Gaza, Palestine, (The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights):
Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights violations in Occupied Palestinian Territory [oPt] (10– 6 January 2019)
Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against the peaceful protestors in the Gaza Strip
A woman and a child were killed during the 42nd week of the Return and Breaking the Siege March.
143 civilians, including 34 children, 3 women, 3 journalists, and 3 paramedics, were wounded; three of the injured were reported to be serious.
Seven civilians, including 2 journalists and a paramedic, were wounded, in the West Bank
Israeli forces continued to open fire at the border areas in the Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported.
Israeli warplanes fired 9 missiles at checkpoints belonging to the Palestinian armed groups and empty lands.
Israeli forces conducted 100 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 2 limited incursions into the northern Gaza Strip.
73 civilians, including 10 children, were arrested.
11 of them, including a child, were arrested in Jerusalem.
Israeli authorities continued to create a Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.
The Israeli Law Enforcement Department handed a notice to al-Sabbagh Family in order to evacuate their residential building, which shelters 5 families, including 45 members, in al-Shaiekh Jarrah neighborhood.
Israeli authorities continued their settlement activities in the West Bank.
Israeli forces demolished a house in al-Fasayil village, north of Jericho.
1200 forest tree seedlings were damaged, a civilian vehicle sustained damage and a human rights activist sustained wounds.
Israeli Forces continued to open fire at the fishing boats in the sea.
2 Palestinian fishermen were arrested in addition to confiscating their fishing boats.
Israeli forces turned the West Bank into cantons and continued to impose the illegal closure on the Gaza Strip for the 12th consecutive year.
103 permanent checkpoints, 103 temporary checkpoints and 14 closed roads obstruct the movement of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.
15 civilians, including 2 children, were arrested at the military checkpoints in the West Bank.
Summary
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (10 – 16 January 2019).
Shooting:
In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces continued to use lethal force against the participants in the peaceful protests organized along the Gaza Strip borders, which witnessed the peaceful protests for the 42nd week along the eastern and northern border area of the Gaza Strip.
In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian, including a child and woman, and wounded 143 civilians, including 34 children, 3 women, 3 journalists, and 3 paramedics. The injury of 3 of those wounded was reported serious. In the West Bank, the Israeli forces wounded 7 civilians, including 2 journalists and a paramedic in separate shooting incidents.
In the Gaza Strip, on 11 January 2019, the Israeli forces killed Amal al-Termasi (44) from al-Sheikh Redwan in Gaza City after she was hit with a bullet to the head at approximately 15:50. At the time of being wounded, she was around 200 meters away from the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israeli in eastern Gaza City.
At approximately 05:00 on Monday, 14 January 2019, medical sources at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, declared the death of ‘Abdel Ra’ouf Salhah (13) from Block 8 Street in Jabalia refugee camp, succumbing to wounds he sustained in the northern Gaza Strip in 11 November 2019.
The above-mentioned child was directly hit to the left side of his head with a teargas canister, causing acute bleeding and laceration in the brain in addition to a swelling. As a result, he was taken for treatment in al-Shifa Hospital, where he stayed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) until his death was declared.
As part of using excessive force against the peaceful protesters along the Gaza Strip borders, during the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 143 civilians, including 34 children, 3 women, 3 journalists, and 3 paramedics. The injury of 3 of those wounded was reported serious.
Injuries in the Gaza Strip between 10 and 16 January 2019 According to the Governorate
| Governorate | Injuries | |||||
| Total | Children | Women | Journalists | Paramedics | Critical Injuries | |
| Northern Gaza Strip | 23 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Gaza City | 70 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Central Gaza Strip | 14 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Khan Younis | 23 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Rafah | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 143 | 34 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
As part of targeting the Palestinian fishermen in the sea, the Israeli forces continued to escalate their attacks against the Palestinian fishermen, indicating the on-going Israeli policy to target their livelihoods. During the reporting period, PCHR documented 6 incidents that resulted in the arrest of 2 sibling fishermen and confiscation of their boats.
As part of targeting the border areas, on 10 January 2019, Israeli soldiers opened fire at the border area adjacent to the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel in eastern al-Shija’iyah neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City.
On 11 January 2019, Israeli forces fired an artillery shell at a border control point belonging to al-Qassam Brigades in the vicinity of the Return Encampment in Malaka area in eastern Gaza City.
