PCHR Weekly Report

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT, especially in the Gaza Strip, during the reporting period (5 – 11 June 2008):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 11 Palestinians, including 2 children and an elderly man, and wounded 25 others, including 9 children and 5 women, in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF killed 10 Palestinians, including two 8-year-old children, and wounded 16 others, including 5 children and 3 women.

On 5 June, IOF killed an 8-year-old child in Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, when they fired a missile that fell near her family’s house. The child’s mother was also wounded. Additionally, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by IOF during an incursion into ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis.

On 6 June, 5 Palestinians (3 children and 2 police officers) were wounded when IOF aircrafts bombarded a police station of the dismissed Palestinian government in the northern Gaza Strip.

On 7 June, IOF shot dead a Palestinian civilian in al-Shoja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City, when he attempted to offer help to a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance who had been wounded by IOF. On the same day, IOF killed an activist of the Palestinian resistance, when they fired a tanks shell at a number of activists in al-Shoja’eya neighborhood. In addition, a Palestinian civilian was wounded by IOF in Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis.

On 8 June, 2 Palestinian civilians were wounded by IOF near Khan Yunis town in the southern Gaza Strip and near al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

On 10 June 2008, IOF killed 3 activists of the Palestinian resistance in al-Tuffah neighborhood in the east of Gaza City.

On 11 June, IOF killed an 8-year-old girl and 2 activists of the Palestinian resistance during an incursion into al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan Yunis. The girl’s aunt and another girl were also wounded. On the same day, IOF killed an elderly Palestinian man and wounded his grandchild, when an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at a tent that serves as a site for the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, IOF killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 9 others, including 4 children and 2 women.

On 5 June, IOF killed a Palestinian civilian, when they opened fire at members of two clans who were exchanging fire in the context of a dispute between the two clans in Hebron. On the same day, 4 Palestinian civilians, including a child and 2 women, were wounded when IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron.

On 7 June, 2 Palestinian children were wounded when IOF fired at a number of children who demonstrated when IOF moved into al-Far’a refugee camp, south of Tubas.

On 9 June, a Palestinian child was wounded by IOF in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron.

On 10 June, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when IOF fired at a number of Palestinian children who demonstrated in Deir Abu Mash’al village, northwest of Ramallah.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 32 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF arrested 39 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children. Since the beginning of the year, 1,306 Palestinian civilians have been arrested by IOF in the West Bank. IOF also closed two offices belonging to the ‘Islamic Charity’ in Hebron, and transformed 3 houses into military sites.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 4 incursions into Palestinian communities. During these incursions, IOF razed at least 240 donums of agricultural land, destroyed 2 green houses, demolished a house and a bird farm, and detained 12 Palestinian civilians for some time, but released 11 of them later.

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. During the reporting period, IOF imposed a comprehensive closure on the OPT from Sunday morning to Tuesday morning, 8-11 June 2008.

IOF have continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for almost two years. The IOF siege of Gaza, which has tightened since June 2007, 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 very 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 from reaching it. The closure of these border crossings deprives the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip of their inalienable right to freedom of movement, education and health. IOF also imposes restrictions on the access of fishermen to sea, using force to impose severe restrictions on their rights to fish on their own coastline.

Contrary to Israeli claims of easing 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. 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 violently harass 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 also erected more checkpoints on the main roads and intersections in the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 6 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and a woman.

Settlement Activities: IOF have continued settlement activities and Israeli settlers living in the OPT have, in violation of international human rights and humanitarian law, continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. During the reporting period, IOF demolished 3 Palestinian houses in East Jerusalem, claiming that they were built without licenses. IOF also started to establish a settlement outpost on the land of Arab al-Ramadin village, south of Hebron. IOF named the new settlement outpost “Sinsana B”, and it would be constructed only a few meters away from “Sinsana A” settlement outpost. In the meantime, Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. During the reporting period, 4 Palestinian civilians, including an old man and his wife, were injured when Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian civilians and property in Hebron district.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (5 – 11 June 2008)

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

· At approximately 01:0, IOF moved into ‘Allar village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Nader Ibrahim al-Kharouf, 22, and arrested him.

· Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Tulkram. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mo’tassem Yousef ‘Ouda, 22, and arrested him.

· At approximately 01:15, IOF moved into al-Shyoukh village, northeast of Hebron. They raided and searched offices of the Islamic Charity and subordinate school and kindergarten. They confiscated the contents of the buildings and ordered the closure of the charity for 3 years.

