Saturday, October 16, 2004

The IDF completes its withdrawal fr. built up areas of n. Gaza in the morning; announces new restrictions barring buses fr. crossing the Qalandia checkpoint unless they obtain special permits; fires on stone-throwing Palestinian youths in Balata r.c., wounding 7; sends tanks, armored bulldozers into Rafah allegedly to search for smugglers’ tunnels; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bir al-Basha nr. Jenin; declares areas around Hebron a closed military zone, preventing Palestinian olive pickers fr. reaching their groves. Palestinians fire 7 mortars at Jewish settlements in Gaza, causing some damage, no injuries. 2 Palestinians die of injuries received in Jabaliya on 10/6, 10/15. (VOI 10/16 in WNC 10/19; HA, WP 10/17; HA, HJ, JP, MA 10/17 in WNC 10/19; PCHR 10/21)