The Palestine Chronology

In the Gaza Strip, Palestinians fire 25 rockets into s. Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Attacks are claimed by 4 groups: the PRC, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and al-Mujahidin Brigades. The IDF strikes 9 targets across the Gaza Strip throughout the day. A strike in al-Bureij r.c. kills 2 mbrs. of Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigades. Later, during the night, the IDF strikes 14 more targets, killing 9 fighters from al-Qassam Brigades and wounding 4. Six of the fighters are killed in a tunnel collapse, which the IDF says is unrelated to air strikes. One Israeli air strike in Bayt Hanun wounds 5 civilians, including a child. Separately, IDF troops open fire from the border nr. Rafah, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, IDF troops clash with Palestinians in al-‘Arub r.c. nr. Hebron, injuring 15 residents with rubber-coated metal bullets. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in 2 villages nr. Ramallah, 1 village nr. Salfit and Jenin at night; patrols in 2 villages nr. Ramallah in the morning, and in 1 village nr. Ramallah at night. Israeli settlers throw stones at Palestinian cars nr. Bethlehem, damaging 1. In a separate incident, settlers assault a priest nr. Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, around 100 Palestinian youths clash with Israeli security forces, and there are similar clashes in Abu Tur and Hizma. Israeli police detain 6 Jewish men in connection with the murder of Palestinian teenager Abu Khdeir on 7/2. In Israel, meanwhile, a group of bedouin in Tel Sheva nr. Beersheba throw Molotov cocktails and stones at passing cars nr. the Jewish town of Omer, causing damage. There are further violent protests in Shafa ‘Amr, in the Galilee, as well as in Nazareth and nearby town Iksal. Some 200 protesters try to block Route 70 at Yavor Junction in the n. (AP, HA, MNA, REU, YA 7/6; PCHR 7/10)

In the weekly Israeli cabinet meeting, PM Netanyahu and FM Lieberman disagree about how to deal with the escalating situation in Gaza and s. Israel. Netanyahu criticizes Lieberman and Economy Minister Bennett for their repeated public calls for a full ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, and urges ministers to be “level-headed and responsible.” Meanwhile, Israeli authorities decide to reduce the fishing zone open for Gaza fishermen from 6 naut. mi. to 3. (HA, JP, MNA 7/6)

In the morning, IDF troops on the n. Gaza border fatally shoot 1 Palestinian who approaches the border fence for unclear reasons; there are no reports he was armed and no faction claims him as a mbr. During the day, Hamas convenes Gaza factions to urge them to reimpose a ceasefire. Late in the evening, unidentified Palestinians fire 1 Qassam rocket fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. The IDF responds with air strikes on 2 “infiltration tunnels” on the n. Gaza border, lightly to moderately injuring 4 Palestinian bystanders and damaging a recycling center, a construction company, and 11 homes. In the West Bank, the IDF enters Jenin in the afternoon to search the theater run by Mer-Khamis (killed on 4/4) and question locals about his murder. The IDF also patrols in 4 villages nr. Jenin, 3 villages nr. Qalqilya, 1 nr. Ramallah (firing tear gas at stone-throwing youths who confront them), and 1 nr. Tulkarm. The PASF says it has arrested a fmr. al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (AMB) mbr. for suspected involvement in the Mer-Khamis killing. (AFP, JP, XIN 4/5; IsRN 4/6; PCHR 4/7; OCHA 4/15)

Overnight, the Israeli navy acting on “prior intelligence” fatally shoots 5 al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (AMB) mbrs. diving off the Gaza coast and the Palestinian fisherman manning their boat, wounding and capturing 2 other AMB divers. The AMB claims the men were unarmed and on a training mission; Israel claims they were en route to Israel to stage an attack. Later in the day, the IDF carries out an air strike on the n. Gaza border area, seriously wounding 1 Hamas mbr. preparing to launch a Qassam rocket. IDF troops on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing fire warning shots at Palestinians scavenging construction materials in the industrial zone, wounding 1 Palestinian. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron, nr. Bethlehem and Jenin. (NYT, WP, WT 6/8; PCHR 6/10; OCHA 6/11; JPI 6/18)

The IDF sends additional tanks, troops into n. Gaza, bringing the total number of troops in n. Gaza to around 1,000, placing snipers on the rooftops of Palestinian homes, occupying the home of Reform and Change PC mbr. Jamila Shanti, fatally shooting 2 Hamas mbrs., a Palestinian woman, a 17-yr.-old Palestinian boy and wounding at least 1 gunman, 14 bystanders in Bayt Hanun, Bayt Lahiya, Jabaliya r.c. An IDF soldier is wounded by an antitank missile in Bayt Hanun. The IDF also fires on Palestinian fishermen off the Rafah coast, wounding 1. In Gaza City, the IDF makes an air strike destroying a money exchange, damaging several nearby homes. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PRCs claim responsibility for firing 8 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel today, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF assassinates al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB) mbr. Fadi Armur in Jenin r.c., wounding a 2d target, Islamic Jihad mbr. Ashraf al-Sa‘di; bulldozes 2 Palestinian homes, 2 animal pens nr. Qalqilya; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Qabatya and in and around Hebron, Nablus. A Jewish settler injures a 14-yr.-old Palestinian boy in a deliberate hitand-run nr. Bethlehem. (MM 11/22; MM, NYT, PCHR, WP 11/23; NYT 11/24; OCHA 11/29; PCHR 11/30)

The IDF continues bulldozing operations begun on 5/24, just inside the Gaza border nr. Bureij r.c.; sends troops into Tulkarm to raid the Social Sport Club, confiscating computers, files, photos and sealing the venue; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Nablus and nr. Hebron, Tulkarm. In response to the IDF killing of 4 Palestinians in Ramallah on 4/24, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB) mbrs. fire 2 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. Fatah and PA security forces exchange fire with Hamas mbrs. following the funeral for Hudud in Gaza City, leaving 1 PA security officer dead, several wounded. (XIN 5/25; WP 5/26; OCHA, PCHR 6/1)

The IDF makes a predawn raid on Nablus, killing 2 Palestinians (ages 16 and 60), occupying 2 schools and several buildings. In response to the IDF’s overnight attack on Gaza, Hamas fires 4 Qassam rockets at the Israeli border town of Sederot, seriously injuring 1 Israeli, damaging a factory. In Jenin, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AMB) mbr. Shahar Zakarna is killed, 3 passengers are injured when an explosive device in his car detonates in what is believed to be an assassination. A Palestinian held in Israel’s Nafha prison in the Negev dies of “medical complications.” The IDF fires on residential areas of Abasan; demolishes 1 Palestinian home in Dayr al-Balah, 1 in Khan Yunis. Israeli police report the arrest of 2 Druze soldiers, 1 Druze civilian for stealing 3 machine guns fr. an army depot, selling them to Palestinian militants. (HA, LAW 2/19; LAW, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 2/20; LAW 2/23; MM 2/24; PR 2/26; LAW, PCHR 2/27)