Israel releases 29 Palestinian prisoners fr. Gaza (see 10/1); once again, the IDF fires on Palestinians waiting at the Erez crossing to welcome the prisoners home, wounding a Reuters cameraman. Late in the evening, the IDF sends troops into Khan Yunis, bulldozing agricultural land, searching and occupying Palestinian homes as observation posts, exchanging fire with local Palestinian gunmen, killing 1 armed Palestinian. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Nur al-Shams r.c. nr. Tulkarm, nr. Ramallah. At least 15 Jewish settlers, escorted by IDF soldiers, enter and stay overnight in Joseph’s Tomb nr. Nablus. 100s of Jewish settlers set up tents on the vacated Homesh settlement site, level land, set up sand barriers; the IDF restricts Palestinian movement in the area. In Gaza City, 4 AMB mbrs. are killed when explosives they are carrying detonate prematurely outside an ESF post that they apparently planned to attack; 1 passerby is wounded. (OCHA, WP 10/3; NYT, PCHR 10/4; NYT 10/5)
Tuesday, October 2, 2007