The Israeli occupation and total closure of Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank continued as well as the ongoing siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Reports say that the town of Bethlehem is still under curfew and that the Church of the Nativity has been surrounded since 2/4/2002.
The Israeli forces are still laying siege to the area of President Arafat’s compound in Ramallah, as well.
More evidence indicating that a massacre and other war crimes occurred in Jenin Refugee Camp is revealed as reports assert that many bodies are still under destroyed homes.
Jennifer Lowenstien, an American volunteer at Al Mezan who is in Jenin said she could not find the words to describe what she saw.
She said the smell of the dead bodies is everywhere in the remainins of the camp.
Yesterday, Friday 19/4/2002 Iyad Qasim Husni told her that three members of his family remain under their destroyed house and everyone could smell it, but they could not reach them.
Zaid Salahat, a Red Crescent employee in Jenin, said they found three bodies under the rock of the same house later.
The search for dead Palestinians continues as it is believed that many of them are still under the rock.
At approximately 7:30am Friday 19/4/2002, the Israeli forces bombarded civil residences in al-Mughraqa area, north of an-Nusierat Refugee Camp in Gaza.
Three homes, owned by Salim Hindi Abu Shaluf, Mahmud Mustafa al-Qasas and Silmi Udih Abu Shaluf, were severely damaged and four persons were wounded.
In his affidavit to Al Mezan, Silmi said his family, 13 persons, were having their morning tea when shrapnel fell on the house injuring four of his children: Asmihan, age 9 wounded from shrapnel in the head and the back, Midhat, age one year wounded from shrapnel in the head, Amani, age 15 wounded cfrom shrapnel in the her face and right leg and Udih, age 2.
5 wounded from shrapnel in his head.
In addition, Ali Qshair, age 14, was killed by Israeli soldiers in Ramallah on Friday 19/4/2002.
Qhair was shot in his head.
A five-day-Palestinian baby, Dina Nasir Ishtaia died at an Israeli checkpoint near the town of Nablus after Israeli soldiers obstructed her family way to Rafidia hospital in Nablus.
In a separate incident, Haitham Asaad Ahmad Abu Shuqa, age 14, was killed Thursday 18/4/2002 morning.
Shuqa was walking at the beach of as-Siyafa area near the settlement of Dugit in the north of the Gaza Strip and died from several gunshots to his body.
Moreover, at approximately 11:30pm Thursday 18/4/2002 Israeli tanks invaded al-Brasil area in Rafah under heavy shooting cover.
Three Palestinians were killed in this incursion: Murad Umar Qishta, age 20, Manar Abdul-Qadir al-Shair, age 31 and Yusif Khamis Zanun, age 35.
three others were wounded in this attack, which lasted until 3am Friday.
Palestinian workers in the Bait Hanun/Erez industrial zone said the Israeli forces increased their harassment at the checkpoint which they pass every day.
The Israeli soldiers ordered them to take off their clothes and sent 2,870 of them home because they refused to do so.
It should be noted that 3,500 workers from the Gaza strip work in this zone and that they are constantly subject to such humiliations.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights is gravely concerned for the destruction of Palestinians' homes and the systematic, willful killing of Palestinian civilians, particularly after the massacres in the Jenin Refugee Camp and the old town of Nablus.
The Center believes that the occupation forces will continue perpetrating such grave breaches of international law, which threaten more Palestinian lives.
The inaction of the international community, especially the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of August, 12 1949 encourages these forces to go further perpetrate such crimes.
As such, the Center demands the international community to: Intervene urgently and dispatch an independent international inquiry team to reveal especially the Israeli massacres in Jenin and Nablus and all the West bank.
Provide immediate international protection for Palestinian civilians and their property in the OPTs.
Provide urgent food and medical relief for Palestinians in the OPTs.
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