4 may 2015
Israeli destruction in Beit Hanoun during the summer 2014 attack on Gaza
Israel's military command perhaps pushes for escalation in order to increase the army's budget, claims a military budget officer in an anonymous Facebook posting. “Wars, operations, exceptional events, they were our way to close gaps in the budget and even build up a reserve for the coming years...Facts are traitors which incite against the army and the state”.
Posting anonymously on Facebook, the officer claims he was compelled to write after reading an interview with a senior military official about Israel's NIS 70 billion defence budget.
“This interview is full of nauseating smugness of the officer, who is trying to again peddle the same lies and threats that if the army is not given more and more billions, he will be forced, no choice, to kill soldiers. That's how it is, if you don't pay, you will bury (the dead).
Indirectly, of course, because if there is no money we will have to again send soldiers in tin cans into Gaza, but the subtext is clear.
Yet amongst all the usual lies, he notes that the budget requested by the army for Operation Protective Edge also serves the ongoing budget of the army...”
The officer adds that “As a budget officer, wars, operations, exceptional events, they were our way to close gaps in the budget and even build up a reserve for the coming years.
In the (Gaza) disengagement, for example, the army succeeded in blackmailing so much money from the state that already in July we managed to close our contracts going forward and we sought where to shove the remaining money. All sorts of projects that weren't approved in the past, building auditoriums, gyms, offices, everything that required money and a lot of it.
It's difficult for me to explain the excitement that could be felt in the hallways of the budget department every time that such an event began. A few qassam rockets made everyone put on combat uniforms and pull from the attic the presentations and files which show, with a disporportionate exaggeration, how much money we've already spent on the operation, that we need it to be returned quickly or the army would collapse.
For every ten soldiers placed to guard a post, we demanded a budget for their uniforms, the food, the ammunitions they are liable to use, heavy combat equipment, depreciation for tanks that would maybe come out of the storerooms, pension for those soldiers for that day and everything possible to put in the presentation with a number beside it. True, the army is supposed to fund the daily existence of these soldiers from its budget, because if there was no operation they would be eating in any event, but facts are traitors which incite against the army and the state.
Occasionally I would feel that the senior command would get so excited from the mountains of money expected to arrive, I had the feeling, God forbid this is just a feeling, of course, that perhaps they pushed for escalation. Only a feeling...”
Speaking to the Haaretz newspaper, the Israeli army spokesperson responded that: “This is an individual statement that does not reflect the numerous approval and supervision processes that exist for the defense budget. All of the funds transferred to the army pass through stringent approval procedures in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and the cabinet, and implementation is supervised by the comptroller general division in the finance ministry.”
Israel's military command perhaps pushes for escalation in order to increase the army's budget, claims a military budget officer in an anonymous Facebook posting. “Wars, operations, exceptional events, they were our way to close gaps in the budget and even build up a reserve for the coming years...Facts are traitors which incite against the army and the state”.
Posting anonymously on Facebook, the officer claims he was compelled to write after reading an interview with a senior military official about Israel's NIS 70 billion defence budget.
“This interview is full of nauseating smugness of the officer, who is trying to again peddle the same lies and threats that if the army is not given more and more billions, he will be forced, no choice, to kill soldiers. That's how it is, if you don't pay, you will bury (the dead).
Indirectly, of course, because if there is no money we will have to again send soldiers in tin cans into Gaza, but the subtext is clear.
Yet amongst all the usual lies, he notes that the budget requested by the army for Operation Protective Edge also serves the ongoing budget of the army...”
The officer adds that “As a budget officer, wars, operations, exceptional events, they were our way to close gaps in the budget and even build up a reserve for the coming years.
In the (Gaza) disengagement, for example, the army succeeded in blackmailing so much money from the state that already in July we managed to close our contracts going forward and we sought where to shove the remaining money. All sorts of projects that weren't approved in the past, building auditoriums, gyms, offices, everything that required money and a lot of it.
It's difficult for me to explain the excitement that could be felt in the hallways of the budget department every time that such an event began. A few qassam rockets made everyone put on combat uniforms and pull from the attic the presentations and files which show, with a disporportionate exaggeration, how much money we've already spent on the operation, that we need it to be returned quickly or the army would collapse.
For every ten soldiers placed to guard a post, we demanded a budget for their uniforms, the food, the ammunitions they are liable to use, heavy combat equipment, depreciation for tanks that would maybe come out of the storerooms, pension for those soldiers for that day and everything possible to put in the presentation with a number beside it. True, the army is supposed to fund the daily existence of these soldiers from its budget, because if there was no operation they would be eating in any event, but facts are traitors which incite against the army and the state.
Occasionally I would feel that the senior command would get so excited from the mountains of money expected to arrive, I had the feeling, God forbid this is just a feeling, of course, that perhaps they pushed for escalation. Only a feeling...”
Speaking to the Haaretz newspaper, the Israeli army spokesperson responded that: “This is an individual statement that does not reflect the numerous approval and supervision processes that exist for the defense budget. All of the funds transferred to the army pass through stringent approval procedures in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and the cabinet, and implementation is supervised by the comptroller general division in the finance ministry.”
On Monday, an organization of Israeli soldiers known as “Breaking the Silence” released a report containing testimonies from more than 60 officers and soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces who served during the 50-day war against Hamas militants last summer in the Gaza Strip. The soldiers describe reducing Gaza neighborhoods to sand, firing artillery to avenge fallen comrades and shooting at innocent civilians out of boredom.
Leaders of Breaking the Silence argue that permissive rules of engagement, coupled with the firing of thousands of rounds of artillery and tank shells in the dense urban area of the Gaza Strip, led to massive damage and high numbers of civilian deaths. More than 2,100 Palestinians were killed; as many as seven in 10 were civilians, according to the United Nations and human rights groups. On the Israeli side, 66 soldiers and six civilians were killed, including one child.
Israeli military officials (alongside Amnesty International) say that Hamas employed human shields and hid rocket launchers, weapons and fighters in schools, mosques and hospitals.
An Israel Defense Forces spokesman declined to respond to details in the report, saying Breaking the Silence refuses to share information with the IDF "in a manner which would allow a proper response, and if required, investigation." The spokesman added that "contrary to their claims, this organization does not act with the intention of correcting any wrongdoings they allegedly uncovered."
The soldiers who testified received guarantees of anonymity from Breaking the Silence. The 240-page book in English can be found online here.
Here’s what the soldiers saw:
First sergeant, Infantry, Gaza Strip:
“There were no rules of engagement. If you see anyone in that area, that person is a terrorist. In this context, it was simple. They told us they have intelligence that there are practically no civilians remaining in the area, and so if someone comes towards us, that person is a terrorist.”
