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by Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)
June 11, 2020

4 Palestinians sustained wounds in IOF excessive use of force in the West Bank
6 shootings reported against agricultural lands eastern Gaza Strip, and twice on fishing boats western Gaza Strip
In 96 IOF incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem: 114 civilians arrested, including 11 children and 5 women;
2 limited incursions into northern Gaza Strip
24 Palestinians barred from accessing al-Aqsa Mosque;
1 House demolished, a settlement-road established, and dozens of demolition and cease-construction notices distributed in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem;
Settler-attacks in the West Bank: assaults on multiple houses, olive trees cut and tiers of 11 car punctured;
IOF established 85 temporary military checkpoints in the West Bank and arrested 13 Palestinians on said checkpoints
Summary



Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued to commit crimes against Palestinian civilians and their properties, including raids into Palestinian cities that are characterized with excessive use of force, assault, abuse and attacks on civilians. This week witnessed an escalation in IOF raids and arrests in comparison to past weeks, as well as settler attacks under the protection of IOF, seizing the global COVID-19 pandemic to pass their plans to confiscate Palestinian lands and annex them to Israel. Additionally, IOF continued home-demolitions in the West Bank, and distribution of demolition and cease-construction notices without regard to the state of emergence in the oPt and the preventive measures to combat the spread of COVID-19.

This week, PCHR documented 236 violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL) by IOF and settlers in the oPt.

IOF shooting and violation of right to bodily integrity: IOF shot and wounded 4 Palestinians in excessive use of force against peaceful protest against the annexation plan and settlement activities: 1 in Jordan Valley; 1 in Nablus; and 2 in Kufuor Qaddoum in Qalqilya.

In Gaza, 6 shootings against agricultural lands eastern Gaza Strip were reported; and twice against fishing boats sailing in northern Gaza sea.

IOF incursions and arrests of Palestinian civilians: IOF carried out 96 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Those incursions included raids of civilian houses and shootings, enticing fear among civilians, and attacking many of them. During this week’s incursions, 114 Palestinians were arrested, including 11 children and 5 women. IOF barred 24 Palestinians access to al-Aqsa Mosque, for periods varying between 1 week to 6 months. In the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted 2 limited incursions into Beith Lahia, northern Gaza Strip.

Settlement expansion activities and settlers’ attacks: IOF continued its settlement expansion operations in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, PCHR documented 12 violations, including

Hebron: notices to demolish a residential tent and a tin-plated barracks, an agriculture room and 23 facilities and residences;
Qalqilya: cease-construction notice to a house;
Jordan Valley: Barracks removed, settlement road established; 6 demolition notice to park with children playground and its tool storage; agricultural road with its stone chains;
Salfit: cease-construction notices to 2 houses and 2 barracks;
East Jerusalem: 1 house demolished and 1 demolition notice.
PCHR also documented 7 settler attacks: raid into Joseph’s tomb; 36 olive trees cut; rioting and assault on houses; puncturing the tires of 11 cars; vandalization in Nablus; breaking a wall and properties in Hebron.

Israeli closure policy and restrictions on freedom of movement:



The Gaza Strip still suffers the worst closure in the History of the Israeli occupation of the oPt as it has entered the 14th consecutive year, without any improvement to the movement of persons and goods, humanitarian conditions and bearing catastrophic consequences on all aspects of life. Furthermore, IOF uses Erez Crossing that is designated for movement of individuals as an ambush to arrest Palestinians who obtain permits to exit via Israel.

Meanwhile, IOF continued to divide the West Bank into separate cantons with key roads blocked by the Israeli occupation since the Second Intifada and with temporary and permanent checkpoints, where civilian movement is restricted, and they are subject to arrest.

