Weekly report on human rights violations

July 4-10, 2002

Israeli occupying forces has continued to perpetrate flagrant violations of human rights against Palestinian civilians and their property in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), using all kinds of weapons. They have imposed a strict siege on more than 3.5 million Palestinians. This week, Israeli occupying forces invaded large areas of Palestinian land in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. 10 Palestinians, including 8 civilians, were killed by Israeli occupying forces during the last week.

Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles have maintained direct control over most of the Palestinian National Authority controlled areas. They have imposed a curfew on Palestinian areas for several days, especially in Nablus, Tulkarm, Qalqilya and Bethlehem. They shelled and raided houses and arrested and fired at passing Palestinians civilians. Israeli occupying forces very often raid Palestinian villages, under their security control.

In a continuation of the assassination policy officially adopted by the Israeli government against Palestinian activists and political leaders, on Thursday, 4 July, Israeli occupying forces assassinated two Palestinians, through planting a bomb in their car. Israeli occupying forces claimed that one of them was the leader of al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Gaza.

In two apparent willful killings, Israeli occupying forces shot dead three Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. On Friday, 5 July, an undercover unit of Israeli occupying forces shot dead a Palestinian civilian in Gizan Abu Rashwan area in Khan Yunis. On Saturday, 6 July, Israeli occupying forces in military locations in the vicinity of ‘Netzarim’ settlement, south of Gaza City, for no apparent reason, fired at a civilian car in which a Palestinian family was traveling from Gaza towards Khan Yunis. A woman and her two-year-old child were killed.

According to PCHR’s investigation, in the two incidents, Israeli occupying forces opened fire for no apparent reason, since the two areas did not witness any clashes.

This week, Israeli occupying forces razed large areas of Palestinian agricultural land in the Gaza Strip, especially in the villages of ‘Abasan and Khuza’a near Khan Yunis, and in Gaza City. On 9 and 10 July, Israeli occupying forces, covered by intense shelling, moved into Rafah refugee camp, and demolished 8 houses. Two Palestinian civilians were also wounded by live ammunition.

Israeli occupying forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT in a collective punishment of the Palestinian people. Israeli forces have separated Palestinian areas, transforming them into cantons. Thousands of employees and laborers have been denied access to their work places, thousands of patients have been denied access to medical care and thousands of students have been deprived of attending their final exams. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupying forces have maintained a strict siege on al-Mawasi area, isolating it from the rest of the strip. This week, a Palestinian patient died as Israeli occupying forces at military checkpoint near Nablus obstructed his access to hospital.

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