24 jan 2019
The Israeli military blew up on Thursday a Palestinian flag set up near the border fence, separating the besieged Gaza Strip from territories occupied in 1948.
According to the Hebrew-speaking Walla news site, the Israeli military feared that the flag was booby-trapped.
The flag was put in the area during anti-siege protests staged by Palestinians at the Gaza border.
The same sources quoted the Israeli military spokesman as stating that the flag did not make part of an ambush and that no injuries were reported.
In the start of last year, Palestinian anti-occupation protesters set up a booby-trapped flag on the Gaza border. The flag was detonated remotely after Israeli patrols showed up near the border fence.
According to the Hebrew-speaking Walla news site, the Israeli military feared that the flag was booby-trapped.
The flag was put in the area during anti-siege protests staged by Palestinians at the Gaza border.
The same sources quoted the Israeli military spokesman as stating that the flag did not make part of an ambush and that no injuries were reported.
In the start of last year, Palestinian anti-occupation protesters set up a booby-trapped flag on the Gaza border. The flag was detonated remotely after Israeli patrols showed up near the border fence.
23 jan 2019
The Guardian, a noted British newspaper, said in an editorial about Israel’s democracy on Tuesday that Israel kills with impunity and makes lies without fearing consequences.
“In the last nine months of 2018, according to the United Nations, Palestinians – many of them children – were killed at the rate of around one a day while taking part in protests along Israel’s perimeter fence with Gaza about their right to return to ancestral homes,” The Guardian’s editorial said.
According to the editorial, those victims “included medics and journalists. Most of the dead were unarmed and posed no danger to anyone, with little more than rocks in their hands and slogans on their lips. Yet Israel continued with an immoral and unlawful policy that sees soldiers of its military, which is under democratic civilian control, shoot, gas, shell and kill protesters, including those who pose no credible threat.”
“Hospitals in Gaza, which already struggle under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade, have been stretched to breaking point in dealing with the flood of patients ferried in from the protests.”
“In its defence, Israel’s diplomats cast Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza, as terrorists who are organising demonstrations in “a war zone”. It would appear, sadly, that Israel wishes to conduct a war over the airwaves, as well as one on the ground, against the Palestinians.”
“This blatant disregard for Gazan lives and the lack of accountability is underpinned by a politics of resentment and dissembling that has profound repercussions for Israel. If one can kill with impunity, then can one lie without consequence?”
“In the last nine months of 2018, according to the United Nations, Palestinians – many of them children – were killed at the rate of around one a day while taking part in protests along Israel’s perimeter fence with Gaza about their right to return to ancestral homes,” The Guardian’s editorial said.
According to the editorial, those victims “included medics and journalists. Most of the dead were unarmed and posed no danger to anyone, with little more than rocks in their hands and slogans on their lips. Yet Israel continued with an immoral and unlawful policy that sees soldiers of its military, which is under democratic civilian control, shoot, gas, shell and kill protesters, including those who pose no credible threat.”
“Hospitals in Gaza, which already struggle under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade, have been stretched to breaking point in dealing with the flood of patients ferried in from the protests.”
“In its defence, Israel’s diplomats cast Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza, as terrorists who are organising demonstrations in “a war zone”. It would appear, sadly, that Israel wishes to conduct a war over the airwaves, as well as one on the ground, against the Palestinians.”
“This blatant disregard for Gazan lives and the lack of accountability is underpinned by a politics of resentment and dissembling that has profound repercussions for Israel. If one can kill with impunity, then can one lie without consequence?”
21 jan 2019
A Palestinian man was injured on Monday evening by Israeli gunfire near the border between Gaza and the Palestinian territories occupied since 1948.
The PIC reporter said that the Israeli occupation forces opened fire at a group of Palestinians east of Deir al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip, injuring one of them in the leg.
The injured man was transferred to a local hospital for treatment, he added.
The PIC reporter said that the Israeli occupation forces opened fire at a group of Palestinians east of Deir al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip, injuring one of them in the leg.
The injured man was transferred to a local hospital for treatment, he added.
20 jan 2019
Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCIP) submitted a joint report to United Nations investigators, last week, detailing Israeli forces’ killing of Palestinian children during mass protests in the Gaza Strip, conduct amounting to war crimes, said DCIP in a press release.
