IOF Impair the Gaza Strip

September 20, 2003

The Fourth Geneva Convention in 1949 ''article 33, first Paragraph that lays: ''a prohibition on collective punishments of any kind inflicted on persons or entire groups in defiance of the most elementary principles of humanity, for acts these persons have not committed and all measures of intimidation or terrorism with regard to protected persons, whatever they may be. Thus, strike at guilty and innocent alike is opposed to all principles based on humanity and justice.

In contradiction to the previous mentioned paragraph, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) are practicing a collective punishment policy on Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Since the outbreak of the second Intifada in September 28, 2000, Gaza Strip has been facing a series of violations committed by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) and resulting in a huge campaign of house demolitions and confiscation of land. Hundreds of families are now considered homeless due to the Israeli violation in the area and people are suffering from poor living conditions.

On Sunday, the 7th of September, the Israeli army backed by Bulldozers destroyed seven houses and partially damaged many others in Rafah refugee camp, the southern-most camp along the Egyptian border. Following this military operation, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) escalated its violation on Thursday, the 11th of September 2003 against the Palestinian territories and demolished another 16 houses in Yibna refugee camp in the city of Rafah without pre-warning. The bulldozers also destroyed the camp's infrastructure resulting in power outage and the destruction of several water and phone lines. The number of families turned homeless was almost 35, a sum of 165 family members, mostly children. The houses are owned by the families of Abed Al-al, Abu Taha, Abu Jaser, Shaqfa, Al Taweel, Redwan And Al Arja families.

In a field survey conducted by ARIJ's partner ''PCHR'' in Gaza Strip. During the first two weeks of September 2003, the Israeli forces incurred into a number of Palestinian cities and camps in Gaza Strip and razed 70 dunums of agricultural land all cultivated with Olive and fruitful trees. Most of the operations were carried out in Rafah, Deir Al Balah and Khan Younus; in addition to the destruction of many types of agricultural equipments. Below is a brief description of the Israeli violations in Gaza Strip accompanied by tables that clarify the losses in the agricultural sector:

To the southeast of Deir Al Balah, a total of 37 dunums of agricultural land cultivated with fruitful trees mainly Olive and Citrus were razed and 3 concrete walls were demolished by the IOF. A total of 17.5 dunums of agricultural lands cultivated with fruitful trees and 3 spiked fence were razed by the IOF in Al Mughraqa area, to the south of Gaza Strip.

In Zuroub Square, southwest Rafah city, the IOF razed 21.5 of agricultural land cultivated with fruitful trees in addition to 2 water networks and 1 concrete wall. In Um Selk Area, southwest Khan Younus city, the IOF razed a total of 38 dunums of agricultural land. In Al Qarara city, to the north of Khan Younus, the IOF razed a total of 2.5 dunums of agricultural land and a water well. In Qizan An Najjar, to the south of Khan Younus, the IOF razed a total of 10 dunums of agricultural land; Besides, the IOF partially demolished a house inhabited by 36 people.

In Block L of Yibna Refugee camp of Rafah, the IOF completely demolished 10 houses, and partially damaged another 7 houses. 221 people turned homeless as a result of the Israeli violation in the area. In Block J in Rafah city, 8 houses were completely demolished by the IOF. As a result, 110 people turned homeless. In Al Salam neighborhood, South of Rafah city, the IOF completely demolished 1 house and razed 4 dunums of agricultural land in addition to 2 irrigation network. Table 1: Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip on September 4th, 2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	People affected	Area	Losses
1	Southeast Deir Al Balah	Razing of agricultural land	Hatem Mohammed Ahmad abu Samra	28 dunum	Olive, Citrus & Fruits trees
		Razing of concrete wall and spiked fence		200m, 300 m
2	Southeast Deir Al Balah	Razing of agricultural land	Khalil Suliaman Hasan Abu Samra	2 dunums	Olive & Palm trees
		Razing of spiked fence		300 m length
3	Southeast Deir Al Balah	Razing of agricultural land	Salamah Suliaman Hasan Abu Samra	1.5 dunum	Olive, Citrus & Fruits trees
4	Southeast Deir Al Balah	Razing of agricultural land	Omar Suliaman Hasan Abu Samra	1.5 dunum	Olive, Citrus & Fruits trees
5	Southeast Deir Al Balah	Razing of agricultural land	Hasan Suliaman Hasan Abu Samra	4 dunums	Olive, Citrus and Palm trees

Table 2:- Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip on September 5, 2003.

