suffering from a lack gas and fuel even before the latest tightening of the closure. On Sunday, 2 July 2006, IOF reopened the crossing for 5 hours to allow the importation of some basic foodstuffs and limited amounts of fuel, which do not meet the actual needs of the Gaza Strip. IOF re-closed the crossing contrary to their claims that the crossing would be open for 4 days. According to Palestinian official sources, these amounts meet the needs of the Gaza Strip for a few days only.

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege 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 continued to separate the north and south of the West Bank. For this purpose, they have imposed severe restrictions one movement through Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, and re-established their presence at ‘Attara checkpoint, north of Ramallah. They have also erected two new checkpoints near Ramallah. During the reported period, IOF positioned at various checkpoints around Nablus imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They have also continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement on Palestinian civilians to and from Tulkarm. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank abused a number of Palestinian civilians. During the reported period, IOF at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 3 Palestinian civilians.

Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank. During the reported period, IOF issued a military order seizing at least 25 donums of land in the Beit Oula village, west of Hebron. They also razed areas of land to establish a fence near “Kermi Tsur” settlement, north of Hebron. During the reported period, IOF used forced to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah, and Halhoul and Beit Ummar villages, north of Hebron. IOF fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at the demonstrators. As a result, 3 demonstrators were wounded.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (29 June – 5 July 2006)

Following an armed attack launched by Palestinian militants on 25 June 2006 in Kerem Shalom area on the Egyptian –Israeli border, southeast of Rafah, which left dead two Palestinian militants and two IOF soldiers killed, while a third IOF soldier was captured, IOF have launched a wide scale offensive on the Gaza Strip. They have launched dozens of air strikes mock air raids, and fired artillery shells at the civilian infrastructure. They have also attacked governmental compounds and training sites and activists of Palestinian resistance organizations.

· At approximately 01:20, IOF warplanes fired two missiles at 'Oraiba area in the northwest of Rafah, and at al-Nasser village, north of the town. The two missiles hit uninhabited areas and no casualties or damages were reported.

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved hundreds of meters into al-Shouka village, east of Rafah, opening fire intensely. They demolished 5 houses belonging to the Abu Mo’ammar family, in which 30 individuals (5 families) lived. They also razed large areas of agricultural land planted with olives and citrus, mostly belonging to the al-Farra family.

· At approximately 03:30, IOF warplanes fired two missiles at two shops of electrical sets belonging to Majed Ahmed Abu Daqqa, an activist of Fatah movement, in Bani Suhaila village, east of Khan Yunis. Contents of the two shops were destroyed, but no casualties were reported.

· At approximately 06:45, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Khan Yunis, fired at least 30 artillery shells at Palestinian agricultural areas in Abasan and Khuza'a villages, east of Khan Yunis. A Palestinian farmer, 45-year-old Salem Salama Qudaih, from Khuza'a village, was wounded by shrapnel to the legs.

· At approximately 09:00, IOF moved into al-Shouka village, east of Rafah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammed Harb Abu Snaima, 22.

· At approximately 10:30, IOF warplanes fired at least one missile that fell between two training sites belonging to 'Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and Ahmed Abu al-Reesh Briagdes, a military wing of Fatah movement, in the west of Khan Yunis. No casualties were reported.

· At approximately 12:00, IOF positioned along the northern and northeastern borders of the Gaza Strip started to fire artillery shells at uninhabited areas in the northern Gaza Strip towns of Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun. The artillery shelling continued until the evening, and wounded a Palestinian civilian, Jameel Mohammed Abu Ghazal, with shrapnel to the right hand.

· At approximately 21:00, IOF resumed artillery shelling targeting the northern Gaza Strip. A number of shells hit an electricity transmitter near Erez crossing, and another one located in al-Sudaniya area, west of Beit Lahia. As a result, electricity was cut off from the entire northern Gaza Strip. It is worth noting that the two transmitters are fed with electricity by the Israeli National Electricity Company, and were partially providing Gaza City with electricity following the destruction of the Gaza electricity generation plant by IOF a few days earlier.

· At approximately 22:40, IOF fighter jets fired 4 missiles at a space area in the central Gaza Strip. Three missiles fell to the west of Gaza Electricity Generation Company, making craters. The fourth missile hit a training center belonging to Hamas in al-Nusairat refugee camp.