· Also at approximately 01:15, IOF moved into Beit Oula village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched offices of the ‘Islamic Charity’. They confiscated the contents of the offices and ordered the closure of the charity for 3 years.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring Balata refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 6 Palestinian civilians, including a man and his two sons:

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Salwa Rezeq Salah, 16, and arrested her.

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Shawawra village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of ‘Emad Mohammed Ibrahim, 33, and arrested him.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into ‘Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis. They raided and searched a number of houses and transformed them into military sites. They also raided, searched and damaged offices of al-Rowad Association, confiscated four computers and detained 4 Palestinian civilians until the afternoon. At approximately 09:00, Saleem Sidqi al-Farra, 20, was wounded by shrapnel to the face, when IOF opened fire at the area. Also during this incursion, which continued until 13:30, IOF demolished 3 houses completely and a fourth one partially, and razed 6.5 donums of agricultural land together with a greenhouse.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses. No arrested were reported.

· Also at approximately 03:00, IOF moved into al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 03:30, IOF moved into Beit Eiba village, west of Nablus. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mo’taz Adeen Isma’il, 22, and arrested him.

· At approximately 04:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to Hamed al-Za’aqiq and Fu’ad ‘Abdul Hakim ‘Alqam and transformed them into military sites. After the sunrise, dozens of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones at IOF military vehicles. Immediately, IOF troops fired at the children. As a result, 4 Palestinian civilians, including 2 women and a child, were wounded:

1. Tariq Jamal Abu Maria, 14, seriously wounded by 3 gunshots to the chest and the abdomen;

· At approximately 14:10, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a space of land near a house belonging to Hamdan Hamdan al-Najjar in Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. The missile hit al-Najjar’s child, 8-year-old Aaya, and dismembered her. The child was playing in front of the house. Al-Najjar’s wife, 37-year-old Zahra Ibrahim al-Najjar, was wounded by shrapnel to the head. PCHR is concerned that this attack might have been in retaliation to a mortar attacks against an Israeli factory located to the east of the Gaza Strip 3 hours earlier.

· At noon, an armed dispute between the clans of al-Rajabi and al-‘Ajlouni in Jabal Joura area in the southeast of Hebron was resumed. IOF troops positioned in the area opened fire at members of the two clans. As a result, Adham Majed al-Rajabi, 22, was killed by a gunshot to the chest. Later, an IOF representative admitted responsibility for al-Rajabi’s death, and claimed that a number of gunshots hit the neighboring “Jewish neighborhood” during the exchange of fire between the two clans. Two persons were also wounded. PCHR notes that IOF shot dead Bahaa’ Ahmed al-‘Ajlouni, 24, on 16 September 2007 during a dispute between the two clans.

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Jabal Jouhar area in the southeast of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved nearly 1,500 meters into Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. They raided and started to destroyed Palestinian civilian property. By 17:00, when they withdrew from the area, IOF razed 45 donums of agricultural land planted with olives and demolished a bird farm.

· At approximately 02:00, an IOF fighter jet dropped a bomb on a police station of the dismissed Palestinian government in al-‘Atatra area in the west of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip. The site was completely destroyed, and 3 children and 2 police officers were wounded:

· At approximately 03:00, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a 300-square-meter workshop belonging to Sa’id Younis al-Masri in al-Daraj neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. The workshop was damaged.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into al-Dawar refugee camp, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.

· At approximately 03:45, an IOF special unit opened fire a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance in Habeeb Street in al-Shoja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. Several of the activists were wounded. When Khalil Mohammed Sukkar, 27, a resident of the area, attempted to assist the wounded, IOF troops shot him dead.

· At approximately 07:20, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east of Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, fired at Mohammed Suleiman Qudaih, 45. He was wounded by a gunshot to the left knee. Qudaih was fixing a water pipeline almost 500 meters away from the border when he was shot.

· At approximately 16:00, IOF moved into al-Far’a refugee camp, south of Tubas. They fired a number of sound bombs at the southern entrance of the camp. A number of Palestinian children gathered and threw stones at IOF military vehicles. Immediately, IOF troops fired at the children wounding two of them.

· At approximately 19:20, an IOF drone fired a missile at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance in ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis. The missile went astray. No casualties were reported.

