Palestine (UNA/WAFA) – The Israeli occupation army continued its aggression on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 2023, 11, with heavy aerial and artillery bombardment targeting residential areas and civilian facilities, which led to the death of hundreds of wounded and injured during the period covered by the report (from April 18-XNUMX), most of whom were children and women. It also continued its aggression on the West Bank, including Jerusalem, which included the killing of citizens by bullets, the arrest of others, and raids and attacks by settlers during the same period.
Among the most notable crimes committed by the occupation in Gaza during this period was the martyrdom of 10 citizens from the Al-Farra family after their home, located near the Al-Mahta area in Khan Yunis, was targeted. This is a new massacre that adds to the series of daily massacres against civilians. Five other citizens were also martyred in separate attacks that included the cities of Rafah, Beit Lahia, Deir al-Balah, Jabalia, and the Al-Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City.
The Israeli occupation's bombing did not stop at targeting homes, but also targeted camps for displaced persons, UNRWA schools, and medical centers. The most recent attack was the bombing of the Arab Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, which rendered it completely out of service.
In a new escalation during the reporting period, the occupying forces distributed immediate evacuation orders to residents of the eastern neighborhoods of Gaza City, specifically in the areas of Zeitoun, Shuja'iyya, and Tuffah, urging civilians to move westward to areas lacking even the most basic necessities of life.
Amid this ongoing escalation, medical sources in the Gaza Strip announced that the death toll since the start of the Israeli aggression on October 51,065 has risen to 116,505, while the number of wounded has reached more than XNUMX, including thousands of children and women. This is a preliminary toll, as a number of martyrs remain under the rubble of destroyed homes and facilities, and on the roads, and ambulance and specialized crews are unable to reach them due to limited resources.
In the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, the occupation forces escalated their violations against the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalemites during the so-called "Jewish Passover." More than 1,220 settlers stormed the mosque's courtyards in just one day, under heavy protection from the occupation police. The daily raids by the settlers included the performance of Talmudic rituals and provocative chants, part of what are considered ongoing attempts to impose temporal and spatial divisions within the mosque.
In addition to the raids, the occupation authorities escalated their policy of deporting religious and media figures during the period covered by the report. They handed the preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Salim, a one-week deportation order after he prayed for Gaza during his Friday sermon. The occupation forces also arrested Jerusalemite journalist Nadine Jaafar while covering the events at Bab al-Ghawanmeh. Jaafar had previously been beaten by occupation police at Bab al-Amud.
Jerusalemites and visitors from the West Bank are subjected to a daily blockade, preventing thousands from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque. The occupation authorities require special permits, which are granted only to a limited number of people. This constitutes a systematic restriction on freedom of worship and a violation of religious rights in one of the holiest places on earth.
Israeli occupation forces continued their raids on Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank, with a particular focus on the northern and central areas. In the Nablus Governorate, occupation forces killed a child and a young man in the town of Osarin, south of Nablus.
Israeli occupation forces raided several villages and towns in the governorate, including Barqa, Beita, and Madama, arresting three young men after raiding their homes. The raids also included clashes in the Old City, Beit Furik, and Anabta.
In Jenin Governorate, the Israeli aggression on the city and camp of Jenin continues for the 89th consecutive day, amid systematic destruction of infrastructure and homes, forced displacement of residents, raids, and arrests, draining the area's population daily.
During the period covered by this report, the city witnessed a widespread military aggression, during which a house that the Israeli occupation forces had converted into a military barracks for more than ten days was burned down. The occupation forces also stormed Jenin Governmental Hospital and arrested a young man from inside, a dangerous precedent that represents a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
During the same aggression, a Palestine TV crew was detained and prevented from covering the incident, in a deliberate targeting of media work.
Also, the occupation forces killed two young men after besieging them between the village of Masliya and the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin.
In Tulkarm, the occupation forces continued their aggression against the city and its camp for the 83rd consecutive day, and against the Nur Shams camp for the 70th day, amid an ongoing escalation in the field, including raids, arrests, and abuse of civilians.
In Hebron, occupation forces launched an arrest campaign targeting three citizens, including a lawyer. The arrests were accompanied by raids and searches in the town of Yatta, and the destruction of homes.
The occupation authorities also closed the Ibrahimi Mosque to worshippers, citing Jewish holidays as a pretext for an ongoing policy of restricting freedom of worship in the city.
Meanwhile, settlers intensified their attacks on residents in towns such as Masafer Yatta, Umm Safa, and Kisan, including stone-throwing at vehicles, smashing windows, and vandalizing agricultural property.
The West Bank governorates witnessed an unprecedented escalation in settler attacks, as they launched a series of organized assaults against Palestinian civilians, including the burning of vehicles and homes in several towns, including Salfit, Qalqilya, and Nablus, as well as attacks on farmers on their lands, the theft of livestock, the vandalism of agricultural rooms, and the physical assault of shepherds. A number of citizens, including children and women, were also injured in violent attacks targeting their homes and property.
Settlers also raided several religious and archaeological sites across the West Bank, including Joseph's Tomb east of Nablus, Mount Al-Arma in Beit Lahia, Solomon's Pools south of Bethlehem, and Herod's Palace. These raids were accompanied by Talmudic rituals, under the protection of occupation forces.
Meanwhile, settler groups have begun paving new settlement roads, most notably in the areas of Turmus Ayya, Deir Ballut, and Umm Safa, threatening to isolate Palestinian communities from one another and cementing the reality of the gradual annexation of the West Bank.
Human rights reports indicate that the number of military checkpoints and iron barriers (gates) spread throughout the West Bank has reached 898, including 146 iron barriers (gates) erected since the beginning of the aggression on Gaza last October, indicating the occupation's tightening of isolation and restrictions on the Palestinian people.
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