November 7 - 13, 2002

This morning, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles and a combat helicopter, moved approximately 2km into the southwest of Gaza City. They raided a house in Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in the south of Gaza City and arrested 5 Palestinians, 2 of whom were released later while the others remained in custody. As a result of the Israeli shelling, 2 Palestinian civilians were wounded.

Israeli occupying forces carried out new invasions of Palestinian areas in the West Bank, the largest of which targeted Tulkarm and Nablus in the north. On Tuesday, 12 November, Israeli occupying forces invaded Tulkarm and its refugee camp. They imposed a curfew and raided and searched houses. On the following day, Israeli occupying forces, reinforced with heavy military vehicles and helicopters, invaded Nablus. They opened fire at houses. They imposed a curfew and raided houses, especially in the old town. Israeli forces also seized a secondary school and transformed it into a military location.

Israeli forces have perpetrated more human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including willful and extra-judicial killings, shelling of, and incursion into Palestinian areas and agricultural land leveling. This week, six Palestinian civilians, including three children from Rafah, two of whom were infants, were killed by Israeli forces.

On Wednesday, 13 November, a 2-year-old infant was killed when Israeli forces shelled Block J in Rafah refugee camp. On Monday, 11 November, another 2-year-old infant was killed when Israeli forces shelled Tal al-Sultan neighborhood in the west of Rafah. On the same day, a Palestinian child from Rafah also died of a wound he sustained when Israeli forces shelled Rafah refugee camp on 17 October 2002. On Friday, 8 November, Israeli forces shot dead 2 Palestinian civilians, one in Tulkarm refugee camp, and the other in Til village, south of Nablus.

This week, Israeli combat helicopters twice shelled a Palestinian workshop in the center of Gaza City, on 11 and 13 November. The workshop was destroyed and a number of nearby houses and civilian facilities were severely damaged.

In a continuation of the policy of extra-judicial assassination officially adopted by the Israeli political and military establishments, this week, Israeli occupying forces assassinated a Palestinian from Kufor Ra’ei village in Jenin. In the operation, Israeli forces used a Palestinian civilian as a human shield, and he was wounded by a live bullet in the head. The Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz congratulated his troops for “the successful operation.”

In violation of international law and humanitarian law, which prohibit collective punishments, Israeli forces continued their retaliatory campaign against families of wanted Palestinians and those who carried out attacks against Israeli targets. Under this context, they demolished 2 houses in Khan Yunis and Tulkarm.

This week, Israeli forces continued their attacks against Palestinian houses and agricultural land. This week, they demolished 9 houses in Rafah. They also razed large areas of agricultural land in Khan Yunis Rafah and Deir al-Balah.

Israeli forces have maintained the total siege imposed on the OPT, collectively punishing the Palestinian people. Israeli forces have partitioned Palestinian areas, transforming them into cantons, violating Palestinian civilians’ economic, social and cultural rights. They have also imposed curfews on several areas.

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