Protection of Civilians Report | 14 - 27 July 2020

  • Twenty Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces in various clashes across the West Bank. This is around 80 per cent below the average of such injuries since the beginning of 2020. Fourteen of the injuries were sustained during clashes that erupted in two separate protests against the establishment of two settlement outposts in the vicinity ‘Asira ash Shamaliya and Beita villages (both in Nablus); the outposts were subsequently dismantled by the Israeli authorities. The other six Palestinians, including a child, were injured during clashes triggered by search and arrest operations in the refugee camps of Balata (Nablus), Al Jalazun (Ramallah) and Jenin, and in Tulkarm city. 
  • On 21 July, two Palestinian boys (ages 11 and 14 years) were burned and injured, one of them severely, after handling an object that fell from an Israeli aircraft, reportedly during a military training, and ignited. The incident occurred in the Israeli-controlled area of Hebron city (H2) near the boys’ home. 
  • On 25 July, Palestinian security forces shot and killed a Palestinian man, and injured several others, during clashes in Nablus city. The clashes erupted after the Palestinian forces attempted to close shops and arrest the owners, while enforcing the lockdown regulations imposed in the context of the pandemic. The Palestinian authorities announced the opening of an investigation. 
  • In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces carried out 26 search and arrest operations, including two at the premises of cultural institutions, and one at a Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) storage center. In the latter incident, the forces requisitioned some 100 food boxes, reportedly planned for distribution to families in home quarantine due to COVID-19; the reason remains unclear. In a statement issued following the operation at the two cultural centers and the arrest of their directors, a network of Palestinian NGOs called on the international community to defend civic space and provide protection to Palestinian civil society organizations. In one of the operations in Al ‘Isawiya neighbourhood, an undercover unit physically assaulted and arrested a 12-year-old Palestinian boy. 
  • On at least 22 occasions, Israeli forces opened warning fire near Israel’s perimeter fence around Gaza, and off its coast, presumably to enforce access restrictions, resulting in no injuries or damage to property. On two occasions, Israeli forces entered Gaza and carried out land-levelling and excavation operations near the perimeter fence. 
  • Thirty Palestinian-owned structures were demolished or seized in Area C and East Jerusalem for the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, displacing 25 people and otherwise affecting around 140 others. In one incident on 21 July, the Israeli authorities demolished a structure on the outskirts of Hebron city, which, according to the Hebron Municipality, was planned to be used as a COVID-19 testing centre; this claim is contested by the Israeli authorities. This and three other structures were demolished using Military Order 1797, which allows the removal of unauthorized buildings within 96 hours from the delivery of a notice. Humanitarian and human rights organizations have repeatedly raised concern about this procedure, which largely prevents affected people from being heard before a judicial body. 
  • Since the start of the COVID-19 emergency on 5 March, citing the lack of building permits, the Israeli authorities demolished or seized 19 inhabited homes that were in place prior to that date, displacing 104 Palestinians. This follows a commitment by the authorities to suspend the demolition of such structures during the pandemic. An additional seven inhabited homes were demolished during this period by their owners, following the issuance of demolition orders. Since the start of the emergency, 282 Palestinian structures of all types have been demolished or seized due to lack of building permits, in contravention to international humanitarian law.
  • Assailants believed to be Israeli settlers injured three Palestinians and vandalized a mosque, some 30 trees and other properties. The injuries include two Palestinian men physically assaulted with sticks and stoned in Turmus’ayya village (Ramallah) and another in the H2 area of Hebron city. On 27 July, a mosque in Al Bireh city (Ramallah) was set on fire, damaging parts of it, and Hebrew graffiti was painted on its walls; the Israeli police reportedly opened an investigation. Some 30 olive trees were set on fire or cut down in Turmus’ayya, Burin, Qaryut (both in Nablus) and Sa’ir (Hebron) villages. Other properties vandalized include bulldozers and other tools at a quarry in Jamma’in village (Nablus) and closed shops in the H2 area of Hebron city.  
  • One Israeli settler was physically assaulted and injured by Palestinians in the H2 area of Hebron city, and, according to Israeli sources, four other Israelis were injured after their vehicles were stoned by Palestinians, while traveling on West Bank roads. A total of six Israeli-plated vehicles reportedly sustained damage as a result of stone-throwing and one as a result of Molotov cocktail throwing by Palestinians.

This report reflects information available as of the time of publication. The most updated data and more breakdowns are available at ochaopt.org/data

0 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces
2020
    17|6
2019
24 108
2018
36 260
  • West Bank
  • Gaza Strip
20 Palestinian injuries by Israeli forces in the oPt
2020
    1,709|50
2019
3,523 11,845
2018
5,961 25,177
  • West Bank
  • Gaza Strip
0 Israelis killed by Palestinians
2020
    1
2019
4 5
2018
14 0
  • oPt
  • Israel
5 Israelis injured by Palestinians
2020
    40|14
2019
63 206
2018
95 47
  • oPt
  • Israel
30 Palestinian-owned structures demolished
2020
278 95 5
2019
393 203 25
2018
271 177 12
  • Area C
  • East Jerusalem
  • Areas A & B
25 Palestinians displaced due to demolitions
2020
215 182 15
2019
507 347 60
2018
218 176 75
  • Area C
  • East Jerusalem
  • Areas A & B
9 Attacks by Israeli settlers
against Palestinians in the West Bank
2020
108 47
2019
266 75
2018
219 79
  • Resulting in property damage
  • Resulting in casualties
111 Israeli military search and arrest operations in the West Bank
2020
1,601
2019
4,086 0
2018
4,471 0
    2 Israeli military incursions into Gaza
    2020
        31
    2019
    61 0
    2018
    97 0
      0 crossings of people through Rafah
      2020
          18,702|13,919
      2019
      64,442 79,322
      2018
      37,075 60,907
      • Into Gaza
      • Out of Gaza
      4,588 truckloads entering Gaza
      2020
      21,864 34,139
      2019
      39,931 52,178
      2018
      43,552 62,619
      • Construction materials
      • Others
      85 truckloads leaving Gaza
      2020
      1,435 380
      2019
      2,269 626
      2018
      1,987 693
      • To the West Bank
      • Elsewhere