The 57-page report, [pdf] drafted in collaboration with the Human Rights and Gender Justice Law Clinic (HRGJ), at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, provides background and context to mass protests in Gaza, highlights Israeli forces’ unlawful killing of Palestinian child protesters, and details serious violations of international law by Israeli forces.
The report was submitted to the UN Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), which was established during a special session of the UN Human Rights Council in May of 2018.
According to WAFA, the report notes that, of the 56 Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the OPT during 2018, a total of 45 children were killed in the Gaza Strip since March 30, according to evidence collected by DCIP. In the overwhelming majority of cases, DCIP was able to confirm that children did not present any imminent, mortal threat or threat of serious injury when killed by Israeli forces.
The report concludes that Israeli forces and officials are responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international law for the killing of Palestinian child protesters in Gaza.
“Israeli armed forces have regularly been implicated in widespread and systematic human rights violations against Palestinian children, yet systemic impunity is the norm,” said Brad Parker, Senior Adviser, Policy and Advocacy at DCIP. “The Commissioners must pursue accountability by analyzing alleged violations of international criminal law falling within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and naming perpetrators.”
In order to challenge systemic and seemingly perpetual impunity and increase protections for children, DCIP and HRGJ strongly urged the Commission to analyze alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, name specific perpetrators and assign criminal responsibility to higher-ranking Israeli armed forces’ members or other officials, where applicable.
Due to the deteriorating human rights situation in the OPT, the UN Human Rights Council convened a special session on May 18, 2018 in Geneva. The council adopted a resolution creating an independent, international commission of inquiry to investigate all alleged violations of international law in the OPT, in the context of mass protests that began on March 30, 2018.
The “Great March of Return” civilian demonstrations began in the Gaza Strip on March 30, 2018, in protest of Palestinian refugees’ inability to return to properties lost during events surrounding the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, and also to demand an end to Israel’s 11-year near total closure of the Gaza Strip.
These mass civilian protests, which have taken place weekly in the area along the Israeli-installed Gaza perimeter fence, or near the Mediterranean shore, have drawn large and diverse crowds of demonstrators, including women, children, and elderly people.
While Israeli authorities have selectively opened their own investigations into several incidents occurring since March 30, Israeli authorities have persistently failed to impartially and independently investigate alleged violations of its armed forces in accordance with international standards, said DCIP.
Children affected by armed conflict are entitled to special respect and protections under international law, but Israeli armed forces have consistently violated these protections through indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks that result in the unlawful killing and maiming of children amounting to war crimes, according to evidence collected by DCIP.
01/02/19 DCIP: 2018 Reigned Deadly Force On Palestinian Children
The 57-page report, [pdf] drafted in collaboration with the Human Rights and Gender Justice Law Clinic (HRGJ), at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, provides background and context to mass protests in Gaza, highlights Israeli forces’ unlawful killing of Palestinian child protesters, and details serious violations of international law by Israeli forces.
The report was submitted to the UN Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), which was established during a special session of the UN Human Rights Council in May of 2018.
According to WAFA, the report notes that, of the 56 Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the OPT during 2018, a total of 45 children were killed in the Gaza Strip since March 30, according to evidence collected by DCIP. In the overwhelming majority of cases, DCIP was able to confirm that children did not present any imminent, mortal threat or threat of serious injury when killed by Israeli forces.
The report concludes that Israeli forces and officials are responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international law for the killing of Palestinian child protesters in Gaza.
“Israeli armed forces have regularly been implicated in widespread and systematic human rights violations against Palestinian children, yet systemic impunity is the norm,” said Brad Parker, Senior Adviser, Policy and Advocacy at DCIP. “The Commissioners must pursue accountability by analyzing alleged violations of international criminal law falling within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and naming perpetrators.”
In order to challenge systemic and seemingly perpetual impunity and increase protections for children, DCIP and HRGJ strongly urged the Commission to analyze alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, name specific perpetrators and assign criminal responsibility to higher-ranking Israeli armed forces’ members or other officials, where applicable.
Due to the deteriorating human rights situation in the OPT, the UN Human Rights Council convened a special session on May 18, 2018 in Geneva. The council adopted a resolution creating an independent, international commission of inquiry to investigate all alleged violations of international law in the OPT, in the context of mass protests that began on March 30, 2018.
