The Palestine Chronology

In Gaza, the IDF launches air strikes destroying the homes of 5 Palestinian militants in Jabaliya, Gaza City, and Rafah after warning residents to leave, destroying the homes of 2 bystanders, wounding 1 bystander. Hamas, Islamic Jihad fire at least 13 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, killing 1 Israeli woman in Sederot (marking the 1st fatality in a rocket strike since 7/05, the 7th fatality since rocket strikes began in 1/02; see Quarterly Update in JPS 123), wounding 2 Israelis in Ashqelon and Sederot, damaging a home. In the West Bank, the IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian bystander during an arrest raid in Nablus; conducts arrest raids in Balata r.c., Qabatya, Tulkarm. (NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 11/16; PCHR 11/23)

In Gaza, the IDF continues operations in n. Gaza, fatally shooting 2 Palestinian militants, 1 PA security officer in Bayt Hanun; expanding operations in Jabaliya r.c., firing on residential areas. Palestinians fire some 10 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no serious damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF searches homes in Askar r.c. nr. Nablus, firing on a PSF post, wounding 3 PSF officers; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Nablus. (NYT, WP 11/6; PCHR 11/9)

Overnight, the IDF launches a major raid into eastern neighborhoods of Gaza City to look for “terrorist infrastructure,” sending in troops, tanks, bulldozers, accompanied by helicopters; making an air strike on a clearly marked Reuters TV truck covering the incursion, saying it was “acting suspiciously,” seriously wounding 2 Reuters journalists; during the day, the IDF fires on residential areas, warns residents to leave, exchanges fire with and conducts air strikes on Palestinian gunmen (killing 3 Palestinian gunmen, 1 Palestinian civilian; wounding 2 Palestinian militants, 10 civilians), occupies houses as observation posts. Also in Gaza, the IDF closes the Rafah crossing, Nahal Oz pipeline. In the West Bank, the IDF fatally shoots a Palestinian guard outside a school in Jenin, claiming he was acting suspiciously; raids, searches the Ramallah home of Hamas-affiliated PC mbr. Mahmud Muslih, arresting him; patrols in Jenin town and r.c., Nablus (firing on residential areas in both cases, causing no injuries); conducts arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron and nr. Bethlehem, Jenin, Qalqilya. Jewish settlers in Hebron break into the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs, violating agreements that this day is reserved for Muslims to pray there. After 13 days, the Holy Jihad Brigade releases unharmed 2 Fox News Journalists; the PA says that none of the group’s 8/23 demands were met, the group is not linked to al-Qa‘ida but is a group of “young men who carried out the action out of private beliefs.” (AFP, HA 8/27; NYT, WP, WT 8/28; PCHR 8/31; PMG 9/1)

Overnight, the IDF launches ground operations in al-Shuka, using helicopters, drones, and some 50 tanks, armored vehicles, bulldozers; seals off Dahaniyya airport, the eastern entrance to Rafah, the main north–south Gaza highway; makes heavy air and artillery strikes on residential areas throughout the day, with Palestinian militants retaliating with antitank and light weapons fire, leaving 2 Hamas mbrs., 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs., 1 PA security officer, 5 bystanders dead and more than 30 Palestinians wounded (including at least 8 militants, 18 civilians). Palestinians fire 4 rockets toward Israel, but all land inside Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Qalqilya and in ‘Ayn alSultan r.c. nr Jericho, Balata r.c., Hebron, Nablus. (NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 8/3; NYT, WP 8/4; PCHR 8/10)

The IDF operates in 20 villages in s. Lebanon, most of them less than 2 mi. inside the border, engaging in intense clashes with Hizballah (particularly in Bint Jubayl, Maroun al-Ras, Marwahin, Rajmin), with Hizballah killing 4 IDF soldiers, wounding 4, destroying at least 4 APCs in Aita al-Sha‘b and Taybeh. The IDF also continues air strikes across Lebanon, including in s. Beirut (hitting houses of senior Hizballah and Hamas mbrs.), Blat, Nabatiyya, Rashaya, Taybeh, in the Biqa‘ Valley, and in the far n. nr. the border with Syria. Hizballah fires around 180 rockets into n. Israel, killing 5 Israeli civilians in Acre and 3 bedouin in Tarshiha nr. Ma’alot (all 8 killed during a 1- hr. barrage of 40 rockets), also hitting Kiryat Shimona (in another barrage of 30 rockets). (BBC, JAZ, NYT 8/3; AP, NYT, WP, WT 8/4)

In Gaza, the IDF expands ground operations in Bayt Hanun under artillery fire, occupying the town, firing on residential areas (killing 2 Palestinians), bulldozing land and homes, occupying houses as military bases, forcing some residents to flee; fires 2 artillery shells at a group of Palestinian children playing soccer in al-Bureij r.c., wounding a 14-yr.-old; fires on residential areas of Abasan, wounding 1 Palestinian. Palestinians fire at least 7 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, lightly injuring 2 Israelis. In the West Bank, the IDF makes a raid on Nablus, where Palestinian militants throw an explosive device at troops, killing 1 IDF soldier, wounding 6; sends undercover units into Bethlehem to detain a wanted AMB mbr.; conducts late-night arrest raids nr. Nablus, Qalqilya. For a 2d day (see 7/16), the IDF detains al-Jazeera satellite TV’s Jerusalem bureau chief for questioning regarding violating Israeli military censorship rules. (AP 7/17; WP 7/18; PCHR 7/20)

