Wide Scale Israeli Military Operations against the Gaza Strip
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)
• 110 Palestinians, including 51 civilians, were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip.
• The victims include 27 children (including 2 babies) and 6 women and a paramedic.
• 69 of the victims were killed by IOF in Jabalya and its vicinity.
• 77 Palestinians, including 28 civilians (this figure includes 15 children and 3 women), were killed by air strikes.
• 236 Palestinians, including 154 civilians (this figure includes 56 children and 11 women) were wound by IOF.
• 4 Palestinians, including 2 civilians, were killed by IOF in the West Bank.
• One of the victims was killed by an Israeli settler.
• 29 Palestinians, including 11 children, were wounded by IOF in the West Bank.
• IOF escalated air strikes against civilian targets in the Gaza Strip
• At least 80 missiles were fired in 52 air strikes against targets in the Gaza Strip.
• 12 civilian facilities, including the office of the dismissed Palestinian Prime Minister, the headquarters of the General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions and the office of Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council representing Hamas, were destroyed.
• 7 houses were destroyed and a mosque was heavily damaged.
• IOF conducted 45 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 3 into the Gaza Strip.
• IOF arrested 65 Palestinian civilians and transformed 2 houses into military sites in the West Bank.
• IOF destroyed 3 houses completely and 70 others partially and razed at least 90 donums[1] of agricultural land in Jabalya town in the Gaza Strip.
• IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT.
• 3 Palestinian civilians were arrested by IOF at various checkpoints in the West Bank.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law seriously escalated in the OPT, especially in the Gaza Strip, during the reporting period (28 February – 5 March 2008):
Shooting: During the reporting period, IOF seriously escalated attacks in the Gaza Strip. They killed 110 Palestinians, including 51 civilians (this figures includes 58 children and 11 women). 69 of the victims, including 20 children and 3 women, were killed in a 2-day military operation waged by IOF against the northern Gaza Strip. The operation was preceded by intense air strikes against targets in the northern Gaza Strip. IOF employed their full-fledged arsenal and used excessive force without any consideration of the lives of Palestinian civilians. IOF aircrafts pursued activists of the Palestinian resistance using missiles in the middle of densely populated areas. IOF aircrafts launched 24 air strikes against the northern Gaza Strip, during which they fired 36 missiles. As a result, 44 Palestinians, including 14 children and a woman, were killed. IOF obstructed the work of medical crews and even fired at them, killing a paramedic and wounding another one seriously. A number of ambulances were also damaged by the gunfire. A number of the wounded bled to death. During the military operation in the northern Gaza Strip, 175 Palestinians, including 44 children and 5 women, were wound.
The following facts highlight a number of horrible crimes committed by IOF during the military operation in the northern Gaza Strip:
• 4 Palestinian children, including 3 ones from one same family, were killed by an IOF air strikes when they were playing football near their homes. On the same day, a 5th child was killed by IOF while grazing animals in Beit Lahia.
• 7 children were killed by an IOF air strike when they gathered near a car that had been targeted by IOF aircrafts.
• 2 civilians, including a child, were killed when a missile fired by IOF hits their house.
• A 2-year-old child was killed when a missile fired by IOF hit her family’s house.
• 3 children were killed by an IOF artillery shell.
• 2 children were killed when IOF troops opened fire at their house.
• A child and his father were killed by IOF when they were on their way to work.
• A child was killed and his father was seriously wounded when IOF troops fired at their house.
• A woman was killed when IOF fired at her house.
• A child was wounded by IOF and she bled to death as medical crews were denied access to her house.
• A boy was wounded by IOF and he bled to death as medical crews were denied access to his house.
In other areas of the Gaza Strip, IOF launched 28 air strikes, during which they fired 44 missiles, against various targets. As a result, 33 Palestinian, including 3 women and a child, were killed, and 57 others, including 12 children and 6 women, were wounded. In one of these attacks, IOF bombarded a house in Gaza City, killing 6 civilians from one same family, including 3 women, and wounding 8 others, including 4 children.
On 28 February 2008, IOF killed 2 Palestinian civilians who were traveling in the vehicle of Gaza Electricity Distribution Company in Khan Yunis. On 4 March 2008, IOF killed a 20-year-old baby, and wounded her mother and another 4 civilians, when they were pursuing an allegedly wanted Palestinian.
Additionally, IOF bombarded a number of civilian facilities and house. They destroyed 12 civilian facilities, including the office of the dismissed Palestinian Prime Minister, the headquarters of the General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions, the office of Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council representing Change and Reform Bloc of Hamas, and a number of workshops. They also heavily damaged 7 houses and a mosque.
In the West Bank, 3 Palestinians, including a child, were killed by IOF and a 4th one was killed by an Israeli settler.
On 28 February 2008, IOF killed 2 members of the Palestinian resistance and wounded 2 others during an incursion into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. On 2 March 2008, IOF killed a Palestinian child and wounded another 2 civilians in Beit ‘Aawa village, southwest of Hebron, when they fired at hundreds of Palestinian civilians who were demonstrating in protest to attacks by IOF against the Gaza Strip. On 3 March 2008, an Israeli settler shot dead a Palestinian civilian in al-Mazra’a village, northwest of Ramallah. Dozens of school students who were demonstrating in protest to attacks by IOF against the Gaza Strip headed towards an Israeli settlement near the village. Additionally, 25 Palestinian civilians were wounded when IOF used force to disperse peaceful demonstration organized in protest to attacks by IOF against the Gaza Strip.
Incursions: During the reporting period, IOF conducted at least 45 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF arrested 65 Palestinian civilians. Thus, the number of Palestinian civilians arrested by IOF in the West Bank since the beginning of 2008 has mounted to 564. IOF also transformed 2 houses into military sites.
In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 3 incursions into Palestinian communities, the widest of which was into Jabalya town and its vicinity. During these incursions, IOF destroyed 3 houses and damaged at least 70 others. They also razed 90 donums of agricultural land.
Gaza Strip
IOF have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for more than one year and a half. 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 nearly 1.5 million 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. 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. In September 2007, the Israeli government declared the Gaza Strip as “a hostile entity,” which implies imposing more restrictions and measures of collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population. Since then, IOF have sharply decreased food and fuel supplies allowed into the Gaza Strip. IOF have continued to prevent the entry of raw materials into the Gaza Strip, and subsequently many factories have stopped their industrial activities. Concerning the movement of persons, IOF allow a few Palestinian civilians to pass through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to travel to the West Bank. Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border is the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world. 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.
The closure of border crossings deprives the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip of their right to freedom of movement, education and health. IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip. Fishermen have been subjected to intensive monitoring by IOF, which use helicopter gunships and gunboats to monitor the fishermen. The Oslo Accords allow Palestinian fishermen to go fishing up to 20 nautical miles away from the Gaza seashore.
