Israeli Forces Injure 54 Palestinian Civilians during Third Week of August

At least 54 Palestinian civilians, including eight children, were injured during the third week of August 2015, in various clashes with Israeli forces across the West Bank, said the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

photo source: Days of Palestine
photo source: Days of Palestine

In a press statement, OCHA, in the Protection of Civilians Weekly Report covering the period between august 18 and 24, said that Israeli forces arrested 98 Palestinians, including three from Gaza, according to WAFA.

Regarding settlers’ attacks against Palestinians, OCHA said five Israeli settler attacks resulting in injury to Palestinians and damages to their property were recorded, including a stone-throwing attack against a 6-year-old child.

On a different note, OCHA said that Israeli forces demolished 42 Palestinian-owned structures during the third week of August, all of which were located in area C, under full Israeli military control, citing the pretext of unpermitted construction.

It said that the demolition of the 42 structures, which OCHA described as the highest number of demolitions conducted in one week since the past six months, left around 54 Palestinians displaced, including 33 children.

It said that in 2015 alone, Israel has demolished a total of 417 structures in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, displacing at least 495, including 277 children.

OCHA further documented four shooting incidents by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip. However, no injuries were reported.

It said that since the ceasefire agreement, which was reached on August 29, 2014, under the Egyptian auspices, 16 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces’ fire, including one child, while over 170 others, including 24 children, were injured.