· At approximately 00:00 on Friday, 30 June 2006, IOF fighter jets and helicopter gunships shelled several areas in the northern Gaza Strip. By 04:00, at least 13 missiles hit several areas in the northern Gaza Strip, wounding 7 Palestinian civilians.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF helicopter gunships fired 4 missiles at the central Gaza Strip. Three of these missiles hit the Gaza Valley Bridge on Salah al-Din Street, which links Gaza City with the southern Gaza Strip, destroying the remaining part of it. It is worth noting that the bridge was shelled by IOF warplanes and was largely destroyed. The fourth missile hit a training site belonging to Hamas, damaging it.

· Also at approximately 01:30, an IOF helicopter gunship fired two missiles at the office of the Palestinian Minister of Interior in the Southern Remal neighborhood in Gaza City. The office was completely destroyed.

· A few minutes later, an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at Martyr Abu Jihad Office, a branch office of Fatah movement, in al-Daraj neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. The office was largely destroyed.

· A few minutes later, an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at a training site of the Executive Force of the Palestinian Ministry of Interior in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in the north of Gaza City. The site was destroyed.

· At the same time, an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at a training site of Hamas in the north of al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. The site was destroyed.

· At approximately 02:00, an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at al-Sahawa Cultural Society in Jabalya refugee camp. The center of was severely damaged.

· At approximately 02:10, an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at a group of the Palestinian resistance in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah. The missile exploded and seriously wounded a resistance man, 25-year-old Mohammed Hassan 'Abdul 'Aal. He was evacuated to the Gaza European Hospital in Khan Yunis. At approximately 06:40, he was pronounced dead.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF, reinforced by heavy military vehicles and helicopters, moved nearly 3 kilometers into al-houka village, east of Rafah. They besieged 4 houses belonging to the Abu Snaima family. IOF soldiers then broke into one of these houses, which belongs to Tayseer Sa’id Abu Snaima to arrest him, but he was not there. Soon after, IOF soldiers raided the other three houses, which belongs to Abu Snaima’s father, sister and brother (Yasser, 25). They held women and children in one of the houses and violently beat a child. They then arrested Yasser. According to his parents, IOF confiscated a number of documents and stole some jewelry and an amount of money.

· At approximately 10:00, IOF gunboats opened fire at Khan Yunis beach. No casualties were reported.

· At approximately 10:20, IOF warplanes fired a missile at 'Oraiba area in the northwest of Rafah. Ten minutes later, the IOF warplanes fired another missile at the same area. The two missiles hit an uninhabited area, and no casualties or damages were reported.

· At approximately 16:00, IOF warplanes fired a missile at a civilian cars that was traveling near al-Wafaa’ Hospital in the east of al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. Three members of the al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, were traveling in the car. The missile missed the target, but wounded the three occupants. The wound of one of them was described by medical sources as serious.

· At approximately 16:30, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired a number of artillery shells at the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. Those shells fell near houses and wounded two Palestinian children:

· At approximately 22:00, an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at a training site of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the southeast of Gaza City. The site was destroyed, but no casualties were reported.

· Also at approximately 22:00, IOF helicopter gunships fired 3 missiles at a training site of the Ahmed Abu al-Reesh, a military wing of Fatah movement, in al-Mawasi area in the west of Rafah. The site was destroyed, but no casualties were reported.

· At approximately 00:10, IOF fighter jets fired 4 successive missiles at targets in the north of al-Nusairat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. The first missile hit Salah al-Din Street leading to the electricity generation plan, and made a large crater. The second and third missiles hit a training site of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, making large craters. The fourth missile hit an uninhabited area. No casualties were reported.

· At approximately 10:00, IOF fighter jets fired a missile at a training site of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, in ‘Oraiba areas in the northwest of Rafah. No casualties were reported. Nearly 20 minutes later, IOF fighter jets fired a missile at an agricultural area in al-Zohour neighborhood in the north of Rafah. Two greenhouses belonging to Sameeh Ibrahim Duhair were destroyed, and a number of neighboring houses and offices of al-Amal Handicapped Rehabilitation Society were damaged.

