giovedì 6 dicembre 2007

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Escalate Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)


Fuel stations in the Gaza Strip are closed due to the lack of fuels caused by the total siege imposed on the Strip.

29.11-05.12.07 PCHR Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in The OPT
  • 20 Palestinians, including one civilian, were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

  • 18 of the victims are members of the military wing of Hamas and were killed by missiles and tanks shells.

  • 22 Palestinians, including a woman, were wounded by IOF in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

  • IOF conducted 19 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 2 ones into the Gaza Strip.

  • IOF arrested 56 Palestinian civilians, including a child, in the West Bank and 3 others in the Gaza Strip.

  • IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.

  • IOF have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world and a humanitarian crisis has emerged.

  • The number of patients who died due to the denial of their access to medical treatment increased to 13.

  • The Gaza Strip is suffering a serious shortage of fuels.

  • IOF troops positioned at checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 2 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children.

  • IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the West Bank.

  • 4 Palestinian civilians were wounded IOF used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized in protest to the construction of the Wall.

  • IOF have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attacks Palestinian civilians and property.


Summary

Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (29 November – 5 December 2007):

Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF killed 20 Palestinians, including one civilian, and wounded 222 others, including a woman, in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF killed 18 members of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas) and 17 others were wounded in 7 separate attacks throughout the Gaza Strip. A Palestinian civilian was also wounded and arrested by IOF that had moved into Wadi al-Salqa village in the central Gaza Strip on 3 December 2007.

In the West Bank, on 2 December 2007, IOF killed a Palestinian civilian near Ramallah, when they deliberately fired at him when he was having a picnic together with 2 of his relatives. On 5 December 2007, an IOF undercover unit shot dead a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Bethlehem. On 30 November 2007, 4 Palestinian civilians were wounded when IOF troops used force to disperse a peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah.

Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 19 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, IOF arrested 56 Palestinian civilians, including a child. Thus, the number of Palestinians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has mounted to 2,525. During the reporting period, IOF transformed 3 Palestinian houses into military sites.

In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 2 incursions into Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip, and Wadi al-Salqa in the central Gaza Strip. During those incursions, IOF wounded and arrested a Palestinian civilian, and arrested his two sons.

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 of the Gaza Strip for nearly 17 months. The total siege imposed by IOF on the Gaza Strip has left disastrous impacts on the humanitarian situation and has violated the economic and social rights of the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. It has also paralyzed most economic sectors. Furthermore, severe restrictions have been imposed on the movement of the Palestinian civilian population. Moreover, the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip 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 further tightened the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip since Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip, and the living and economic conditions of Palestinian civilians have further deteriorated. On 19 September 2007, the Israeli government declared the Gaza Strip as “a hostile entity” and accordingly measures of collective punishment against Gaza escalated. Since that time, IOF have limited the goods exported to the Gaza Strip to only 9 basic materials. As a consequence, local markets ran out of many goods, which caused a sharp increase in prices, which mounted to 500% for some goods. Israeli occupation forces have banned the flow of some medicines, furniture, electrical appliances and cigarettes into the Gaza Strip, and have decreased the amounts of some goods allowed into the Gaza Strip, such as fruits, milk and some dairy products. During the reporting period, IOF sharply decreased the amounts of fuels allowed entry into the Gaza Strip (for more details, see PCHR’s press release on 29 November 2007).

West Bank

IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have been denied access to the city. 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 beat 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 checkpoints and border crossings in the West Bank arrested at least 2 Palestinian civilians.

Settlement Activities: IOF have continued settlement activities and Israeli settlers living in the OPT in violation of international humanitarian law have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. On 29 November 2007, at least 10 Israeli settlers from “Ma’oun” settlement, south of Hebron, closed the road that links Yatta town with Kherbat Touba areas with rocks and sand. IOF troops were present in the area, but did not intervene to prevent the settlers from closing the road.

Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (22 – 28 November 2007)

The full report is available online at:

html format:

http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2007/06-12-2007.htm

pdf format:

http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2007/pdf/Weekly%20Report%2048.pdf

Public Document

For further information please visit our website (http://www.pchrgaza.org) or contact PCHR’s office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email (pchr@pchrgaza.org) or telephone (+972 (0)8 2824776 – 2825893).

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