Hawzah News Agency (Occupied Palestine) - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued to violate Palestinians’ human rights and commit crimes against civilians and their properties, conducting raids into Palestinian cities without regard to the state of emergency declared across the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) since 06 March 2020, in the efforts put forward to combat the spread of coronavirus. IOF raids are conducted without proper attention to prevention and safety standards to mitigate the risk of transmitting coronavirus to Palestinian territory, as the virus is widespread throughout Israel. PCHR is concerned that Israeli raids undermine preventive measures adopted by the government. Meanwhile, settlers backed up by IOF continued to seize more civilian property and attack civilians and their property.

This week, PCHR documented 98 violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL) by IOF and settlers in the oPt. As the state of emergency enters its 5th week, as well as the extreme Israeli restrictions on movement of individuals, have hindered our fieldwork team’s ability to cover all incidents in the oPt and were forced to collect information via phone from trusted local sources. As such, this report is a comprehensive record of Israeli violations of human rights against Palestinians in the oPt, as IOF continues its attacks against civilians despite the exceptional circumstances that have overcome the whole world in the face of a life-threatening viral pandemic.IOF Shooting and Violation of Right to Bodily Integrity: 2 Palestinian civilians were shot and wounded by IOF; 1 during suppression of civilians at Qalqilia; and a fisherman in Gaza. IOF opened fire 8 times during raids into the West Bank; 10 shootings against the agricultural lands eastern Gaza Strip while 6 shootings were reported against Palestinian fishing boats off the northern Gaza Strip shore.

IOF Incursions and Arrests of Palestinian Civilians: IOF carried out 49 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Those incursions included raids of civilian houses and shootings, inciting fear among civilians, and attacking many of them. During this week’s incursions, 22 Palestinians were arrested, including 4 children and a woman. Fady al-Hadmi, Jerusalem Affairs Minister, and Adnan Ghaith, Jerusalem Governor, were among those arrested, which is part of the Israeli occupation’s policy to combat the work of the Palestinian Authority in the occupied city. Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, IOF conducted two limited incursions into northern Gaza Strip and eastern Khan Younis.

Settlement Expansion Activities and Settlers’ Attacks: PCHR documented 9 IOF operations in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem: bulldozing an agriculture room and house and confiscation of a barracks in Hebron; warehouse and agricultural lands destroyed in Bethlehem; farmers banned access to their lands in Bethlehem; and notices to halt construction at 2 houses in Jenin and the Northern Valley.

PCHR also documented 7 settler attacks: assaulting 5 civilians, kidnaping two of them and surrendering them to IOF; sewer water pumped into Bethlehem lands; 4 dunams razed, lands confiscated and olive trees uprooted in Hebron; and civilian houses assaulted in Nablus.

Israeli Closure Policy and Restrictions on Freedom of Movement: Israeli authorities continued to impose restrictions on Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing and West Bank Crossings under the pretext of confronting the fast-spreading Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. On Wednesday 08 April 2020, IOF imposed closure and additional restrictions on the movement at crossings, for the Jewish Passover holiday. Israeli authorities stated that the closure that has already been imposed on the Palestinian areas will remain the same, as entry through the crossings will be allowed only for exceptional humanitarian cases and urgent medical cases.

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli authorities continued to impose restrictions on Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing, only humanitarian cases would be allowed to pass through the crossing. Concerning Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing, the crossing will be operated on a limited scale.

Also, Israeli authorities stated that the crossing will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, 08/09 April 2020, and on Tuesday and Wednesday, 14/15 April 2020. This comes at a time when the Gaza Strip still suffers the worst closure in the history of the Israeli occupation of the oPt as it has entered the 14th consecutive year, without any improvement to the movement of persons or goods, humanitarian conditions and bearing catastrophic consequences on all aspects of life. Furthermore, IOF uses Erez Crossing that is designated for movement of individuals as an ambush to arrest Palestinians who obtain permits to exit via Israel.

Meanwhile, IOF continued to divide the West Bank into separate cantons with key roads blocked by the Israeli occupation since the Second Intifada and with temporary and permanent checkpoints, where civilian movement is restricted, and they are subject to arrest.