The IDF continues its search for tunnels in Rafah (it has found only 3 since operations began on 10/10), demolishing another 9 Palestinian homes, firing on Palestinians allegedly planting a...
The PSF arrests 7 Palestinians (at least some of whom are PRC mbrs.) in Jabaliya r.c. in connection with the 10/15 Erez bombing, sparking a gunfight that leaves 7 PSF officers wounded; later...
The PSF says it has released 9 PRC mbrs. recently arrested after the comms. agreed to abide by the Hamas–Islamic Jihad cease-fire. The IDF begins construction of a permanent fence in the Old City...
In Gaza’s Shati‘ r.c., PSF officers attempt to arrest 4 PRC mbrs. responsible for rocket fire on 7/3, sparking an exchange of gunfire that leaves 1 PRC mbr. dead, 3 under arrest, at least 1 PSF...
As gestures to the PA, Israel announces a halt to deporting families of West Bank Palestinian militants to Gaza; releases 34 Palestinian prisoners, including senior Gaza PSF official Sulayman Abu...
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The IDF continues its search for tunnels in Rafah (it has found only 3 since operations began on 10/10), demolishing another 9 Palestinian homes, firing on Palestinians allegedly planting a roadside bomb, killing 2 Hamas mbrs., 1 Palestinian bystander. The IDF also fires on stone-throwing children in Tulkarm (killing a 14-yr.-old Palestinian boy), residential areas of Khan Yunis. The PSF says it has now arrested 10 Palestinians (4 PRC mbrs., 6 PFLP mbrs.) in connection with the 10/15 Erez bombing. (NYT, WP, WT 10/19; PR 10/22; PCHR 10/23)
The PSF arrests 7 Palestinians (at least some of whom are PRC mbrs.) in Jabaliya r.c. in connection with the 10/15 Erez bombing, sparking a gunfight that leaves 7 PSF officers wounded; later attempts to arrest an 8th Palestinian but retreats under machine gun fire; 10s of Palestinians in Jabaliya protest the arrests, which Israel says are meaningless. The IDF sends 50 armored vehicles back into Rafah to continue the search for smugglers’ tunnels, fatally shoots 1 PSF officer, wounds 14 Palestinians; a Palestinian dies of injuries received in Rafah on 10/10. The IDF also conducts arrest raids in Qalqilya. After the IDF lifts the curfew on Nablus, Palestinian youths, angry over the IDF imposition (10/15) of the curfew to facilitate a Jewish pilgrimage, throw burning tires at Joseph’s Tomb, causing some damage. Jewish settlers burn a Palestinian olive grove in Salfit. (AP, BBC, HA, MM, REU 10/16; VOP 10/16 in WNC 10/18; MM, NYT, WP 10/17; PCHR 10/23; MEI 10/24)
The PSF says it has released 9 PRC mbrs. recently arrested after the comms. agreed to abide by the Hamas–Islamic Jihad cease-fire. The IDF begins construction of a permanent fence in the Old City of Hebron separating the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarch fr. the Palestinian-controlled section of the city; shoots, wounds a Palestinian “acting suspiciously” in Tulkarm; fires on Palestinians who reportedly attack an IDF outpost in s. Gaza, wounding 1; conducts arrest raids in Jenin, detaining 15 Palestinians, including a local Islamic Jihad leader. Late in the evening, an Islamic Jihad suicide bomber detonates a device in a home in Kfar Yavetz, in central Israel nr. the West Bank, killing 1 Israeli; a statement by Islamic Jihad’s Jenin cell says it has broken the ceasefire since Israel has not complied with requirements to free all Palestinian prisoners, but senior Islamic Jihad officials, including chief spokesman in Gaza Muhammad al-Hindi, say the attack was not coordinated with the group’s leadership, which reaffirms its adherence to the cease-fire. Unidentified Palestinians fire on, detonate a roadside bomb nr. workers building Israel’s separation wall nr. Qalqilya, causing no injuries. In separate incidents, the PSF arrests 3 Palestinians nr. the Gaza border with Israel. (BBC, MM, NYT, WT 7/8; MM, NYT, PR, WP 7/9; SFR 7/9 in WNC 7/12; PCHR 7/10; JPI 7/18)
In Gaza’s Shati‘ r.c., PSF officers attempt to arrest 4 PRC mbrs. responsible for rocket fire on 7/3, sparking an exchange of gunfire that leaves 1 PRC mbr. dead, 3 under arrest, at least 1 PSF officer and 1 PRC mbr. wounded. Palestinians fire a mortar and an antitank rocket at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing no damage or injures. (NYT, WT 7/6; PCHR 7/10)
As gestures to the PA, Israel announces a halt to deporting families of West Bank Palestinian militants to Gaza; releases 34 Palestinian prisoners, including senior Gaza PSF official Sulayman Abu Mutlak, who was arrested in early 5/03 and is freed for lack of evidence. Overnight, Palestinians fire an antitank rocket at Kefar Darom, wounding 4 Jewish settlers; the Palestinian resistance comms. (PRCs) and a Rafah-based Fatah offshoot called Abu Rish, neither of which agreed to the cease-fire, claim responsibility; meanwhile, the PSF arrests 4 PRC mbrs., an AMB mbr. in connection with the attack; the IDF shuts Gaza’s main north–south road for 6 hrs. to search for the assailants, without success. Abbas condemns the rocket attack and the 6/30 fatal shooting of a Bulgarian worker as “acts of sabotage.” The PSF also arrests 2 Palestinians in Khan Yunis on charges of firing mortars at Gush Katif on 7/1. The IDF raids Qalqilya, arresting local AMB head Ibrahim Mansur, fatally shooting his aide Mahmud Shawar (reportedly 1st wounding him in the leg, then executing him with gunshots to the head); the AMB vows to respond within 24 hrs. The IDF also imposes a curfew on, conducts arrest raids in Tulkarm; fires on Palestinians waiting to cross a Khan Yunis checkpoint, wounding 1; bulldozes 8 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Dayr al-Balah. Sharon authorizes Israeli police to crack down on crime among bedouin in s. Israel. (HA, MM 7/3; MA, VOI 7/3, AYM 7/5 in WNC 7/10; NYT, WP, WT 7/4; NYT 7/6; MM 7/8; PR 7/9; PCHR 7/10)