I. Violation of the right to life and to bodily integrity

Shooting and other violations of the right to life and bodily integrity
At approximately 10:50 on Thursday, 04 June 2020, Israeli gunboats stationed west of Rafah shore in central Gaza Strip, chased and opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within the allowed fishing area. Fishermen, as a result of that, were forced to sail back to the shore fearing for their lives. No casualties were reported.
At approximately 08:20 on Friday, 05 June 2020, Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence, east of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza Strip, opened fire at agricultural lands, adjacent to the border fence. No casualties were reported.
At approximately 00:00 on the same Friday, dozens of Palestinian civilians, organized a peaceful protest in Atouf Plain in northern valleys, north of the West Bank, organized a peaceful protest, to reject the annexation decision, which will be implemented in the valleys and settlements established on Palestinian lands. The participants performed Friday prayer in the abovementioned plain while IOF deployed in the area. After that, the participants raised Palestinian flags and chanted slogans condemning the annexation decision and the U.S president Donald Trump’s Middle East plan. Israeli soldiers immediately fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at the participants to suppress them. As a result, a 39-year-old civilian was shot with a rubber bullet in his head. He was taken to Tubas Turkish Hospital in Tubas for medical treatment. Many also suffocated due to tear gas inhalation.
Following the Friday prayer, a peaceful protest took part from the center of Qusin village, west of Nablus, north of the West Bank, into lands that are threatened to be confiscated in al-Berkah area, west of the village. The participants raised Palestinian flags and olive trees to implant them and chanted slogans against the Israeli annexation decision, which will be implemented in the Palestinian valleys and settlements established on Palestinian lands, and against confiscation of lands and settlement expansion. When the participants arrived at the abovementioned, IOF suppressed them by firing tear gas canisters at them. As a result, a 39-year-old civilian was shot with a tear gas canister in his chest. He was taken to Rafidiya Hospital for medical treatment. Many also suffocated due to tear gas inhalation.
At the same time, Palestinian national faction in Hebron organized a peaceful protest that took part from ‘Ein Sarah area in Hebron into Ben Rushd Square in the 53rd anniversary of al-Naksah (IOF occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in 1967), in which hundreds of the city residents participated. The participants chanted national slogans condemning the Israeli settlement activities and the U.S president Donald Trump’s Middle East plan Trump’s Middle-East plan, in addition to the Israeli authorities’ decision to annex parts of the Wes Bank. The participants delivered a speech reminding the people of the incidents occurred in “Naksat June” and the Israeli new decisions to annex settlements. After that, dozens of outraged Palestinians headed to al-Zawiyah area in the center of the city, where IOF established a military checkpoint at Al-Shuhada street’s entrance, which was closed. The participants threw stones at Israeli soldiers deployed in the area while the latter fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters and chased the participants between shops. Many civilians suffocated due to tear gas inhalation.
At approximately 13:00 on the same Friday, IOF stationed at the northern entrance established at lands of Kafer Qaddoum village, north of Qalqilya, suppressed a protest in which dozens of civilians participated against the Israeli annexation decision, known as: “Deal of the Century”. IOF chased the young men who gathered in the area. Clashes erupted in the area and IOF fired rubber bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the young men. As a result, a 45-year-old civilian was shot with a rubber bullet in his head and a 40- year-old civilian was shot with a rubber bullet in his right hand.
At approximately 17:40, on the same Friday, Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence, east of al-Buraij in central Gaza Strip, opened fire and fire tear gas canister at agricultural lands, adjacent to the border fence. No casualties were reported.
At approximately 07:30 on Saturday, 06 June 2020, Israeli gunboats stationed northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza Strip, chased an opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within the allowed fishing area (3 nautical miles). Fishermen, as a result of that, had to sail back to the shore fearing for their lives. No casualties were reported.
At the same time, Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence, east of al-Maghazi in central Gaza Strip, opened fire and fired tear gas canisters at agricultural lands. The shooting continued sporadically for 60 minutes. No casualties were reported.
At approximately 11:40 on the same Saturday, IOF stationed along the border fence, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip, opened fire in the vicinity of journalists: Hasan Esleeh, Mohammed al-Mashharawi, and Ashraf Abu Amrah. While they were photographing farmers’ harvest wheat and barley, east of Khuza’ah, east of Khan Younis. No casualties were reported. However, the shooting caused fear among farmers and fishermen who left the area.
At approximately 07:50 on Sunday, 07 June 2020, Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence, east of al-Maghazi in central Gaza Strip, opened fire at agricultural lands, adjacent to the border fence. The shooting continued sporadically for 15 minutes. No casualties were reported.
At approximately 08:30 on the same Saturday, Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence, east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, opened fire at agricultural lands adjacent to the border fence. No casualties were reported.
At approximately 07:50 on Monday, 01 June 2020, Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence, east of al-Maghazi in the central Gaza Strip, opened fire at agricultural lands. The shooting recurred at the afternoon hours at shepherds. No casualties were reported.
At approximately 17:00 on Tuesday, 09 June 2020, IOF suppressed a protest titled: “Our Loyalty to Martyrs is the Unity of our Struggle”, organized by Tal’at Feminist Movement, condemning the killing of Iyad al-Halaq by IOF, and in solidarity with Palestinian detainees. The protest took part from Salah Eden Street in the center of occupied East Jerusalem. IOF surrounded that participants and pushed them until they reached Sheikh Jarah Street and attacked them by beating and pushing them. IOF also arrested 3 civilians namely: Zainah Majd Barbar (19), Hala Marshoud (29) and Wojdan al-Ghoul.
It should be noted that al-Halaq (32), who is disabled, was killed by IOF 10 days ago near Bab al-Asbat while he was heading to his special school in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.

II. Incursions and arrests

Review full report at PCHR News Source Link