Sergeant first class, Armored Corps, Gaza City:
“The rules of engagement were very, very lax. I wouldn’t say that they shot anything that moved -- but they didn’t request authorization [to fire], either.”
Leaders of Breaking the Silence argue that permissive rules of engagement, coupled with the firing of thousands of rounds of artillery and tank shells in the dense urban area of the Gaza Strip, led to massive damage and high numbers of civilian deaths. More than 2,100 Palestinians were killed; as many as seven in 10 were civilians, according to the United Nations and human rights groups. On the Israeli side, 66 soldiers and six civilians were killed, including one child.
Israeli military officials (alongside Amnesty International) say that Hamas employed human shields and hid rocket launchers, weapons and fighters in schools, mosques and hospitals.
An Israel Defense Forces spokesman declined to respond to details in the report, saying Breaking the Silence refuses to share information with the IDF "in a manner which would allow a proper response, and if required, investigation." The spokesman added that "contrary to their claims, this organization does not act with the intention of correcting any wrongdoings they allegedly uncovered."
The soldiers who testified received guarantees of anonymity from Breaking the Silence. The 240-page book in English can be found online here.
Here’s what the soldiers saw:
First sergeant, Infantry, Gaza Strip:
“There were no rules of engagement. If you see anyone in that area, that person is a terrorist. In this context, it was simple. They told us they have intelligence that there are practically no civilians remaining in the area, and so if someone comes towards us, that person is a terrorist.”
Sergeant first class, Armored Corps, Gaza City:
“The rules of engagement were very, very lax. I wouldn’t say that they shot anything that moved -- but they didn’t request authorization [to fire], either.”
Breaking the Silence, an organization of veteran Israeli soldiers, harshly slammed the Israeli army for its operational policy during last summer’s aggression on Gaza, saying it led to “immense and unprecedented harm to the civilian population and infrastructures in the Gaza Strip,” Monday reported the Israeli daily Haaretz.
According to WAFA, the organization’s report, which contained testimonies of 60 Israeli soldiers and officers who fought in Gaza last summer, said the testimonies “are indicative of a general principle that governed the entire military operation: minimum risk to the Israeli forces, even if it meant civilian casualties.”
The group said that the army adopted a principle that “anyone found in an IDF area, which the IDF had occupied, was not a civilian. That was the assumption,” one of the soldiers told Breaking the Silence.
An infantry soldier said also any home which Israeli forces entered and used would be destroyed afterward by large D9 bulldozers. “At no point until the end of the operation … did anyone tell us what the operational usefulness was in exposing the houses,” he was quoted by Haaretz.
“During a conversation, the unit commanders explained that it wasn’t an act of revenge. At a certain point we realized this was a trend. You leave a house and there’s no longer a house. The D9 comes and exposes it.”
Another soldier said, “There was one senior commander who really loved the D9 and was really in favor of flattening; he worked a lot with them. Let’s just say that anytime he was in a certain place, all the infrastructures around the building were totally destroyed – nearly every house had a shell in it.”
Another infantry soldier also recalled an incident in which a force identified two suspicious figures walking in an orchard, only a few hundred meters away. The lookouts couldn’t immediately identify them, so a drone was sent up to take a look. It was two women walking through the orchard, talking on cell phones. “The aircraft took aim at these women and killed them,” he said.
According to the soldier, reports Haaretz, the fact that the women were carrying only cell phones was reported to the battalion commander. “Despite this, in the reports written afterward, the women were classified as terrorists – lookouts who were operating in the area.” “[The tank commander] left and we moved on. They were counted as terrorists. They were shot, so it’s clear they were terrorists,” he said.
Haaretz revealed other reports of shooting at civilians. A woman who was clearly unstable and posed no threat was reportedly ordered by the battalion commander to walk westward, toward an area where tanks were stationed. When the woman approached the tank force, she was machine-gunned to death.
Another soldier who fought in northern Gaza spoke of an old man being shot when he approached a force one afternoon. Previously, the forces had been briefed to look out for an older man who might be carrying grenades. “The guy who was in the [guard] position – I don’t know what came over him; he saw a civilian, shot him, and didn’t hit him so well. The civilian was lying there writhing in pain,” the soldier said.
Meanwhile, an Armored Corps soldier said that after the death of a fellow platoon member, the platoon commander announced they would fire a volley of shells in his memory. “Fire like they do at funerals, but with shells and at houses. It wasn’t [firing] in the air. You just chose [where to fire]. The tank commander said, ‘Choose the house that’s furthest away, it will hurt them the most.’ It was a type of revenge,” he said.
Another Armored Corps soldier said that after three weeks of fighting, a competition developed between the members of his unit – who could succeed in hitting moving vehicles on a road that carried cars, trucks and even ambulances.
“So I found a vehicle, a taxi, and I tried to shell it but missed,” he recalled. “Two more vehicles came, and I tried another shell or two, but couldn’t do it. Then the commander came and said, ‘Yallah [which means come on], stop it, you’re using up all the shells. Cut it out.’ So we moved to the heavy machine gun,” he added.
He said he understood he was firing at civilians. Asked about it, he said, “I think, deep inside, it bothered me a little. But after three weeks in Gaza, when you’re firing at everything that moves, and even things that don’t move, at a psychotic pace, you don’t really … good and bad get a little mixed up and your morality starts to get lost and you lose your compass. And it becomes like a computer game. Really, really cool and real.”
See also: Special UN Report: 2014 Israeli Assault on Gaza Hit 7 UNRWA Schools
DCI-Palestine: Israel Willfully Targeted & Murdered Gaza Children
AP Investigation: 89% of "Protective Edge" Victims Were Civilians
VIDEO: Gaza City's Devastated Al-Shuja'eyya Suburb
According to WAFA, the organization’s report, which contained testimonies of 60 Israeli soldiers and officers who fought in Gaza last summer, said the testimonies “are indicative of a general principle that governed the entire military operation: minimum risk to the Israeli forces, even if it meant civilian casualties.”
The group said that the army adopted a principle that “anyone found in an IDF area, which the IDF had occupied, was not a civilian. That was the assumption,” one of the soldiers told Breaking the Silence.
An infantry soldier said also any home which Israeli forces entered and used would be destroyed afterward by large D9 bulldozers. “At no point until the end of the operation … did anyone tell us what the operational usefulness was in exposing the houses,” he was quoted by Haaretz.
“During a conversation, the unit commanders explained that it wasn’t an act of revenge. At a certain point we realized this was a trend. You leave a house and there’s no longer a house. The D9 comes and exposes it.”
Another soldier said, “There was one senior commander who really loved the D9 and was really in favor of flattening; he worked a lot with them. Let’s just say that anytime he was in a certain place, all the infrastructures around the building were totally destroyed – nearly every house had a shell in it.”
Another infantry soldier also recalled an incident in which a force identified two suspicious figures walking in an orchard, only a few hundred meters away. The lookouts couldn’t immediately identify them, so a drone was sent up to take a look. It was two women walking through the orchard, talking on cell phones. “The aircraft took aim at these women and killed them,” he said.
According to the soldier, reports Haaretz, the fact that the women were carrying only cell phones was reported to the battalion commander. “Despite this, in the reports written afterward, the women were classified as terrorists – lookouts who were operating in the area.” “[The tank commander] left and we moved on. They were counted as terrorists. They were shot, so it’s clear they were terrorists,” he said.
Haaretz revealed other reports of shooting at civilians. A woman who was clearly unstable and posed no threat was reportedly ordered by the battalion commander to walk westward, toward an area where tanks were stationed. When the woman approached the tank force, she was machine-gunned to death.
Another soldier who fought in northern Gaza spoke of an old man being shot when he approached a force one afternoon. Previously, the forces had been briefed to look out for an older man who might be carrying grenades. “The guy who was in the [guard] position – I don’t know what came over him; he saw a civilian, shot him, and didn’t hit him so well. The civilian was lying there writhing in pain,” the soldier said.
Meanwhile, an Armored Corps soldier said that after the death of a fellow platoon member, the platoon commander announced they would fire a volley of shells in his memory. “Fire like they do at funerals, but with shells and at houses. It wasn’t [firing] in the air. You just chose [where to fire]. The tank commander said, ‘Choose the house that’s furthest away, it will hurt them the most.’ It was a type of revenge,” he said.
Another Armored Corps soldier said that after three weeks of fighting, a competition developed between the members of his unit – who could succeed in hitting moving vehicles on a road that carried cars, trucks and even ambulances.
“So I found a vehicle, a taxi, and I tried to shell it but missed,” he recalled. “Two more vehicles came, and I tried another shell or two, but couldn’t do it. Then the commander came and said, ‘Yallah [which means come on], stop it, you’re using up all the shells. Cut it out.’ So we moved to the heavy machine gun,” he added.
He said he understood he was firing at civilians. Asked about it, he said, “I think, deep inside, it bothered me a little. But after three weeks in Gaza, when you’re firing at everything that moves, and even things that don’t move, at a psychotic pace, you don’t really … good and bad get a little mixed up and your morality starts to get lost and you lose your compass. And it becomes like a computer game. Really, really cool and real.”
See also: Special UN Report: 2014 Israeli Assault on Gaza Hit 7 UNRWA Schools
DCI-Palestine: Israel Willfully Targeted & Murdered Gaza Children
AP Investigation: 89% of "Protective Edge" Victims Were Civilians
VIDEO: Gaza City's Devastated Al-Shuja'eyya Suburb
An explosive device blew up near a major square in Gaza City late Sunday, security officials said.
The device exploded in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, with no injuries reported.
Police arrived at the scene and are investigating the incident, as the circumstances behind the explosion are as of yet unclear.
A series of explosions have rocked Gaza over the past month, Ma'an News Agency further reports.
On April 6, an explosive device was set off near the al-Radwan mosque in Sheikh Radwan. Weeks later, an explosive device blew up near the Palestinian cabinet's headquarters in western Gaza City.
On April 18, two explosions went off in Gaza City center, late Saturday, causing no injuries.
The first blast took place across from the Sousi building on al-Sanaa Street, while the second explosion was at the entrance of the Khalidi building opposite the Islamic University and next to the Attorney-General's office.
The first blast was close to an office belonging to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, although it is unclear whether that was the intended target.
Gaza has seen a series of violent incidents in recent months, the majority involving attacks on the property of Fatah officials in the Hamas-dominated region.
The device exploded in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, with no injuries reported.
Police arrived at the scene and are investigating the incident, as the circumstances behind the explosion are as of yet unclear.
A series of explosions have rocked Gaza over the past month, Ma'an News Agency further reports.
On April 6, an explosive device was set off near the al-Radwan mosque in Sheikh Radwan. Weeks later, an explosive device blew up near the Palestinian cabinet's headquarters in western Gaza City.
On April 18, two explosions went off in Gaza City center, late Saturday, causing no injuries.
The first blast took place across from the Sousi building on al-Sanaa Street, while the second explosion was at the entrance of the Khalidi building opposite the Islamic University and next to the Attorney-General's office.
The first blast was close to an office belonging to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, although it is unclear whether that was the intended target.
Gaza has seen a series of violent incidents in recent months, the majority involving attacks on the property of Fatah officials in the Hamas-dominated region.
Over 5,000 Palestinian civilians, who have gone homeless since last summer’s Israeli offensive on Gaza, are still taking refuge in nine UNRWA shelters opened across the Gaza Strip.
According to a statistics released Sunday, the largest number of homeless civilians, estimated at some 2,070 and whose homes had been destroyed or damaged beyond repair, are housed in three shelters in Gaza province.
Three UNRWA shelters based in the Northern Province are taking in some 689 displaced Gazans.
368 homeless civilians have resorted to the UNRWA lodging in the Central Province and some 903 others are taking refuge in the UNRWA shelter in Khan Younis.
The Rafah-based UNRWA shelter provides meanwhile a provisional accommodation to some 951 houseless persons.
The UNRWA shelters make part of the concrete expression of the agency’s pledges to work on re-housing Gazan refugees wo have been left without roofs over their heads in the wake of the Israeli offensive on the besieged coastal enclave and who have no alternative accommodation.
For their part, the Gazan refugees taking cover in UNRWA shelters launched distress signals over the acute shortages in vital facilities and basic life-needs.
A PIC correspondent quoted local sources as reporting that residents of the UNRWA shelter in Khan Younis have initiated a series of protest moves to express their deep disappointment with the quality of distributed food and other aid items.
According to a statistics released Sunday, the largest number of homeless civilians, estimated at some 2,070 and whose homes had been destroyed or damaged beyond repair, are housed in three shelters in Gaza province.
Three UNRWA shelters based in the Northern Province are taking in some 689 displaced Gazans.
368 homeless civilians have resorted to the UNRWA lodging in the Central Province and some 903 others are taking refuge in the UNRWA shelter in Khan Younis.
