OPT: Protection of civilians – OCHA Weekly report (29 August-4 September 2007)

Of note this week

Gaza Strip:

• Three children from the same family were killed by an IDF surface-to-surface missile targeting North Gaza and three Islamic Jihad members were injured in an IAF strike targeting their vehicle while travelling on the western road in Khan Younis.

• 28 homemade rockets were fired towards Israel, three of which detonated prematurely in the Palestinian area and 20 hit Sderot. One rocket hit an empty house in Sderot and lightly injured two female passers by. Twelve mortar shells were fired towards Israel, three of which landed in the Palestinian area and injured two Palestinians east of Deir El Balah.

• On two separate occasions, IDF gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats at sea. IDF armored vehicles moved from the border fence and conducted a leveling and excavation operation in the Palestinian area northeast of Beit Hanoun (North Gaza).

• At least ten Palestinians, including seven children, were injured in factional violence this week.

• One person was killed (Khan Younis) and two were injured (Central Gaza) when shot in internal incidents for which the motives were unclear. Four explosive devices were detonated on four separate occasions in Gaza City for unknown reasons but caused no injuries.

• Government and UNRWA schools began the 2007-08 academic year on 1 September.

West Bank:

• The IDF injured 36 Palestinians in the West Bank and Israeli settlers injured two.

• 31 August: The PA caretaker government closed 103 Charitable Associations in the West Bank, 77 of them in the northern West Bank alleging that they are not working properly.

• 31 August: An eight-kilometre road that connects Israeli settlements east of Bethlehem as well as Asfar settlement in Hebron governorate to East Jerusalem has been opened to settlers.

• 4 September: The Israeli High Court of Justice ordered the State of Israel to redraw, partially dismantle and rebuild the route of a 1.7 kilometer section of the West Bank barrier, which was built on land belonging to the village of Bil'in. Weekly demonstrations by Palestinian, Israeli, and international protestors were held for almost three years to protest the construction of the barrier in Bil'in.

• At the beginning of the current academic year, students from Bir Nabala neighbourhood were prohibited from crossing through the Barrier near their homes to go to school. The children have been forced to take a long and costly detour route and pass through Rafat/Masyion checkpoint to reach their schools on a daily basis.

• 82 flying checkpoints, 94 IDF search campaigns, and 85 arrests were reported.

FULL REPORT: