OPT: Protection of civilians – OCHA Weekly report (24 – 30 October 2012)

التقرير الأسبوعي لحماية المدنيين

24-30 OCTOBER 2012

  Violence between Palestinian armed groups in Gaza and Israel continues: Seven civilians were injured and civilian structures were damaged.

 Demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures by Israeli authorities in the West Bank continued, affecting the livelihoods of approximately 160 people in the Jenin governorate.

Recent trend of reduced injuries in clashes with Israeli forces continues

The number of Palestinians injured by Israeli forces was below the 2012 weekly average (5 vs. 54). Four Palestinians were injured this week in two incidents related to settlements. On 29 October, Israeli soldiers clashed with a Palestinian farmer from the Ar Rakeez community (Hebron) who was repairing his water well, during an attempt to force him out of the area. The incident occurred next to the Avigayil settlement outpost (Hebron), in a restricted area. The farmer and his daughter were injured. The other incident, on 24 October, related to clashes with Israeli forces during a demonstration held in Sha’ar Benyamin industrial settlement zone; the demonstration was held in the context of a boycott against Israeli settlement goods.

Also this week, Israeli forces raided Shu’fat refugee camp (Jerusalem) and clashed with the residents. One Palestinian sustained burns when his car was set alight by a sound bomb fired by Israeli forces.

Fewer settler attacks recorded in the context of the olive harvest

Palestinian casualties by Israeli forces

Killed this week: 0

Killed in 2012: 4

Killed in 2011: 11

Injured this week: 5 (2 in demonstrations)

Injured in 2012: 2,264

Injured in 2011: 1,460

2012 vs. 2011 weekly averages: 54 vs. 30

Search and arrest operations by Israeli forces this week: 43

Three settler-related incidents relating to the olive harvest which resulted in injuries or property damage were reported this week. This represents a significant decline compared to an average of 14 such incidents in the first two weeks of the harvest period. On 25 October, Israeli settlers cut down eight olive trees in Ras Karkar village (Ramallah). In an incident that occurred on 22 October but was not reported last week, settlers cut down 20 olive trees belonging to Al Mazra’a al Qibliya village (Ramallah). Also in Ramallah, settlers reportedly harvested and stole around 15 kg of olives belonging to Al Janiya village on 24 October. In another incident in Ras Karkar village on 27 October, an armed settler accompanied by a dog attacked a farmer while he was picking his olives; the dog bit and injured the farmer’s donkey. Additionally, Israeli settlers attacked villagers in Ya’bad (Jenin) while they were present on their land which is located near Mevo Dotan settlement; no injuries or damage to property was reported.

Seven Palestinian livelihood structures demolished

This week, the Israeli authorities demolished seven Palestinian-owned livelihood structures due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, or authorization from the Israel-Palestinian Joint Water Committee (JWC).

The demolitions included five water wells belonging to the village of Kafr Dan (Jenin), which were located in Area B of the West Bank where the Palestinian Authority has responsibility for planning and zoning. The wells were reportedly constructed without authorization from the JWC; authorization for digging of wells in the West Bank is required in accordance with the 1995 Interim Agreement. The wells were used to irrigate hundreds of dunums of land and the demolition will likely affect the livelihoods of around 160 residents of the village.

The other demolitions this week included an animal shelter and water cistern under construction in the part of Idna village (Hebron) which lies in Area C, affecting five families. Also in Hebron, Israeli forces issued demolition and stop work orders against 14 residential structures.

Settler-related incidents resulting in injuries or property damage:

This week: 4

2012 weekly average: 6

2011 weekly average: 8

Palestinian injuries by settler violence:

This week: 0

Injured in 2012: 140

Injured in 2011: 206

2012 vs. 2011 weekly averages: 3 vs. 4

Israeli settlers injured by Palestinians:

This week: 0

Injured in 2012: 37

Injured in 2011: 37

2012 vs. 2011 weekly averages: 1 vs. 1

Also this week, Israeli forces surrounded a Palestinian house during a search-and-arrest operation in Beit Ummar village (Hebron), and used a bulldozer to force a man hiding inside the house to surrender, damaging parts of the house. The man subsequently surrendered.

Palestinian-owned structures demolished in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem

This week:

Demolished: 7

Demolished in 2012: 476

Of which residences: 139

People displaced in 2012: 878

2012 vs. 2011 demolitions (weekly av.): 12 vs. 12

2012 vs. 2011 people displaced (weekly av.): 20 vs. 21

GAZA STRIP

Civilian injuries and damage to property continues in the latest cycle of violence

The Palestinian armed groups continued to fire rockets towards Southern Israel and Israel conducted a number of air strikes and fired tank shells in the Gaza Strip this week, resulting in the injury of Palestinian civilians and damage to civilian infrastructure.

On 24 October, Israeli forces conducted air strikes and fired tank shells targeting members of armed groups in Rafah and Jabaliya, killing two members of armed groups and injuring three civilians; a number of houses and a mosque sustained damage in the strikes. On the same day, Israeli forces fired tank shells towards a Palestinian police checkpoint near the Erez Crossing, injuring a police officer; the crossing was subsequently closed for a few hours.

During the reporting period, Palestinian armed groups fired dozens of rockets and mortar shells towards southern Israel; no casualties or property damage in Israel were reported. However, on 24 October, one of the rockets landed inside Gaza in the Beit Lahiya area, injuring two Palestinian farmers. In response to the rocket attacks and air strikes the Ministry of Education in Gaza suspended classes for one day on 24 October at approximately 56 schools throughout the Gaza Strip; and municipalities and local councils in southern Israel also suspended classes at schools in some areas.

At midnight on 24 October, an Egyptian-brokered truce was reached between Israel and the Palestinian armed groups in Gaza. However, on 28 October, the Israeli Air Force targeted members of Palestinian armed groups while they were reportedly attempting to fire a rocket towards Israel; one member of the group was killed and another was injured. Also on 29 October, one civilian was injured when a rocket fired by Palestinian armed groups landed north of Gaza City.

In the context of continued Israeli restrictions on Palestinian access to areas located adjacent to the fence separating Israel and the Gaza Strip, Israeli air planes dropped leaflets on 29 October warning people not to enter the area within 300 meters of the fence, inside the Gaza Strip.

Three killed in tunnel-related incidents

In one incident on 24 October, three Palestinian workers died after a tunnel under the Gaza-Egypt border collapsed while they were working inside. So far in 2012, 17 workers have died and 44 others have been injured as a result of various tunnel-related incidents. Tunnels remain a significant source for the transfer of certain goods, including construction materials that are restricted through the official crossings with Israel, as well as fuel that is significantly cheaper to buy from Egypt than from Israel.

200,000 residents still have intermittent electricity supplies

During the reporting period, shortages of electricity in Gaza continued due to the lack of fuel supplies for the Gaza Power Plant and also the malfunctioning of two electricity lines feeding some areas in the Gaza Strip. While another shipment of fuel from Qatar was allowed by the Egyptian authorities into the Gaza Strip via Israel on 25 October, the shipment was not enough to enable the Gaza Power Plant to operate at full capacity. As a result, the majority of the population in the Gaza Strip have continued to experience power cuts of up to 12 hours per day, disrupting daily life and hindering the delivery of basic services. For the last two weeks, approximately 200,000 people were affected due to the malfunctioning of two electricity lines provided by Israel and feeding areas in Gaza City, north Gaza and Khan Younis. The lines have still not been repaired.

Palestinian casualties by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip:

Killed this week: 5

Killed in 2012: 67

Killed in 2011: 108

Injured this week: 8

Injured in 2012: 277

Injured in 2011: 467

2012 weekly average of injured: 8

2011 weekly average of injured: 9

Israeli casualties by Palestinian fire from Gaza

Injured this week: 3

Movement of goods (Kerem Shalom Crossing)

Number of truckloads (TL) entered this week

(21-27 Oct): 1,088

T L carrying food: 39%

Weekly average of TL since the beginning of

2012: 1,085

Weekly average of TL before the blockade:

2,807

Exports:

Truckloads this week: 1

Weekly average since the beginning of 2012: 5

Weekly average before the blockade: 240

Please note that the figures in this report are subject to changes upon the receipt of additional information.

For more information, please contact Mai Yassin at yassinm@un.org or +972 (0)2 5829962.