· At approximately 12:45, IOF, reinforced by heavy military vehicles and helicopters, moved nearly 700 meters into ‘Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis. They raided 3 houses and forced their residents out. They used a woman and her 4 children as human shields while searching houses. They allowed the woman and her children to leave the area 4 hours later. IOF helicopter gunships opened fire at the area. At approximately 16:00, a number of resistance men arrived at the area and attempted to clash with IOF. Soon, IOF used Wajed Shihda Abu ‘Awad, 42, as a human shield. An Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile as a space area, and no casualties were reported. During this incursion, two Palestinian civilians were wounded by the IOF gunfire:

1. Fua’d Mohammed al-Daghma, 48, wounded by a live bullet to the right shoulder; and

IOF also razed at least 110 donums of agricultural land planted with olives and vegetables, belonging to the families of al-Shami, ‘Asfour and al-Madani.

· At approximately 18:35, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired a number of artillery shells at the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. As a result, a Palestinian civilian, 44-year-old Kamal Mohammed Swailem, was wounded by shrapnel to the right foot.

· At approximately 01:40, IOF warplanes fired two missiles at the office of the Palestinian Prime Minister Isma’il Haniya in the densely populated Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in the southwest of Gaza City. The office was destroyed, but no casualties were reported.

· A few minutes later, IOF helicopter gunships fired two missiles at two sites of the Executive Force of the Palestinian Ministry of Interior in Shiekh Radwan neighborhood in the north of Gaza City, and al-Tuffah neighborhood in the northeast of the city. The two sites were severely damaged, but no casualties were reported.

· At approximately 02:05, IOF helicopter gunships fired two missiles at a store located near a house belonging to Mohammed ‘Abdul Rahman Shihab, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council. The store was destroyed. A member of the Executive Force of the Palestinian Ministry of Interior, 33-year-old Sha’ban ‘Abdul Mon’em Manoun, 33, was seriously wounded by shrapnel to the head, when he was 10 meters away from the store. He died on the way to the hospital. In addition, 3 houses, including Shihab’s house, were damaged.

· At approximately 16:20, IOF gunboats positioned opposite to Khan Yunis and Rafah fired a number of shells at the coats in the two towns. The shells hit space areas, without causing casualties or damages, but Palestinian civilians were extremely terrified. It is worth noting that the number of Palestinian civilians going to beaches in the Gaza Strip has sharply decreased due to the IOF shelling from the sea.

· At approximately 23:30, IOF positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel fired a number of artillery shells at the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. One of those shells hit a houses belonging to As’ad Fahmi Abu Salah, nearly 800 meters away from the border. Fired broke out inside the house and its residents were extremely terrified. Palestinian ambulances were not able to reach the house for nearly 90 minutes because of the intense IOF shelling. Residents of the house, including women and children, who were shocked, were evacuated to hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip.

· At approximately 01:15, IOF, reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved nearly 1000 meters into al-Qattaa’, al-Hamra and al-Furata areas in the east of the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. IOF elite units accompanied the heavy military vehicles. They seized control over 4 houses, two of which were inhabited. They held the residents in one room and transformed the houses into military sites. IOF left the houses on Tuesday morning, as IOF moved forward into the area.

· At approximately 01:20, IOF warplanes fired a missile at an uninhabited flat in building (22) in al-Nada housing project in the northern Gaza Strip, which serves as an office for the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fatah movement. The flat was partially destroyed and a number of other flats were damaged, but no casualties were reported.

· At approximately 01:30, an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at offices a charity belonging to the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fatah movement, which is located on the second floor of an apartment building in al-Wihda Street in the center of Gaza City. The offices were severely damaged.

· At approximately 09:30, IOF moved nearly 500 meters into the north of Beit Lahia. They leveled areas of land, searching for tunnels.

· At approximately 11:20, an IOF drone fired a missile at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance in al-Furata areas in the east of Beit Hanoun, at least 2 kilometers away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. One of these members was instantly killed by shrapnel to the chest and the neck. He was identified as ‘Abdul Rahim Jaber Duroj, 30, a member of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.

