Reports
Nine Palestinians, including three children, were killed by Israeli forces during events related to the ‘Great March of Return’ in the Gaza Strip, and another 829 were injured. Four of the fatalities, including three men and one boy, were killed during demonstrations that took place on Friday 14 and 21 September near the fence, which have witnessed a significant increase in the overall number of participants. The other Palestinian fatalities were recorded during additional events that have begun to take place on a regular basis, including night demonstrations near the fence (a man and a boy killed); attempts to break the naval blockade (one male fatality); and demonstrations near the Erez passenger crossing with Israel (one male fatality). Another 16-year-old boy died of wounds sustained during a previous demonstration in early August (not included in the total). Of the people injured during the reporting period, 629 were hospitalized, including 261 people (41 per cent) hit by live ammunition and the rest were treated in the field, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza. From the total number of injuries, there were 97 children, of which, 59 were hit with live ammunition, and six women, including three hit with live ammunition.
In August, a total of 25 Palestinian-owned structures were demolished or seized and 14 people displaced, compared to monthly averages of 36 structures and 39 people, respectively, recorded in the past seven months. As of 31 August, 277 structures had been demolished or seized and 287 people displaced, marking a 14 and 43 per cent decline, respectively, compared to the equivalent figures in 2017. All but one of the structures demolished this month were due to the lack of Israeli-issued permits, which are nearly impossible to obtain.
Longstanding restrictions on the movement of people and goods to and from Gaza have undermined the living conditions of about two million Palestinians in that area. Many of the restrictions, originally imposed by Israel in the early 1990s, were intensified after June 2007, following the Hamas takeover of Gaza and the imposition of a blockade. These restrictions continue to reduce access to livelihoods, essential services and housing, disrupt family life, and undermine people’s hopes for a secure and prosperous future. Between 9 July and 14 August, Israel significantly tightened its restrictions on imports to Gaza and banned the exit of all goods, reportedly in response to the launching of incendiary kites from Gaza into Israel, which has caused extensive property damage. Since 19 August, citing continued violent incidents at the fence, Israel has intermittently imposed additional restrictions at Erez Crossing, the only passenger crossing between Gaza and the West Bank, which is already off limits to most Palestinians.
Friday demonstrations and clashes near Israel’s perimeter fence around Gaza continued, resulting in three Palestinians killed, including two children, and 666 injured by Israeli forces. On two occasions during demonstrations that took place on 7 September, east of Rafah, Israeli forces shot with live ammunition two 16 years-old boys, who were in close proximity to the fence, killing one of them, and severely injuring the other, who died of wounds sustained the following day. Initial investigations and video footage suggest that none of the children were armed or threatened the lives of the Israeli forces. Since 30 March 2018, 31 children have been killed by Israeli forces, the majority whilst participating in the demonstrations. Of the people injured during the period, 260 were hospitalized, including 172 people hit by live ammunition; the rest were treated in the field. No Israeli casualties were reported. For cumulative casualty figures and breakdowns since the beginning of the demonstrations
Israeli authorities lift recent restrictions on Kerem Shalom but additional restrictions imposed at Erez Crossing. UN emergency fuel programme for essential health and WASH services in Gaza about to run out. Pest that infects olive trees expected to significantly reduce this year’s harvest in West Bank
Friday demonstrations and clashes near Israel’s perimeter fence around Gaza continued for the twenty-second successive week, resulting in two Palestinians killed and 733 injured. During demonstrations that took place on 17 August in the Rafah and Deir al Balah areas, Israeli forces shot with live ammunition and killed two men, 27 and 28-years-old. Of those injured, 325 were hospitalized, including 141 people hit by live ammunition, and the rest treated in the field. No Israeli casualties were reported. For cumulative casualty figures and breakdowns since the beginning of the demonstrations see here. On 21 August, for the first time since the start of the demonstrations, Israel’s Military Advocate General announced the opening of criminal investigations into the killing of two Palestinian demonstrators in previous months
July recorded the highest number of structures demolished or seized, and of people displaced, 54 and 97 respectively, since January 2017. However, the cumulative number of structures targeted so far in 2018 (251) has remained below the figure in the equivalent period of 2017 (286). All of the incidents during July took place on grounds of lack of building permits.
A new round of hostilities in the Gaza Strip and southern Israel resulted in five Palestinian fatalities, including a pregnant woman and her 18-month-old daughter; 50 Palestinians and 28 Israelis were injured. On 8 August, two members of the Hamas armed wing were killed by Israeli tank fire. Beginning that evening and continuing through 9 August, Palestinian armed groups fired some 180 rockets and mortars at Israeli communities surrounding Gaza; a few rockets hit built-up areas, resulting in the Israeli injuries and in damage to several buildings, including a kindergarten in the city of Sderot. The Israeli Air Force carried out extensive airstrikes across Gaza, firing over 110 missiles, one of which killed the Palestinian woman and her child, in Deir al Balah; six water facilities serving over 30,000 people, as well as dozens of houses and a number of vehicles, were damaged. Later on 9 August, a Palestinian faction fired a medium-range rocket at the Israeli city of Beersheba, resulting in no injuries or damage. Subsequently, Israel targeted and completely destroyed a five-storey building in the centre of Gaza city, which housed a cultural centre, and, according to the Israeli military, was a facility used by Hamas’ internal security. The latter two attacks were the first of their kind since the 2014 hostilities. An informal ceasefire was reached on the evening of 9 August.
Longstanding restrictions on the movement of people and goods to and from Gaza have undermined the living conditions of about two million Palestinians in that area. Many of the restrictions, originally imposed by Israel in the early 1990s, were intensified after June 2007, following the Hamas takeover of Gaza and the imposition of a blockade. These restrictions continue to reduce access to livelihoods, essential services and housing, disrupt family life, and undermine people’s hopes for a secure and prosperous future. Since 9 July 2018, Israel has significantly tightened its restrictions on imports to Gaza and banned the exit of all goods, reportedly in response to the launching of incendiary kites from Gaza into Israel, which has caused extensive property damage.
Israel’s blockade on Gaza tightened: further import restrictions, a suspension of exports, and a reduction of the accessible fishing area. The 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan is only 24 per cent funded, an all-time low, forcing agencies to scale down interventions. Over 100 million litres of poorly-treated sewage discharged into the sea every day, posing serious health and environmental hazards for Gaza’s population. Herding communities in, or next to, a “firing zone” in eastern Nablus governorate face an increasingly coercive environment due to various Israeli practices.
