Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians and property in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)
An Israeli drone targeted 2 members of an armed group in the north of the Gaza Strip, due to which they sustained wounds.
13 civilian bystanders, including 5 children, were wounded as well.
Israeli warplanes carried out 6 airstrikes on civilian targets and paramilitary sites in the Gaza Strip.
An armed group member sustained minor wounds.
A livestock barn was destroyed, 18 sheep and a cow died and the barn and windows of 5 houses sustained damage.
Israeli forces continued to open fire in the border area of the Gaza Strip.
A Palestinian civilian was moderately wounded in the northern Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protesters in the West Bank.
A Palestinian civilian was wounded in Bil'in weekly protest, west of Ramallah.
Israeli forces conducted 82 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
35 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were arrested.
Israel continued to impose a total closure on the oPt and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
At least one Palestinian civilian was arrested at checkpoints in the West Bank.
A Palestinian child was arrested at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Israeli navy forces continued targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea.
Israeli navy forces opened fire 3 times at fishermen in the sea in the northern and southern Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported.
Israeli forces continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
Settlers set fire to a poultry barrack in Madama village, south of Nablus.
79 olive trees were cut off, northwest of Ramallah.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (17 – 23 April 2014).
Shooting:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 18 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including 5 children and 3 members of armed groups. Israeli warplanes launched 6 airstrikes on civilian targets and training sites throughout the Gaza Strip, while Israeli navy forces carried out 3 shooting incidents against Palestinian fishing boats in the sea.
On 18 April 2014, a 24-year-old civilian from Jabalia sustained a bullet wound to the left leg when Israeli forces stationed along the border, east of Jabalia town, opened fire at a group of youngsters near the border.
On 21 April 2014, a member of an armed group was wounded when an Israeli warplane attacked a paramilitary site of a Palestinian armed group, southeast of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
On 23 April 2014, an Israeli drone targeted 2 members of an armed group on a motorbike in Beit Lahia village in the northern Gaza Strip. As a result, the 2 members and 13 civilians, including 5 children, were wounded in addition to,.
In the context of airstrikes, on 21 April 2014, Israeli warplanes launched 6 airstrikes on civilian targets and paramilitary sites throughout the Gaza Strip. As a result, a livestock barn and a cart were destroyed and 18 sheep, a cow, 10 chickens and 10 rabbits died. Moreover, a neighbouring barn and 2 carts sustained damage and windows of 5 houses were broken.
In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea, on 17 April 2014, Israeli navy forces opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats off Khan Yunis shore, in the southern Gaza Strip, but neither casualties nor material damage were reported.
On 17, 22 and 23 April 2014, Israeli navy forces opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing 3 nautical miles northwest off Beit Lahia shore, in the northern Gaza Strip, and off Khan Yunis shore, in the southern Gaza Strip.
In the West Bank, 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, a 19-year-old civilian was hit by a gas canister to the right hand, while dozens of civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 82 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 35 Palestinians, including 3 children.
On 20 April 2014, Israeli forces moved into Deir Samet village, southwest of Hebron. They raided a house belonging to the family of Rezeq al-Hroub (54). They violently raided an apartment belonging to his son, who is married. They ordered his family to stay outdoors. The son was severely beaten up and then arrested.
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 one civilian in the West Bank.
Settlement activities
Israel has continued its settlement activities in the oPt, in 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 19 April 2014, Israeli forces moved into the pastoral lands surrounding Kherbet Um al-Kheir, east of Yata, south of Hebron. They prevented civilians from grazing their sheep, denied them access to water wells and insulted them with bad words. They then declared it as a close military zone.
Attacks carried out by settlers
On 17 April 2014, a group of settlers from “Yitsahar” settlement set fire to a barrack used for grazing chickens in Ma’aser al-Jaloud area in the north of Madma village, south of Nablus. The cost of building and equipping the barrack is around 250,000 NIS as it is a source of livelihood for a family of 10 members, including 2 university students.
On 18 April 2014, dozens of settlers under the Israeli forces’ protection stormed the entrance of Ezna village, west of Hebron. The Israeli forces closed the village entrance and isolated it, and the settlers placed a monument and raised the Israeli flag on it in the place where “Baroukh Mizrahi” was killed after his car was subjected to fire at the entrance of the village, which is connected by bypass road 60.
On the same day, a group of settlers from “Emanuel” settlement, east of Qalqilya, threw stones at civilian vehicles passing on Qana Valley main road, north of the city. As a result, Palestinian cars were damaged and the passengers were terrified due to the stone-throwing on the dark road adjacent to the aforementioned settlement.
On 19 April 2014, a group of settlers from “Nirea” outpost established on the lands of the villages of Ras Karkar and al-Janiyah in the northern part of it, northwest of Ramallah, uprooted and smashed 79 fruitful olive trees in al-Nabu ‘Aneir area, north of the village, near the aforementioned village. Those attacked trees belong to four families from Ras Karkar village.