OPT: Protection of civilians weekly report 04 – 10 Apr 2007
Of note this week
An exceptionally high number of random or ‘flying’ IDF checkpoints (237) were observed this week, in particular throughout the northern West Bank. In the Qalqilya governorate, flying checkpoints were observed at eight locations on a daily basis. In addition, since 8 April, Palestinians from the Jenin governorate were prevented from entering Nablus city or moving south to other parts of the West Bank.
Gaza Strip
– Two Palestinians were killed and two others injured by the IDF in the Gaza Strip this week. A further two Palestinians, including a 17 year-old girl, died of wounds sustained during previous IDF incursions.
– Five homemade rockets were fired by Palestinian militants towards Israel, one of which landed in a Palestinian area. No injuries were reported.
– IDF vessels opened fire with machineguns in the direction of Palestinian fishing boats west of Rafah on two separate occasions, although no injuries were reported. The IDF also fired a missile at a reported rocket launch site in the northern Gaza Strip.
– Internal violence in the form of armed clashes between rival factions continued with one dead and 24 Palestinians injured. In addition, five Palestinians were killed and three others injured during an armed family feud in the southern Gaza Strip. The BBC’s Gaza correspondent, Alan Johnston, remains missing, presumed kidnapped, for the fourth consecutive week.
West Bank:
– A comprehensive external closure remains in place on the West Bank (since 2 April 2007) coinciding with the Jewish Passover Holiday.
– The strike of PA health care workers continues throughout the West Bank (since 16 February 2007) in protest at the non-payment of their salaries. Public primary health care centres remain closed and hospitals are only accepting emergency life threatening cases. In addition, teachers employed by the Directorate of Education in Hebron and Bethlehem governorates went on partial strike on 10 April which was set to continue the following day.
– Two Palestinian girls, aged 11 and 12 years, and a 10 year-old Palestinian boy from the hamlet of Tuba near Yatta (Hebron), were injured when a group of Israeli settlers from the settlement of Ma'on beat them and took their schoolbags while en route to their school, in nearby Twani. The IDF and police were present.
FULL REPORT:
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/WBN202.pdf
Document Type: Brief, Note
Document Sources: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Subject: Access and movement, Casualties, Closures/Curfews/Blockades, House demolitions, Incidents, Protection, Refugee camps, Shelter
Publication Date: 10/04/2007