No.	Location	Type of violation	People affected	Area	Losses
1	Al Mughraqa area, south of Gaza strip	Razing of agricultural land	Hasan Ali Al Derawi	1.5 dunum	Olive and Figs trees
		Razing of spiked fence		50m length
2	Al Mughraqa area, south of Gaza strip	Razing of agricultural land	Suliaman Ali Al Derawi	2.5 dunum	Olive and citrus trees
		Razing of spiked fence		200m length
3	Al Mughraqa area, south of Gaza strip	Razing of agricultural land	Mahmmoud Sha'ban Al Helo	5 dunums	Olive and citrus trees
		Razing of spiked fence		200m
4	Al Mughraqa area, south of Gaza strip	Razing of agricultural land	Majed Abdullah Al Hasanat	0.5 dunum	citrus trees
5	Al Mughraqa area, south of Gaza strip	Razing of agricultural land	Isaac Abdel Karim Hassan	1 dunum	corn
6	Al Mughraqa area, south of Gaza strip	Razing of agricultural land	Ra'fat Sulaiman Shain	0.5 dunum	olive trees
7	Al Mughraqa area, south of Gaza strip	Razing of agricultural land	Zuhair Al 'Alami	1 dunum	citrus trees
8	Al Mughraqa area, south of Gaza strip	Razing of agricultural land	Abdel Fattah Ahmad Hamdan	2.5 dunum	Olive and Figs trees
		Razing of concrete Wall		200 m length
9	Al Mughraqa area, south of Gaza strip	Razing of agricultural land	Faraj Rashad Al Malhi.	3 dunums	Olive trees

Table 3: Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip on September 5th,2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	People affected	Area	Losses
1	Zuroub Square, southwest Rafah city	Razing of agricultural land	Nour Al Deen Breka	3 dunums	Olive trees and green beans
2	Zuroub Square, southwest Rafah city	Razing and destruction of agricultural equipments	Farouq Mohammad Breka	3.5 dunums	3 Green houses+ water network+ pumping motor and water pool
3	Zuroub Square, southwest Rafah city	Razing of agricultural land	Saleh Mohammad Breka	3.5 dunums	olive trees
		Razing and destruction of agricultural equipments			Agricultural equipments room water network+ pumping motor and water pool
4	Zuroub Square, southwest Rafah city	Razing of agricultural land	Salah Mohammad Breka	3.5 dunums	Olive trees, Green beans and Eggplants
		Razing and destruction of agricultural equipments			Agricultural equipments room water network+ pumping motor and water pool
5	Zuroub Square, southwest Rafah city	Razing and destruction of agricultural equipments	Ahmad Muhammad Breka	3 dunums	3 green houses + 40m depth well +water network+ pumping motor and water pool
6	Zuroub Square, southwest Rafah city	Razing and destruction of agricultural equipments	Omar Muhammad Breka	3 dunum	3 green houses + 40m depth well +water network+ pumping motor and water pool
7	Zuroub Square, southwest Rafah city	Razing of agricultural land	Hafez Tawfiq Breka	2 dunums	olive trees
		Razing and destruction of agricultural equipments			water network+ pumping motor and water pool
8	Zuroub Square, southwest Rafah city		Yousof Muhammad Breka	3500 m2	Water network
9	Zuroub Square, southwest Rafah city		Ahmad Muhammad Breka	3500 m2	Water network
10	Zuroub Square, southwest Rafah city	Razing of Concrete Wall	Ahmad Sulaiman Hijazi	40 meters

Table 4: Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip on September 5th, 2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	People affected	Area	Losses
1	Um Al Selk, southwest Khan Younus City	Razing of Agricultural land	Issa Mustafa Al Lahham	21 dunums	Onion
		Razing of agricultural equipments			3 green houses
		Razing of agricultural equipments		100 m2	4 agricultural rooms
		Razing of agricultural equipments			water network+ pumping motor and water pool
2	Um Al Selk, southwest Khan Younus City	Razing of agricultural land and destruction of equipments	Sami, Ghazi and Suhail Hasan Shehdeh	8 dunums	8 green houses+ destruction of a water network
3	Um Al Selk, southwest Khan Younus City	Razing of agricultural lands	Fadel Hijazi Odeh Hijazi	2 dunums	Cucumbers
		Razing of agricultural equipment			Water network

