Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)
(17 – 23 August 2017)
· Israeli forces killed a Palestinian child at Za’atarah Checkpoint, south of Nablus.
· 5 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
· Israeli forces conducted 43 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 11 others into Jerusalem and its suburbs.
– 49 civilians, including 14 children, were arrested in the West Bank.
– Twenty seven of them, including 11 children, were arrested in Jerusalem.
· Israeli forces continued to apply the collective punishment policy.
· A house was blown up in Deir Abu Mesh’al village, northeast of Ramallah.
· Israeli forces continued efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.
– A house belonging to Abu Sneinah Family was levelled for the second time within 1 week.
· Israeli forces continued settlement activities in the West Bank.
– Israeli forces confiscated rooms built of tin plates in Job al-Theeb School, east of Bethlehem.
· Israeli forces continued to target the Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea.
– Four shooting incidents were documented against Palestinian fishing boats in the northern Gaza Strip. Neither causalities nor arrests were reported.
· Israeli forces turned the West Bank into cantons and continued to impose the illegal closure on the Gaza Strip for the 10th year.
– Dozens of temporary checkpoints were established in the West Bank and others were re-established to obstruct the movement of Palestinian civilians.
– 5 Palestinian civilians were arrested at the checkpoints in the West Bank.
– Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian worker at Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (17 – 23 August 2017).
Shooting:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian child in the West Bank and wounded 5 civilians, including a child, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Two of them were wounded in the West Bank, and the 3 others were wounded in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip continued to chase the Palestinian fishermen in the sea.
In the West Bank, on 19 August 2017, Israeli forces killed Qotayabah Zahran (17) from ‘Alar village, north of Tulkarm. The abovementioned was walking near a bus station when an Israeli soldier shouted at him to stop. However, the soldier stationed inside the watchtower established at the checkpoint directly opened fire at Zahran and killed him. The Israeli forces claimed that the abovementioned child attempted to stab one of the Israeli border guard officers, who were securing the checkpoint, so he was neutralized.
In the same context, during the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 2 Palestinian civilians after opening fire at them when the Israeli forces moved into Jenin refugee camp, north of the West Bank, to carry out an arrest campaign.
In the Gaza Strip, border areas witnessed protests against the unjust closure imposed on the Gaza population. During these protests, Israeli forces used force against the protestors, particularly when dispersing them. As a result, 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded. One of them was wounded with a live bullet to the shoulder while the two others were wounded after being directly hit with sound bombs.
Concerning attacks on fishermen, on 21 August 2017, Israeli gunboats sporadically opened fire at and chased Palestinian fishing boats, northwest of Beit Lahia village, north of the Gaza Strip. The shooting recurred in the abovementioned area on 22 and 23 August 2017.
The full report is available online at:
http://pchrgaza.org/en/?p=9391
