10 - 16 October, 2002

Israeli occupying forces have committed further human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including apparent willful killings, extra-judicial assassinations, indiscriminate shelling, and incursions into Palestinian areas and the razing of agricultural land. This week, 16 Palestinian civilians, including five children and three women were killed.

In a continuation of the policy of assassinations, officially adopted by the Israeli government, Israeli occupying forces committed two assassinations this week in Jenin and Bethlehem, in which three Palestinians were killed. On 13 October, a Palestinian was killed when an explosion occurred in a telephone cabin. An Israeli helicopter was seen flying over the area shortly before the explosion occurred. Later, an Israeli military spokesman admitted responsibility for the assassination. On 14 October, Israeli occupying forces shot dead two Palestinians and arrested a third one, while they were traveling in a car on a branch road near Jenin.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying forces committed human rights violations against Palestinian civilians in Rafah. This week, Israeli forces moved into the town on two occasions, killing four Palestinian civilians, including a 3-year-old child, and wounding dozens of others. They also destroyed four houses and demolished eight others.

In the first invasion of the town on 10 October, Israeli occupying forces shot dead two Palestinian civilians and destroyed and demolished six houses. A number of houses were also damaged. In the second invasion on 13 October, Israeli occupying forces killed two Palestinian civilians, and wounded more than 20 others. They also destroyed and demolished six houses, and arrested 10 Palestinian civilians. A number of houses were damaged. On 16 October, Israeli occupying forces shelled the town intensely, killing a Palestinian civilian and wounding 14 others, mostly children.

In five incidents of apparent willful killing, this week, Israeli occupying forces shot dead five Palestinian civilians. On 12 October, Israeli occupying forces shot dead a Palestinian farmer in ‘Abasan village, east of Khan Yunis. In the evening of the same day, Israeli occupying forces shot dead a Palestinian woman in Nablus and wounded her husband and son. On 13 October, Israeli occupying forces shot dead a Palestinian woman in Jenin, while she was traveling in a car on her way back to her village. On 13 and 15 October, Israeli occupying forces shot dead two Palestinian civilians in Tulkarm.

In a step apparently aimed at destroying the Palestinian economy and with the season of olive cultivation having just started, Israeli occupying forces razed hundreds of donums of Palestinian agricultural land planted with olives in the Gaza Strip.

In violation of the international law and humanitarian law which prohibit collective punishment, Israeli occupying forces took retaliatory measures against families of wanted Palestinians and of those who have carried attacks against Israeli targets both inside the Green Line and in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In this context, Israeli occupying forces destroyed three Palestinian houses this week, and used a Palestinian civilian as a human shield to arrest a wanted Palestinian.

Israeli occupying forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT, collectively punishing Palestinian people. Israeli forces have partitioned Palestinian areas, transforming them into cantons, violating Palestinian civilians’ economic, social and cultural rights. In the Gaza Strip, on 14 and 15 October, Israeli occupying forces closed Abu Houli and al-Matahen military checkpoints, north of Khan Yunis. They blocked cars between the two checkpoints, checked a number of Palestinian civilians, and arrested three of them. Between 7 to 15 October, Israeli occupying forces have continued to impose a curfew on al-Mawasi area to the west of Khan Yunis. Many people who exited the area before the curfew was imposed have been blocked outside the area.

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