The following post is from the Medical Aid for Palestinians website on 24 January 2013
Israeli army and settler violence continues: six Palestinians killed by Israeli forces and dozens injured in a fortnight
Since 11 January, six young Palestinians have been shot and killed by Israeli forces using live ammunition- four in the West Bank and two in Gaza. The first victim was a 20-year old man from Gaza, who was part of a group of Palestinian civilians 50 metres from the fence. A second man who tried to rescue the victim was also shot and injured. The following day (12 January) a 21-year old man was shot and killed near the separation wall in Ar Ramadin village, near Hebron. He was with other Palestinian workers trying to get into Israel without permits. On 14 January, a Palestinian farmer in Gaza was shot and killed about 500 metres from the fence. The following day, a 17-year old Palestinian boy was fatally shot in the head, abdomen and chest in the West Bank village of Budrus, and a 13-year old boy was hit in the head with a tear gas canister and injured. On 18 January, Israeli soldiers shot a 15-year old boy in the head in Bethlehem; he died of his injuries on 23 January. Also on 23 January, a 22-year old woman was fatally shot in the head near Hebron. Another woman was injured in the attack. Seven Palestinians, including an 11-year old child, were also injured during a weekly demonstration in Kafr Qaddum (Qalqiliya) against the closure of the main road into the village.
Three settler attacks in the West Bank – which included the use of live ammunition – left several Palestinians injured. In two attacks, 285 Palestinian olive trees were also vandalised.
Palestinian fishermen in Gaza within the Israeli-imposed six nautical mile limit continue to be harassed intercepted by Israeli naval forces. Three fishermen were forced to swim to the naval ships and had their boat confiscated.
In the past week, there have been 50 Israeli incursions into the West Bank, with 37 Palestinians arrested, including five children. Israeli forces also destroyed two Palestinian tent villages on Palestinian land – Bab al-Shams in so-called E1 and al-Karamah, Palestinian land that Israel has earmarked for settlements. Several protestors were arrested.
In the al-Maleh area of the northern Jordan Valley, Israeli forces destroyed 37 residential tents, displacing 115 people, including scores of children. They destroyed four more homes in al-Jiftlik, also in northern Jordan Valley, on 24 January.
In addition to Israeli military and settler attacks, recent severe weather was responsible for the collapse of several of Gaza’s tunnels near the Egyptian border. One Palestinian man was killed, another injured, and two remain missing.