Description

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): Protection of Civilians Report | June 15-28, 2021

Published July 4, 2021

Highlights
Israeli forces killed two Palestinians, a boy and a woman, in separate incidents across the West Bank. On 16 June, during continuing Palestinian protests against the establishment of an Israeli settlement near Beita (Nablus), Israeli forces shot and killed a 16-year-old Palestinian boy; since this settlement was established in early May, Israeli forces have shot and killed five Palestinians with live ammunition during protests in Beita. The same day, a 29-year-old Palestinian woman, who according to the Israeli military claims, tried to run over soldiers with a vehicle and then brandished a knife, was shot and killed near Hizma (Jerusalem).

On 24 June, Palestinian forces arrested a Palestinian political activist, and critic of the Palestinian government; a few hours later, he died of wounds allegedly sustained during the arrest. The Palestinian authorities have launched an investigation into his death. As a result of the death, Palestinians have been demonstrating across the West Bank.

Palestinian forces fired teargas and stun grenades and injured or arrested people who participated in some of the protests.
One Palestinian man in Gaza died of wounds sustained during the 10-21 May escalation. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), 260 Palestinians were killed during the recent escalation in Gaza, including 66 children. It has been assessed that 129 of them were civilians and 64 were members of armed groups, while the status of the remaining 67 has not been determined.

Israeli forces injured at least 1,075 Palestinians, including 238 children, across the West Bank. Some 790 of these, including 237 children, were injured during the above-mentioned protests in Beita, 78 were in East Jerusalem, 77 in Kufur Qaddoum (Qalqilia), 74 in Al Mughayyir (Ramallah) and the rest in other locations. Six of those injured were hit by live ammunition and 245, including 47 children, by rubber bullets. During the protests in Beita, at least 154 Palestinians were injured either while running away from Israeli forces or in circumstances that could not be verified (these 154 injuries are not included in the 1,075 above-mentioned). On 25 June, Israeli forces shot and detained a Palestinian who they say was planning to carry out a stabbing attack near an Israeli settlement in the northern West Bank; according to Palestinian sources, the man has a mental health condition.

Israeli forces carried out 144 search-and-arrest operations and arrested 180 Palestinians, including seven children, across the West Bank. Forty-nine of the operations were in Nablus, 29 in Hebron, and 20 in Jerusalem the rest across various governorates. Forty-five of those who were arrested were in Hebron and the rest elsewhere.

The Israeli authorities demolished, seized or forced the demolition of 24 Palestinian-owned structures across the West Bank for lacking building permits. This displaced 23 people, including 11 children, and otherwise affected more than 1,200 Palestinians. Most of those affected were in the Massafer Yatta area of Hebron, where on 23 June the Israeli authorities destroyed for the second time three roads and the main water pipeline serving multiple communities; the previous demolition was on 9 June and roads and pipeline were then repaired. Overall, 16 of the structures and 20 people displaced were in Area C, the rest were in East Jerusalem.

Israeli settlers injured at least nine Palestinians, including four girls. The latter were pepper-sprayed in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, as was a woman, in a separate incident. In At Tuwani (Hebron), settlers injured two women with stones, including a 73-year-old with disabilities. Two other Palestinians were assaulted and injured in separate incidents in Hebron. On two occasions, settlers attacked Palestinians in Al Mughayyir, Ramallah.
Israeli forces intervened in both incidents, injuring 74 Palestinians (who are included in the above-mentioned injury count by Israeli forces). In several other incidents across the West Bank perpetrators known or believed Israeli settlers damaged Palestinian-owned vehicles, over two hundred trees, water systems, agricultural structures, a workshop, electrical equipment, construction materials and other properties.

Stone throwers known or believed to be Palestinians injured at least 8 Israeli settlers in the West Bank. At least 49 Israeli-plated cars were damaged, according to Israeli sources.

In Gaza, between 15 and 20 June, Palestinians demonstrated near the perimeter fence with Israel against ongoing restrictions, with some participants launching incendiary balloons into Israel and causing multiple fires.

Israeli forces shot and injured four Palestinians in these protests and carried out airstrikes on Gaza, reportedly targeting military sites. On at least 10 other occasions, Israeli forces opened warning fire near the perimeter fence and off the coast, reportedly to enforce access restrictions, and conducted two land levelling operations inside the Gaza, near the perimeter fence.