The “Great March of Return” civilian demonstrations began in the Gaza Strip on March 30, 2018, in protest of Palestinian refugees’ inability to return to properties lost during events surrounding the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, and also to demand an end to Israel’s 11-year near total closure of the Gaza Strip.
These mass civilian protests, which have taken place weekly in the area along the Israeli-installed Gaza perimeter fence, or near the Mediterranean shore, have drawn large and diverse crowds of demonstrators, including women, children, and elderly people.
While Israeli authorities have selectively opened their own investigations into several incidents occurring since March 30, Israeli authorities have persistently failed to impartially and independently investigate alleged violations of its armed forces in accordance with international standards, said DCIP.
Children affected by armed conflict are entitled to special respect and protections under international law, but Israeli armed forces have consistently violated these protections through indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks that result in the unlawful killing and maiming of children amounting to war crimes, according to evidence collected by DCIP.
01/02/19 DCIP: 2018 Reigned Deadly Force On Palestinian Children
19 jan 2019
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Date: 18 January 2019, The Palestinian Center For Human Right (PCHR): On Friday evening, 18 January 2019, Israeli forces wounded 119 Palestinian civilians, including 30 children, 5 women, 5 paramedics, and 2 journalists, in the peaceful demonstrations in the eastern Gaza Strip despite the decreasing intensity of the demonstrations there for the twelfth week consecutively and absence of most means usually used during the demonstrations since the beginning of the Return and Breaking the Siege March 10 months ago.
According to observations by PCHR’s fieldworkers, though the demonstrators were around tens of meters away from the border fence, the Israeli forces who stationed in prone positions and in military jeeps along the fence continued to use excessive force against the demonstrators by opening fire and firing teargas canisters at them. |
As a result, many of the demonstrators were hit with bullets and teargas canisters to their head without posing any imminent threat or danger to the life of soldiers.
On this Friday, the Israeli forces have increasingly targeted the medical personnel in the field and wounded 5 of them, including 2 female and male paramedics in eastern Khan Yunis, 2 female paramedics in eastern Jabalia and a paramedic in eastern al-Buriej camp.
Moreover, the Israeli forces fired a barrage of teargas canisters near where ambulances were parked in Khan Younis. All of this indicates an Israeli systematic policy to target the medical personnel and obstruct their humanitarian action that is guaranteed with protection under the international humanitarian law.
On 18 January 2019, the incidents were as follows:
At approximately 14:30, thousands of civilians, including women, children and entire families, started swarming to the five encampments established by the Supreme National Authority of Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege adjacent to the border fence with Israel in eastern Gaza Strip cities, except for northern Gaza due to bad weather.
Hundreds, including children and women, approached the border fence with Israel in front of each encampment and gathered tens of meters away from the main border fence, attempting to throw stones at the Israeli forces. Although the demonstrators gathered in areas open to the Israeli snipers stationed on the top of the sand berms and military watchtowers and inside and behind the military jeeps, the Israeli forces fired live and rubber bullets in addition to a barrage of teargas canisters.
The Israeli shooting, which continued at around 17:00, resulted in the injury of 119 civilians, including 30 children, 5 women, 5 paramedics, and 2 journalists. In addition, dozens of demonstrators, paramedics and journalists suffered tear gas inhalation and seizures due to tear gas canisters that were fired by the Israeli forces from the military jeeps and riffles in the eastern Gaza Strip.
The following table shows the number of civilian victims due to the Israeli forces’ suppression of the Great March of Return since its beginning on 30 March:
Notes Medical Crews Journalists Women Children Total Casualties
Among those Killed, there were 8 Persons with
Disabilities and a girl. 3 2 2 36 183 Killed
Among those wounded, 514 are in serious
condition and 101 had their lower or upper
limbs amputated; 89 lower-limb amputations,
2 upper-limb amputations, 10 finger amputations
and 17 children had their limbs amputated
according to the Ministry of Health.
The number of those wounded only include 165 173 303 1907 10,391 Wounded
those wounded with live bullets and directly
hit with tear gas canisters as there have been
thousand others who suffered tear gas inhalation
and sustained bruises.
PCHR emphasizes that continuously targeting civilians, who exercise their right to peaceful assembly or while carrying out their humanitarian duty, is a serious violation of the rules of international law, international humanitarian law, the ICC Rome Statute and Fourth Geneva Convention. Thus, PCHR calls upon the ICC Prosecutor to open an official investigation in these crimes and to prosecute and hold accountable all those applying or involved in issuing orders within the Israeli Forces at the security and political echelons.
PCHR hereby condemns the excessive use of force and commission of crimes by the Israeli forces despite the prevailed calmness, believing it is as a result of Israel’s enjoying impunity thanks to the U.S. and so encouraging the Israeli forces to commit further crimes upon an official decision by the highest military and political echelons.
PCHR also reiterates its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances and their obligations under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
PCHR calls upon Switzerland, in its capacity as the Depository State for the Convention, to demand the High Contracting Parties to convene a meeting and ensure Israel’s respect for this Convention, noting that these grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions regarding the guarantee of Palestinian civilians’ right to protection in the occupied territories.
Public Document
**************************************
Follow PCHR on Facebook and Twitter
For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893
Gaza- Jamal ‘Abdel Nasser “al-Thalathini” Street – Al-Roya Building- Floor 12 , El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: [email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
On this Friday, the Israeli forces have increasingly targeted the medical personnel in the field and wounded 5 of them, including 2 female and male paramedics in eastern Khan Yunis, 2 female paramedics in eastern Jabalia and a paramedic in eastern al-Buriej camp.
Moreover, the Israeli forces fired a barrage of teargas canisters near where ambulances were parked in Khan Younis. All of this indicates an Israeli systematic policy to target the medical personnel and obstruct their humanitarian action that is guaranteed with protection under the international humanitarian law.
On 18 January 2019, the incidents were as follows:
At approximately 14:30, thousands of civilians, including women, children and entire families, started swarming to the five encampments established by the Supreme National Authority of Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege adjacent to the border fence with Israel in eastern Gaza Strip cities, except for northern Gaza due to bad weather.
Hundreds, including children and women, approached the border fence with Israel in front of each encampment and gathered tens of meters away from the main border fence, attempting to throw stones at the Israeli forces. Although the demonstrators gathered in areas open to the Israeli snipers stationed on the top of the sand berms and military watchtowers and inside and behind the military jeeps, the Israeli forces fired live and rubber bullets in addition to a barrage of teargas canisters.
The Israeli shooting, which continued at around 17:00, resulted in the injury of 119 civilians, including 30 children, 5 women, 5 paramedics, and 2 journalists. In addition, dozens of demonstrators, paramedics and journalists suffered tear gas inhalation and seizures due to tear gas canisters that were fired by the Israeli forces from the military jeeps and riffles in the eastern Gaza Strip.
The following table shows the number of civilian victims due to the Israeli forces’ suppression of the Great March of Return since its beginning on 30 March:
Notes Medical Crews Journalists Women Children Total Casualties
Among those Killed, there were 8 Persons with
Disabilities and a girl. 3 2 2 36 183 Killed
Among those wounded, 514 are in serious
condition and 101 had their lower or upper
limbs amputated; 89 lower-limb amputations,
2 upper-limb amputations, 10 finger amputations
and 17 children had their limbs amputated
according to the Ministry of Health.
The number of those wounded only include 165 173 303 1907 10,391 Wounded
those wounded with live bullets and directly
hit with tear gas canisters as there have been
thousand others who suffered tear gas inhalation
and sustained bruises.
PCHR emphasizes that continuously targeting civilians, who exercise their right to peaceful assembly or while carrying out their humanitarian duty, is a serious violation of the rules of international law, international humanitarian law, the ICC Rome Statute and Fourth Geneva Convention. Thus, PCHR calls upon the ICC Prosecutor to open an official investigation in these crimes and to prosecute and hold accountable all those applying or involved in issuing orders within the Israeli Forces at the security and political echelons.
PCHR hereby condemns the excessive use of force and commission of crimes by the Israeli forces despite the prevailed calmness, believing it is as a result of Israel’s enjoying impunity thanks to the U.S. and so encouraging the Israeli forces to commit further crimes upon an official decision by the highest military and political echelons.
PCHR also reiterates its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e., to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances and their obligations under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
PCHR calls upon Switzerland, in its capacity as the Depository State for the Convention, to demand the High Contracting Parties to convene a meeting and ensure Israel’s respect for this Convention, noting that these grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions regarding the guarantee of Palestinian civilians’ right to protection in the occupied territories.