West Bank
IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. 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 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 various checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 3 Palestinian civilians.
Israeli Violations Documented during the Reporting Period (28 February – 5 March 2008)
1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Crimes in the Northern Gaza Strip
During the reporting period, IOF launched a wide scale military operation called "Operation Warm Winter" in Jabalya town and nearby areas. The operation continued aggressively for 2 days. During the operation, IOF employed their full-fledged arsenal and used excessive force without any consideration of the lives of Palestinian civilians. IOF aircrafts pursued activists of the Palestinian resistance using missiles in the middle of densely populated areas. As a result, dozens of Palestinian civilians, including many children, were killed or wounded. Moreover, IOF obstructed the work of medical crews and even fired at them, killing a paramedic and wounding another one seriously. A number of ambulances were also damaged by the gunfire. Additionally, many houses and large areas of agricultural land were destroyed. During this operation, IOF killed 69 Palestinians; many of them were civilians, including 21 children and 2 women, and wounded 175 others, including 44 children and 6 women. Before this land military operation, IOF launched a series of air strikes against targets against Jabalya and its vicinity.
Chronology of Events
• At approximately 15:20 on Thursday, 28 February, IOF fired 2 missiles at a number of Palestinian children who were playing football in an open area near their houses in Al-Qerem Street in the east of Jabaliya town. Four children were killed and their bodies were dismembered:
1. Mohammad Na’im Hammouda, 9;
2. Ali Munir Dardouna, 8;
3. Dardouna Deeb Dardouna, 12;
4. Omar Hussein Dardouna, 14.
Another 2 children were seriously wounded. Investigations by PCHR fieldworkers confirmed there were no activists of Palestinian resistance in the targeted area, which was calm when the children were attacked.
• At approximately 15:45 on Thursday, 29 February, IOF fired 2 missiles at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance traveling in a car near 'Omar Bin 'Abdul Aziz Mosque in Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip. The missile struck nearby the vehicle, killing a civilian bystander, 19-year-old Ramiz Mustafa Nasser. Another 4 Palestinians, including 3 of the passengers in the car, were injured.
• At approximately 18:00 on the same day, 16-year-old Talaat Saleh Al-Nmailat was killed by IOF whilst herding goats to the west of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip. His body was dismembered.
• At approximately 23:10 on the same day, IOF warplanes bombarded the offices of the General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions in Al-Saftawi Street, west of Jabalya. The 5-story building, which is located in a densely populated area, was completely destroyed. A large number of nearby houses were seriously damaged, and at least 40 civilians, including 10 children, were wounded by shrapnel. The wounded included 2 infants and 5 women. PCHR notes that Hamas took over this building after the June 2007 internal clashes.
• At approximately 23:15 on Friday, 29 February 2008, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at an activist of the Palestinian resistance, 26-year-old Eyad 'Abdul Karim al-Ashram, from Gaza City, in Masoud Street in the east of Jabalya. He was instantly killed.
Incursion into Jabalya and Its Vicinity
At approximately 00:30 on Saturday, 1 March 2008, IOF armored vehicles and troops, accompanied by heavy aerial support, moved approximately 1.5 kilometers into 'Ezbet 'Abed Rabbo area in the east of Jabalya, and Al-Rayees Hill, northeast of Gaza City. IOF troops fired indiscriminately as they advanced. At approximately 03:00, IOF moved 3 kilometers into the Gaza Strip, reaching Al-Kashef Hill, east of Jabaliya refugee camp. Members of the Palestinian resistance confronted the IOF troops, who were raiding houses and transforming them into military outposts, from where they indiscriminately shot at any moving object.
• At approximately 01:30 on Saturday, IOF aircrafts fired 2 missiles at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance in al-Qerem Street in the east of Jabalya. When Palestinian ambulances headed to the area to evacuate any possible casualties, an IOF aircraft fired a 3rd missile, which fell near an ambulance of the Palestinian Civil Defense. A paramedic, 25-year-old Mohammad Tal'at Dardouna, was seriously wounded.
• At approximately 02:00 on the same day, IOF troops positioned inside a house belonging to Cana'an Tbal in 'Ezbat 'Abed Rabbu area opened fire at an opposite house belonging to Mohammad Husni Rasheed Abu Shbak. Two of the owner's children were killed: Jacqueline, 16, hit by a gunshot to the head; and Eyad, 16, hit by a gunshot to the chest.
• At approximately 05:30 on the same day, IOF troops fired at Bassam Mohammad 'Obaid, 45, and his sons: Mahmoud, 16; and Mohammad, 21, when they were walking near Zimmu Square in the east of Jabalya towards their work in the area. The father was killed by 2 gunshots to the chest and the abdomen, and Mahmoud was killed by 2 gunshots to the abdomen and the left leg. Mohammad was also wounded by 2 gunshots to the abdomen and the left leg.
• At approximately 07:00, IOF troops fired at a house belonging to Hani Hussein al-Mabhouh in 'Ezbat 'Abed Rabbo area, killing his son, 17-year-old Mohammad, with a gunshot to the head. When the father rushed to offer help to his son, he was wounded by a gunshot to the side. Sameer Al-Mabhouh and his son Ibrahim came to the house to offer help to the family, but IOF troops fired at them. The son, who is 30 years old, was seriously wounded by a gunshot to the chest.
• At approximately 07:30, IOF troops positioned inside one of the house they had already seized opened fire at a house belonging to Rashad Safi in 'Ezbat 'Abed Rabbo area in the east of Jabalya. Safi's son, 25-year-old Hassan, was killed by a gunshot to the chest.
• At approximately 08:00, an IOF aircraft fired 2 missiles at a house belonging to Zaidan Mohammad 'Assaliya in Al-Sikka Street in the east of Jabalya. A missile directly hit the house and the other one fell near it. As a result, 2 of the owner's daughter were killed when they were in their bedroom: Salwa, 14; and Samah, 19.
• At approximately 09:00, an IOF aircraft fired a missile that fell onto the garden of a house belonging to Majed Mohammad Abu Jalhoum in Al-Sikka Street in Jabalya. One of Abu Jalhoum's children, 2-year-old Salsabeel, was killed and 3 others were wounded.
• At approximately 09:30, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a house belonging to Jalal Rabee' Saleh near the headquarters of Palestine Red Crescent Society at Zimmu intersection. As a result, Ghada Al-Abed Ahmad 'Abdullah, 27, was killed while she was preparing breakfast for her children. She and her children had left their house in 'Ezbat 'Abed Rabbu area due to the danger posed on them.
• At approximately 10:00, IOF troops opened fire at a house belonging to 'Abdul Hadi Zaher in Al-Sikka Street in the east of Jabalya refugee camp. The owner's daughter, 20-year-old Nihad, was killed by a gunshot to the neck.
