OPT: Protection of civilians – OCHA Weekly report (1-7 August 2007)

Of note this week

Gaza Strip:

• Two Palestinians were killed and 11 others were injured during armed clashes between the IDF and Palestinians (North Gaza). Two Palestinians were killed and 11 injured by two rockets fired by an IAF helicopter.

• Three Palestinians were killed and eight were injured in factional clashes (Gaza).

• Five Palestinians were killed in internal violence, including two children who died when a Qassam rocket exploded prematurely.

• 26 Qassam rockets were fired towards Israel, two of which exploded at their launching sites. 17 Qassams targeted Sderot, one Erez crossing, and two the IDF Kissufim military base. Two mortars were fired towards Israel and one targeted IDF soldiers who took position in an UNRWA school in Rafah during an IDF incursion.

• 3 August: Two IDF tanks entered the UNRWA Al Shouka Elementary Co-Ed School and damaged school facilities after breaking the main gate and demolishing part of the boundary wall. At 1555 hours, Islamic Jihad members fired a mortar shell at IDF soldiers inside the school, damaging part of the boundary wall (Rafah).

• The IDF arrested 74 Palestinians, 57 of whom were later released.

• Between 29 July and 7 August, 4,344 Palestinians out of the estimated 6000 people stranded on the Egyptian side of Rafah crossing entered the Gaza Strip through Erez. The IDF arrested one Palestinian crossing from Egypt at Nitzana who was allegedly Hamas-affiliated.

West Bank:

• The IDF killed two Palestinians (Ramallah and Nablus) and injured 15 others. In addition, one IDF soldier and one Israeli security guard were injured (Nablus).

• The people of Al Hadidiya continued to receive IDF verbal warnings of the demolition of their makeshift houses (shacks and barracks) if they don’t leave them. The IDF identifies the area as a closed military area (Jordan Valley).

• Verbal assaults against Palestinian commuters by the Israeli Border Police at Atara checkpoint were reported (Ramallah).

• 2 August: Two Israeli settlers from Mitzpe Ya'ir outpost attacked a UN OCHA vehicle carrying three OCHA employees and two Israeli journalists. One settler broke the windshield of the vehicle, injuring one OCHA employee in the eye, while the other made the vehicle immobile by placing large rocks around its tires. The IDF and Israeli police intervened and detained the two settlers. They were later released on a NIS 3,000 bail.

• 7 August: Approximately 3,000 members of the Israeli Border Police, Special Forces and the IDF used force to evict two Israeli settler families from the vegetable market in the H2 area of Hebron City (Hebron). 25 settler supporters and 15 Israeli Police officers were lightly injured during the eviction.

• 84 flying checkpoints, 94 search campaigns, and 86 arrests were reported.

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Full report: