Israeli forces withdrew from Rafah refugee camp and other neighborhoods in the town. The incursion left 14 Palestinian civilians dead, 30 others injured and caused massive destruction across the area. Israeli forces destroyed 80 homes, either by bulldozers or bombs, in Rafah.  As a result, 880 people have become homeless. Israeli troops also destroyed at least 25 shops, a mosque, and much of the civilian infrastructure.  In a scene, reminiscent of the expulsion of Palestinians from their homes in 1948, thousands of civilians were forced to leave their homes. Read more about Israeli forces kill 14 Palestinians and destroy 80 homes in Rafah 

This morning’s ruling of Israel’s High Court of Justice allows the IDF to continue its mass house demolitions in Rafah, and gives the IDF full discretion as to when to allow a court hearing prior to demolition. In issuing this ruling, the Court has shirked its obligation to balance security considerations with the rights of Palestinian civilians who are not involved in the hostilities. When addressing events in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the Court consistently disregards its obligations regarding human rights and international law, and uncritically adopts the position of the security establishment. B’Tselem responds to the High Court decision. Read more about The Rule of Law Ends at the Border 

Supreme Court justices yesterday criticized the IDF procedures governing the opening of access points in the separation barrier to allow the supervised passage of Palestinian residents whose access to agricultural land, workplaces, educational institutions, health services, family and a long list of other vital services is prevented by the barrier. The criticism was voiced during the second hearing of the petition that was initially submitted last December by ACRI Attorney Fatmeh El-A’jou on behalf of five residents of four villages of the area between Tulkarm and Qalqilya. The residents were cut off from their source of livelihood and other vital services. Read more about Supreme Court: "If you cannot provide solutions – the barrier must be moved" 

In the early hours of Saturday morning, 15 May 2004, Israeli occupying helicopter gunships fired missiles at 2 civilian facilities in densely populated areas in Gaza City.  The two facilities and a number of neighboring buildings were severely damaged and 10 Palestinian civilians, including a paramedic, were injured. Two missiles struck the offices of the Union of Nurses, while the third missile struck an uninhabited residential apartment located opposite the office of the Union of Nurses causing extensive destruction. Twenty minutes later, Israeli helicopters attacked the Ansar Charitable Society. Read more about Israeli helicopters launch attack on Gaza City 

A new report, ‘Let Them Suffocate’: Police Brutality during House Demolition in Upper Galilee Village of al-Bea’neh, February 25, 2004, examines in detail the behavior of the Israeli police in the enforcement of house demolitions in the Arab village of al-Bea’neh in the Upper Galilee on February 25, 2004. The Arab Association for Human Rights (HRA) based in Nazareth recognizes that house demolitions inside the state of Israel are a government policy directed almost entirely against the country’s Palestinian Arab citizens, who are both deprived of land on which to build homes and face grossly unfair obstacles to gaining permits to build on land they do own. Read more about Report: 'Let Them Suffocate' 

This week Israeli forces killed 22 Palestinians, including four children. Fifteen were killed during an Israeli military invasion of the Zeitoun neighbourhood in Gaza. In Rafah and Khan Yunis alone, Israeli forces demolished 47 homes. Israeli forces razed agricultural land and uprooted trees. Israeli forces raided Palestinian homes and arrested groups of men. Israel continues to use Palestinian civilians as human shields in military operations. Israeli forces began constructing a wall to the northeast of Khan Yunis. Israeli forces continue to shell Palestinian residential areas and the siege continues to be imposed, as the Gaza Strip is partitioned into three isolated areas. Read more about Weekly report on human rights violations 

Today, Thursday, 13 May 2004, Israeli forces killed 12 Palestinian civilians, including a child, and injured at least 20 others in Rafah. Eleven of the victims were killed by shrapnel from missiles launched by Israeli helicopter gunships.  According to Palestinian medical sources in Rafah, most of the wounded are in a serious condition.  This Israeli military escalation followed the destruction of an Israeli military vehicle near Salah al-Din Gate on the Egyptian border, south of Rafah, which left 5 Israeli soldiers dead.  The Israeli offensive on Rafah is still ongoing at the time this report. Read more about Israeli forces kill 12 Palestinians and wound at least 20 in Rafah