The Rafah-based UNRWA shelter provides meanwhile a provisional accommodation to some 951 houseless persons.
The UNRWA shelters make part of the concrete expression of the agency’s pledges to work on re-housing Gazan refugees wo have been left without roofs over their heads in the wake of the Israeli offensive on the besieged coastal enclave and who have no alternative accommodation.
For their part, the Gazan refugees taking cover in UNRWA shelters launched distress signals over the acute shortages in vital facilities and basic life-needs.
A PIC correspondent quoted local sources as reporting that residents of the UNRWA shelter in Khan Younis have initiated a series of protest moves to express their deep disappointment with the quality of distributed food and other aid items.
A number of armored Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers, conducted on Monday morning a limited invasion into Jabalia town, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and uprooted farmlands.
Media sources in Gaza said at least six armored D9 military bulldozers, and several armored vehicles, advanced into northern Gaza for a distance of approximately 100 meters.
The bulldozes then started uprooting and bulldozing agricultural lands, close to the border fence, and used smoke bombs to mask their vehicles while operating in northern Gaza.
The soldiers also advanced into the eastern side of Beit Hanoun nearby town, and fired several rounds of live ammunition to force the residents out of their lands.
In related news, soldiers fired live rounds on a number of farmers while in their lands, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
On Sunday night after midnight, soldiers patrolled various areas across the border fence, and fired several flares while drones flew overhead.
The army conducts daily limited invasion in the coastal region, especially in Rafah and Khan Younis, in addition to the ongoing assaults against Gaza fishers and the boats.
Media sources in Gaza said at least six armored D9 military bulldozers, and several armored vehicles, advanced into northern Gaza for a distance of approximately 100 meters.
The bulldozes then started uprooting and bulldozing agricultural lands, close to the border fence, and used smoke bombs to mask their vehicles while operating in northern Gaza.
The soldiers also advanced into the eastern side of Beit Hanoun nearby town, and fired several rounds of live ammunition to force the residents out of their lands.
In related news, soldiers fired live rounds on a number of farmers while in their lands, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
On Sunday night after midnight, soldiers patrolled various areas across the border fence, and fired several flares while drones flew overhead.
The army conducts daily limited invasion in the coastal region, especially in Rafah and Khan Younis, in addition to the ongoing assaults against Gaza fishers and the boats.
3 may 2015
Israeli navy gunboats opened machinegun fire at Palestinians’ fishing boats in Gaza sea on Sunday morning with no casualties reported.
Local sources reported that a number of Israeli navy gunboats fired in the morning hours at the Palestinian fishing boats which were sailing in the northern Gaza sea.
The heavy shooting forced the Gazan fishermen to leave the sea and end fishing, the sources added.
The attack is another episode in the series of Israeli daily violations of the Cairo-brokered truce accord signed in the wake of last summer’s offensive on the besieged coastal enclave, which killed over 2,300 Palestinians, mostly civilians.
Local sources reported that a number of Israeli navy gunboats fired in the morning hours at the Palestinian fishing boats which were sailing in the northern Gaza sea.
The heavy shooting forced the Gazan fishermen to leave the sea and end fishing, the sources added.
The attack is another episode in the series of Israeli daily violations of the Cairo-brokered truce accord signed in the wake of last summer’s offensive on the besieged coastal enclave, which killed over 2,300 Palestinians, mostly civilians.
2 may 2015
Israeli navy gunboats opened heavy machinegun fire at Palestinian fishing boats in Gaza sea Saturday morning.
Palestinian sources told Quds Press that a number of Israeli gunboats opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats in Gaza sea and off the northern Gaza Strip coast.
The sources said that the heavy shooting was focused in al-Sudaniyah district in northern Gaza Strip and in Ejlin area to the west of Gaza city.
The fishermen were forced to return to shore due to intensive firing without completing their work. No casualties were reported among the fishermen, the sources added.
The gunfire attack is the latest in a series of breaches of the ceasefire agreement signed in Cairo last August between the Palestinian resistance and Israel.
Palestinian sources told Quds Press that a number of Israeli gunboats opened fire at the Palestinian fishing boats in Gaza sea and off the northern Gaza Strip coast.
The sources said that the heavy shooting was focused in al-Sudaniyah district in northern Gaza Strip and in Ejlin area to the west of Gaza city.
The fishermen were forced to return to shore due to intensive firing without completing their work. No casualties were reported among the fishermen, the sources added.
The gunfire attack is the latest in a series of breaches of the ceasefire agreement signed in Cairo last August between the Palestinian resistance and Israel.
1 may 2015
Israeli navy ships opened fire, on Friday morning, on a number of Palestinian fishing boats in Gaza territorial waters, causing property damage.
The navy targeted the boats near Gaza city, causing excessive damage but no injuries, eyewitnesses said.
The fishers were within the allotted four nautical miles, some even closer to the shore, when the navy ships attacked their boats, and opened fire on them.
The navy conducts ongoing assaults and violations against the fishers, preventing them from providing daily livelihoods to their families. The attacks led to many deaths, dozens of injuries and arrests.
Israel fires at Gaza fishermen, nabs youth on way to seek livelihood
The Israeli occupation navy on Friday opened heavy machinegun fire at Palestinian fishing vessels off the Gaza coast, just a few hours before a Palestinian youth was kidnapped by the Israeli army near the border fence.
Media sources said the Israeli occupation warships unleashed spates of machinegun fire on a fleet of sihing vessels off the Gaza waters, resulting in remarkable material damage. No injuries have been reported so far.
The same sources said there were no identifiable reasons for the random fire shooting as the fishermen were sailing within less than four nautical miles.
The attack represents another episode in the series of Israeli violations of the Cairo-brokered truce accord signed in the wake of last-summer’s Israeli offensive on the besieged coastal enclave. Ever since, the Israeli occupation has reportedly been marring the lives of Gaza’s fishermen, who put out to sea to earn a living for their starved children.
In a separate incident, earlier overnight on Thursday, the Israeli occupation army claimed responsibility for the abduction of a Palestinian youngster as he tried to infiltrate into an Israeli-controlled Kibbutz in the region of Eshkol, to the south of Gaza.
The Israeli soldiers dragged the detainee to the Shabak detention center, pending further investigation.
Infiltrations into Israeli-run areas have been on the rise due to the high unemployment and poverty rates rocking the blockaded coastal enclave.
The navy targeted the boats near Gaza city, causing excessive damage but no injuries, eyewitnesses said.
The fishers were within the allotted four nautical miles, some even closer to the shore, when the navy ships attacked their boats, and opened fire on them.
The navy conducts ongoing assaults and violations against the fishers, preventing them from providing daily livelihoods to their families. The attacks led to many deaths, dozens of injuries and arrests.
Israel fires at Gaza fishermen, nabs youth on way to seek livelihood
The Israeli occupation navy on Friday opened heavy machinegun fire at Palestinian fishing vessels off the Gaza coast, just a few hours before a Palestinian youth was kidnapped by the Israeli army near the border fence.
Media sources said the Israeli occupation warships unleashed spates of machinegun fire on a fleet of sihing vessels off the Gaza waters, resulting in remarkable material damage. No injuries have been reported so far.
The same sources said there were no identifiable reasons for the random fire shooting as the fishermen were sailing within less than four nautical miles.
The attack represents another episode in the series of Israeli violations of the Cairo-brokered truce accord signed in the wake of last-summer’s Israeli offensive on the besieged coastal enclave. Ever since, the Israeli occupation has reportedly been marring the lives of Gaza’s fishermen, who put out to sea to earn a living for their starved children.
In a separate incident, earlier overnight on Thursday, the Israeli occupation army claimed responsibility for the abduction of a Palestinian youngster as he tried to infiltrate into an Israeli-controlled Kibbutz in the region of Eshkol, to the south of Gaza.
The Israeli soldiers dragged the detainee to the Shabak detention center, pending further investigation.
Infiltrations into Israeli-run areas have been on the rise due to the high unemployment and poverty rates rocking the blockaded coastal enclave.
30 apr 2015
The UN's Middle East peace envoy Nickolay Mladenov on Thursday urged Palestinian factions to unite and asked Israel to lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip.
“Anyone who visits Gaza should be shocked of the extent of damage caused by Israel. The siege must be ended,” Nickolay Mladenov, told reporters in Gaza City.
“I strongly believe that it will hurt the cause of the Palestinian people if division, if the lack of unity, is not addressed as soon as possible”, he said.
“I hope that the United Nations will be able to support the efforts to strengthen this unity”, he said.
He went on to say that he also agreed with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the unity government to work on achieving Palestinian reconciliation.
The Bulgarian diplomat also noted that he touched "serious intention" in the Palestinian unity government towards ending the outstanding crises in the Strip for the sake of Gaza reconstruction.
He pointed out that Gaza has been facing a humanitarian crisis months after a devastating 51-day war between Israel and Hamas, with the international community warning of further conflict without Palestinian reconciliation and lifting of Israel's blockade. The reconstruction should be based on a comprehensive concept, he added.
"We in the United Nations, along with our partners in the international community, have a responsibility to offer humanitarian aid to Gaza and the people of Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria”, he said
Mladenov was appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in February, replacing Robert Serry, a Dutch diplomat who as UN Middle East envoy sponsored a controversial reconstruction plan for Gaza following a devastating Israeli military offensive last summer.
Nickolay Mladenov arrived in Gaza on Wednesday evening through Erez crossing in his first visit since he was appointed two months ago.
The United Nations supervise the Gaza reconstruction by coordination with Palestinian Authority and Israel within a construction plan known as Serry’s plan which is refused by Palestinians as it hinders the reconstruction for long years.
In July of last year, more than 2,323 Gazans, mostly civilians, were killed, while thousands others were injured and 15,671 housing units across the Gaza Strip were damaged, including 2,276 that were completely destroyed during seven weeks of ferocious Israeli bombardment.
“Anyone who visits Gaza should be shocked of the extent of damage caused by Israel. The siege must be ended,” Nickolay Mladenov, told reporters in Gaza City.
“I strongly believe that it will hurt the cause of the Palestinian people if division, if the lack of unity, is not addressed as soon as possible”, he said.
“I hope that the United Nations will be able to support the efforts to strengthen this unity”, he said.
He went on to say that he also agreed with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the unity government to work on achieving Palestinian reconciliation.
The Bulgarian diplomat also noted that he touched "serious intention" in the Palestinian unity government towards ending the outstanding crises in the Strip for the sake of Gaza reconstruction.
He pointed out that Gaza has been facing a humanitarian crisis months after a devastating 51-day war between Israel and Hamas, with the international community warning of further conflict without Palestinian reconciliation and lifting of Israel's blockade. The reconstruction should be based on a comprehensive concept, he added.
"We in the United Nations, along with our partners in the international community, have a responsibility to offer humanitarian aid to Gaza and the people of Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria”, he said
Mladenov was appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in February, replacing Robert Serry, a Dutch diplomat who as UN Middle East envoy sponsored a controversial reconstruction plan for Gaza following a devastating Israeli military offensive last summer.
Nickolay Mladenov arrived in Gaza on Wednesday evening through Erez crossing in his first visit since he was appointed two months ago.
The United Nations supervise the Gaza reconstruction by coordination with Palestinian Authority and Israel within a construction plan known as Serry’s plan which is refused by Palestinians as it hinders the reconstruction for long years.
In July of last year, more than 2,323 Gazans, mostly civilians, were killed, while thousands others were injured and 15,671 housing units across the Gaza Strip were damaged, including 2,276 that were completely destroyed during seven weeks of ferocious Israeli bombardment.
The UNRWA on Thursday announced its intent to distribute cash aid to 388 Palestinian affected families who have gone homeless since last summer’s Israeli offensive on the besieged coastal enclave.
The UNRWA said in a press release its decision came after it had received US$1.37 million in funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through German KfW Development Bank.
The affected families will access their allotted payments through local banks, it added.
Emergency shelter - including support for home repairs, reconstruction and interim shelter solutions - is a top priority for UNRWA, the statement read.
The Agency remains committed to supporting affected families, yet requires new funding to resume the shelter cash assistance program.
The UNRWA said in a press release its decision came after it had received US$1.37 million in funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through German KfW Development Bank.
The affected families will access their allotted payments through local banks, it added.
Emergency shelter - including support for home repairs, reconstruction and interim shelter solutions - is a top priority for UNRWA, the statement read.
The Agency remains committed to supporting affected families, yet requires new funding to resume the shelter cash assistance program.
29 apr 2015
Funeral for Deif's wife and child
After defense sources in Israel admit Hamas military chief survived assassination attempt last summer, Gazan group's political leader slams Israel.
Israeli defense sources have in recent days conceded that Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif survived an assassination attempt during the Gaza conflict last summer.
Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh responded to the reports in Israeli media outlets: "The Israeli admission of the failed assassination attempt exposes the scale of the Israeli military's frustration. The admission proves that Israel carried out war crimes that harmed civilians and United Nations facilities."