• At approximately 10:30, IOF fired an artillery shell at a number of Palestinian children who gathered near Zimmu Square. As a result, 3 children were killed: 'Abdullah 'Abdul Karim Mahmoud Abu Sha'ira, 17; 'Abdul Ra'ouf 'Abdul Karim Mahmoud 'ouda, 16; and Na'el Zuhair Abu 'Oun, 14.
• At approximately 14:55, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at vehicle, in which a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance were traveling, in the center of Jabalya. The activists were able to flee from the vehicle before the missile hit it. Soon after, a number of Palestinian children gathered around the vehicle. Immediately, the aircraft fired another missile at them. Seven children were killed
1. Khaled Munther 'Abdul Qader Rayan, 17;
2. Ahmad Ziad 'Abdul Qader Rayan, 17;
3. Isma'il 'Arafat Mustafa Abu Sultan, 17;
4. 'Abdul Karim Husni Al-Haw, 15;
5. Ahmad Nemer 'Abdul Latif Zughra, 17;
6. Mahmoud Nayef Hamattu Hnaidiq, 16; and
7. Ahmad Na'im Abu Salama, 16.
• At approximately 15:00, IOF troops fired an artillery shell at Jihad Hatem Abu Hlayel, 20, opposite to Al-Kashef Hill in the east of Jabalya, while he was assisting in the evacuation of the wounded. He was instantly killed.
• At approximately 16:00, the body of Sari Fat'hi Mohammad 'Obaid, 20, was brought to Kamal 'Edwan Hospital in Beit Lahia. The victim was hit by several gunshots when he was in a cow farm belonging to his family in the east of Jabalya refugee camp. He was wounded several hours earlier and he bled to death. At the same time, the body of Mohammad 'Abdul Hakim Abu Raya, 19, was brought to the same hospital. He was hit by several gunshots when he was near Zimmu Square in the east of Jabalya.
• At approximately 16:30, IOF troops opened fire at a house belonging to Ra'ed Ali Said Abu Saif in 'Ezbat 'Abed Rabbo areas. His child, 12-year-old Safaa, was seriously wounded by a gunshot to the abdomen. Ambulances were not allowed to reach the house. At approximately 18:00, IOF claimed allowing an ambulance to reach the area, but once it got close to the area, IOF troops fired at it. It was damaged. The child died of her wound 3 hours later. Her body was evacuated from the house at 10:00 on the following day.
• During the armed clashes between IOF and activists of the Palestinian resistance, which continued from the early morning until night, 24 resistance activists were killed:
1. Musleh Mohammad Saleh, 25;
2. Hamza Mohammad Shaf'ei Al-Jamal, 24;
3. Abdullah Nabeel 'Abed Rabbu, 28;
4. Mustafa Sa'id Abu Jalala, 22;
5. Mustafa Nasser Zaghloul, 32;
6. Ali Jaber Al-Katanani, 20;
7. Abdul Hamid Hamed Hamada, 23;
8. Ibrahim Sha'ban Al-Zain, 25;
9. Said Ahmad Al-Hasheem, 21;
10. Mo'tassem Shareef Abed Rabbu, 24;
11. Hussein Sami Al-Batash, 25;
12. Tal'at Mohammad Dardouna, 22;
13. Abdul Rahman Mohammad Shihab, 25;
14. Mahmoud 'Abdul Mo'ti Esleem, 26;
15. Yasser Isma'il Abu 'Ouda, 29;
16. Saed 'Ata Al-Dabbour, 25;
17. Tamer Mahmoud Mohammad Al-Wishahi, 20;
18. Mohammad 'Abdul Qader 'Oqailan, 18;
19. Hassan Kamal Abu Harb, 19;
20. Mahmoud Munther Abdul Qader Rayan, 20;
21. Bilal Al-Jammal, 20;
22. Muhannad Ali Enshassi, 20;
23. Mahmoud Na'im Al-'Attar, 17; and
24. Abdul Mo'ti Ussama 'Abdul Mo'ti Sa'ad, 18.
• At approximately 01:10 on Sunday, 2 March 2008, IOF gunboats fired a shell at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance near Beit Lahia coast. Khalil Kamal 'Izziddin, 20, from Al-Nasser neighborhood in Gaza City, was killed.
• At approximately 02:50, an IOF aircraft fired 2 missiles at a house belonging to Mohammad Mohammad Al-Na'ouq in the center of Jabalya. The house and a car belonging to the family were destroyed and 5 nearby houses were damaged.
• At approximately 08:30, IOF troops positioned in a house belonging to Ashraf 'Abed Rabbu in 'Ezbat 'Abed Rabbu fired at Yousef Mohammad Madi Abu Warda, 55, when he was searching for his son in a cow farm belonging to 'Abed Rabbu. He was wounded by a gunshot to the chest. A resident of the area helped him enter 'Abed Rabbu's house. He continued to bleed until 11:00 when he was evacuated to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. He died of his wound later on the same day.
• At approximately 09:00, IOF troops fired at a house belonging to Fayez 'Abed Rabbu in 'Ezbat Rabbu area in the east of Jabalya. 'Abed Rabbu's son, 19-year-old Wissam, was seriously wounded by a gunshot to the head. He bled to death as ambulances were not able to attend him.
• At approximately 11:40, IOF fired an artillery shell that fell near a civilian vehicle that was traveling near Al-Qerem intersection in the east of Jabalya. As a result, Lu'ai Jamal Jundiya, 20, and Mohammad 'Ammar Bahar, 18, who were traveling in the vehicle, were killed.
• At approximately 13:45, IOF troops fired an artillery shell at a number of Palestinian boys near Zimmu intersection in the east of Jabalya. Three boys were killed:
1. Mahmoud 'Abdul Khaliq Abu 'Eita, 18;
2. 'Abdul Rahman Mohammad Saleh, 17; and
3. Lu'ai Isma'il Ibrahim Taha, 16.
Another 2 boys were also wounded: 'Abdul Hadi Ibrahim Al-Debes, 17; and Mohammad Isma'il Taha, 18.
• At approximately 15:40, IOF fired an artillery shell at house belonging to 'Abdul Karim 'Adul Latif Al-Shamali, in which 8 people live, in Tal Al-Za'tar area. The house was damaged.
• At approximately 21:00, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance in Al-Sikka Street in the east of Jabalya refugee camp. Two activists were killed:
1. Na'im Mohammad Abu Al-Hassani, 45; and
2. Ra'ed Rzeq Jnaid, 22.
• At approximately 23:50, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a 100-square-meter workshop belonging to Mohammad Yousef Shabat, 31, in the center of Beit Hanoun town. The workshop was destroyed.
• At approximately 00:30 on Monday, 3 March 2008, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a carpentry workshop which is located under a 130-square-mter house belonging to Hatem Ahmad Al-Batran in the center of Jabalya refugee camp. The workshop, the house and 2 neighboring houses were heavily damaged.
• At approximately 00:50, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a carpentry workshop which is located under a 3-storey house belonging to 'Emad Muhareb Abu Habel in Tal Al-Za'tar area in the east of Jabalya. The workshop, the house and 9 neighboring houses were heavily damaged.
• At approximately 04:00, IOF redeployed outside Jabalya leaving extensive destruction to the civilian infrastructure and 3 houses. IOF had also damaged at least 70 houses and razed at least 90 donums of agricultural land. Also during the military operation in Jabalya, IOF arrested at least 80 Palestinian civilians. Most of these civilians were released later, whereas the others remained in custody, including:
1. Nahidh Mohammad 'Abed Rabbu, 45;
2. Ahmad Sa'id 'Abed Rabbu, 31;
3. Adham Talal Abu Fraih, 19;
4. Mohammad Msallam Al-Haddad, 25; and
5. 'Abdul Khaliq Yousef Farajallah, 24.
• In the morning, medical crews found the body of Mahmoud Suleiman Zaqqout, 23, a paramedic of Palestinian Civil Defense. He had been missing for 2 days. Medical crews also found the bodies of 2 activists of the Palestinian resistance:
1. 'Abdullah Ibrahim Al-Shannat, 24; and
2. Thabet Fat'hi Jnaid, 22.
• At approximately 07:50, IOF troops fired a surface-to-surface missile, which fell near the Customs Department in the east of Jabalya. Three Palestinian civilian were wounded:
1. Bilal Abu Sel'a, 17, wounded by shrapnel to the chest and sustained a fracture to the left leg;
2. Sari Anwar Abu Sel'a, 24, whose lower limbs were amputated; and
3. Mohammad Fayadh, 15, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.
• At approximately 18:00, medical sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City declared that 2 activists of the Palestinian resistance died at Al-'Areesh Hospital in Egypt of wounds they had sustained on 1 March 2008 during the incursion into Jabalya:
1. Ghassan 'Abdul Hai Jawdat 'Abed Rabbu, 18; and
2. Hassan Ziada Abu Jasser, 18.
• At approximately 18:55, IOF fired 2 surface-to-surface missiles at a number of activists of Palestinian resistance who were traveling on an animal cart in Salah Al-Din Street, west of Beit Hanoun. An activist, 20-year-old Mohammad Mohammad 'Abdullah Abu Hajar, 20, was killed, and another one was seriously wounded.
• At approximately 23:40, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a Palestinian police vehicle that was parked near Sheikh Zayed Hospital in the east of Beit Lahia. The vehicle was destroyed and the mosque was damaged.
• At approximately 17:00 on Tuesday, 4 March 2008, following the funeral procession of Ghassan 'Abed Rabbu in Jabalya, Subeh Mahmoud Al-Najjar, 22, who is mentally disabled, moved towards the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. IOF troops positioned at the border fired at him, wounding him with a gunshot to the right thigh.
• On Wednesday, 5 March 2008, the body of Na'im Hamdiya, 45, from Gaza City, was found on agricultural land in Jabalya. The victim was hit by several gunshots throughout the body.
Other Areas in the Gaza Strip
Thursday, 28 February 2008
• At approximately 00:30, an IOF aircraft fired 3 missiles at a 500-square-meter shop of car batteries belonging to Ameen Saleh Al-Riashi in Sheikh ‘Ejlin neighborhood in the south of Gaza City. The shop and the adjacent house were heavily damaged.
• At approximately 02:00, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance in Baghdad Street in Al-Shoja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. The activists fled, but 2 civilian bystanders, including a girl, were wounded:
1. Maher Harb Sukkar, 33, wounded by shrapnel to the shoulder and the hands; and
2. Basma Ghazi Sukkar, 19, wounded by shrapnel to the head and the right hand.
• At approximately 05:00, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance near Al-Tawfiq Mosque in Al-Shoja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. Two activists were killed:
1. Ahmad Saleem Al-Hwaiti, 26; and
2. Amjad Yahia Al-‘Amreeti, 25.
A third activist was seriously wounded.
• At approximately 05:30, IOF fired a missile at an activist of the Palestinian resistance, 19-year-old Lu’ai Fayeiq Qannita, in Al-Sha’af area in Al-Shoja’eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. He was killed and 4 civilian bystanders, including 2 children, were wounded:
1. Mohammad Midhat Habeeb, 18, wounded by shrapnel to the shoulder;
2. Ahmad Mohammad Abu Al-Reesh, 20, wounded by shrapnel to the left leg;
3. Maisara Mohammad Al-Semari, 7, wounded by shrapnel to the body; and
4. Ibrahim Fawzi Sharwana, 17, wounded by shrapnel to the shoulder.
• At approximately 10:00, IOF fired a missile at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. Two activists were killed:
1. Hamza Khalil Al-Haya, 22, the son of a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council; and
2. Jawad Khamis Tafesh, 23.
Another 2 activists were seriously wounded, and one of them, 27-year-old Rami Ramadan Khalifa, died of his wounds in the evening.
• At approximately 17:00, IOF fired a missile at a small police station in the west of Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City. Two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were killed:
1. Mohammad Sa’dallah Al-Hilu, 19; and
2. ‘Alaa’ Ayman Al-Burno, 17.
Another civilian and a police officer were wounded:
1. ‘Aaref Mohammad Dughmosh, 21, seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body; and
2. Khaled Ibrahim Hashem, wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.
• At approximately 19:30, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a training site of the ‘Izziddin Al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in Al-Nasser neighborhood in the north of Gaza City. No casualties were reported.
• At approximately 20:20, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a truck of good, in which 2 activists of the Palestinian resistance were traveling, near Shifa Hospital in the west of Gaza City. The two activists were killed:
1. Mohammad Mas’oud Al-Hilu, 30; and
2. Khalil Ibrahim Ahel, 26.
A civilian bystander, 20-year-old ‘Abdul Rahim Bassem Zaqqout, was wounded, and a number of nearby houses were damaged.
• At approximately 22:20, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a civilian car belonging to Gaza Electricity Distribution Company, in which two maintenance workers were traveling, in Al-Kateeba neighborhood in Khan Yunis. The missile hit the front of the car and killed Mohammad Suleiman Mahmoud Shamiya, 21, from Al-Qarara village near Khan Yunis, when he was getting out of the car to turn on electricity in the area. The driver of the car, 38-year-old Bahi Kamel Al-Farra, was seriously wounded by shrapnel throughout the body.
Friday, 29 February 2008
• At approximately 02:30, an IOF aircraft fired 2 missiles at a house belonging to Khalil Ibrahim Hammouda Ahel near the UNRWA clinic in Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City. Empty stores under the house and a car were destroyed. Ahel was killed by IOF on the preceding day. IOF aircrafts bombarded the house again on 2 March 2008, destroying it completely.