The IDF intensifies attacks on e. and n. Lebanon, hitting Lebanese army barracks in Tripoli and army bases in Baalbek (killing 9 Lebanese soldiers), homes of Hizballah officials in the east; conducting heavy bombing of s. Beirut to destroy underground bunkers where Nasrallah and Hizballah’s senior leadership may be hiding; hitting fuel depots at the Beirut airport for a 2d time. In total, at least 38 Lebanese (mostly civilians) are killed during the day, including 12 civilians killed when the IDF targets a minibus in s. Lebanon. Hizballah responds by firing at least 30 rockets on n. Israel, including hitting Haifa with 3 rockets, shearing the front of an apartment building, wounding 6 Israelis. Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Ukraine, the U.S. begin evacuating their nationals. (NYT, WP 7/17; NYT, WP, WT 7/18) 

Overnight in Gaza, the IDF conducts air strikes heavily damaging the offices of Change and Reform PC mbrs. in Bayt Lahiya (causing no injuries), destroying a bridge linking Nussayrat r.c. with alMughraqa; directs tank fire on a Palestinian truck approaching its position but refusing orders to halt, killing 1 Palestinian, wounding a 2d. During the day, the IDF continues to shell n. Gaza, targeting 2 PA security offices and damaging 4 Palestinian homes; bulldozes 83 d. of Palestinian land nr. Dayr al-Balah, more than 100 d. of land outside al-Qarara; fires on residential areas of Khuza’ nr. the border, wounding a Palestinian woman inside her home. Some 50 Palestinian militants temporarily take over the Rafah crossing, allowing as many as half of the 4,000 Palestinian stranded on the Egyptian side to enter Gaza; Egyptian border police block Palestinians who try to cross fr. Gaza into Egypt. Palestinians fire at least 7 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing damage in 1 incident but no injuries. The IDF conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron, in Tulkarm; prevents Palestinians under age 45 fr. attending Friday prayers at al-Aqsa mosque. (HA, JP 7/14; NYT, WP 7/15; OCHA 7/19; PCHR 7/20)

Overnight, after Olmert’s security cabinet approves a list of “more significant” Hizballah targets, the IDF makes air strikes on Hizballah sites in s. Beirut and targets the Beirut–Damascus highway (in an attempt to complete an air, sea, and land blockade on Lebanon). During the day, the IDF extends the naval blockade northwards to Tripoli; shells numerous bridges, roads, other civilian infrastructure, especially in s. Beirut; makes air strikes on the building serving as Hizballah’s headquarters and Nasrallah’s residence (destroying it), its al-Nur radio station (missing and hitting an apartment building), and the Beirut airport, a major power plant and a bridge s. of the capital, a PFLP base nr. the Syrian border. At least 8 Lebanese civilians are reported killed (3 in Beirut, 5 in the south), 55 injured during the day, raising the estimated death toll since the start of operations to 66 Lebanese (overwhelmingly civilians), more than 200 wounded. Hizballah continues to fire Katyushas at n. Israel, killing an Israeli woman,her 5-yr.-old grandson in Moshav Meron and injuring as many as 50 Israelis across the Galilee, including in Acre, Carmiel, Kiryat Shimona, Nahariya, Safad. Hizballah also hits an Israeli naval ship 10-mi off the coast nr. Beirut, disabling it, killing 1 Israeli sailor, leaving 3 other sailors missing, raising the comprehensive death toll to 13 Israelis killed (the majority soldiers), around 150 injured (mostly suffering shock). (HA, NYT, WT 7/14; NYT, WP, WT 7/15; NYT, WP 7/16; NYT 7/17, 7/19)

The IDF conducts 4 air strikes on Palestinian militants in n. and s. Gaza, killing at least 7 Palestinians (including 1 Hamas mbr., 2 Islamic Jihad mbrs., 1 other armed Palestinian, 3 Palestinian teenagers playing soccer in a field), wounding at least 9 (7 militants, 2 civilians); allows the Erez crossing to open for several hrs. for the import of food. In the West Bank, the IDF occupies a Palestinian home nr. Hebron as an observation post; patrols in Nablus, firing on stonethrowing youths who confront the troops, wounding 1; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bethlehem, Hebron, Tulkarm. A 15-mo.-old Palestinian dies of injuries received in the 6/21 IDF attack on Islamic Jihad mbrs. in Khan Yunis. (WP 7/10; IFM, MEZ, PCHR, NYT, WP 7/11; PCHR 7/13)

As Operation Summer Rains continues, the IDF pushes deeper into populated areas of n. Gaza. During the day, the IDF engages in heavy clashes (including air strikes) with the AMB, Hamas around Bayt Lahiya, killing at least 7 Palestinians (mostly AMB mbrs. but including a 6-yr.-old girl). Palestinians fire 13 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, hitting an empty schoolyard and factory in Sederot, lightly injuring 3 Israelis; a 14th rocket lands inside Gaza, causing no damage or injuries. The Palestinian groups holding Shalit issue a statement confirming that he is in good condition, calling for negotiations to end the fighting and release him; Olmert rejects any bargaining. In the West Bank, the IDF surrounds, raids a Palestinian home in ‘Askar r.c., fatally shooting wanted AMB mbr. Tamir Kandil in an apparent assassination, firing on stone-throwing youths who confront the troops, wounding 5; fires on residential areas nr. Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem, causing no injuries; patrols in Qabatya; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Hebron. Unknown gunmen kidnap, kill a PSF officer nr. Gaza City. A 12-yr.-old Palestinian wounded by IDF fire nr. Erez on 7/5 dies, as do 3 Palestinian militants wounded by IDF fire in Bayt Lahiya on 7/6. (HA, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 7/8; NYT, WT 7/9; PCHR 7/13; OCHA 7/18)