Table 5:- Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip on September 6th,2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	People affected	Area	Losses
1	Um Al Selk, southwest Khan Younus City	Razing & destruction of agricultural equipments	Khaled Odeh Hijazi	2 dunums	Green house cultivated with Cucumber + destruction of water network and a spiked fence
2	Um Al Selk, southwest Khan Younus City	Razing of agricultural land	Hasan Mahmoud Al Sha'er.	5 dunums	uncultivated
		Razing of agricultural equipments			Agricultural room, pumping motor and water network

Table 6:- Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip on September 7th,2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	People affected	Area	Losses
1	Al Qarara city, north of Khan Younus	Razing of agricultural land	Jam'an Salameh Al Sumairi	1.5 dunum	Olive trees
		Razing of agricultural equipment		90 m depth	Water well
2	Al Qarara city, north of Khan Younus	Razing of agricultural land & destruction of equipments	Ibrahim Hamdan Al Sumairi	1 dunum	Olive and Figs trees + destruction of water network

Table 7: Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip on September 8th, 2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	People affected	Area	Losses
1	Qizan An Najjar area, south of Khan Younus city	Razing of agricultural land and destruction of equipment	Khaled Marzouq Salameh Al Sha'er	2 dunums	Olive trees + water network
2	Qizan An Najjar area, south of Khan Younus city	Razing of agricultural land and destruction of equipment	Ashraf Ibrahim Tabbasi	7 dunums	Green Pepper + water network.
3	Qizan An Najjar area, south of Khan Younus city	Razing of agricultural land	Mustafa Abdel 'Aziz Al Najjar	50m length row	Figs trees
4	Qizan An Najjar area, south of Khan Younus city	Razing of agricultural land	Hamed Al Najjar	50m length row	Figs trees

Table 8: Shelling of Palestinian houses dated on September 11,2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	Name	Area	# of dwellers
1.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of RafahÃ¢??	House demolition	Husni Hamdan Abu Taha	300 m2	4 families (26 people)
2.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	House demolition	'Ata Ahamd Shaqfa	80 m2	7 people
3.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	House demolition	Mohammad Yousef Aby Ziada	175 m2	3 families (16 people)
4.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	House demolition	Hassan Marzouq Abu Jazar	90 m2	8 people
5.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	House demolition	Fatima Isma'el Abu Jazar	80 m2	8 people
6.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	House demolition	Anis Mohammad Al 'Arja	200 m2	2 families (13 people)
7.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	House demolition	Mahomoud Mohammad Al 'Arja	150 m2	16 people
8.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	House demolition	Hamdan Mohammad Al 'Arja	250 m2	4 families (25 people)
9.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	House demolition	Hamda Hamad Radwan	200 m2	3 families (22 people)
10.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	House demolition	Bahaa' Mohammad Radwan	100 m2	4 people

Table 9: Partial House demolition in Block L of Yibna refugee camp – dated on September 11,2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	Name	Area	# of dwellers
1.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	Partial House demolition	Khaled Sa'ed Radwan	100 m2	2 families ( 9 people)
2.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	Partial House demolition	Hasan Suliaman Radwan	170 m2	5 families (26 people )
3.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	Partial House demolition	'Ali Hasan Radwan	80 m2	8 people
4.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	Partial House demolition	Amin Khalil 'Omar	130 m2	10 people
5.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	Partial House demolition	Hamda Ahmad 'Abdul 'Aal	220 m2	3 families (18 people)
6.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	Partial House demolition	Ahmad 'Ali Shaqfa	90 m2	1 person
7.	Block L of Yibna refugee camp of Rafah	Partial House demolition	'Abdel Hai Marzouq Salama Al Sha'er	130 m2	4 people

Table 10: Partial House demolition in Block L of Yibna refugee camp – dated on September 12, 2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	Name	Area	# of dwellers
1.	Qizan An Najjar, in the south of Khan Younus	Partial house demolition	Rezeq Salama Suliaman Al Sha'er	130 m2	3 families (36 people)

