OPT: Protection of civilians – OCHA Weekly report (18-24 June 2008)

OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS

P.O. Box 38712, East Jerusalem, Phone: (+972) 2-582 9962 / 582 5853, Fax: (+972) 2-582 5841 ochaopt@un.org, www.ochaopt.org

Protection of Civilians Weekly Report

18 – 24 June 2008

Of note this week

Gaza Strip:

• On 19 June, at 6 am, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect. As part of the ceasefire, Palestinian militants agreed to immediately halt their attacks on Israel and Israel agreed to cease its military operations in Gaza. Israel also agreed to ease its blockade of Gaza and to gradually lift its ban on the import of a large number of commodities. The ceasefire is supposed to be in force for six months.

• The IDF killed one and injured six Palestinian militants. The IDF also injured a 67-year-old Palestinian man (unarmed civilian) on 23 June when the soldiers opened fire at a group of Palestinians collecting wood near the border (North Gaza).

• On three occasions this week, IDF boats patrolling west of Beit Lahiya opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats at sea, forcing the fishermen to return to shore (North Gaza).

• An Improvised Explosive Device was detonated in front of the house of a Hamas military leader in Rimal quarter on June 22. The explosion damaged the gate of the house and broke the windows of several nearby houses (Gaza).

• One Palestinian militant and two unarmed civilians were injured when four rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel landed in the North Gaza governorate.

• A total of 33 rudimentary rockets and 10 mortar shells were fired on 18 June by Palestinian militants at Israel. Two mortar shells were fired on 23 June. Four rudimentary rockets were fired on 24 June injuring two Israeli civilians.

West Bank:

• The IDF killed two Palestinians, including one militant, and injured 29 unarmed civilians. 19 of the 29 Palestinians were injured in Ni’lin during demonstrations against Barrier construction and the resulting cutting off of approximately 2,500 dunums of Palestinian private agricultural land (Ramallah).

• On four occasions, Israeli settlers caused damage to Palestinian property in Nablus, Ramallah and Salfit governorates. In one incident on 19 June, Israeli settlers from Yitzhar settlement set fire to agricultural land belonging to Palestinian farmers from Burin, ‘Asira al Qibliya and ‘Urif villages. More than 800 dunums of olive groves were burnt (Nablus).

• Palestinians from Beit Hanina al Balad held a demonstration to protest against the requisition of 1500 dunums of their land for Barrier construction between their village and Ramot settlement (Jerusalem).

• Three Israeli settlers from Nehli’el settlement were injured from live ammunition fired at them while they were hiking near Beitillu village. The perpetrators remain unidentified (Ramallah).

• 75 flying checkpoints, 114 IDF search operations and 48 arrests/detentions of Palestinians were reported.

Full report: