The IDF continues operations in Khan Yunis, shelling, firing on, and conducting air strikes on residential areas, killing at least 11 Palestinians (1 PA security officer, 3 armed Palestinians, 7 civilians, including an 11-yr.-old boy) wounding at least 70, demolishing at least 26 Palestinian homes; 2 IDF soldiers are also wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade. The IDF arrests Tulkarm dep. Hamas cmdr. Ahmad Awad; sends troops into Bayt Furik, fires on residential areas, then fires on stone-throwing youths who confront the troops, wounding a 13-yr.-old Palestinian; sends troops into Shaykh Ajlin, demolishes 1 Palestinian home, bulldozes 4 d., conducts arrest raids; bulldozes 20 d. surrounding Gaza’s Dugit settlement; conducts arrest raids, house searches, sets fire to 2 workshops in Hebron; fires on residential areas of Yamun. Jewish settlers occupy a vacant Palestinian home in the Rachel’s Tomb complex in Bethlehem that they claim to have purchased 2 yrs. ago; local Palestinians deny this. Jewish settlers fr. Ramat Yishai settlement nr. Hebron occupy a vacant Palestinian home (residents had been forced to leave because of repeated settler attacks). Palestinian female prisoners in Israel’s Tel Monde prison begin a hunger strike to protest their living conditions, frequent strip searches. (BBC, MM, PM, PRCS 10/25; VOI, VOP 10/25 in WNC 10/27; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/26; PCHR 10/28; PR 11/3)
Monday, October 25, 2004