Live from the Field:

Heavy Explosions Heard in the Evacuated Settlements as IOF Dismantle All Military Posts

The Total Siege Impacts the Palestinian Life

A Palestinian Civilian Killed and a Number of Others Wounded by IOF in the Southern Gaza Strip

Disengagement (D-Day) Field Report: No. 21

Date: 11^th of September 2005

Time: 09:30 GMT

Location:

Gaza Strip: Deir El-Balah, Khan Yunis and Rafah

Chronology of Events

IOF preparations to end its military presence inside the evacuated settlements in the Gaza Strip have culminated with the dismantling and detonation of military outposts and the remainder of installations in these settlements. The detonations in and around the settlements led to the complete destruction of two Palestinian civilian homes and damaged others. In addition, the explosions caused fear and anxiety among the affected Palestinian civilian population.

IOF have continued to use excessive force against Palestinian civilians. One Palestinian was killed and others were injured in Rafah. In addition, a mentally-ill civilian was injured in Khan Yunis.

IOF have continued to close Erez crossing for laborers and patients alike. In addition, IOF have continued to close main and branch roads that have been under closure since the beginning of the al-Aqsa Intifada. Abu Holi and al-Matahen checkpoints on Salah al-Din Street have been also partially closed. IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities near the evacuated Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip. Pupils in these areas have been prevented from going to school for the 4^th consecutive day.

According to declared Israeli plans, IOF are scheduled to start leaving the Gaza Strip this evening. The redeployment will continue until Monday morning; thus ending 38 years of Israeli presence inside the Gaza Strip.

Land Levelling

On Thursday afternoon, 8 September 2005, IOF continued to bulldoze and level land on the border of the Gaza Strip to the east of al-Qarara village, for the purpose of establishing a road adjacent to the border on the Palestinian side. IOF conducted similar operations to the east of Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis for the same purpose. The strip of land targeted varies from 10-100 meters in width on the Palestinian side of the border. During work, IOF tanks are positioned on private Palestinian land and soldiers opened fire at farms and homes in the area.

Shooting

At approximately 20:55 on Friday, 9 September 2005, IOF positioned in a tank near Al-Matahen checkpoint, north of Khan Yunis, opened fire at Hani Odeh Abu Sawawin, 28, who suffers from a psychological disorder, when he got close to the checkpoint.  He was wounded by 3 live bullets to the abdomen, the chest and the leg. A Palestinian ambulance arrived to offer him first aid after coordinating with IOF. When his wounds were discovered to be serious, another round of coordination was carried out and an IOF helicopter transported him to Soroka Hospital in Israel. The victim lives in Al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis.  He is known to have a psychological problem and to roam the streets without concentration. PCHR believes that IOF used excessive use of force when they fired at him even though he was unarmed.

On Thursday, 8 September 2005, IOF killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded another child in two separate incidents in Rafah. According to investigation conducted by PCHR, at approximately 16:30, IOF positioned on tanks in the vicinity of the evacuated "Gush Qatif" settlement bloc, northwest of Rafah, opened fire at Basheer Ayyad al-Soufi, 18, who was with other Palestinian boys near the fence of the settlement bloc opposite to Bader camp in Tal El-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah. He was killed by several bullets to the chest, the back and the limbs. In a similar incident at approximately 18:10, Ahmed Faisal Qeshta, 12, was wounded by a bullet to the left thigh, when he was near Salah al-Din Gate on the border with Egypt.

Explosions in the Evacuated Settlements

At approximately 15:30 on Friday, 9 September 2005, IOF used explosives to destroy a transmitter and underground bunkers in the evacuated settlement of "Gani Tal" west of Khan Yunis. The explosions that rocked the settlement shook the city of Khan Yunis and caused minor damages to Palestinian houses near the settlement. In addition, they caused fear among children. It is worth noting that IOF did not inform the Palestinian population about these explosions in advance in order for them to take precautions. Similar explosions were also heard in most evacuated settlements in the center and north of the Gaza Strip. In each case, the explosions caused fear among the civilian population.

At approximately 07:30 on Sunday, 11 September 2005, IOF carried out a large scale demolition operation using explosives in the evacuated settlement of "Kfar Darom, east of Deir al-Balah in the center of the Gaza Strip. The strength of the explosions and flying debris completely destroyed two Palestinian houses and severely damaged 5 other houses. These houses were located in al-Ma’ni area to the east of the settlement. The houses that were completely destroyed, in which 8 individuals lived, belong to the al-'Odaini and Abu Nusair families. The houses that were severely damaged, in which 32 individuals (5 families) live, belong to the families of al-'Odaini, al-Ma’ni and Abu Samra.

Restrictions on Movement and Dismantlement of a Bridge

At approximately 13:00 on Thursday, 8 September 2005, IOF started to dismantle the bridge which links Al-Matahen and Kissufim roads. The bridge, which crossed over Salah al-Din Street, was built on private Palestinian land north of Khan Yunis to ease the movement of settlers to and from the "Gush Qatif" settlement bloc. The dismantlement of the bridge continued until the evening and was resumed and completed on the next day. Under the pretext of facilitating the dismantlement of the bridge, which is located between Abu Holi and al-Matahen checkpoints, IOF didn’t open the two checkpoints according to the schedule agreed with the Palestinian side. They were opened for two hours only from 02:00 to 4:00 on Friday, 9 September 2005, and for 5 hours after midnight on Saturday, 10 September 2005.

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. 

 ***************

For more information please call: +972 (0)- 8 - 2824776 – 2825893.* 

*Office Hours are between 0800 – 1600 hours (0500 GMT – 1300 GMT) Sun – Thurs.           

……………………………………………………………

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