Public Document
**************************************
Follow PCHR on Facebook and Twitter
For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893
Gaza- Jamal ‘Abdel Nasser “al-Thalathini” Street – Al-Roya Building- Floor 12 , El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: [email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
15 jan 2019
The Israeli army opened fire at a group of Palestinian youths, on Tuesday, for allegedly attempting to “infiltrate” the security fence along the Israeli-Gaza border.
According to Hebrew-language news outlets, the Israeli army opened fire at the youths, however, no injuries were reported from the shooting.
Israeli forces regularly detain Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel from the besieged Gaza Strip, which has suffered under a nearly 12-year-long military blockade by Israel.
According to Hebrew-language news outlets, the Israeli army opened fire at the youths, however, no injuries were reported from the shooting.
Israeli forces regularly detain Palestinians attempting to cross into Israel from the besieged Gaza Strip, which has suffered under a nearly 12-year-long military blockade by Israel.
The Israeli army conducted military training near the northern borders of the besieged Gaza Strip, on Tuesday afternoon.
Spokesperson of the Israeli army said, in a statement, that military training were conducted around the southern Israeli town Sderot.
Weekly protests are being carried out alongside the borders of the Gaza Strip every Friday since March 30th, 2018 by thousands of Palestinian civilians in Gaza -- which has suffered from a decade-long Israeli siege – demanding their right of return as refugees to their original homelands, now in present-day Israel.
Spokesperson of the Israeli army said, in a statement, that military training were conducted around the southern Israeli town Sderot.
Weekly protests are being carried out alongside the borders of the Gaza Strip every Friday since March 30th, 2018 by thousands of Palestinian civilians in Gaza -- which has suffered from a decade-long Israeli siege – demanding their right of return as refugees to their original homelands, now in present-day Israel.
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan suggested barring Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from returning to the West Bank after his next trip abroad, claiming the Palestinian Authority (PA) leader was “one of the main instigators of violence on the southern border.”
In an interview with Israel Radio, Erdan said Abbas was “responsible for the ongoing turmoil on the Israel-Gaza border through his ongoing economic pressure on Hamas as he tries to break the terror group’s grip over the enclave.”
He said, “The one really responsible behind the scenes for all that is happening is Abu Mazen (Abbas’s nickname). He is the one to move inspectors out of the Rafah Crossing, he is the one sanctioning Hamas in order to pressure Hamas — pressure that is bleeding over to us.”
Erdan added that the Israeli government should consider taking action against Abbas in the coming months as his policy is “undeniably to foment unrest and incite against Israel, whether directly or through sanctions on Hamas.”
He continued, “Maybe we should go as far as to consider one of the next times Abu Mazen leaves not to allow him to come back.”
Erdan criticized Abbas’s political approach, “He makes no contribution to the diplomatic process. He’s only doing damage with his attitude toward Hamas.”
Abbas has engaged in multiple measures against Gaza, such as withholding transfers of tax money, banning entry of fuel supplies, in order to pressure the Hamas movement, which is the de facto leading political party in Gaza, into giving up control of the Strip.
In an interview with Israel Radio, Erdan said Abbas was “responsible for the ongoing turmoil on the Israel-Gaza border through his ongoing economic pressure on Hamas as he tries to break the terror group’s grip over the enclave.”
He said, “The one really responsible behind the scenes for all that is happening is Abu Mazen (Abbas’s nickname). He is the one to move inspectors out of the Rafah Crossing, he is the one sanctioning Hamas in order to pressure Hamas — pressure that is bleeding over to us.”
Erdan added that the Israeli government should consider taking action against Abbas in the coming months as his policy is “undeniably to foment unrest and incite against Israel, whether directly or through sanctions on Hamas.”
He continued, “Maybe we should go as far as to consider one of the next times Abu Mazen leaves not to allow him to come back.”
Erdan criticized Abbas’s political approach, “He makes no contribution to the diplomatic process. He’s only doing damage with his attitude toward Hamas.”
Abbas has engaged in multiple measures against Gaza, such as withholding transfers of tax money, banning entry of fuel supplies, in order to pressure the Hamas movement, which is the de facto leading political party in Gaza, into giving up control of the Strip.