· At approximately 23:50, an IOF drone fired a missile at a number of members of the Palestinian resistance in al-Masriyeen Street in Beit Hanoun. One of these members was instantly killed by shrapnel throughout the body, when he was near his house. He was identified as Isma’il Rateb al-Masri, 30, a member of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. When he was first wounded, he was evacuated in a Reuters jeep, which was hit by shrapnel, but none of its crew was hurt.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF expanded their incursion into the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun. IOF heavy military vehicles moved towards the town from the east and stationed near a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces in al-Masriyeen Street in the east of Beit Hanoun. Other IOF vehicles moved towards al-Furata area. They then started to raze areas of agricultural land belonging to the al-Masri family, nearly 2000 meters away from the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

· At approximately 01:20, an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at offices of the student council of the Islamic University in the center of Gaza City. The offices were destroyed, but no casualties were reported. It is worth noting that IOF warplanes shelled the playground of the university a few days earlier.

· At approximately 02:30, IOF that moved into the northeast of Beit Hanoun opened fire at a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces near the College of Agriculture. A security man, 28-year-old Mazen Khalil ‘Afana, was wounded by shrapnel to the right eye.

· At approximately 12:00, at least 30 IOF heavy military vehicles moved nearly 500 meters into the north of Beit Lahia. They seized control over the area known in the past as “Nissanit” settlement and the northern edges of Erez industrial zone. At approximately 14:00, IOF opened fire at Palestinian civilians in the area, wounding 9-year-old Isma’il Eqtaifan, from the Bedouin village, with shrapnel to the left hand.

· At approximately 13:30, IOF bulldozed a site of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Beit Hanoun. They also razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land in the east of the town.

· At approximately 18:30, IOF positioned inside Erez industrial zone in the northern Gaza Strip opened fire at maintenance crew of the Palestinian Energy Authority near Erez crossing, even though the presence of the crew was coordinated in advance with IOF to repair the electricity network, which was damaged by IOF shelling. Members of the crew were forced to leave the area as their car was hit by live bullets. They sustained bruises.

· At approximately 23:00, 8 IOF heavy military vehicles moved nearly 1500 meters into Shurrab area in the northeast of Beit Hanoun, and 10 other IOF vehicles moved towards al-Masriyeen Street. They raided two houses belonging to Mahmoud Majdi al-Masri and Mazen Mohammed Shabat. They transformed the two houses into military sites.

· At approximately 00:30, IOF helicopter gunships fired 6 missiles at a training site belonging to ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, in ‘Oraiba area in the northwest of Rafah. The site was totally destroyed.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved towards Zimmu Street in the east of Beit Hanoun. They raided a house belonging to ‘Omar Qassem. They held its residents in one room and transformed the house into a military site.

· At approximately 01:45, IOF fighter jets fired a missile at the main office building of the Ministry of Interior and National Security in the densely-populated Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in the southwest of Gaza City. The bomb hit three floors of the 5-storey building and fire broke out in the whole building. The structure was heavily damaged and may collapse completely as a result. Extensive damage was also caused to surrounding homes. Two civilians were wounded in the attack. It is worth noting that this was the second air strike against the Ministry over the past few days. IOF warplanes bombarded the same building on Thursday, 29 June 2006, and hit the office of the Minister of Interior, Said Siam, located on the fifth story of the building. The office was destroyed.

Shortly after targeting the Ministry of Interior, IOF warplanes fired a missile at Dar al-Arqam School in the densely-populated al-Tuffah neighborhood in the northeast of Gaza City. A number of structures and classrooms were destroyed. No casualties were reported. It is noted that the school provides free education to thousands of children from the families of those wounded, killed or arrested during the al-Aqsa Intifada. This air strike had been the third of its kind carried out against the school since the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada. In each of these attacks, large parts of the school were destroyed.

· At approximately 08:40, IOF opened fire at a number of Palestinian civilians near Erez industrial zone, wounding 12-year-old Anwar Isma’il ‘Atallah seriously with a live bullet to the head.

· At approximately 23:50, IOF gunboats fired 3 shells at a site of the Palestinian Naval Force in al-Sudaniya area, west of Beit Lahia. As a result, two Palestinians were killed:

1. Hussam Mahmoud Hijazi, 24, a member of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, who was near the site; and

2. Rami Abu Hashem, 27, a member of the Naval Force, from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City.

In addition, 10 members of the Naval Force were wounded. Medical sources described the wounds of 3 of them as critical.

2. Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property

· In the early morning, IOF moved into Ramallah and al-Bireh. They besieged Jimzu apartment building in al-Bireh, where a number of Palestinian ministers. IOF ordered the ministers to get out and they did. Immediately, IOF arrested 5 ministers:

IOF also arrested ‘Abdul Jaber Mustafa al-Fuqahaa’, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), from his house.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Sa’ir village, east of Hebron. They raided and searched two houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Dahiat al-Barid area, northeast of occupied Jerusalem. They raided and searched a houses belonging to Wa’el Mohammed ‘Abdul Rahman (al-Husseini), a PLC member, and arrested him.

· At approximately 01:15, IOF moved into Sour Baher village, south of occupied Jerusalem. They raided a house belonging to Mohammed Mahmoud Abu Tair, a PLC member, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 01:15, IOF moved into Um Touba, south of occupied Jerusalem. They raided a house belonging to Ahmed Mohammed ‘Atwan, a PLC member, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 01:15, IOF mobbed into Wadi al-Jouz neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem. They raided a house belonging to Khaled Abu ‘Arafa, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, and arrested him.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Bethlehem and neighboring refugee camps. They raided a house belonging to Mahmoud Daoud al-Khatib, a PLC member, in Hindaza neighborhood; a house belonging to Anwar Mohammed al-Zaboun, a PLC member, in ‘Aaida refugee camp; and a house belonging to Sheikh ‘Abdul Majeed ‘Ata, the Mufti of Bethlehem, in al-Duhaisha refugee camp, and arrested the three.

· At approximately 01:50, IOF moved into Beit ‘Awa village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses, and arrested 10 Palestinian civilians:

· Also at approximately 01:50, IOF moved into Hebron. They raided and searched two houses and arrested two Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Hebron. They raided a house belonging to Mohammed Maher Bader, a PLC member, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Sourif village, northwest of Hebron. They raided a house belonging to Sameer Saleh al-Qadi, a PLC member, and arrested him. .

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Sammou’ village, southwest of Hebron. They raided a house belonging to the family of Bassem Ahmed Za’areer, a PLC member, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarm. They raided a house belonging to Fathi Mohammed Qara’awi, 48, a PLC member. Qara’awi had been released from Israeli jails 7 days earlier.

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Saida village, north of Tulkarm. They raided a house belonging to Riad Mahmoud Raddad, a PLC member, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Qalqilya. They besieged two houses belonging to Wajeeh ‘Abdul Rahim Nazzal, 40, the Mayor of Qalqilya, and Mohammed Hashem al-Masri, 45, his deputy. They forced the two families to get out and arrested Nazzal and al-Masri. Nazal’s wife told PCHR that IOF soldiers did not allow him to take all of his medicines as he suffers from a heart disease. Nazzal and al-Masri were taken to Hawara detention facility. Nazzal’s health condition deteriorated, so he was transferred to an Israeli hospital. In the meantime, an IOF unit raided a house belonging to ‘Emad Mahmoud Noufal, 37, a PLC member, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Salfit village, southwest of Nablus. They raided a house belonging to Nasser ‘Abdullah ‘Abdul Jawad, 45, a PLC members, and a house belonging to Ibrahim ‘Abdul Fattah Madi, 38, his secretary, and arrested the two.

· Also at 02:00, IOF moved into the western part of Tulkarm. They besieged an apartment building belonging to Miriam Mahmoud Sal’ous. They forced residents of the 6 flats in the building to get out and verified their identity cards. They then arrested ‘Aamer Mohammed Zaidan, 29. In the meantime, another IOF unit raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Rami Mohammed Shelbaya, 28, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:15, IOF moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided a house belonging to Sheikh Nayef Mahmoud al-Rajoub, Minister of Waqf and Religious Affairs, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 02:15, IOF moved into Ethna village, south of Hebron. They raided a house belonging to Mohammed Mutlaq Abu Juhaisha, a PLC member, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 02:15, IOF moved into Yatta village, south of Hebron. They raided a house belonging to Khalil Mousa Reb’ei, a PLC member, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:25, IOF moved into al-Zahiriya village, south of Hebron. They raided a house belonging to Mohammed Isma’il al-Tal, a PLC member, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 02:25, IOF moved into Nablus and neighboring refugee camps. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 9 Palestinian civilians, including a PLC member and the spokesman of Gamas in Nablus: