During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed 4 Palestinians, and wounded 31 others; 19 of them were in the West Bank while 12 others were in the Gaza Strip. The wounded persons included 5 children and 4 women, including the Palestine TV reporter, in occupied Jerusalem. An old woman died of a heart attack when the Israeli forces raided her house and obstructed transferring her to the hospital for medical treatment. In one of the most heinous crimes committed by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians in the oPt, a group of Israeli settlers kidnapped Mohammed Hussein Abu Khudair, 16, from the vicinity of his family’s house in Shu’fat neighbourhood in the north of occupied Jerusalem, subjected him to brutal torture, and then killed him. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli warplanes conducted 24 air strikes, and the Israeli ground forces conducted 5 shooting incidents along the border fence. Moreover, Israeli naval forces carried out 2 shooting and chasing incidents.

In the West Bank, on 01 July 2014, an Israeli undercover unit killed a Palestinian civilian in Jenin refugee camp in the north of the West Bank when the area was completely quiet.

On 26 June 2014, Fatmah Ismail Ma’abad ‘Issa (70), from al-‘Arroub refugee camp died of a heart attack when Israeli forces raided her family house and detained the family members for an hour denying her access to medical treatment.

In one of the most heinous crimes committed by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians in the oPt, a group of Israeli settlers kidnapped Mohammed Hussein Abu Khudair, 16, from the vicinity of his family’s house in Shu’fat neighborhood in the north of occupied Jerusalem, subjected him to brutal torture, and then killed him.

During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 19 Palestinian civilians and arrested one of them. On 26 June 2014, Ismail Ahmed Mahmoud Hawamdah (23) from al-Samou’a village, south of Hebron was hit by two bullets to the shoulder and back when a member of an under-cover unit fired at him during his arrest. Israeli forces then arrested him and took him to an unknown destination. His family learnt later that her son is in “Soroka” Hospital in Beersheba.

On 27 June 2014, Israeli forces wounded 4 Palestinian civilians when they moved into Nablus, Balatet al-Balad and Balatah refugee camp, east of the city to secure the way for settlers in order to perform religious rituals in Yousif tomb. A number of Palestinian youngsters demonstrated against them.

In the Gaza Strip, during the reporting period, Israeli forces committed two new crimes of extra-judicial execution. In the first crime, 2 Palestinian members of al-Naser Salah al-Deen brigades (the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees) were killed. In the second crime, a member of an armed group was killed and another one was wounded.

On 27 June 2014, 8 Palestinian civilians were wounded when Israeli tanks along the border fence, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, fired 3 shells at the two minarets of al-Huda and al-Taqwa mosques in Khoza’ah village, which are around 1000-1600 meters away from the border fence. Three women, including a pregnant one and another one with her child in their family house, were wounded while another child, who was in the street, was wounded as well.

On the same day, Israeli tanks stationed along the border fence, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, fired 6 artillery shells at the agricultural lands in al-Qararah village, east of the city. Residents of the area were terrified due to the sound of explosions heard all over Khan Younis. No injuries were reported.

On 28 June 2014, two Palestinian civilians were wounded when Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of Khan Younis, opened fire at the agricultural lands to the west of the aforementioned fence.

On 29 June 2014, Israeli tanks stationed along the border fence, east of Khan Younis, fired 5 shells and opened fire at the agricultural lands, east of Qararah village, west of the aforementioned fence. No injuries were reported.

In the context of other Israeli airstrikes, in addition to the two aforementioned airstrikes, Israeli warplanes conducted 20 airstrikes on civil targets and paramilitary training sites of armed groups.

On 28 June 2014, Israeli warplanes launched 3 missiles at a 1-dunum land planted with olives, east of al-Bureij refugee camp in the centre of the Gaza Strip. This land belongs to Ahmed Mohammed Hlayel (35). As a result, 70 olive trees were damaged and 450-square-meter chicken barn roofed with tin and plastic was destroyed. Moreover, 3000 chicks died and a 50-square-meter house was destroyed. A fodder store and a barrack were destroyed, and a sheep died.

On 29 June 2014, Israeli warplanes conducted 8 airstrikes targeting sites and facilities of armed groups in Gaza City, the central governorate, Khan Younis and Rafah. As a result, the targeted sites were damaged, and windows of nearby houses were broken. Moreover, 9 windows of an UNRWA health clinic in the Saudi neighbourhood in Rafah were broken. In addition, 3 civilians, including a child, were wounded due to the flying glass.

On 01 July 2014, Israeli warplanes and helicopters conducted 11 airstrikes, during which they fired 44 missiles targeting training sites of armed groups, agricultural barracks. As a result, 3 employees of the agricultural control were terrified. All the airstrikes were conducted in almost the same time all over the Gaza Strip, except the central governorate, causing fear among civilians due to the strong sound of the explosions.

In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea, on 28 June 2014, Israeli gunboats stationed off Khan Younis shore in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire sporadically in the vicinity of the Palestinian fishing boats sailing 4 nautical miles offshore.

On 01 July 2014, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Waha shore, northwest of Beit Lahia town in the northern Gaza Strip, launched a number of shells at open areas, east of the coastline. No injuries or damages to the boats were reported.

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 90 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 76 Palestinians, including 8 children. 8 of them were arrested in Jerusalem while 9 others were arrested when Israeli forces intervened during the Israeli settlers’ attacks against the Palestinian civilians.

Following their declaration of the disappearance of 3 Israeli settlers in Hebron in the south of the West Bank, since Thursday evening, 12 June 2014, Israeli forces carried out a large-scale military campaign against residential communities in the West Bank and night raids of houses using tracker dogs and maltreating the house residents by expelling them outside their houses or detaining them in one room. Moreover, Israeli forces turned many houses into military barracks and deliberately damaged those houses. Most of the campaign was mainly targeting Hebron, but it extended all the West Bank governorates.

On 26 June 2014, Israeli forces raided and searched the building of Hend al-Husseini Faculty of al-Quds Abu Dis University in al-Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in occupied Jerusalem. They then left the building, and neither destruction nor confiscations were reported.

In a serious precedent, Israeli forces destroyed 2 houses belonging to the families of Marwan Sa’di al-Qawasmi and ‘Aamer ‘Omar Abu ‘Eisaha in Hebron, on the ground of suspicions that the two Palestinians were involved in the abduction of the three Israeli settlers, before arresting, questioning and convicting them.

On 02 July 2014, Israeli forces raided Dar al-Israa’ Library for Printing and Distributing and confiscated computers and checks belonging to Taher Dandis. They also raided al-Asil Centre and confiscated computers.

On the same day, the Israeli forces raided al-Ihsan Charity in Da’eret al-Seir area, north of Hebron. They confiscated computers and documents.

On 02 July 2014, they destroyed the house of Ziad Khalil Hassan ‘Awwad (43) from Ethna village, west of Hebron. It should be mentioned that the Israeli authorities accuse the aforementioned civilian of killing an Israeli officer near Bypass Road (60).

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 been 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 2 Palestinian civilians, including a child, at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

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.

On 28 June 2014, an Israeli infantry force moved from “Avigal” settlement which is established on confiscated lands, east of Yatta, south of Hebron, and raided Kherbat Om Al-Khair. They prevented civilians from Al-Hathalin family from establishing a barracks of tents and tin for one of the families there. Moreover, Israeli soldiers verbally abused the civilians.

On 28 June 2014, Israeli forces backed by several military vehicles and a jeep belonging to the construction and organization department in the Israeli Civil Administration moved into Shueika village, north of Tulkarm. Israeli forces stationed west of the village and handed 3 civilians 3 notices to stop construction work in their houses under the pretext of having no construction permit to build in the areas classified as “C” according to the 1993 Oslo Agreement.

On 26 June 2014, a group of settlers from “Kiryat Arba” settlement which is established on confiscated lands east of Hebron, accompanied by a number of Israeli soldiers, attacked a house belonging to Al-Ja’bari family in Al-Ras area, east of Hebron. The settlers and the soldiers attacked the family and beat them up. Israeli forces arrested 8 civilians.

On 28 June 2014, a group of settlers from “Susya” settlement which is established on confiscated lands south of Yatta village, south of Hebron, took their sheep into Palestinian civilians’ lands in Al-Rakhim valley area, and ruined their crops. The settlers moved into a tent belonging to Izz Ghaith and stayed in it for several hours.

On 30 June 2014, two settlers attempted to kidnap Mousa Rami Zaloum (9) when he was walking with his mother in Sho’afat neighbourhood in the north of occupied East Jerusalem.

On 30 June 2014, a group of settlers from “Beit Aein” settlement which is established on confiscated lands, west of Beir Amr village, north of Hebron, cut 15 olive trees ( aged between 3 to 5 years ) in Abu Rish area, west of the village, belonging to Hammad Jaber Al-Sleibi.

On the same day, a group of settlers from “Ramat Yishai” in the middle of Tal Al-Rumaida neighborhood, in the center of Hebron, attacked Majed Mamoun Sultan (19) when he was returning to his house. As a result, the aforementioned civilian sustained wounds to his head. Israeli soldiers moved into the area then arrested the aforementioned civilian and took him to an unknown destination.

On 1 July 2014, a group of settlers deployed at the entrance of Kafer Laqef village, east of Qalqilya. At approximately 01:40, Israeli forces arrived at the place and evacuated the settlers. No further events were reported.

On the same day, a group of settlers gathered near “Kedumim” settlement and threw stones at Palestinian civilians’ vehicles passing through the main street between Qalqilya and Nablus. As a result, the front glass of a taxi driven by Ayman Muhammad Al-Jadaa’ from Hibla village, south of Qalqilya, was shattered.

On the same day, a female Israeli settler deliberately ran over Snabil Muhammed Fahmi Al-Tous (9), near Al-Ja’ba village, southwest of Bethlehem. The settler threw the child in a hole on the main road and tried to escape. A group of civilians caught the settler and handed her to the Israeli police. Then they took the child to Beit Jala government Hospital for treatment. The child’s wounds were serious.

During the reporting period, Israeli soldiers 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, several demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers.

Following the Friday Prayer on Friday, 27 June 2014, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders organized a peaceful demonstration in Bil’in, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities and in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. Demonstrators took the streets raising the Palestinian flags and headed to the liberated territories near the annexation wall. Early in the morning, Israeli forces closed all entrances to the city to prevent Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders from participating in the protests. Protestors marched by the annexation wall and tried to cross the fence. Israeli soldiers stationed behind the wall, in the western area, and a large number of soldiers deployed along it, fired live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, sound bombs and waste water at them and chased them into the olive fields. As a result, several demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers. On the aforementioned day, dozens of Palestinian civilians organized a peaceful demonstration in Nil’in village, west of Ramallah, in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities and in solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike. The demonstrators made their way towards the annexation wall. Israeli forces closed the wall gate with barbwire and, when the demonstrators attempted to access the lands behind the barbwire, they were stopped by Israeli soldier. The demonstrators threw stones at the Israeli soldier who responded with live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullet, sound bombs, tear gas canisters, and waste water at them and chased them into the village. As a result, several demonstrators suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises as they were beaten up by Israeli soldiers. At approximately 13:30 on the aforementioned day, dozens of Palestinian civilians and international activists organized a peaceful demonstration in the centre of Kafr Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqilya, in protest at the closure of the eastern entrance of the village with a metal gate since the beginning of the second Intifada. Protestors threw stones at the Israeli soldiers who fired live bullets, tear gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets, and sound bombs in response. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises due to being beaten up by Israeli soldiers.

On Friday afternoon, 27 June 2014, dozens of Palestinian young men and women gathered at the western entrance of the Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah, on the road between Silwad and Yabroud villages near Bypass (60). Demonstrators threw stones at the aforementioned road. In response, Israeli soldiers stationed in the area fired live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators. As a result, many civilians suffered tear gas inhalation and others sustained bruises due to being beaten up by Israeli soldiers.

