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Illustrative Scene. Published by PCHR
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Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territories continued during the reporting period (23 – 29 June 2016).

by Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)

Shooting:

Israeli forces have continued to commit crimes, inflicting civilian casualties. They have also continued to use excessive force against Palestinian civilians participating in peaceful protests in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the majority of whom were youngsters. During the reporting period, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian woman in Hebron in the southern area of the West Bank. Moreover, Israeli forces wounded 43 other civilians, including a woman, in the West Bank as well. In Jerusalem, 40 civilians were wounded in al-Aqsa Mosque while 19 others sustained bruises, including 2 journalists, in al-Aqsa Mosque as well. In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces continued targeting the Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea.

In the West Bank, on 24 June, Israeli forces stationed at the entrance of “Jaf’at Kharsina” settlement, east of Hebron, killed al-Majd ‘Abdullah al=Khdour (18) from Beit ‘Aynoun village, east of the city. The aforementioned was killed when Israeli soldiers heavily opened fire at a “Mazda” car, which al-Majd was driving, with an Israeli yellow registration plate. Israeli forces then published a video of the incident, calming that al-Majd attempted to drive to the car stop at the aforementioned settlement entrance to carry out a deliberate run-over attack.

On 24 June 2016, a young man from al-Dhishah refugee camp was wounded when Israeli forces moved into al-Doha village, west of Bethlehem. A number of Palestinian young men gathered to Molotov cocktails at their vehicles. In response, the Israeli soldiers immediately fired live bullets and tear gas canisters at them, wounding that young man with a bullet to the right foot.

On 25 June 2016, two Palestinian civilians were wounded when Israeli forces moved into Tulkarm. A number of Palestinian youngsters gathered to throw stones and empty bottles at the Israeli soldiers, who in response fired sound bombs, tear gas canisters and live bullets to disperse them. As a result, two civilians were hit with bullets to the lower parts. One of them is 22 years old and the other is 25 years old.

In Jerusalem on 26 June 2016, a special forces from the Israeli police raided al-Aqsa Mosque through al-Magharbah Gate to protect settlers. This happened when dozens of civilians, who were performing prayers “I’tikaf” in the Mosque yards and al-Qebali Mosque. The Israeli forces fired sound bombs and rubber-coated metal bullets in al-Qebli Msoque. As a result, 24 civilians were wounded; 7 of whom were transferred to al-Maqased Hospital in the City for medical treatment. Moreover, 5 of them sustained bullet and sound bombs shrapnel wounds while two were wounded to the heads. Seventeen other civilians also sustained bruises due to being beaten.

On 27 June 2016, Israeli forces respectively raided al-Aqsa Mosque for the second time and deployed in its yards after closing the doors of al-Qebali Mosque with chains and locked the worshipers inside it. The Israeli soldiers then vacate whoever was in the yards, especially the one next to al-Qebali Mosque. They fired rubber-coated metal bullets and sound bombs and pepper-sprayed. This happened to secure and protect the entry of 90 settlers into the Mosque, provoking the worshipers. According to al-Aqsa clinics, around 35 worshippers were hit with rubber-coated metal bullets and sound bombs shrapnel.

In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea, on 27 June 2016, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Soudaniyah shore, west of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire in the vicinity of Palestinian fishing boats and chased them.

Incursions:

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 40 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 5 limited ones in occupied East Jerusalem and its suburbs. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 55 Palestinian civilians, including 18 children. Twenty-eight of them, including 15 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem.

Read full report at PCHR News Source Link