August 4, 2004

The IDF sends tanks fr. Bayt Hanun to the Jabaliya r.c., sparking clashes with armed Palestinians that leave 3 Palestinians dead (including a 10-yr.-old bystander), at least 36 wounded. The IDF continues bulldozing operations in Rafah, exchanging gunfire with mbrs. of the local resistance, killing 1 armed Palestinian, demolishing another 12 Palestinian homes and 4 shops, damaging a mosque, local infrastructure before pulling out in the evening; 1 tunnel reportedly is found. Elsewhere in Rafah, the IDF fires on residential areas, moderately wounding a 4-yr.-old Palestinian boy inside his home, seriously injuring a Palestinian driving 100s of meters away. The IDF sends undercover units into Nablus to secure, search a commercial building, sparking stone-throwing; undercover units fire on the protesters, fatally shooting a Palestinian bystander, intensifying the clashes; the IDF sends some 20 uniformed soldiers in to extricate the undercover unit, during which soldiers shoot, wound 3 Palestinians, including seriously injuring a child. The IDF also fires on residential areas of al-Qarara; raids the Islamic Charitable Association offices in Bani Na‘im nr. Hebron, confiscating computers and files, vandalizing and sealing the offices; demolishes a Palestinian home in Dahaysha r.c.; conducts arrest raids, house searches in and nr. Hebron, and in al-Bireh, Nablus. (PR 8/4; VOP 8/4 in WNC 8/5; HA, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 8/5; PCHR 8/12)