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Gaza Strip: Attacks in the border areas
Gaza Strip: Attacks in the border areas and their consequences
Following disengagement from the Gaza Strip in September 2005, Israel unilaterally and illegally established a so-called “buffer zone”, an area prohibited to Palestinians along the land and sea borders of the Gaza Strip. The precise area designated by Israel as a “buffer zone” is not clear and this Israeli policy is typically enforced with live fire. The establishment of the ‘buffer zone’ is illegal under both Israeli and international law.
Preventing Palestinians from accessing their lands and fishing areas violates numerous provisions of international human rights law, including the right to work, the right to an adequate standard of living, and the right to the highest attainable standard of health. Enforcing the “buffer zone” through the use of live fire often results in, inter alia, the direct targeting of civilians and/or indiscriminate attacks, both of which constitute war crimes.
Following the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip in November 2012, a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian armed groups was brokered by the Egyptian government, which included terms related to access to land and sea. In an online statement on 25 February 2013, the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) declared that fishermen could now access the sea up to 6 nautical miles off shore, and that farmers could now access lands in the border area up to 100 m from the border fence. However, both references have since been removed from the statement. Then, on 21 March 2013, the Israeli forces’ spokesperson announced re-reducing the fishing area allowed for Palestinian fishermen from 6 nautical miles to 3 nautical miles. However, on 21 May 2013, Israeli authorities decided to allow fishermen to sail up to 6 nautical miles.
Following the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip (08 July - 26 August 2014), a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian armed groups was brokered by the Egyptian government, which allowed fishermen to sail up to 6 nautical miles. However, the Israeli naval forces have not allowed fishermen to sail up to this limit as all Israeli attacks have taken place within the 6-nautical-mile fishing area.
Dimensions Distance from the border fence,
up to which access is permitted: •
Second Intifada (2000): 150 metres Distance from the shore, up to which access is
permitted: • Oslo Accords (1994): 20 nautical
miles(nm) In addition, access is consistently denied in
the following areas: • 1.5 nm in the north along the
maritime boundary with Israel • Approximately 27,000
dunums, 35% of the Gaza Strip's agricultural land,can only
be accessed under high personal risk, as Israeli attacks may
result in injury or death of civilians. • Palestinians are completely
prevented from accessing 85% of the Palestinian maritime
areasrecognised in the 1994 Gaza Jericho Agreement. Consequences of
attacks a. Deaths
and injuries b. Property related
violations c.
Detention Note: The detainees include 5 traders who
were arrested at Beit Hanoun (Erez)
crossing. ENDS
On land, inside Palestinian
territory
•
According to Israel (2010) :300
metres
• 22 November 2012:
unclear parameters
• 21 March
2013: 300 metres
In reality, attacks
against civilians take place anywhere upto approximately 1.5
kilometresinside the border fence. This constitutes
approximately 17% of the total territory of the Gaza
Strip.
At sea, off the coast of the
Gaza Strip
• Bertini Commitment (2002): 12 nm
•
October 2006: 6 nm
• End of 2007 : 3 nm
•
22 November 2012: 6 nm
• 25 February 2013:
unknown
• 12 March 2013: 3 nm
• 21 May
2013: 6 nm
• 1 nm in the south
along the maritime boundary with
Egypt
ImpactOn land
• 95% of
the restricted area is arable land.
• After the
evacuation of settlements (2005) and ‘Operation Cast
Lead’ (2008-2009), the majority of Palestinian families
living in the border areas abandoned their land and
homes.At sea
•
Approximately 3,700 fishermenwork under high personal risk
every day at sea.
• Approximately 8,200 persons
work in the fishing industry.
• Approximately
65,000 persons, including individuals who work in the
fishing industry and their dependents, are affected by the
“buffer zone” restrictions at sea.
• The area
near the coast is markedly
over-fished.
Attacks
March
2015Attacks Total “Buffer
zone” on land “Buffer zone” at
sea Shelling 0 0 0 Shooting 28 16 12 Incursions 4 4 0 Land
levelling 0 0 0 Detention
incidents 6 4 2 Total
incidents 38 24 14
March 2015Consequences Total “Buffer
zone” on land “Buffer zone” at
sea Death of
persons 1 0 1 Minors 0 0 0 Women 0 0 0 Injury
of
persons 7 5 2 Minors 0 0 0 Women 0 0 0
March 2015Consequences Total “Buffer
zone” on land “Buffer zone” at
sea Property
damaged 2 1 1 Property
confiscated 3 0 3 Dunums
razed 0 0 0
March 2015Consequences Total “Buffer
zone” on land “Buffer zone” at
sea Detention
incidents 6 4 2 Total
persons
detained 11 5 6 Minors
detained 0 0 0 Women
detained 0 0 0
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