March 27, 2004

The IDF sets up a new checkpoint outside Qalqilya; raids Balata r.c., fires on stonethrowing youths, trades gunfire with Palestinian militants; a 6-yr.-old Palestinian is killed inside his home during the exchange, but the source of the gunfire is in question. The IDF also raids Sabastia nr. Nablus, evacuates 2 secondary schools, imposes a curfew; shells residential areas of Rafah, bulldozes tracts of already demolished homes; conducts arrest raids, house searches in Dahaysha r.c. Jewish settlers fr. Kiryat Arba rampage through Hebron for 18 hrs., harassing Palestinians, throwing stones and bottles at Palestinian homes, setting up mobile homes on Palestinian land. (WP, WT 3/28; PR 3/31; PCHR 4/1)