The IDF bars all imports into Gaza, including fuel, food, medicine; makes an air strike destroying the empty PA Interior Min. building in Gaza City (heavily damaged in a 7/06 air strike), killing 1 Palestinian bystander, wounding 46 (including 3 women, 19 children playing soccer nearby); makes a 2d air strike targeting an alleged rocketlaunching squad in Jabaliya r.c., killing 2 Hamas mbrs., wounding 3 bystanders; makes a 3d air strike destroying a Hamasaffiliated security facility in central Gaza; sends troops, bulldozers into Khuza to level lands, firing on residential areas, wounding a 9-yr.-old Palestinian boy; makes a late-night incursion into areas nr. Jabaliya r.c., raiding 2 Palestinian homes, making 2 air strikes on armed Palestinians who confront them, killing 2 Hamas mbrs., wounding 2 bystanders, arresting 8 Palestinians, demolishing 1 Palestinian home, damaging 3 others, bulldozing 4 d. of olive trees. Palestinian factions, including Hamas, fire 31 rockets fr. Gaza toward Israel; 16 land inside Israel, causing damage but no injuries. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Tulkarm; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, percussion grenades, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international activists taking part in nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall in Bil‘in (injuring 3). A Hamas mbr. wounded in an 1/17 IDF air strike on Gaza City dies. (NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 1/19; NYT 1/20; OCHA 1/23; PCHR 1/24)
Friday, January 18, 2008