• At approximately 21:20, an IOF aircraft fired 2 missiles at a 40-square-meter workshop belonging to Maher Farouq Al-Jabri in Al-Amal neighborhood in the west of Khan Yunis. The workshop was destroyed. A neighboring house belonging to Fahmi ‘Abdul Rahman Esleem, and her daughter-in-law, 20-year-old Nuha Khaled Sleem, who is pregnant, was wounded. The same workshop had been struck by IOF on 3 October 2006. It was then destroyed, but its owner rebuilt it.
• At approximately 21:45, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a store of car motors belonging to Mazen Mousa Sha’ban near ‘Asqoula intersection in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. The store and the house above it were heavily damaged, but no casualties were reported.
Saturday, 1 March 2008
• At approximately 17:15, an IOF aircraft fired 3 missiles at a house belonging to ‘Abdul Rahman Mohammad ‘Ali ‘Atallah, 62, near Al-Bokhari Mosque in Al-Nafaq Street in the east of Gaza City. The aerial bombardment completely destroyed the house, killing 6 members of the same family, including 3 women. Another 8 members of the family were wounded. Four of the wounded were children, including a 2-day-old infant. Those who were killed are:
1. ‘Abdul Rahman Mohammad ‘Ali ‘Atallah, 62;
2. Su’ad Rajab ‘Atallah, 60, his wife;
3. Ibrahim ‘Abdul Rahman ‘Atallah, 38, son;
4. Khaled ‘Abdul Rahman ‘Atallah, 34, son;
5. Rajaa’ ‘Abdul Rahman ‘Atallah, 30, daughter; and
6. Ibtissam ‘Abdul Rahman ‘Atallah, 25, daughter.
Those who were wounded are:
1. Inshirah Khader ‘Atallah, 25, the third victim’s wife;
2. Sumaya Ibrahim ‘Atallah, 10;
3. Ahmad Yassin Ibrahim ‘Atallah, 5;
4. Islam Ibrahim ‘Atallah, 4;
5. Bahaa’ Ibrahim ‘Atallah, 22; and
6. Anas, 2 days, who is in a serious condition;
7. ‘Alaa’ Yasser ‘Atallah, 35, who is in a serious condition; and
8. ‘Emad Yasser ‘Atallah, 24.
The house and 2 vehicles belonging the to the family were totally destroyed, and a number of neighboring houses were damaged.
• At approximately 20:37, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a Palestinian police vehicle in Khan Yunis that was parked opposite the Khan Yunis Police Compound. Two police officers were killed: Ra’fat Yassin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Hamad, 38; and Hassan Ibrahim Abu Naja, 24. A third police officer was seriously wounded.
• At approximately 22:05, IOF fighter jets dropped 4 bombs on Bader Mosque (under construction) near the Rafah police station in Abu Baker Al-Siddiq Street in Rafah. The Mosque was completely destroyed. The raid targeted 6 Police officers who had evacuated the police station and gathered inside the Mosque. The raid dismembered their bodies. The victims have been identified as:
1. Samir Hamdi ‘Asfour, 36;
2. Khaled Ahmad Abu ‘Eyada, 31;
3. ‘Emad Ibrahim Al-Tallaa’, 34;
4. Sadiq Yousef Al-Ballishi, 26;
5. Mohammad ‘Omar Abu Ne’ma, 21; and
6. Sobhi Mofeed ‘Awadallah, 20;
Thirty civilians were wounded, including 6 children and 4 women, who were inside houses near the Mosque. A number of nearby houses and workshops were also damaged.
• At approximately 22:30, an IOF infantry unit moved into the east of Al-Boreij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. A number of activists of the Palestinian resistance clashed with IOF troops. Later, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at those activists, wounding one of them seriously.
Sunday, 2 March 2008
• At approximately 01:10, an IOF fighter jet dropped a bomb on a 150-square-meter house belonging to Ussama ‘Ali Abu Hassan, a member of the ‘Izziddin Al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas), in ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis. The house was destroyed and 4 neighboring houses were damaged. Abu Hassan had already vacated the house expecting that it would be attacked by IOF.
• At approximately 01:45, an IOF aircraft fired 2 missiles at the headquarters of the demised Palestinian Prime Minister Isma’il Haniya in Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City. The 300-square-meter, 5-storey building was damaged, but no casualties were reported.
• At approximately 01:50, an IOF aircraft fired 2 missiles at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance in a filed in ‘Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis. They were able to flee, but the missile hit an agricultural room belonging to Riadh ‘Abdul Rahman Al-Daghma and destroyed it.
• At approximately 02:20, IOF aircrafts fired 2 missiles at Palestine Carpentry Workshop in Block “O” in Rafah refugee camp. Two missiles exploded and heavily damaged the workshop. No casualties were reported.
• At approximately 23:30, 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 heavily damaged, but no casualties were reported.
Monday, 3 March 2008
• At approximately 01:12, and IOF aircraft fired a missile at the office of the pro-Hamas “Change and Reform” parliamentary bloc in the Palestinian Legislative Council in Khan Yunis. The office was located on the second floor of a multi-story residential building, Al-Farra Building, in Khan Yunis. The office was heavily damaged.
• At approximately 01:20, an IOF aircraft fired 3 missiles at a workshop at Zao’rob Square in the southwest of Rafah. the workshop was destroyed and a nearby workshop, a shop of paintings, a house, and a store of Palestine Red Crescent Society were damaged.
• At approximately 01:30, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at a number of activists of the Palestinian resistance in the east of Al-Shoja’eya neighborhood east of Gaza City. Two activists were killed: Ramzi Fat’hi Khwaiter, 20; and ‘Abdul Fattah Mohammad ‘Abdul ‘Aal, 24. Another 2 activists and woman were also wounded.
• At approximately 02:20, an IOF aircraft fired 3 missiles at a Palestinian police station to the west of Nussairat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. A police officer, 34-year-old Darweesh ‘Aadel Miqdad, was killed. Another officer, 22-year-old Walid Tawfiq Abu Yousef, was seriously wounded. He was evacuated to an Egyptian hospital, but he died of his wound in the evening.
• At approximately 02:40, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at an activist of the Palestinian resistance, 20-year-old Ibrahim Sayed Al-Masri, near Gaza Harbor in the west of Gaza City. He was instantly killed.
• At approximately 18:00, medical sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City declared that ‘Aaref Mohammad Dughmosh, 21, died from a wound he had sustained last week. According to PCHR's documentation, Dughmosh was seriously wounded on 28 February 2008, when IOF aircrafts bombarded a police station in Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City. He was visiting his fried who works at the station.
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
• At approximately 03:30, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at an activist of the Palestinian resistance, 20-year-old As'ad Tawfiq Al-Qahwaji, near Al-Sawda Factory, east of Gaza City. He was instantly killed.
• At approximately 06:15, an IOF aircraft fired a missile at 2 activists of the Palestinian resistance when they were getting out of a vehicle near Beit Hanoun southern intersection in the northern Gaza Strip. One of the activists, Mohammad 'Abdul Rahim Muhanna, 24, from Gaza City, was killed, and the other one was seriously wounded.
• At approximately 19:30, IOF moved nearly 1,500 meters into Wadi Al-Salqa village, east of Deir Al-Balah town in the central Gaza Strip. They besieged a house belonging to Yousef Suleiman Hussein Al-Smairi, a member of the Al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad) who was allegedly wanted by IOF. Al-Sumairi was able to flee before IOF besieged the house. While he was fleeing, he exchanged fire with IOF troops who opened fire at all directions. Al-Sumairi was killed in the armed clash. Some other IOF troops ordered residents of the house to get out of the house. Nadia Fadel Abu 'Asser, 30, moved out from the guest room to the yard of the house. She was carrying her baby, 20-year-old Ameera Khaled Abu 'Asser, as she and her husband were visiting the Al-Sumairi family. IOF troops continued to fire at the house. The baby was killed by 2 gunshots to the head and the mother was wounded by a gunshot to the left shoulder. Another 4 civilians, including 2 children and Al-Sumairi's wife, were wounded:
1. 'Aziza Jom'a Al-Sumairi, 42, wounded to the back;
2. Eyad Mahmoud Al-Sumairi, 11, wounded by a gunshot to the left hand;
3. Nader 'Abdul Rahim Abu 'Aamer, 4; and
4. 'Awadh 'Abdul Rahim Abu 'Aamer, 25, wounded by a gunshot to the limbs.
IOF redeployed outside the village at approximately 22:10.
The West Bank
Thursday, 28 February 2008
• At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. They patrolled in the streets and opened fire. A number of activists of the Palestinian resistance echanged fire with IOF. Two activists were killed:
1. Ahmad 'Aadel 'Abbas Al-Nadi, 28, from 'Askar refugee camp, hit by several gunshots throughout the body; and
2. Maher Saleem Abu Al-Reesh, 29, from Balata refugee camp, hit by several gunshots throughout the body.
Another 2 activists were wounded, and IOF arrested one of them, 20-year-old Mohammad Mahmoud Abu 'Arab.
• Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Zeita village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.
• Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into 'Allar village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.
• At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Bitounia town, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:
1. Ahmad Qerem Al-Loulu, 22; and
2. 'Emad Qerem Al-Loulu, 25.
• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Seilat Al-Harthiya village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 6 Palestinian civilians:
1. Tal'at Husni Shawahna, 18;
2. Fadi Riadh Zayoud, 18;
3. Mohammad 'Adnan Jaradat, 24;
4. Jihad Ahmad Shawahna, 18;
5. Mohammad Fawaz Shawahna, 21; and
6. Ahmad 'Emad Shawahna, 21.
• Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Jaba' village, south of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:
1. Faraht Mohammad 'Alawna, 27; and
2. Mohammad Sadiq Ghannam, 22.
• At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Al-Salam Street in the center of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Mo'ayad Suleiman Al-Qawasmi, 22, and arrested him.
• Also at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Al-Fawar refugee camp, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of 'Alaa' Nassim Al-'Anati, 17, and arrested him.
• Also at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to the family of Hisham Isma'il Abu Hawash, 25, and arrested him
• At approximately 11:00, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful demonstration in Salfit town in protest to attacks by IOF against the Gaza Strip. IOF moved into the town and opened fire at civilians. As a result, 2 civilians were wounded:
1. Mahmoud 'Abdul Nasser Jebril, 26, wounded by shrapnel to the back; and
2. 'Aassef 'Abdul Jawad Al-Bar, 23, wounded by shrapnel to the shoulder.
• Also at approximately 11:00, IOF moved into Al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Sa'id 'Atallah, but no arrests were reported.
Friday, 29 February 2008
• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:
1. 'Aaref Salama Al-Hraibat, 20; and
2. Hisham Isma'il Ahmad, 21.
Saturday, 1 March 2008
• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Al-Zeer village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Ibrahim Khalil Al-Zeer, 26.
• At approximately 16:30, IOF moved into Beit Jala town. They took position near the headquarters of the Palestinian police and fired tear gas canisters. A number of police officers suffered from tear gas inhalation.
• In the evening, dozens of Palestinian civilians demonstrated at the eastern entrance of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, in protest to attacks by IOF against the Gaza Strip. IOF troops fired at those civilians, wounding Mohammad Sa'id Sabarna, 18, with a gunshot to the right hand.
Sunday, 2 March 2008
• At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Al-Sammou' village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mousa Isma'il Khalaila, 50.
• In the morning, hundreds of Palestinian civilians demonstrated in Beit 'Awa village, southwest of Hebron, in protest to attacks by IOF against the Gaza Strip. IOF moved into the village and fired at the demonstrators. At approximately 12:00, Mahmoud Mohammad Masalma, 14, was wounded by a gunshot to the chest. He died before arrival at a hospital in Hebron. Another 2 civilians, including a child, were wounded:
1. Sameer 'Abdul Qader Masalma, 33, wounded by a gunshot to the left thigh; and
2. Hassan Nabeel Masalma, 16, wounded by a gunshot to the right foot.
• At the same time, hundreds of Palestinian civilians demonstrated in Hebron in protest to attacks by IOF against the Gaza Strip. IOF troops opened fire at the demonstrators wounding 8 of them, including 4 children:
1. 'Odai 'Azzam Al-Rajabi, 16, wounded by a gunshot to the pelvis;
2. Ja'far Abu 'Eisha, 13, wounded by a gunshot to the abdomen;
3. Shadi Mohammad Seder, 23, wounded by a gunshot to the left thigh;
4. Munther 'Abdul Rahim Abu Esnaina, 20, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the abdomen;
5. Wafa Isma'il Al-Ja'bari, 21, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the back;
6. Amjad 'Abdullah Joulani, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right foot;
7. Bashar Saleh Shaheen, 17, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right thigh; and
8. 'Alaa' 'Abed Rabbu Ghannam, 22, wounded by a gunshot to the foot.
• At the same time, hundreds of Palestinian civilians demonstrated in Yatta village, south of Hebron, in protest to attacks by IOF against the Gaza Strip. IOF troops opened fire at the demonstrators wounding 6 of them:
1. Nader Mohammad Al-Najjar, 19, wounded by a gunshot to the left foot;
2. 'Alaa' Mousa Bhais, 15, wounded by a gunshot to the pelvis;
3. Mahmoud 'Abdul Qader Abu 'Awad, 15, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left foot;
4. Mohammad Hussein Al-Haddar, 19, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left leg;
5. 'Ali Hussein Al-Harini, 24, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the right leg; and
6. Mohammad Mahmoud Makhamra, 15, wounded by a gunshot to the right hand.
• At approximately 17:00, IOF moved into Hijja village, northeast of Qalqilya. They opened fire at Palestinian civilians. As a result, Khader Hussein Masalha, 20, was seriously wounded by a gunshot to the neck.
