FULL REPORT
Israeli forces seized construction materials and detained construction workers in an under-construction building that will be used as kindergarten in Yatta village in Hebron.
Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians and property in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)
Palestinian member of an armed group was killed in the West Bank.
2 members of armed groups were killed and 2 children were wounded in an airstrike.
Israeli forces continued to open fire at border areas in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces killed a woman with mental disorder, south of the Gaza Strip.
a Palestinian civilian was wounded in the northern Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protesters in the West Bank.
4 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded in Bil'in protest.
12 civilians were wounded in other protests in the West Bank, including 4 children.
Israeli forces conducted 83 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
48 civilians, including 4 children were arrested.
Israel continued to impose a total closure on the oPt and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
Israeli forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank.
At least 3 Palestinian civilians, including a 10-year-old child, were arrested at checkpoints in the West Bank.
3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were arrested, north of the Gaza Strip
Israeli navy forces continued targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea.
Israeli forces continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
Settlers cut off 400 olive seedlings, north of the West Bank.
Fire was set to a house in Selwad village, northeast of Ramallah.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (27 February – 05 March 2014).
Shooting:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian woman suffering from mental disorder in the Gaza Strip and 3 members of armed groups, 2 of whom in the Gaza Strip and one in the West Bank. Moreover, Israeli forces wounded 19 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including 7 children. Three of whom were wounded in the Gaza Strip and the 16 others were wounded in the West Bank. Israeli forces carried out 2 airstrikes, 3 shooting incidents along the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel and one shooting incident against Palestinian fishing boats.
In the Gaza Strip, on 28 February 2014, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian woman suffering from a mental disorder when they opened fire at her, as she approached the border fence, east of Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. The woman bled to death was found the following day. Her brother said to PCHR's fieldworker that the diseased had been suffering from a mental disorder for 15 years. She went out to attend a wedding party of a family member near her house in Khuza'a village, east of Khan Yunis. She lost her way and approached the border fence, east of Khuza'a village, when Israeli forces shot her.
On 04 March 2014, Israeli forces killed two members of armed groups and wounded two children in Beit Hanoun village, north of the Gaza Strip. One of the children sustained serious wounds.
On 28 February 2014, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of Jabalia village, north of the Gaza Strip opened fire at a group of youngsters, who were a few meters away from the fence.
On the same day, Israeli forces opened fire at a number of youngsters in Abassan village, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, when they protested near the border fence. No casualties were reported.
Also on the same day, an Israeli drone fired a missile at open land in Beit Hanoun village, north of the Gaza Strip. Residents of the area were frightened, but no casualties were reported.
On 01 March 2014, Israeli gunboats stationed off the shore northwest of Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles.
In the West Bank, on 27 February 2014, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian in Birzait village, north of Ramallah, after surrounding his family house for hours.
In the same context, Israeli forces used excessive force against peaceful demonstrations organised by Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, 4 civilians, including a child, were wounded during Bil'in weekly protest.
In the same context, on 28 February 2014, 12 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were wounded during peaceful demonstrations organized at the entrance of al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah; and the eastern entrance of Birzait village, north of Ramallah.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 83 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 48 Palestinians, including 4 children.
Restrictions on movement:
Israel continued to impose a tight closure of the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
The illegal closure of the Gaza Strip, which has steadily tightened since June 2007 has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli authorities impose measures to undermine the freedom of trade, including the basic needs for the Gaza Strip population and the agricultural and industrial products to be exported. For 7 consecutive years, Israel has tightened the land and naval closure to isolate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and other countries around the world. This resulted in grave violations of the economic, social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 1.7 million people. The Israeli authorities have established Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shaloum) as the sole crossing for imports and exports in order to exercise its control over the Gaza Strip’s economy. They also aim at imposing a complete ban on the Gaza Strip’s exports.
Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.
As part of using military checkpoints and border crossings as traps to arrest Palestinian civilians under the pretext they are wanted, Israeli forces arrested at least 2 civilians in the West Bank.
Settlement activities
Israel has continued its settlement activities in the oPt, a direct violation of international humanitarian law, and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
Attacks carried out by Israeli forces
On 28 February 2014, Israeli forces moved into the agricultural lands surrounding “Beit ‘Ein” settlement established on Palestinian lands confiscated from the northwest of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. Israeli forces forced ‘Abdel Hamid al-Sleibi (78) and his sons to leave their land in Abu al-Rish Valley area, west of the village, claiming that they are confiscated lands. The Israeli soldiers threatened him that he will arrest him in case their orders were not obeyed.
On 02 March 2014, Israeli forces backed by military vehicles and a winch truck and accompanied by a vehicle from the Construction and Organization Department in the Israeli Civil Administration moved into al-Tawani area, east of Yatta, south of Hebron. They stationed near an under-construction building to be used as a kindergarten. The Israeli soldiers detained Construction workers, and the Civil Administration confiscated a concrete mixer and other construction materials under the pretext of having no construction permit.
Attacks carried out by settlers
On 27 February 2014, 6 settlers from “’Ofrah” settlement established on the lands of the villages of Silwad and ‘Ein Yabrud infiltrated into a house belonging to Rowaidah ‘Abdel Ghani Soliman Hammad (61) from Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah. The settlers poured an incendiary material on the balcony and put it on fire. As a result, the curtains, chairs and furniture in the balcony caught fire. The settlers then wrote a slogan in Hebrew on a wall outside the house that says “Qasrah, Get out Arabs.”
On 28 February 2014, a group of settlers from “Yitshar” settlement attacked Palestinian farmers, who were pruning olive trees in Al-Lohof area “al-Bayadat”, west of Hawarah village, south of Nablus. Settlers used metal tubes as weapons. As a result, the farmers sustained different wounds and were taken to Rafidiah Surgical Hospital in Nablus to received medical treatment.
On 02 March 2014, settlers from “Har Heimed” outpost of “Kadomim” settlement uprooted 400 olive seedlings in the lands of Kafr Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqilya. The attacked land belongs to Nazmi As’aad Qasem ‘Ebeid, who planted it this winter.
On 03 March 2014, a group of settlers from “Halmish” settlement established on the lands of the villages of al-Nabi saleh and Deir Nizam, northwest of Ramallah, gathered on the main road near the settlement. The settlers threw stones at Palestinian cars passing on the road leading to the villages of al-Nabi Saleh, Beit Rima, Deir Ghassanah, Kafer ‘Ein, the nearby Qarawet Bani Zaid and the eastern villages of Salfit.