On 12 January 2019, Israeli soldiers opened fire at farmers and shepherds in eastern Deir al-Balah in central Gaza Strip and eastern Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the Israeli forces fired artillery shells at a border control point belonging to al-Qassam Brigades in eastern Shija’iyah neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City.
On 13 January 2019, Israeli forces sporadically opened fire at farmers and shepherds in the northern Gaza Strip.
On 16 January 2019, Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel opened fire at the agricultural lands in eastern al-Maghazi and Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported.
As part of the airstrikes, on 12 January 2019, Israeli warplanes carried out 4 airstrikes launching 7 missiles at vacant lands and a border control point belonging to the Palestinian armed groups in eastern al-Shija’iyah neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City in the vicinity of al-Rayes Mount in north-eastern al-Tofah neighbourhood. However, no casualties were reported.
On 13 January 2019, Israeli drones fired 2 missiles at a border control point in eastern Khuza’ah village, east of Khan Younis City. No casualties were reported.
In the West Bank, during the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 7 Palestinian civilians, including 2 journalists and a paramedic, in separate shooting incidents.
Incursions:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 100 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 4 similar incursions into Jerusalem and its suburbs. During those incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 62 Palestinians, including 9 children, in the West Bank. Moreover, 11 others, including a child, were arrested in Jerusalem and its suburbs.
In the Gaza Strip, on 15 January 2019, Israeli forces moved 100 meters into Landfill area, north of the Agriculture School in northern Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. On 16 January 2019, they also moved 100 meters into the western side of the border fence with Israel opposite to the Memorial Site in the south-eastern side of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. They levelled and combed lands that were previously levelled amidst sporadic shooting. However, no casualties or damage to property was reported.
Israeli Forces Continued to Create a Jewish Majority in East Jerusalem City:
As part of Seizure of Palestinian Civilians’ property in favour of settlement associations, on Thursday morning, 10 January 2019, the Israeli Law Enforcement Department handed al-Sabagh family a notice to evacuate their building, which shelters 5 families, including 45 persons. The Israeli Execution and Procedure Department gave the family until 21 January 2019 to evacuate the building. Mohammad al-Sabbagh (65) said that this notice came to implement Magistrate’s Court decision against al-Sabbagh family and in favor of Jewish settlers. This order came after the Israeli Supreme Court rejected the family’s lawyer request to open Sheikh Jarrah’s ownership file and request for a 5-judge panel instead of 3. Mohammad al-Sabbagh confirmed that 48 families are threatened to be expelled in Karm al-Ja’ouni area in Sheikh Jarrah, where al-Sabbagh family lives from 1956. Al-Sabbagh family is one of 19 others who have cases pending in the Israeli courts. The settlement associations seek to expel Palestinian civilians from the aforementioned neighborhood.
Israeli Forces continued their settlement activities, and the settlers continued their attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property
As part of settlement crimes and demolitions, on 16 January 2016, Israeli forces demolished a house belonging to ‘Abed al-Hadi ‘Ali ‘Abiat (40), in Fasayil village, north of Jericho, under the pretext of non-licensing. ‘Abed al-Hadi said to PCHR’s fieldworker that the Israeli forces accompanied with military bulldozers moved into the village and surrounded his house without a prior warning. They forcibly got him and his children out of the house and then completely demolished the house. He added that his house was comprised of a 30-square-meter room built with concrete and roofed with tin plates.
Following that, the Israeli forces moved into al-Nwei’amah village, north of Jericho, where they surrounded a house belonging to Soliman Abu Kharbeish and completely demolished it. The house was comprised of 3 rooms, a kitchen and bathroom.
As part of the Israeli settlers’ attacks against the Palestinians civilians and their property, PCHR’s fieldworkers documented during the reporting period 6 attacks carried out by Israeli settlers. As a result, 1200 forest tree seedlings were damaged, a civilian car sustained damage and a Fieldworker at “B’tselem’” sustained wounds to his left leg and right hand after he was attacked by one of the Israeli settlers’ dogs in Um al-‘Omar area, east of Yata in southern Hebron.
[Archive Photo: Palestinian children at playground demolished by Israelis in Zatara village, Nablus, Palestine on 12 April 2016. Photographer: Nedal Eshtayah/AA]
