Live from the Field:

IOF Siege Continues – No End in Sight in OPT

-         IOF have moved into Palestinian communities located near the evacuated settlements and have seized a number of houses.

Disengagement (D-Day) Field Report: No. 13

Date: 30^th of August 2005

Time: 1230 GMT

Location:

·      Southern Gaza Strip: near Kissufim settler road, northeast of Khan Yunis.

Chronology of Events

IOF are presently demolishing settler homes inside "Netzarim" settlement, south of Gaza city, and "Kfar Darom" settlement in the central Gaza Strip.  Yesterday evening, IOF dismantled the biggest military observation tower to the south of "Nissanit" settlement in the northern Gaza Strip.  IOF used to shell Palestinian residential areas from that tower.  Heavy blasts are heard from time to time in the north and south of the Gaza Strip, while Israeli warplanes fly over the two areas.  In the meantime, IOF have continued to close Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip and Abu Houli and al-Matahen checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street (the main road between the south and north of the Gaza Strip).  The two checkpoints are opened for a few hours at night.  IOF have also continued to close a number of the main and branch roads in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the current Intifada.  In addition, IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities located near the evacuated settlements. 

Seizure of Houses

Al-Qarara

At approximately 01:00 on Tuesday, 30 August 2005, an infantry unit of IOF moved nearly 400 meters into al-Qarara village to the south of "Kissufim" settler road, northeast of Khan Yunis.  They raided a two-storey house belonging to 'Abed Rabbu Ahmed al-Sumairi, in which 25 individuals (4 families live).  They held the residents in one room and transformed the second floor of the house into a military site.  

International Law

Settlements and settlers are illegal under international law.  The Fourth Geneva Convention, the primary document governing the OPT, stipulates in Article 49 that the transfer of the population of the occupying power into the occupied territory is in breach of international law.   The International Court of Justice confirmed in its 2004 judgment that settlements and settlement activity is illegal.

Freedom of movement is a right afforded to Palestinian civilians under the Fourth Geneva Convention as well as under established international treaties on human rights.  Preventing free movement of people and goods interferes with the right to work, the right to health, the right to education, the right not to be held as a prisoner without a free and fair trial. 

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Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip tel/fax: +972 (0)8 282 4776 – 282 5893

email: pchr@pchrgaza.org      website: www.pchrgaza.org