16 killed, 140 injured, 245 arrested in June

Israeli soldiers killed 16 Palestinian residents, injured 140, and arrested 245 last month, according to the monthly report of the International Solidarity for Human Rights organization.

“These acts are direct violations of the International Law,” the report said. “The army is using excessive force against the Palestinian civilians, directly violating article number three of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the fourth Geneva Convention concerning protecting the civilians during war.”

The violations are distributed as follows:

The Gaza Strip: Nine residents were killed, including Ramadan Mahmoud Mushtaha, 83, who died at  the“Erez” crossing near Beit Hanoun after the soldiers forced hundreds of residents to wait in the heat for several hours.

Jenin: Three residents were killed, including Mirwih Kamil, 25, who was assassinated by the army, and detainee Ali Mohammad abu al-Rob, 20, who died in detention after being tortured and sustaining internal bleeding in his brain.

Tulkarem: Two residents were killed: Dhirgham Soqrat al-Jayyousi, 28, was shot by soldiers at a military checkpoint, and Ahmad Masoud Odeh, 56, died after the soldiers delayed a car transferring him to hospital after he suffered a heart attack.

Bethlehem: Zahra Issa Zboun, 70, died at a military checkpoint north of Bethlehem after she was forced to wait at the checkpoint, along with dozens of other residents, for several hours in the heat.

Tammoun: Bashar Bani Odeh, 27, died in Gilboa’ detention camp as a result of medical neglect.

The total number of residents killed since the beginning of the year rose to131. 

Arrests:

Israeli soldiers arrested at least 245 residents, the highest number since the Palestinian factions announced a truce in February 2005. Among the detainees were seven women, and two physicians.

94 residents were arrested in Hebron, 31 in Bethlehem, 29 in Tulkarem, 2o in Jenin, 19 in Jerusalem, 17 in Ramallah, 12 in Nablus, 10 in Qalqilia, four in Tubas, two in Salfit, and seven in the Gaza Strip.

Home demolitions:

Soldiers leveled 17 homes in the West Bank: seven in Yatta village near Hebron, 7 in the Jordan Valley area, two near Jerusalem, and one in Qabatia.

Injuries:

150 Palestinian residents were injured by live rounds or rubber-coated bullets or were severely beaten by the army or settlers. Five residents were injured by explosives left by the army, including 10- and 11-year-old brothers identified as Taleb and Nasser Jebril Kaware’. 

Attacks against journalists:

Soldiers repeatedly attacks journalists in the Palestinian areas over the last month, in direct violation of the fourth Geneva Convention. The journalists were attacked while reporting on protests against the Separation Wall.

7 June 2005: Hazim Bader. a cameraman working for Agence France-Presse, was injured in the back by a concussion grenade fired by the army.

8 June 2005: The army imposed curfew on Marda village, near Salfit, and barred journalists from entering it.

9 June 2005: Reporter Ja’far Eshteyyah was injured near Salfit after the army attacked a protest against the Wall.

28 June 2005: Three journalists were bruised after a group of settlers attacked them and hurled stones at their car in Gaza. Te reporters were identified as Khader Shahin, Ahmad Jalajil, and Ma’moun Siam. 

30 June 2005: Three reporters sustained fractures after soldiers attacked them while they reported on a protest against the Wall in Hebron. The reporters were identified as Husam abu Allan, Naive al-Hashlamon, and abdul-Hafith al-Hashlamon. 

Checkpoints and crossings:

Dozens of residents were barred from crossing military checkpoints and border crossings. Soldiers repeatedly blocked the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, leaving hundreds of resident stuck at the crossing for several days.

Land grabs:

Thousands of dunams were annexed in order to construct the Separation Wall in the West Bank.

Chaos:

The Palestinian territories witnessed a sharp increase of chaos and insecurity; 30 violations were reported, including murder, random shooting, blocking streets, breaking into official institutions, and abducting physician and pharmacists.

13 residents were killed - 7 in the West Bank and 6 in the Gaza strip, including three family members.