One theory as to why Deif survived suggests that one of the IAF bombs dropped on the Gaza City home in which he was staying failed to detonate, giving Deif the chance to make a speedy retreat through a tunnel. Hamas said that Deif's wife and child had been killed in the attack. Throughout Operation Protective Edge, the Shin Bet and Military Intelligence made enormous effort to take out the Hamas military leadership, without partial success.
Unlike the start of Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012, and the killing of Hamas military leader Ahmed Jabari, most of the military commanders successfully targeted in Protective Edge were in a relatively junior position.
The day after the assassination attempt on Deif, Israel assassinated three senior Hamas three members, including Raed Al-Attar, who led the abduction of Gilad Shalit, and who was also considered an expert on tunnels. Since then, the leaders of Hamas' military wing have rallied. The organization has appointed new brigade commanders to replace the two killed – al-Atar, the brigade commander in Rafah, and Mohammed Abu Shamala, commander of the southern sector. Each Hamas brigade commander today has returned to an ordinary routine.
The defense establishment attributes its difficulties in assassinating Hamas leaders to two factors: Firstly, the group's policy of massive compartmentalization, a lesson learned from the killing of Jabari. Secondly, the layout of the locations from which Hamas managed the fighting –civilian sites that Israel would not attack, such as hospitals and educational institutions. In the case of Deif, Israel apparently took a calculated risk that non-combatants would be hurt in the assassination attempt, which is ultimately what happened with the deaths of his family.
More rockets, more tunnels
Not long after the operation in Gaza ended, Hamas began to renew its underground construction projects – rebuilding both offensive and defensive tunnels based on the assumption Israel was still lacking an adequate response to the threat.
The new tunnels were dug in new locations, while those unearthed or hit by Israel over the summer were disregarded and left to decay. Hamas has even increased its investment in the tunnels, and now employs over 1,000 workers working around the clock in three shifts, six days a week. To fortify their inner walls, Hamas uses cement purchased on the black market in Gaza, in addition to wood and hard plastics.
The same can be said about the group's self-produced rocket stockpile. Recent months have seen a massive effort to replenish the group's rocket supplies to their pre-war state. There is a concentrated effort to build short-range rockets that can hit border communities, as these types of projectiles are the most effective against Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. The group is also busy amassing long range rockets that can go as far as Tel Aviv or Jerusalem (roughly 75 km) and even those that can reach Haifa (150 km).
As part of Hamas' attempt to overcome Iron Dome, it is possible the group will attempt to fire multiple rockets from different locations at a single target in Israel, some of which will eventually be able to penetrate the missile defense system, which despite its impressive record is limited to a finite number of interceptions per battery.
After defense sources in Israel admit Hamas military chief survived assassination attempt last summer, Gazan group's political leader slams Israel.
Israeli defense sources have in recent days conceded that Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif survived an assassination attempt during the Gaza conflict last summer.
Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh responded to the reports in Israeli media outlets: "The Israeli admission of the failed assassination attempt exposes the scale of the Israeli military's frustration. The admission proves that Israel carried out war crimes that harmed civilians and United Nations facilities."
One theory as to why Deif survived suggests that one of the IAF bombs dropped on the Gaza City home in which he was staying failed to detonate, giving Deif the chance to make a speedy retreat through a tunnel. Hamas said that Deif's wife and child had been killed in the attack. Throughout Operation Protective Edge, the Shin Bet and Military Intelligence made enormous effort to take out the Hamas military leadership, without partial success.
Unlike the start of Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012, and the killing of Hamas military leader Ahmed Jabari, most of the military commanders successfully targeted in Protective Edge were in a relatively junior position.
The day after the assassination attempt on Deif, Israel assassinated three senior Hamas three members, including Raed Al-Attar, who led the abduction of Gilad Shalit, and who was also considered an expert on tunnels. Since then, the leaders of Hamas' military wing have rallied. The organization has appointed new brigade commanders to replace the two killed – al-Atar, the brigade commander in Rafah, and Mohammed Abu Shamala, commander of the southern sector. Each Hamas brigade commander today has returned to an ordinary routine.
The defense establishment attributes its difficulties in assassinating Hamas leaders to two factors: Firstly, the group's policy of massive compartmentalization, a lesson learned from the killing of Jabari. Secondly, the layout of the locations from which Hamas managed the fighting –civilian sites that Israel would not attack, such as hospitals and educational institutions. In the case of Deif, Israel apparently took a calculated risk that non-combatants would be hurt in the assassination attempt, which is ultimately what happened with the deaths of his family.
More rockets, more tunnels
Not long after the operation in Gaza ended, Hamas began to renew its underground construction projects – rebuilding both offensive and defensive tunnels based on the assumption Israel was still lacking an adequate response to the threat.
The new tunnels were dug in new locations, while those unearthed or hit by Israel over the summer were disregarded and left to decay. Hamas has even increased its investment in the tunnels, and now employs over 1,000 workers working around the clock in three shifts, six days a week. To fortify their inner walls, Hamas uses cement purchased on the black market in Gaza, in addition to wood and hard plastics.
The same can be said about the group's self-produced rocket stockpile. Recent months have seen a massive effort to replenish the group's rocket supplies to their pre-war state. There is a concentrated effort to build short-range rockets that can hit border communities, as these types of projectiles are the most effective against Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. The group is also busy amassing long range rockets that can go as far as Tel Aviv or Jerusalem (roughly 75 km) and even those that can reach Haifa (150 km).
As part of Hamas' attempt to overcome Iron Dome, it is possible the group will attempt to fire multiple rockets from different locations at a single target in Israel, some of which will eventually be able to penetrate the missile defense system, which despite its impressive record is limited to a finite number of interceptions per battery.
Despite attempt on his life, Hamas' top military commander is actively renewing group's rocket stockpiles, rebuilding terror tunnels, as tensions between group's political and military wings running high as it struggles to return itself to pre-summer state – Gaza, an overview.
Nine months after Israel locked horns with Hamas in Gaza for over 50 days, it is clear that not only did Mohammed Deif, Hamas' military commander, survive the Israeli attempt on his life that saw his wife and child killed, but he has also jump-started Hamas' military wing, sources in Israel said Wednesday.
In the past, Deif had run the Al-Qassam Brigades as a centralized organization, overseeing every small detail in its activities – from its overarching strategy, to rocket production.
However, in recent months, and in the wake of the devastating Operation Protective Edge, tensions between Hamas's military and political wings have fermented, with the latter placing the onus of the group's failure on the political echelon, which they say undermined their efforts to steer the conflict in its favor. For years Hamas has planned for a surprise shock attack followed by a larger offensive in or from Gaza.
