At least 20 houses in two Bedouin-Arab villages were destroyed on 25 June by Israeli security forces, leaving over 150 people homeless. Some 1,500 police and special forces converged on the two small villages, which together have a population of about 1,000 people from the al-Qi’an family, and conducted the demolitions. “The children went to school and the men to work. Only the women stayed home,” said Azam al-Qi’an, aged 16, whose home was destroyed. Read more about Dozens made homeless as police demolish Bedouin houses
Up to 2,500 residents of the Gaza Strip are stranded on the Egyptian side of the border crossing at Rafah and in the towns of al-Arish and Rafah in the North Sinai governorate, aid agencies say. The border area between Egypt and the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT), which has been sealed off to media and tourists following an escalation in violence in Gaza, is continuing to host Palestinians unable either to cross to their home territory or return to Cairo. Many of the travellers are attempting to return following medical treatment in the Egyptian capital. Read more about Gazans stranded at Rafah border, North Sinai towns
Tuesday, 12 June 2007, witnessed the fiercest and bloodiest clashes since the beginning of this latest wave of fighting nearly one week ago. In the past 24 hours, 36 Palestinians have been killed and 250 others have been wounded. The victims include some civilians. Thus, the number of Palestinians killed since the beginning of this latest wave of fighting have increased to 60, and the number of the wounded have mounted to at least 400. These figures include some civilians, including women and children. Read more about 36 killed, 250 wounded in 24 hours of Gaza fighting
TELAVIV, 12 June 2007 (IRIN) - Patients are dying in crossfire as hospitals have been overrun by gunmen in a new wave of Gaza violence, which the UN has warned is jeopardising the delivery of essential humanitarian aid. The violence has claimed 17 lives and ambulance teams are being prevented from evacuating the wounded from combat zones by checkpoints manned by armed fighters across the Strip, medical organisations said. Hamas stormed the hospitals because it was worried Fatah would target its wounded fighters. Read more about Patients killed as gunmen storm Gaza hospitals
For the third consecutive day, Gaza City has witnessed unjustifiable violent internal fighting, and an atmosphere of tension has spread over Gaza that is not less violent than that which has spread as a result of the offensive that has been launched by Israeli Occupation Forces for nearly a month. Since Monday evening, violence has extended to most areas in the Gaza Strip from the north to the south, and militants have deployed in the streets, at the entrances of towns and near governmental headquarters and security compounds. Read more about Gaza battles kill 21, injure 150
I am a student at An-Najah University and live with my family in the entrance of the Jenin refugee camp. I was studying for my final exams on Tuesday, 15 May 2007 around 1:30am when I heard military vehicles coming into the neighborhood and parking in front of our house. The soldiers called to us on loudspeakers to leave the house. One of the vehicles stopped before our entrance, lighting up the house — I understood that the soldiers meant for us to leave. I went into my parents’ room and found them awake. I went to the front door and opened it, and the soldiers ordered everyone in the house to come out. Read more about Testimony: Man used as human shield injured in Jenin camp
At approximately 12:20 am on Wednesday, 6 June 2007, a large Israeli military force, comprising at least 50 soldiers, came to the house of Yehia al-Jabari. Yehia, who was 72-years-old, lived with his family in a two-storey house in the B’er Haram area of Hebron city. Upon opening the front door of the house to the soldiers, Rajih al-Jabari, the 26-year-old son of Yehia, was dragged outside. Without any warning or justification, the Israeli soldiers began to beat Rajih, violently hitting his head against the wall of the house. Read more about Wilful Killing of 72-Year-Old Civilian by Israeli Forces in Hebron
On May 2, 2007 the Israeli Police announced that former Member of Knesset (MK) Azmi Bishara, head of the National Democratic Assembly (NDA), was under investigation and suspected of the following: assistance to enemy in war; delivery of information to the enemy; and contact with a foreign agent. In Israeli law, the offense of “Assistance to the enemy during war” is punishable by death. This chilling announcement came after multiple attempts by the NDA to lift the gag order imposed on the investigation since it began. Read more about The State of Israel vs. Former MK Azmi Bishara
On 1 June 2007, an IOF infantry unit positioned on a wooden land in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, nearly 100 meters away from the beach, opened fire at four Palestinian children, who were playing with kites near the beach. Three children were wounded, whereas the fourth one was able to escape. Two of the children were left in the area bleeding to death. According to the third child who was wounded, 16-year-old Mohammed Ibrahim al-‘Atawna, from Jabalya refugee camp, a kite fell near the area where IOF soldiers were hiding, and when they went to bring it, IOF soldiers opened fire at them. Read more about Children playing with kite, man on bike killed by Israeli forces in Gaza
On the eve of the 40th anniversary of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Amnesty International today called on the Israeli authorities to end the land-grabbing, blockades and other violations of international law carried out under the occupation. These have resulted in widespread human rights abuses and have also failed to bring security to the Israeli and Palestinian civilian populations. A 45-page report published today, Enduring Occupation: Palestinians under siege in the West Bank, illustrates the devastating impact of four decades of Israeli military occupation. Read more about Amnesty International: No security without basic rights