· At approximately 23:10, IOF troops positioned at the eastern border of the Gaza Strip fired an artillery shell at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance in al-Shoja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. An activist, 21-year-old Bilal Khalil al-Sharbassi, was killed, and another one, 21-year-old Ayman Musbah Mushtaha, was wounded.

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Abu Snaina neighborhood in the south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Kahel village, northwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Hisham Salem al-‘Atawna, 39, and arrested him.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Fawar refugee camp, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 16:00, IOF moved nearly 1,200 meters into ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis, and al-Fukhari area in the southeast of the town. They opened fire wounding Mohammed Tayseer Abu Daqqa, 16, with a gunshot to the right hand. They also razed 15 donums of agricultural land and destroyed 2 greenhouses.

· At approximately 18:00, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast of al-Boreij refugee camp fired at 3 Palestinian civilians who were nearly 700 meters away from the border. One of those civilians, 23-year-old Hassan Mohammed Shaheen, a journalist, was wounded by a gunshot to the left hand. He was photographing areas of land already razed by IOF, but was not wearing clearly marked clothes.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Ramallah and al-Bireh. They patrolled in the streets, but withdrew later. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into ‘Aaroura village, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses. No arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and summoned Ra’ed Waleed ‘Amru and Ayoub ‘Abdul Qader Abu ‘Awad for interrogation.

· At approximately 13:00, IOF troops positioned in a military post at the eastern entrance of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, fired at 17-year-old Sa’id Ahmed Za’aqiq. He was wounded by a gunshot to the foot. IOF claimed that the children threw a Molotov cocktail bottle at the site.

· At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They patrolled in the streets and opened fire. They withdrew later and neither casualties nor arrests were reported.

· At approximately 02:00, an IOF infantry, reinforced by heavy military vehicles, moved nearly 1,000 meters into al-Shouka village, southeast of Rafah. IOF troops raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Ibrahim Mohammed Abu Snaima, 20. By 09:00, when they redeployed outside the village, IOF had razed 31 donums of agricultural land planted with almonds and olives belonging to the Abu Snaima clan.

· At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Deir Abu Mash’al village, northwest of Ramallah. They raided a house belonging to Mahmoud ‘Eid ‘Ata and transformed it into a military site. In the afternoon, dozens of Palestinian civilian threw stones at IOF troops that prevented them from getting close to ‘Ata’s house. IOF troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets at those civilians. ‘Aahed ‘Eissa Rabee’, 19, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the chest.

· At approximately 12:15, IOF troops positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Gaza City, fired an artillery shell at a number of activists of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in al-Tuffah neighborhood in the east of the city. Three activists were killed:

· At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into al-Bireh. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Firas Suleiman ‘Aabed, 35.

· Also at approximately 00:30, IOF moved into al-Jalazoun refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Ibrahim Sameeh Shatat, 30.

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

· Also 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:

· At approximately 01:15, IOF moved into Nablus and the neighboring Balata refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian children:

· At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 6 Palestinian civilians, including a man and his two sons:

· At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Kufor Dan village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child:

· Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into al-Ma’sara village, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mahmoud ‘Abdul Karim Zawahra, 21.

· In the morning, IOF killed an 8-year-old Palestinian child in al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan Yunis, when they fired a tank shell at the family’s house during an incursion into the village. This crime was the second of its kind in less than a week in the Gaza Strip as another child was killed the same way in Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis. IOF killed also an activist of the Palestinian resistance.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 02:30, IOF aircrafts opened fire from machine guns at agricultural areas in al-Qarara village, northeast of Khan Yunis, near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. Nearly half an hour later, IOF heavy military vehicles moved hundreds of meters into Shiekh Hammouda area in al-Qarara village. IOF troops raided a number of houses and transformed them into military sites. They then started to raze areas of Palestinian agricultural land. At approximately 05:30, an IOF tank fired a shell at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance. An activist, 20-year-old Ibrahim Mohammed al-Masri, was killed. At approximately 05:40, IOF tanks fired 2 shells at the northeastern part of the village. The two shells fell near a house belonging to ‘Abdul Karim Suleiman al-Sumairi, which is 1,000 meters away from the affected area. Al-Sumairi’s child, 8-year-old Hadeel, was killed and her body dismembered. Her aunt, 27-year-old Amal, was also wounded by shrapnel. The child’s body remained on the ground for approximately 20 minutes as ambulances were not able to reach the area.