Monday, 3 March 2008
• At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:
1. Zuhdi Zuhair Al-Sayegh, 27;
2. Ra'ed Husni Dwaikat, 29; and
3. Muhannad Yousef Qamhiya, 20.
• Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Nabeel Shihada Sabarna, 19.
• Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Tariq Yassin Al-Madhoun, 19.
• At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Shyoukh al-'Arab village, northeast of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:
1. Mash'hour Mohammad Al-Halaiqa, 25; and
2. Ayoub Na'im Al-Halaiqa, 24.
• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians:
1. Majdi Jamal Tazaz'a, 21;
2. Ahmad Ziad Nazzal, 23;
3. Mahmoud Mustafa Tazaz'a, 27; and
4. Rabee' Bassam Tazaz'a, 20.
• At approximately 03:00, IOF moved into Kufor Ra'ei village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:
1. Mahmoud Muhannad Ya'aqba, 19; and
2. Mohammad Ghassan Mershed, 18.
• At approximately 07:00, IOF moved into Toura village, southwest of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3lestinian civilians:
1. Muntasser Sami Qabaha, 24;
2. Mustafa Saleh Qabaha, 30; and
3. Tha'er Mohammad Qabaha, 20.
• At approximately 08:30, dozens of Palestinian school students demonstrated in Al-Mazra'a village, northwest of Ramallah, in protest to attacks by IOF against the Gaza Strip. The demonstrators moved towards "Tilmon B" settlement to the southwest of the village. Immediately, an Israeli settler who gathered with other settlers near the settlement fired at the demonstrators. As a result, Mohammad Saleh Mohammad Shraitah, 18, was seriously wounded by a gunshot to the head. He died on the way to the hospital. The Israeli radio claimed that the settler stated in interrogation by the Israeli police that "dozens of demonstrators attacked him with stones when he was walking near the settlement, so he fired in the air, but they did not stop attacking him, and consequently, he fired at them." IOF often take no action towards attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians.
• At noon, hundreds of Palestinian civilians demonstrated in Bani Na'im village, northeast of Hebron, in protest to attacks by IOF against the Gaza Strip. IOF troops moved into the village and fired at the demonstrators, wounding 2 of them, including a child:
1. Qassem 'Ali Manasra, 24, wounded by 2 rubber-coated metal bullets to the hand and the chest; and
2. Mohammad Hammad Al-Hammouz, 15, wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left hand.
• At noon and in the afternoon, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded during clashes with IOF troops at the northern entrance of Bethlehem:
1. Nabeel Nayef Al-'Eissawi, 17, seriously wounded by a gunshot to the abdomen;
2. Ahmad Al-'Abdullah Al-'Azza, 21, wounded by a gunshot to the foot; and
3. Nidal Mohammad 'Obaid, 19, wounded by a gunshot to the foot.
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
• At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:
1. Ali Khalil Beit Rashed, 21; and
2. Rashed Mahmoud Beit Rashed, 20.
• Also at approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child:
1. Ahmad 'Abdul Salam Salah, 18;
2. Ahmad Sa'id Sbaih, 23;
3. Mohammad Hassan Salah, 17.
• At approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Ethna village, west of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:
1. Ameer Mahmoud Basheer, 22; and
2. Bassem Khalil Al-'Omour, 23.
• Also at approximately 00:30, IOF moved into Dura village, southwest of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 3 Palestinian civilians:
1. Nour Bassem Faqqousa, 18;
2. Walid Mohammad Al-Hroub, 22; and
3. Jadallah 'Abdullah Al-Rajoub, 37.
• At approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Yatta village, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Hassan Mohammad Al-Masri, 28.
• Also at approximately 01:00, IOF moved into Kufor Qallil village, southeast of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 'Azmi Mohammad Mansour, 40.
• At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Sabastia village, northwest of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 2 Palestinian civilians:
1. Firas Ameen Al-Sha'er, 22; and
2. Ashraf Ahmad Al-Sha'er, 19.
• Also at approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Til village, southwest of Nablus. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Mohammad 'Abdul Fattah 'Assida, 28.
• At approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Al-Yamoun village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested Eyad Ibrahim Houshiya, 24.
• Also at approximately 02:00, IOF moved into Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to Badran 'Awadh 'Awadh and Jamal Hussein Al-'Allama and transformed their roofs into military site.
• At approximately 10:00, IOF raided and searched the headquarters of the Palestinian Education Department of southern Nablus in Hawara village, and expelled the employees.
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
• At approximately 00:00, IOF moved into Al-‘Arroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.
• At approximately 01:30, IOF moved into Qalqilya. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 4 Palestinian civilians
1. Mohammad Sameer Khalaf, 20;
2. Mahdi ‘Abdul Kraim Ju’aidi, 20;
3. Ali Tahseen Al-Shanti, 20; and
4. Mohammad ‘Adnan ‘Arafa, 28.
• At approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Qabatya village, southeast of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.
• Also at approximately 02:30, IOF moved into Seilat Al-Harthiya village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses, but no arrests were reported.
• At approximately 02:40, IOF moved into Jenin town and refugee camp. They raided and searched a number of houses and arrested 10 Palestinian civilians:
1. ‘Abdul Jabbar ‘Omar Makhzoumi, 25;
2. Lu’ai Mohammad ‘Araqawi, 32;
3. Zakaria Mohammad ‘Ammar, 36;
4. Huthaifa Rushdi Al-Jamal, 35;
5. Lutfi ‘Abdullah Turkman, 46;
6. Mohammad Hassan ‘Obaid, 29;
7. Hassan Fawzi Haifawi, 29;
8. Ziad Nemer Souqiya, 31;
9. Walid ‘Aaref Jalamna, 37; and
10. Rami Mohammad Ahmad ‘Awad, 29.
• At noon, dozens of Palestinian students organized a peaceful demonstration in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to attacks by IOF against the Gaza Strip. The students moved towards the Annexation Wall that stands on the lands of the village. Immediately, IOF troops fired at them. We’am Mohammad Bernat, 18, was wounded by 3 gunshots to the legs. IOF troops held him bleeding for more than an hour.
