OPT: Protection of civilians weekly report 30 May - 05 Jun 2007

Of note this week

Gaza Strip:

- Five Palestinians were killed, including two Palestinian children aged 13, and three 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). IAF air strikes have also primarily targeted the northern area, including suspected rocket-launching sites. In addition, IDF reinforcements entered the area north of Beit Lahiya.

- A total of 34 homemade rockets and 16 mortar shells were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel (compared to 86 Qassam rockets and 28 mortar shells the previous week), of which two shells landed in the Palestinian area. Four IDF soldiers were lightly injured by shrapnel from four mortar shells. No damage to Israeli property was reported.

- The BBC's Gaza based correspondent, Alan Johnston, has been missing for 86 days after being abducted on 12 March 2007.

- Notwithstanding some incidents of internal violence between Hamas and Fatah supporters, the ceasefire brokered on 19 May has largely held.

West Bank:

- On 2 June, the IDF damaged 86 houses, 69 shops, one mosque, one church, one soap factory, the electricity grid, the water network and some general infrastructure in Nablus's Old City (Nablus) during a search and arrest campaign. The municipality estimated that repair costs would reach up to US $75,000.

- West Bank PA employees, except for those in the health and education sectors, held a strike on 2 and 3 June in protest against the non-payment of their salaries.

- On 3 June, the IDF prevented three members of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) from observing IDF actions in front of the Ibrahimi Mosque. The IDF ordered TIPH members to leave this part of their Area of Operation and threatened to close down Al Kasaba checkpoint. TIPH is present in Hebron as part of the Hebron Protocol which was signed between the PLO and the Israeli Government in 1996.