Israeli Forces Escalate Attacks in Access Restricted Areas
Al Mezan Condemns Attacks against Civilians and Calls on International Community to Provide Protection

In the first ten days of May Israeli occupying forces escalated attacks against Palestinians in Gaza's Israeli-implemented and controlled buffer-zone, also called the access restricted area (ARA). According to Al Mezan’s monitoring and documentation, during the aforementioned period Israeli forces opened fire in border areas on six occasions. The attacks resulted in injury to four people including one child. The Israeli forces arrested five people including two fishermen. In the ARA by sea, Israeli forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen on ten occasions, resulting in injury to at least two people. The occupying forces also confiscated one fishing boat.

The following violations were perpetrated in the first ten days of May 2015 by Israeli forces (as described in chronological order):

• At approximately 10:00 pm on Saturday, 9 May 2015, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats that were in the Gaza sea west of Al Waha Resort near the maritime border west of Bait Lahiya in the North Gaza district. The occupying forces surrounded one fishing boat and arrested Ameen Mohammed Al Sultan, 23, and Hatem Abdullah Al Sultan, 29. Both are residents of Beit Lahiya. The Israeli forces took them to an unknown destination.

• At approximately 12:30 am on Saturday, 9 May 2015, Israeli forces opened fire at a number of Palestinian farmers who were approximately 300 meters away from the separation fence in the vicinity of the Islamic Cemetery east of Jabaliya. As a result, two farmers were injured. Al Mezan identified them as follows:
• Raed Suliman Al Farra, 41, who sustained shrapnel wounds in the left eye, left hand, stomach, and chest;
• Karam Salim Abu Hadaied, 34, sustained shrapnel wounds in the stomach and chest.

Medical sources at Shifa Hospital described their injuries as moderate. In his affidavit to Al Mezan farmer Raed Al Farra stated that he had gone with his brother Ibrahim and with Karam Abu Hadaied to harvest barley on a piece of land owned by the Al Zaieni family. While they were working with the tractor, Israeli forces opened fire on them.

• At approximately 7:30 pm on Friday, 8 May 2015, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats that were in the Gaza sea northwest of Al Waha Resort near the maritime borders west of Bait Lahiya in the North Gaza district. As a result, fisherman Sharef Mohammed Al Sultan, 42, sustained a rubber bullet wound in the left leg.

Medical sources described his injury as minor. In his affidavit to Al Mezan, Sharef Al Sultan stated that two Israeli gunboats moved towards his boat while he was about one nautical mile away from Al Waha Resort. Al Sultan started to withdraw his nets to move away from the area. The two Israeli boats moved to within a few meters from Al Sultan. One of the boats shined a spotlight at his boat. One of the soldiers ordered Al Sultan in Arabic to leave the nets. He did not. The soldier then opened fire hitting the area of the nets near his boat. While Al Sultan was trying to row away, the occupying forces opened fire at the oar, which subsequently fell in the sea. The Israeli forces ordered him to sail to the west towards the illuminated buoys. His son Orans, 19, was screaming. Al Sultan sailed to the east. Then he heard the sound of gunfire and felt sever pain in his left leg. He sailed to the beach. His son took him to the hospital. The next day he found that two nets had been damaged.

• At approximately 7:00 pm on Friday, 8 May 2015, Israeli forces opened fire at a number of young men who were near the separation fence north of Al Saiyafa area, northwest of Beit Lahiya, in the North Gaza district. As a result, Na’el Suliman Salah, 17, sustained a bullet wound to the head. Medical sources at Shifa Hospital described his injury as critical. According to his family, Na’el went with his friends for a picnic. When he was injured, his friends carried him for about one kilometer and then one of the farmers took him by car to Kamal Odwan Hospital. He was then referred to Shifa Hospital in Gaza due to his critical condition.
• At approximately 6:00 pm on Friday, 8 May 2015, Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats that were in the Gaza sea west of Al Waha Resort near the maritime borders west of Bait Lahiya in the North Gaza district. The Israeli boats surrounded a Palestinian boat. The soldiers ordered three fishermen who were on the boat to stop and to stand at the front of the boat. The Israeli forces verbally abused the fishermen and opened fire at them. Ziyad Fahed Bakr, 21, was injured. He was admitted to Shifa Hospital were his injury was described as light.

Al Mezan reiterates strong condemnation of the Israeli violations of international law in the ARA. The Palestinian fishermen and farmers have the right to practice their work free of fear and attack. Israel’s attacks, which often violate the rules of international humanitarian law, deprive them of their right to livelihood and an adequate standard of living.

Al Mezan reiterates its calls on the international community to promptly intervene in order to halt Israel’s violations. The Gaza Strip is part of the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) and the Israeli authority is obliged to respect and uphold its responsibilities under international humanitarian law and international human rights law towards the population. Al Mezan calls on the international community, especially the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to swiftly intervene to left the Israeli siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.