December 20, 2006

IDF troops on the n. Gaza border nr. Bayt Lahiya fire on a group of Palestinian farmers who stray too nr. the border fence, wounding 1. The Israeli navy fire machine guns at Palestinian fishing boats off the Rafah coast, damaging several but causing no injuries. Palestinians fire 9 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, causing no damage or injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF makes an overnight arrest raid on Silat al-Harithiyya, exchanging fire with and fatally shooting 2 wanted Islamic Jihad mbrs.; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Bayt Sahur (raiding the offices of the Islamic Association), Dahaysha r.c. nr. Bethlehem. The Fatah-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza generally holds, though just after it is announced, PA Preventive Security Force (PSF) mbrs. controlled by Abbas fire on a group of Hamas mbrs. in Gaza City, sparking an exchange that leaves 2 PSF mbrs. dead. During a funeral process for the men in Gaza City later in the day, Fatah mbrs. fire in the air, set cars on fire, but cause no injuries. (IFM, NYT, PCHR 12/21; OCHA 12/27; PCHR 12/28)