At approximately 14:50, 3-year-old Wa’ed Rajab Fayad, was wounded by shrapnel from gunshots fired by IOF, when she was near her family home, approximately 800 meters away from the affected area.

At approximately 15:40, IOF troops positioned in Mustafa al-Sumairi’s house opened fire at a number of Palestinians who gathered in the area after IOF tanks had moved back to the border. As a result, Yasser Mohammed ‘Eid Abu Haleeb, 29, was seriously wounded by a gunshot to the back. He died as soon as he was admitted to the hospital. The al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) declared that Abu Haleeb was the brigades’ monitoring officer in al-Qarara village. However, he was wearing civilian clothes when he was shot dead.

Also during this incursion, IOF arrested and interrogated 11 Palestinian civilians for several hours. IOF further razed at least 150 donums of agricultural land, destroyed a house and heavily damaged 2 mosques.

· At approximately 12:30, an IOF helicopter gunship fired a missile at a tent which serves as a site of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in al-Sikka Street in the east of Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip. A civilian bystander, Mohammed Hassan Mohammed ‘Assaliya, 65, was seriously wounded by shrapnel from the missile. He died as soon as he was admitted into the hospital. The victim was in a shop located approximately 300 meters away from the targeted tent when he was hit by shrapnel. ‘Assaliya’s grandchild, 5-year-old Hiba, was also wounded by shrapnel.

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.

IOF have continued to impose a siege on the 1.5 million civilians of the Gaza Strip. The border crossings of the Strip have been closed for more than two years as part of IOF’s collective punishment policy, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of civilians and goods. As a result, the territory is unable to secure its basic needs of food, medicine, and other supplies, pushing the poverty rate above 80%.

The continued Israeli ban on fuel supplies required for civilian life in the Gaza Strip has led to the paralysis of the educational sector. In addition, the health sector is on the verge of collapse due to the stoppage of many ambulances from operating for lack of fuel. Healthcare facilities have registered a 25% drop in clients due to the transport crisis, and hundreds of healthcare professionals have been unable to reach their work places. Furthermore, the transportation sector has almost ceased functioning throughout the Gaza Strip, resulting in massively reduced essential services, including the delivery of drinking water delivery, sewage water disposal, and garbage collection.

Over the past 5 months, IOF are allowing a very limited number of seriously ill patients and staff of international organizations to pass through Beit Hanoun (Erez) checkpoint. The Gaza Strip remains isolated from the West Bank and the outside world.

The tightened siege has led to the collapse of the Gaza Strip economy sectors. Most production facilities have ceased to operate due to the siege and restriction on movement of goods and individuals.

· Livings conditions of the population have continued to deteriorate due to the shortages in foodstuffs and medicines and the sharp increase of prices due to the siege.

· At least 900 Gazans who are detained in IOF jails have been deprived of family visitation for more than a year.

· The average number of patients allowed to travel from the Gaza Strip to hospitals in the West Bank or Israel has recently decreased from 50 t0 13.

· Fuel supplies have been sharply decreased; only 0.5% of the daily need of benzenes, 12.8% of the daily need of diesel and 17% of the daily need of cooking gas have been allowed into the Gaza Strip since October 2007.

· The lack of fuel led to the flooding of the sewage treatment plant in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City for several hours, during which time sewage water moved into streets and houses and onto agricultural land.

· At least 250,000 of the population have received water supplies for decreased hours daily due to the shortages in fuel necessary for the operation of wells.

· At least 35 sewage treatment plants have almost run out of fuel, and at least 50,000 cubic meters of untreated sewage water are pumped into the sea, which may cause environmental pollution.

Concerning the movement at Nahal Ouz crossing, east of Gaza City, which designed for the entry of fuels, during the reporting period, IOF allowed the entry of the following amounts of fuels:

Date	Benzene	Diesel	Cooking Gas	Energy Fuel
5 June 2008	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
6 June 2008	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
7 June 2008	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
8 June 2008	Nil	98,800 liters	20 tons	426,000 liters
9 June 2008	Nil	Nil	Nil

PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights http://www.pchrgaza.org
Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory	No. 24/2008 05 - 11 June 2008

Destruction caused by Israeli Occupation Forces to Palestinian civilian property during their incursion into Khuza’a village, east of Khan Yunis, on 6 June 2008