During its opening onslaught, Hamas planned to use its complex system of tunnels to stream its terrorists into Israel and have them attack a border area community, or even communities, sowing terror and kidnapping Israelis back into Gaza. This was supposed to be Hamas' opening move during Operation Protective Edge. This plan was Deif's brainchild.
But Hamas' political leadership refused to green-light the operation when the time came, and thus the military wing now blames them for the operation's failure. Tensions between the two branches are further fueled by disagreement on other issues as well: While Deif has been pushing for Hamas to bury the hatchet with Iran in return for arms and funds, political leader Khaled Mashaal has been pushing for closer ties with the Gulf states, namely Saudi Arabia – Iran's arch-nemesis.
Generally, there is very little regard among the military wing for its political leadership, and such tensions could boil over to the point that it will begin to make decisions independently. When Ahmed Jabari headed the terror group's military wing he would frequently launch terror attacks without informing or coordinating with the political leadership.
Despite tensions, Hamas' military wing still has the political echelon's support and receives additional funding from Iran. The money trail leading to Hamas spans almost the entire globe and passes through cambists in Egypt. From there it makes the journey through the Sinai and – through the tunnels – it passes in cash form into Gaza. Despite the Egyptian army's best efforts to destroy the tunnel infrastructure in the Sinai, at least a dozen are still active.
More rockets, more tunnels
Not long after the operation in Gaza ended, Hamas began to renew its underground construction projects – rebuilding both offensive and defensive tunnels based on the assumption Israel was still lacking an adequate response to the threat. The new tunnels were dug in new locations, while those unearthed or hit by Israel over the summer were disregarded and left to decay.
Hamas has even increased its investment in the tunnels, and now employs over 1,000 workers working around the clock in three shifts, six days a week. To fortify their inner walls, Hamas uses cement purchased on the black market in Gaza, in addition to wood and hard plastics.
By the end of Operation Protective Edge, some 32 offensive tunnels were known to Israel, some of which already reached into Israeli territory. Hamas has set a goal for itself to reach that number again ahead of any new flare-up with Israel. The same can be said about the group's self-produced rocket stockpile. Recent months have seen a massive effort to replenish the group's rocket supplies to their pre-war state.
There is a concentrated effort to build short-range rockets that can hit border communities, as these types of projectiles are the most effective against Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. The group is also busy amassing long range rockets that can go as far as Tel Aviv or Jerusalem (roughly 75 km) and even those that can reach Haifa (150 km).
As part of Hamas' attempt to overcome Iron Dome, it is possible the group will attempt to fire multiple rockets from different locations at a single target in Israel, some of which will eventually be able to penetrate the missile defense system, which despite its impressive record is limited to a finite number of interceptions per battery.
Hamas has also worked to get its elite ground and navy commando units back into shape, in addition to attempting to boost its unmanned aircraft program. Hamas is using Syrian and Iranian experts to help rebuild its forces. Second front One of the central lessons the group internalized as a result of Operation Protective Edge was that to truly be able to deal Israel a blow, they need to open an additional front during the conflict.
Therefore the group has begun to lay a terror infrastructure in the Sinai which will pester the IDF during any future fighting by firing rockets. To this end, it is very likely to assume that a channel of dialogue has been opened between Hamas and ISIS' branch in Sinai. Hamas understand it needs ISIS affiliates in the Sinai to help with smuggling efforts from Sinai to Gaza.
In case a war breaks out in the north with Hezbollah, Hamas could decide to use the opportunity to open a second front in the south, to further strain the IDF's defenses.
Today more than ever, Hamas sees itself committed to maintaining the calm with Israel and has no desire to lead an escalation as long it is still working on rebuilding itself to pre-operation levels. That was the reason that Hamas was quick to send Israel the message that it was not them who was behind the rocket fire last Thursday. The message was brokered by Egypt, despite the falling out between the two neighbors, further proving that the Israel-Egypt-Hamas line of communication is, like Deif, still alive and kicking.
Nine months after Israel locked horns with Hamas in Gaza for over 50 days, it is clear that not only did Mohammed Deif, Hamas' military commander, survive the Israeli attempt on his life that saw his wife and child killed, but he has also jump-started Hamas' military wing, sources in Israel said Wednesday.
In the past, Deif had run the Al-Qassam Brigades as a centralized organization, overseeing every small detail in its activities – from its overarching strategy, to rocket production.
However, in recent months, and in the wake of the devastating Operation Protective Edge, tensions between Hamas's military and political wings have fermented, with the latter placing the onus of the group's failure on the political echelon, which they say undermined their efforts to steer the conflict in its favor. For years Hamas has planned for a surprise shock attack followed by a larger offensive in or from Gaza.
During its opening onslaught, Hamas planned to use its complex system of tunnels to stream its terrorists into Israel and have them attack a border area community, or even communities, sowing terror and kidnapping Israelis back into Gaza. This was supposed to be Hamas' opening move during Operation Protective Edge. This plan was Deif's brainchild.
But Hamas' political leadership refused to green-light the operation when the time came, and thus the military wing now blames them for the operation's failure. Tensions between the two branches are further fueled by disagreement on other issues as well: While Deif has been pushing for Hamas to bury the hatchet with Iran in return for arms and funds, political leader Khaled Mashaal has been pushing for closer ties with the Gulf states, namely Saudi Arabia – Iran's arch-nemesis.
Generally, there is very little regard among the military wing for its political leadership, and such tensions could boil over to the point that it will begin to make decisions independently. When Ahmed Jabari headed the terror group's military wing he would frequently launch terror attacks without informing or coordinating with the political leadership.
Despite tensions, Hamas' military wing still has the political echelon's support and receives additional funding from Iran. The money trail leading to Hamas spans almost the entire globe and passes through cambists in Egypt. From there it makes the journey through the Sinai and – through the tunnels – it passes in cash form into Gaza. Despite the Egyptian army's best efforts to destroy the tunnel infrastructure in the Sinai, at least a dozen are still active.
More rockets, more tunnels
Not long after the operation in Gaza ended, Hamas began to renew its underground construction projects – rebuilding both offensive and defensive tunnels based on the assumption Israel was still lacking an adequate response to the threat. The new tunnels were dug in new locations, while those unearthed or hit by Israel over the summer were disregarded and left to decay.
Hamas has even increased its investment in the tunnels, and now employs over 1,000 workers working around the clock in three shifts, six days a week. To fortify their inner walls, Hamas uses cement purchased on the black market in Gaza, in addition to wood and hard plastics.
