Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against civilians

Israeli forces continue systematic attacks against Palestinian civilians and property in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)

• Israeli forces continued to open fire at border areas in the Gaza Strip.
- 4 civilians were wounded in the northern Gaza Strip.

• A member of an armed group and 2 civilians were wounded in an extra-judicial execution attempt in the central Gaza Strip.
- 7 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were wounded in different shooting incidents.

• Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against peaceful protesters in the West Bank.
- 4 Palestinian civilians were wounded in Kofur Qaddoum protest, northeast of Qalqilia.
- 20 civilians were wounded in other protests in the West Bank.

• Israeli forces conducted 74 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and a limited one in the Gaza Strip.
- At least 28 civilians, including 4 children, were arrested.

• Israel has continued to impose a total closure on the oPt and has isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world.
- Israeli forces established dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank.
- At least 5 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were arrested at checkpoints.

• Israeli navy forces continued targeting Palestinian fishermen at sea.
- Israeli naval forces opened fire 6 times at Palestinian fishing boats. Three fishermen, including a child, were arrested and 2 fishing boats were confiscated.

• Israel is continuing to create a Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.
- A house and a truck used as a store were demolished and 7 family members became homeless.
- The Israeli occupation municipality approved a plan to build a Talmudic school and a settler centre in Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.

• Israeli forces continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
- The settlers cut off 450 olive and almond seedlings in the north of Ramallah, and 200 olive seedlings in the south of Hebron.

Summary
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (06 - 12 February 2014).

Shooting:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 38 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. 31 of whom, including the 4 children, were wounded in the West Bank and the 7 others were wounded in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces also launched 3 airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, 2 shooting incidents along the border fence and 6 shooting incidents at fishing boats.

In the Gaza Strip, on 07 February 2014, 4 civilians were wounded when Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of al-Shuhada' cemetery, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at young men near the said fence.
On 09 February 2014, in an extra-judicial execution attempt, a member of an armed group and 2 other brothers were wounded when an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a motorbike in the central Gaza Strip. The attack also resulted in damaging windows of 7 houses and electricity cables around.

On 11 February 2014, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a military training site belonging to al-Qassam brigades (the armed wing of Hamas movement), in the south of Gaza City. However, no casualties were reported. On the same day, an Israeli warplane raided an open area in al-Nusairat refugee camp, resulting in crop damage in neighbouring areas.

On 06 February 2014, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, in the southern Gaza Strip, fired sound and flare bombs, east of al-Qarara village, but no casualties were reported.

In the context of targeting fishermen, on 06, 08, 09 and 11 February 2014, Israeli navy forces opened fire 6 times at Palestinian fishing boats. As a result, 3 fishermen, including a child, were arrested and their 2 fishing boats were confiscated.

In the West Bank, on 06 February 2014, a Palestinian was seriously wounded in al-Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron, when Israeli forces moved into the camp and fired at a group of boys, who were throwing stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers.

On 11 February 2014, a child was wounded in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron, when the village residents had a funeral procession in the village's cemetery and Israeli forces fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them.

On the same day, a 48-year-old male sustained a rubber-coated metal bullet wound to the head when Israeli forces opened fire at him while he was going home from his work, northwest of Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron.

On 12 February 2014, 4 civilians, including a child, were wounded when Israeli forces moved into Mothallath al-Shuhada' village at the southern entrance of Jenin.

In the same context, Israeli forces used excessive force during peaceful demonstrations organised by Palestinian civilians, international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest at the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West Bank. As a result, 4 civilians, including a child, were wounded during Kofur Qaddoum protest, northeast of Qalqilia.

In addition, 20 civilians, including 2 children, were wounded during 3 other demonstrations at the entrance of al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah; Selwad village, northeast of the city; and Qalandia checkpoint, at the northern entrance of occupied Jerusalem.

The full report is available online.

ENDS

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