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 have continued to open fire at border areas in the Gaza Strip.
- A Palestinian civilian was wounded in the northern Gaza Strip.

• Israeli forces launched 5 airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
- 2 members of an armed group were wounded.
- 2 children were wounded by pieces of smashed glass.
- 2 schools and about 20 houses sustained partial damage.

• Israeli forces have continued to use excessive force against peaceful protesters in the West Bank.

- 10 Palestinian civilians, including a child and a woman, and an international activist, were wounded.
- A protestor was wounded at the northern entrance of Ayda refugee camp, north of Bethlehem.

• Israeli forces conducted 72 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 3 limited ones in the Gaza Strip.
- At least 66 Palestinians, including 7 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 2 Palestinian civilians were arrested at checkpoints in the West Bank.

• Israeli navy forces have continued targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea.
- Israeli naval forces opened fire 6 times at Palestinian fishing boats in the northern Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported.

- Israeli forces have continued to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.
- 20 old olive trees were damaged in Yatta town, south of Hebron.
- Israeli settlers attempted to set fire to a mosque in Deir Estya village in Salfit.

Summary
Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (09 – 15 January 2014).

Shooting:
During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 12 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and a woman, and an international activist. 10 of whom were wounded during weekly protests throughout the West Bank, one was wounded at the northern entrance of Ayda refugee camp and 3 others, including one civilian and 2 members of an armed group, were wounded in air strikes in the Gaza Strip.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces carried out 5 airstrikes, 2 shooting incidents along the border fence and 6 shooting incidents at Palestinian fishing boats.

On 09 January 2014, 2 members of an armed group were wounded when an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a Tuk Tuk, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Moreover, a 3-year-old child sustained minor injuries by glass fragments.
On the same day, an Israeli warplane fired a missile at a training site belonging to al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad), west of Rafah. The same training site was attacked again 15 minutes later, but no casualties were reported in both attacks.

On 11 January 2014, a civilian was wounded when Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at a group young men who were a few meters away from the fence. On 14 January 2014, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, opened fire sporadically at farmlands for an hour, but no casualties were reported.

On 13 January 2014, Israeli warplanes launched 3 airstrikes against training sites belonging to Palestinian armed groups, south of Deir al-Balah and northeast of al-Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip. As a result, the sites were damaged and a 3-year-old child was wounded by glass fragments as he was standing with his father in front of a grocery, east of al-Nuseirat. Besides, 2 UNRWA schools and over 20 houses sustained partial damage.
In the context of targeting fishermen in the sea, Israeli forces fired at fishermen 6 times on 11, 13, 14 and 15 January 2014, but neither casualties nor material damage were reported.

In the West Bank, Israeli forces continued the systematic use of excessive force against peaceful protests organised by Palestinian, Israeli and international activists against the construction of the annexation wall and settlement activities in the West. As a result, 10 civilians, including 2 children, a woman and an international activist, were wounded.

On 15 January 2014, a Palestinian civilian sustained a bullet wound to the left leg when Israeli forces stationed at the northern entrance of Ayda refugee camp, north of Bethlehem, opened fire at a group of boys who gathered at that entrance and threw stones and empty bottles at Israeli soldiers.

The full report is available online .

ENDS

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