During the reporting period, in an extra-judicial execution crime, Israeli forces targeted two members of an armed group in the central Gaza Strip. Immediately after the execution, the Israeli Defense Force spokesman announced their responsibility for the incident. He claimed that the targeted members were responsible from firing a number of rockets recently.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 15:10 on Friday, 27 June 2014, an Israeli drone fired two missiles at a gray Kia ridden by two members of al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades (the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees) on the coastal road heading south near the house of former Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, in Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City. The two missiles hit the car directly and resulted in the deaths of the persons inside:
1. Osama Hasan Mousa al-Hassomy (29), from Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip; and,
2. Muhammad Muhammad Ramadan Al-Fasih (23), from al-Shikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City
No passersby were wounded in the explosion but the glass of windows in the nearby houses shattered as a result.

According to investigations conducted by PCHR into the second extra-judicial execution crime, at approximately 21:30 on Sunday, 29 June 2014, an Israeli drone fired two missiles at members of an armed group as they were walking southeast of al-Salqa Valley, east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. As a result, one of the group members was killed and another was wounded. The wounded was taken to Al-Naser hospital in Khan Younis. The dead person was also taken to the aforementioned hospital and was later identified as Muhammad Zaied Salem Obeid (26) from al-Salqa Valley village who sustained shrapnel wounds throughout his body. ( PCHR keeps the name of the wounded person)

Israel continued to impose a tight closure on the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

Israeli forces continuously tighten the closure of the Gaza Strip and close all commercial crossings, making the Karm Abu Salem crossing the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it is not suitable for commercial purposes in terms of its operational capacity and distance from markets.

Israeli forces have continued to apply the policy, which is aimed to tighten the closure on all commercial crossings, by imposing total control over the flow of imports and exports.

The total closure of al-Mentar (“Karni”) crossing since 02 March 2011 has seriously affected the economy of the Gaza Strip. Following this closure, all economic and commercial establishments in the Gaza Commercial Zone were shut off. It should be noted that al-Mentar crossing is the biggest crossing in the Gaza Strip, in terms of its capacity to absorb the flow of imports and exports. The decision to close al-Mentar crossing was the culmination of a series of decisions resulting in the complete closure of the Sofa crossing, east of the Gaza Strip in the beginning of 2009, and the Nahal Oz crossing, east of Gaza City, which were dedicated for the delivery of fuel and cooking gas to the Gaza Strip, in the beginning of 2010.

Israeli forces have continued to impose a total ban on the delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities. The limited quantities of raw materials allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

The cooking gas crisis has fluctuated for 9 months due to the closure of Karm Abu Salem for security claims. According to PCHR’s follow-up, Israeli authorities only allow an average of 98 tons of cooking gas into Gaza per day. This limited quantity is less than half of the daily needs, which is 200 tons per day of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip during winter. The crisis has unprecedentedly aggravated for around six weeks due to cold weather and overconsumption in addition to the power outage and using gas as an alternative in many instances of electricity. The lack of diesel and benzene led to the aggravation of the crisis as a result of using the gas cylinder for cars or as an alternative for benzene to run generators. As a result, the demand for gas further increased.

For almost 6 consecutive years, Israeli forces have continued to prevent the delivery of construction materials to the Gaza Strip. Two years ago, Israeli forces approved the delivery of limited quantities of construction materials for a number of international organizations in the Gaza Strip. On 17 September 2013, they allowed the entry of limited quantities of construction materials for the private sector. However, on 13 October 2013, they re-banned it claiming that these materials are used for constructing tunnels. Last week, Israeli forces allowed the entry of construction materials only for UNRWA and UNDP projects. As a result, construction works have completely stopped impacting all sectors related to construction and an increase in unemployment levels.

Israeli forces also continued to impose an almost total ban on the Gaza Strip exports, including agricultural and industrial products, except for light-weighted products such as flowers, strawberries, and spices.

Israel has continued to close the Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing for the majority of Palestinian citizens from the Gaza Strip. Israel only allows the movement of a limited number of groups, with many hours of waiting in the majority of cases. Israel has continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via the Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel denied permission to access hospitals via the crossing for new categories of patients from the Gaza Strip.

The Egyptian authorities allow the population of the Gaza Strip to travel via Rafah International crossing, which connects the Gaza Strip with the outside world. Only limited and specified categories are allowed, including patients, students, persons that hold residencies in Egypt or abroad, men over 40 years, females in all ages, children under 18, persons who hold Arab and foreign nationalities, and members of Arab and international humanitarian delegations. Supposedly the crossing opens seven days a week. Nowadays, the crossing is overcrowded due to the prolonged procedures from the Egyptian side, particularly after closing it for several days over the past weeks due to Egypt’s security conditions, which has affected the travelers’ movement in both directions.

PCHR emphasizes the international community’s position that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still under Israeli occupation, in spite of Israeli military redeployment outside the Gaza Strip in 2005. PCHR further confirms that Israeli forces continued to impose collective punishment measures on the Gaza Strip, which have escalated since the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, in which Hamas won the majority of seats of the Palestinian Legislative Council. PCHR stresses that there is international recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights instruments and the international humanitarian law, especially the Hague Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land and the Geneva Conventions. Israel is bound to apply the international human rights law and the law of war sometime reciprocally and other times in parallel in a way that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for victims.

In light of continued arbitrary measures, land confiscation and settlement activities in the West Bank, and the continued aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip, PCHR calls upon the international community, especially the United Nations, the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention and the European Union – in the context of their natural obligation to respect and enforce the international law – to cooperate and act according to the following recommendations:

1. PCHR calls upon the international community and the United Nations to use all available means to allow the Palestinian people to enjoy their right to self-determination, through the establishment of the Palestinian State, which was recognized by the UN General Assembly with a vast majority, using all international legal mechanisms, including sanctions to end the occupation of the State of Palestine;

2. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to provide international protection to Palestinians in the oPt, and to ensure the non-recurrence of aggression against the oPt, especially the Gaza Strip;

3. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to compel Israel, as a High Contracting Party to the Conventions, to apply the Conventions in the oPt;

4. PCHR calls upon the Parties to international human rights instruments, especially the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to pressurize Israel to comply with their provisions in the oPt, and to compel it to incorporate the human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the concerned committees;

5. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfil their obligation to ensure the application of the Conventions, including extending the scope of their jurisdiction in order to prosecute suspected war criminals, regardless of the nationality of the perpetrator and the place of a crime, to pave the way for prosecuting suspected Israeli war criminals and end the longstanding impunity they have enjoyed;

6. PCHR calls on States that apply the principle of universal jurisdiction not to surrender to Israeli pressure to limit universal jurisdiction to perpetuate the impunity enjoyed by suspected Israeli war criminals;

7. PCHR calls upon the international community to act in order to stop all Israeli settlement expansion activities in the oPt through imposing sanctions on Israeli settlements and criminalizing trading with them;

8. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly to transfer the Goldstone Report to the UN Security Council in order to refer it to the International Criminal Court in accordance with Article 13(b) of the Rome Statute;

9. PCHR calls upon the United Nations to confirm that holding war criminals in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a precondition to achieve stability and peace in the regions, and that peace cannot be built on the expense of human rights;

10. PCHR calls upon the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council to explicitly declare that the Israeli closure policy in Gaza and the annexation wall in the West Bank are illegal, and accordingly refer the two issues to the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel to compel it to remove them;

11. PCHR calls upon the international community, in light of its failure to the stop the aggression on the Palestinian people, to at least fulfil its obligation to reconstruct the Gaza Strip after the series of hostilities launched by Israel which directly targeted the civilian infrastructure;

12. PCHR calls upon the United Nations and the European Union to express a clear position towards the annexation wall following the international recognition of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, as the annexation wall seizes large parts of the State of Palestine;

13. PCHR calls upon the European Union to activate Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which provides that both sides must respect human rights as a precondition for economic cooperation between the EU states and Israel, and the EU must not ignore Israeli violations and crimes against Palestinian civilians;

14. PCHR calls upon the Palestinian leadership to sign and accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Geneva Conventions, and calls upon the international community, especially the United Nations, to encourage the State of Palestine to accede to international human rights law and humanitarian law instruments.