Palestinian Center for Human Rights 12 April 2006
Palestinian relatives of Yasser Abu Jarad, 25-year-old, who was killed by Israeli tank shell, mourn during his funeral in Beit Hanon in the northern Gaza Strip April 9, 2006. (MaanImages/Wesam Saleh)
Killing: During the reported period, IOF killed 19 Palestinians, including three children.
In the Gaza Strip, two Palestinian civilians were killed by IOF artillery shelling that targeted the northern Gaza Strip on 9 and 10 April. Eleven Palestinians, including a man, his child and two brothers, were extra-judicially executed by IOF on 7 and 8 April 2006 in Rafah and Khan Yunis respectively. Two members of the Palestinian resistance were killed in Gaza City on 8 April 2006, when an IOF aircraft launched a missile at their car.
In the West Bank, two Palestinian civilians were killed by IOF in Nablus on 7 and 8 April 2006. A Palestinian child was seriously wounded by IOF in Seilat al-Harthiya village near Jenin on 8 April 2006 and was later pronounced dead on 11 April 2006. A fourth Palestinian was killed when he exchanged fire with IOF when they came to arrest him in Beit Ta’mar village, east of Bethlehem, on 9 April 2006.
During the reported period, IOF continued to shell Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip. They fired artillery shells at houses. IOF also employed war planes to shell civilian targets. A number of houses and civilian facilities were damaged and 54 civilians, including 32 children, were injured.
During the reported period, 40 Palestinian civilians, including 36 in Nablus, were wounded by IOF gunfire.
Incursions: During the reported period, IOF carried out numerous incursions into Nablus. They killed two Palestinian civilians, including a child, and wounded 36 others. They also arrested 24 Palestinian civilians, including a girl, and transformed 5 houses into military sites. During the reported period, IOF conducted 27 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 46 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children. In addition, IOF transformed 7 houses into military sites. IOF used undercover units and trained dogs during these incursions.
Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a comprehensive siege on the OPT, in violation of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinian civilians.
IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip, transforming it into a large prison. IOF have continued to monitor the movement of Palestinian civilians through Rafah International Crossing Point on the Egyptian border. Although IOF have allowed the transportation of food aid from Egypt into the Gaza Strip through Kerem Shalom commercial crossing, southeast of Rafah, the crossing has not been officially opened. IOF have also continued to prevent Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip from reaching their work places in Israel through Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing. They have continued to prevent hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip from traveling to the West Bank. IOF have closed al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing, east of Gaza City. During the reported period, the crossing was reopened for a few hours only. As a result, the economic conditions in the Gaza Strip have deteriorated.
IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank are imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. IOF positioned at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, have prevented residents of Jenin from passing through the checkpoint. During the reported period, IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 5 Palestinian civilians, including two children.
Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank. During the reported period, IOF continued to construct a section of the Wall in the Dahiat al-Barid area, north of Jerusalem. They also continued to construct the separating fence around “Shavi Shomron” settlement, northwest of Nablus. Following a petition submitted by residents of the al-Mawahel quarter of Beit Hanina village, north of Jerusalem, against the construction of the Wall in the area, IOF closed the entrance of the quarter, which leads to Bir Nabala village, and replaced a checkpoint erected on the main road leading to the quarter with barbed wire. IOF also continued preparations to transform the Container checkpoint at the southern entrance of Jerusalem into a border crossing between the West Bank and Jerusalem. During the reported period, IOF used force against demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli peace activists in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bal’ein and Beit Siera villages, west of Ramallah. A number of demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Illegal Settler Activities: Israeli settlers in breach of international humanitarian law continue to reside in the OPT and have launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property. During the reported period, Israeli settlers seized a house in the old town of Hebron.
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