By the end of Operation Protective Edge, some 32 offensive tunnels were known to Israel, some of which already reached into Israeli territory. Hamas has set a goal for itself to reach that number again ahead of any new flare-up with Israel. The same can be said about the group's self-produced rocket stockpile. Recent months have seen a massive effort to replenish the group's rocket supplies to their pre-war state.
There is a concentrated effort to build short-range rockets that can hit border communities, as these types of projectiles are the most effective against Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. The group is also busy amassing long range rockets that can go as far as Tel Aviv or Jerusalem (roughly 75 km) and even those that can reach Haifa (150 km).
As part of Hamas' attempt to overcome Iron Dome, it is possible the group will attempt to fire multiple rockets from different locations at a single target in Israel, some of which will eventually be able to penetrate the missile defense system, which despite its impressive record is limited to a finite number of interceptions per battery.
Hamas has also worked to get its elite ground and navy commando units back into shape, in addition to attempting to boost its unmanned aircraft program. Hamas is using Syrian and Iranian experts to help rebuild its forces. Second front One of the central lessons the group internalized as a result of Operation Protective Edge was that to truly be able to deal Israel a blow, they need to open an additional front during the conflict.
Therefore the group has begun to lay a terror infrastructure in the Sinai which will pester the IDF during any future fighting by firing rockets. To this end, it is very likely to assume that a channel of dialogue has been opened between Hamas and ISIS' branch in Sinai. Hamas understand it needs ISIS affiliates in the Sinai to help with smuggling efforts from Sinai to Gaza.
In case a war breaks out in the north with Hezbollah, Hamas could decide to use the opportunity to open a second front in the south, to further strain the IDF's defenses.
Today more than ever, Hamas sees itself committed to maintaining the calm with Israel and has no desire to lead an escalation as long it is still working on rebuilding itself to pre-operation levels. That was the reason that Hamas was quick to send Israel the message that it was not them who was behind the rocket fire last Thursday. The message was brokered by Egypt, despite the falling out between the two neighbors, further proving that the Israel-Egypt-Hamas line of communication is, like Deif, still alive and kicking.
28 apr 2015
A 14-year-old Palestinian is in critical condition and has been transferred to Ramallah for treatment after he was hit by a stray Israeli bullet on Friday at his home in the central Gaza Strip, his family said Tuesday.
The family of Fadi Abu Mandil, 14, said that the teen will undergo surgery in his spine as he is currently unable to walk.
His uncle told Ma'an that the child was hit with a stray Israeli bullet while studying at his home when Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian farmers.
On Friday medical sources said that the 14-year-old from al-Mughazi refugee camp had been transferred to Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah city.
Israeli forces were again firing on Gazan farmers on Tuesday, damaging property and forcing farmers to flee their land, and on Sunday, they shot and injureda 37-year-old man.
Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on Gazans since the ceasefire agreement signed Aug. 26, 2014 that ended a devastating 50-day war between Israel and Hamas.
In March alone, there were a total of 38 incidents of shootings, incursions into the coastal enclave, and arrests, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights.That was up from 26 incidents through February, and left seven Palestinians injured and one dead.
The attacks come despite Israeli promises at the end of the ceasefire to ease restrictions on Palestinian access to both the sea and the border region near the "security buffer zone."
The family of Fadi Abu Mandil, 14, said that the teen will undergo surgery in his spine as he is currently unable to walk.
His uncle told Ma'an that the child was hit with a stray Israeli bullet while studying at his home when Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian farmers.
On Friday medical sources said that the 14-year-old from al-Mughazi refugee camp had been transferred to Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah city.
Israeli forces were again firing on Gazan farmers on Tuesday, damaging property and forcing farmers to flee their land, and on Sunday, they shot and injureda 37-year-old man.
Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on Gazans since the ceasefire agreement signed Aug. 26, 2014 that ended a devastating 50-day war between Israel and Hamas.
In March alone, there were a total of 38 incidents of shootings, incursions into the coastal enclave, and arrests, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights.That was up from 26 incidents through February, and left seven Palestinians injured and one dead.
The attacks come despite Israeli promises at the end of the ceasefire to ease restrictions on Palestinian access to both the sea and the border region near the "security buffer zone."
As part of daily violations against the Palestinian people in the besieged and improvised Gaza Strip, Israeli navy ships opened fire on a number of fishing boats in the Sudaniyya Sea area, northwest of Gaza City.
The WAFA News Agency has reported that the soldiers fired dozens of rounds of live ammunition on the fishing boats, less than four nautical miles away from the Gaza shore.
At least one boat was damaged, while the fishers had to jump into the water to avoid the Israeli navy fire.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian agricultural lands, and homes, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip; no injuries were reported.
The WAFA News Agency has reported that the soldiers fired dozens of rounds of live ammunition on the fishing boats, less than four nautical miles away from the Gaza shore.
At least one boat was damaged, while the fishers had to jump into the water to avoid the Israeli navy fire.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian agricultural lands, and homes, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip; no injuries were reported.
Israeli soldiers, stationed on military towers across the border fence, opened fire into Palestinian agricultural lands, and several homes, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian News & Info Agency (WAFA) said the soldiers fired dozens of rounds of live ammunition on homes and agricultural lands, east of Khuza’a town, east of Khan Younis, causing property damage.
The farmers had to leave their lands fearing additional Israeli military escalation.
WAFA said Israeli planes also sprayed chemicals on Palestinian agricultural lands, close to the border fence, to render them useless in an attempt to keep the Palestinians out of their lands, adjacent to the border fence.
The Israeli army conducts daily assaults and violations targeting the Palestinians and their lands, in border areas in the coastal region, in addition to frequent attacks on Palestinian fishers and their boats in Gaza territorial waters.
The Palestinian News & Info Agency (WAFA) said the soldiers fired dozens of rounds of live ammunition on homes and agricultural lands, east of Khuza’a town, east of Khan Younis, causing property damage.
The farmers had to leave their lands fearing additional Israeli military escalation.
WAFA said Israeli planes also sprayed chemicals on Palestinian agricultural lands, close to the border fence, to render them useless in an attempt to keep the Palestinians out of their lands, adjacent to the border fence.
The Israeli army conducts daily assaults and violations targeting the Palestinians and their lands, in border areas in the coastal region, in addition to frequent attacks on Palestinian fishers and their boats in Gaza territorial waters.
Truce violations List of names Pictures of martyrs
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July: 31 - 30 - 29 - 28 - 27 - 26 - 25 - 24 - 23 - 22 - 21 - 20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8