Table 11: Partial House demolition in Block L of Yibna refugee camp
dated on September 14, 2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	Name	Area	# of dwellers
1.	Block J in Rafah	House demolition	Majdi 'Abdul Ra'ouf Sha'at	150 m2	10 people
2.	Block J in Rafah	House demolition	Hammad Mohammad Sha'at	150 m2	5 people
3.	Block J in Rafah	House demolition	Yahya Ahmad 'Ayyash	270 m2 ( 3 storey house)	7 families (31 people)
4.	Block J in Rafah	House demolition	Ibrahim Yousof An Najjar	210 m2	9 people
5.	Block J in Rafah	House demolition	'Abdul Wahab Al Zatma	270 m2	9 people
6.	Block J in Rafah	House demolition	Ra'ed Zaki Al Jazzar	250 m2	2 families ( 7 people)
7.	Block J in Rafah	House demolition	Mahmoud Abdel 'Aziz Al Jazzar	250 m2	5 families (30 people)
8.	Block J in Rafah	House demolition	'Abed Hassan Al Jamal	200 m2	9 people

Table 12: Various violations dated on September 15, 2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	Name	Area	Losses / inhabitants
1.	Al Salam Neighborhood, south of Rafah	House demolition	Fathi 'Ali Mohammad 'Abdul 'Aal	200 m2	68 people
2.	Al Salam Neighborhood, south of Rafah	Razing of land & destruction of agricultural equipments	Nizam Khamis Khalil Sha'at	2 dunums	Olive and palm trees + irrigation network
3.	Al Salam Neighborhood, south of Rafah	Razing of land & destruction of agricultural equipments	Mohammad Ahmad Al Masri	2 dunums	Olive trees + irrigation network

Table 13: Partial and Total house demolition dated on September 15,2003

No.	Location	Type of violation	Name	Area	# of dwellers
1.	Block K, in Rafah city	House demolition	Hassan 'Awadh Mohammad Barhoum	200 m2	9 people
2.	Block K, in Rafah city	House demolition	Munira 'Awadh Hamed Barhoum	100 m2	7 people
3.	Block K, in Rafah city	Partial House demolition	Hassan 'Abdullah Barhoum	120 m2	2 families (5 people )
4.	Block K, in Rafah city	Partial House demolition	Salman Hassan Barhoum	150 m2	8 people
5.	Block K, in Rafah city	Partial House demolition	Na'im Ahmed 'Abdullah Barhoum	180 m2	10 people
6.	Block K, in Rafah city	Partial House demolition	Ahmad Hamdan Yousof Barhoum	150 m2	6 people
7.	Block K, in Rafah city	Partial House demolition	Sabri 'abed Shuraiqi	120 m2	8 people
8.	Block K, in Rafah city	Partial House demolition	Iyad Ahmad Hamdan Barhoum	120 m2	3 people
9.	Block K, in Rafah city	Partial House demolition	Sa'id Sulaimna Barhoum	120 m2	6 people
10.	Block K, in Rafah city	Partial House demolition	Na'im Sa'id Sulaiman Barhoum	100 m2	3 people
11.	Block K, in Rafah city	Partial House demolition	Hamdan Joma'a Mohammad Barhoum	130 m2	10 people
12.	Block K, in Rafah city	Partial House demolition	Isma'il Juma'a Ahmad Barhoum	100 m2	8 people
13.	Block K, in Rafah city	Partial House demolition	Mohammad Ahmad Mohammad Abu Qamar	100 m 2	2 families (15 people)

See map of locations

Closure and Checkpoints

1. On September 4, 2003, the IOF closed Al Matahen and Abu Al Holi junctions that connect south and north Gaza together.

2. On September 7, 2003, the IOF closed Al Tuffah and Tal Al Sultan junctions that connect Khan Younus city and Rafah with Al Mawasi togther.

3. On September 7, 2003, the IOf closed the Erez crossing point, north of Gaza strip and prevented thousands of Palestinian workers from going to their work places.

4. On September 8, 2003, the IOF closed Al Mintar crossing point, east of Gaza strip, which is considered the only commercial crossing point that connects the West Bank and Gaza Strip with Israel. The closure of Al Mintar crossing point resulted in the ravaging large amounts of supplies mainly fruits and vegetables.

During the period between September 1st and September 18, 2003 these junctions witnessed a series of closures and restriction on movement. They are opened on stages during the day and Palestinian vehicles are forced to wait in long lines especially in the morning and the afternoon, which are the periods that witness active movement of Palestinian vehicles. Thus, forcing restriction on movement as Palestinians move into and out their areas. The IOF intentionally and constantly escalate their violations towards Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to hinder their ability to enjoy the right to live an ordinary life and hamper or freeze their daily activities, which in return causes a lot of frustration and despair and makes peaceful coexistence practically unattainable.

Intervention by the international community is crucially needed in order to stop the Israeli violations of international human rights and humanitarian law and insure protection for the Palestinian people in the occupied territories.

Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem