OPT: Protection of civilians weekly report 06 - 12 Jun 2007

Of note this week

Gaza Strip:

- According to the Ministry of Health, 52 Palestinians were killed, including at least three women and one child, and a minimum of 187 were injured throughout the Gaza Strip between 9 and 12 June. These deaths have been due to factional fighting involving Fatah forces, Hamas members, and the Hamas affiliated Executive Support Force (hereinafter ESF). These incidents followed a cease fire agreement brokered on 19 May.

- Armed masked men set up checkpoints throughout the Gaza Strip and took up sniper positions on the top of high-rise buildings. These developments severely disrupted the lives of Gazan citizens who were afraid to leave their homes. On the street they faced being interrogated at impromptu checkpoints by armed, masked militias or else risked the chance of being caught in the crossfire between rival factions.

- Two Palestinians were killed and eight others injured as a result of IDF military operations in the Gaza Strip. IDF soldiers remain present in the northern Gaza Strip (east and north of Beit Hanoun and north and northwest of Beit Lahiya, including the Siafa area).

- 47 homemade rockets and 33 mortar shells were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel. One rocket and five mortar shells detonated in the Palestinian area, and one mortar shell landed on the Israeli side of Erez crossing. An Israeli citizen was injured in the western Negev by one of the rockets.

- The BBC's Gaza based correspondent, Alan Johnston, has been missing for 93 days after being abducted on 12 March 2007.

West Bank:

- 9 June: Palestinian and international peace activists held a demonstration at Damascus Gate (Jerusalem) to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the beginning of occupation.

- 12 June: More than one thousand Israelis marched towards the evacuated settlement of Khomesh (Nablus) where they gathered and erected tents. There were reports of a heavy IDF presence to protect the march.

- 6, 7, and 12 June: West Bank PA employees, except for those in the health and education sectors, held strikes in protest against the non-payment of their salaries. On 6 and 7 June, PA employees in Ramallah also held peaceful demonstrations to protest the non-receipt of salaries.