The Palestine Chronology

In Gaza, IDF troops open fire on 4 Palestinian minors approaching the border fence near Jabaliya refugee camp, injuring 1. They then cross the fence, arrest the injured Palestinian, and take him to a hospital in Israel. The IDF claims that the minors were attempting to damage the border fence and enter Israel. Later, IDF troops open fire on 4 Palestinians approaching the border fence near Rafah, injuring 2. They also open fire on Palestinian farmland near Gaza City. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 14 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Tubas, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Tulkarm, and Nablus; and patrol near Hebron and Salfit. In southern Israel, Israeli forces demolish the Bedouin village al-‘Araqib for the 130th time since 2010. (HA, MNA, WAFA 6/27; PCHR 6/28; PCHR 7/5)

A coalition of armed Palestinian groups in Gaza, including Hamas and PIJ, jointly release a statement claiming credit for the rocket fire into Israel on 6/26. “All bombings will be responded to with bombing; we will not accept the continued IDF attacks.” (HA, JP 6/27)

Hundreds of Palestinian protesters gather along the border fence in Gaza to continue the Great March of Return. IDF troops violently disperse them near Rafah, Gaza City, Jabaliya refugee camp, and Khan Yunis; 27 Palestinians are injured (1 critically). Also along Gaza’s border fence, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land along the border fence near Khan Yunis. In the West Bank, IDF troops patrol in and around Tulkarm and Hebron. In Israel, hundreds of Palestinian citizens of Israel gather in Haifa to protest the recent deadly violence in Gaza; 21 Palestinian citizens of Israel are arrested. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conduct arrest raids in Issawiyya, sparking minor clashes with stone-throwing residents; 1 Palestinian is injured and arrested. (MNA, YA 5/18; HA, JP 5/19; PCHR 5/24)

An elderly Palestinian succumbs to injuries sustained when IDF troops opened fire on protesters along Gaza’s border fence on 5/14. His death brings the death toll stemming from the Great March of Return to 107. (HA, MNA, WAFA 5/19; MNA 5/21; PCHR 5/24)

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) convenes to debate the recent violence in Gaza. Overcoming U.S. and Australian objections, they approve a Pakistani proposal to establish an independent commission of inquiry into Israel’s use of deadly force to quell the Great March of Return. Twenty-nine countries vote in favor of the proposal, 14 abstain, and only the U.S. and Australia oppose it. Separately, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) convenes in Istanbul to discuss similar initiatives. In a joint statement, delegates request that the OIC general secretariat “act immediately to establish an international independent committee of experts to investigate the crimes and massacres committed by the Israeli forces against the peaceful and unarmed demonstrators in the Gaza Strip, to determine the culpability of the Israeli officials, and communicate the findings to relevant international bodies.” (AP, HA, JP, MNA, TOI, YA 5/18; WAFA 5/19)

Approximately 20 Grad and Fajr-5 rockets are fired from Syria toward northern Israel. Four of them are intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, and the rest explode over Syrian territory, causing no major damage or injury. The IDF accuses Iran of being behind the attack and retaliates, bombing dozens of alleged Iranian weapons storage, logistics, and intelligence sites in Syria; 27 people are killed, including 19 Iranians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. (JP 5/9; CNN, HA, JP, MEMO, NYT, TOI, YA 5/10; HA 5/11; AP 5/12)

Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land and repair the border fence near Khan Yunis. Later, they open fire on Palestinian farmers working near Gaza City and al-Bureij refugee camp and Great March of Return protesters near Khan Yunis, Gaza City, Jabaliya refugee camp, and al-Bureij refugee camp; 6 Palestinians are injured. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats near Bayt Lahiya and Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish a makeshift Palestinian home near Nablus. IDF troops arrest 8 Palestinians during late-night raids near Jericho, Tubas, Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Jenin; and patrol near Hebron and Nablus. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces establish a checkpoint in Abu Dis, sparking minor clashes with Palestinian minors; 1 Israeli border police officer and 7 Palestinians are injured (3 Palestinians are arrested as well). (JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 5/9; PCHR 5/10)