2. Continued Siege on the OPT
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 more than one year and a half. 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 nearly 1.5 million 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. 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. In September 2007, the Israeli government declared the Gaza Strip as “a hostile entity,” which implies imposing more restrictions and measures of collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population. Since then, IOF have sharply decreased food and fule supplies allowed into the Gaza Strip. IOF have continued to prevent the entry of raw materials into the Gaza Strip, and subsequently many factories have stopped their industrial activities. Concerning the movement of persons, IOF allow a few Palestinian civilians to pass through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing to travel to the West Bank. Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border is the sole outlet for the Gaza Strip to the outside world. 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.
IOF has also maintained the effective closure of the commercial crossings of Al-Mentar (Karni), Sofa, and Nahal Ouz. IOF have sporadically opened these crossings in order to facilitate the passage of some humanitarian aids into Gaza.
IOF have further banned exportation from the Gaza Strip. IOF only allowed the exportation of limited amounts of roses and strawberries. Following the breach of the Palestinian-Egyptian border, IOF completely banned exportation, thus causing large losses to Palestinian traders and farmers.
As a reaction of the policy of economic and humanitarian stranglehold practiced by IOF against the Gaza Strip, on 23 January 2008, hundreds of thousands of Gazans crossed the border into Egypt when Palestinian resistance activists blew up entire sections of the border fence in Rafah. In addition to residents of Gaza crossing into Egypt en masse, hundreds of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip who had been stranded in Egypt, due to the enforced closure of Rafah International Crossing Point, also returned home to Gaza. The Egyptian authorities responded positively and with restraint, allowing Palestinian civilians to purchase foods, medicines, and other supplies which are not available in Gaza due to the escalating IOF siege and closure of the Gaza Strip. However, opening the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip did not meet all the basic needs of the civilian population of Gaza. Civilians across the Gaza Strip still suffer from severe shortages, or total unavailability, of many essential items, including domestic fuel and industrial fuel for Gaza's single power plant. In addition, hundreds of students, patients and Gazans living abroad remain in effective limbo; many have been waiting for permission to leave the Gaza Strip legally since June 2007. PCHR has learned that approximately 1,500 Gazans have gathered in the Egyptian town of Al-Arish, and have asked the Egyptian authorities to allow them to travel via Cairo to third countries, where they can pursue their work, study or medical treatment. They are currently awaiting an official decision from the Egyptian authorities. PCHR reiterates its position that the chaos on the Rafah border during the past week is an inevitable consequence arising from the IOF siege and closure of the entire Gaza Strip. The IOF have deliberately deprived the entire civilian population of the Gaza Strip of their human right to safe movement and unrestricted travel. In addition, the closure has prevented essential goods and medicines reaching the civilian population. PCHR notes that IOF have tightened the closure of the Gaza Strip since June 2007. Since then, all border crossings into and out of Gaza have been effectively sealed, including the Rafah Crossing.
The closure of border crossings deprives the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip of their right to freedom of movement, education and health. IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on fishing in the Gaza Strip. Following the attack on IOF on 25 June 2006, IOF prevented fishing. Approximately 35,000 people in and around Gaza’s coastal communities rely on the fishing industry, including 2,500 fishermen, 2,500 support staff and their families. Fishermen have been subjected to intensive monitoring by IOF, which use helicopter gunships and gunboats to monitor the fishermen. The Oslo Accords allow Palestinian fishermen to go fishing up to 20 nautical miles away from the Gaza seashore.
The West Bank
IOF have imposed a tightened siege on the West Bank. During the reporting period, IOF imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians.
• Jerusalem: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians to and from the city. 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 impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians on Fridays to restrict their access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
On Saturday morning, 1 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at the Container checkpoints, east of Jerusalem, arrested Isma’il Yousef Al-Zeer, 33, from Al-Zeer village east of Bethlehem.
• Nablus: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. On Thursday, 28 February 2008, IOF troops positioned at various checkpoints around the city additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They prevented civilians aged 16-35 from passi8ng through checkpoints. On Saturday morning, 1 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara and Hawara checkpoints, south of Nablus, and Beit Eiba checkpoint, west of the city conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilians. They also prevented civilians aged below 35 from passing through those checkpoints. On Sunday morning, 2 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, conducted prolonged checking on Palestinian civilians.
• Tulkarm: IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. They have continued to close all roads leading to and from the town. On Thursday, 28 February 2008, IOF troops prevented Palestinian civilians from passing near sand barriers erected on the road leading to Tulkarm. On Saturday, 1 March 2008, IOF erected a checkpoint at Al-Jaroushiya intersection, north of Tulkarm. They stopped and searched Palestinian civilian vehicles.
• Tubas: On Saturday morning, 1 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at Tayaseer checkpoint, east of Tubas, arrested a Palestinian woman when she was traveling from the northern Jordan Valley to the town.
• Hebron: On Sunday, 2 March 2008, IOF troops positioned at a checkpoint in Nouba – Hebron road arrested Ahmad Ali Abu Al-Reesh, 22, from Sourif village.
3. Construction of the Annexation Wall
IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory. During the reporting period, IOF used force against a peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah.
Following the Friday Prayer on 29 February 2008, scores of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders demonstrated in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah, in protest to the construction of the Wall. IOF troops had placed barbwires in the area to prevent the demonstrators from reaching the Wall. The demonstrators attempted to move forward. Immediately, IOF troops fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, dozen demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
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Recommendations to the International Community
1. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal and moral obligations under Article 1 of the Convention to ensure Israel's respect for the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. PCHR believes that the conspiracy of silence practiced by the international community has encouraged Israel to act as if it is above the law and encourages Israel continue to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.
2. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to convene a conference to take effective steps to ensure Israel's respect of the Convention in the OPT and to provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians.
3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to comply with its legal obligations detailed in Article 146 of the Convention to search for and prosecute those responsible for grave breaches, namely war crimes.
4. PCHR calls for the immediately implementation of the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which considers the construction of the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank illegal.
5. PCHR recommends international civil society organizations, including human rights organizations, bar associations and NGOs to participate in the process of exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and to urge their governments to bring these people to justice.
6. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the Euro-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that Israel must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel. PCHR further calls upon the EU states to prohibit import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the OPT.
7. PCHR calls on the international community to recognize the Gaza disengagement plan, which was implemented last year, for what it is - not an end to occupation but a compounding of the occupation and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
8. In recognition of ICRC as the guardian of the Fourth Geneva Convention, PCHR calls upon the ICRC to increase its staff and activities in the OPT, including the facilitation of family visitations to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
9. PCHR appreciates the efforts of international civil society, including human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs, and urges them to continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel's respect for human rights in the OPT and to end its attacks on Palestinian civilians.
10. PCHR calls upon the international community to pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international organizations to the OPT.
11. PCHR reiterates that any political settlement not based on international human rights law and humanitarian law cannot lead to a peaceful and just solution of the Palestinian question. Rather, such an arrangement can only lead to further suffering and instability in the region. Any peace agreement or process must be based on respect for international law, including international human rights and humanitarian law.
