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Use of firearms

Suspicion of extra-judicial execution in Bethlehem

Authorities must investigate the killing of four Palestinians defined by Israel as "wanted persons", on 12 March 2008. B'Tselem's investigation raises the suspicion that security forces executed the four in flagrant violation of a High Court ruling, which prohibits intentionally killing Palestinians taking part in hostilities when they can be arrested.

March 27
At least half of those killed in Gaza did not take part in the fighting

According to B'Tselem figures, from 27 February to the afternoon of 3 March, 106 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip. Contrary to the Chief of Staff's contention that ninety percent were armed, at least fifty-four of the dead (twenty-five of them minors) did not take part in the hostilities. In addition, at least forty-six minors were wounded.

March 3
149 people killed since 1 Jan. 2008

B'Tselem expressed its grave concern following the renewed fighting in Gaza. During the first 2 months of 2008, Israeli security forces killed 146 Palestinians. At least 42 did not participate in the fighting when killed, and 11 were minors. Palestinians killed 2 Israeli civilians, and one member of the Israeli security forces.

February 28
Israeli missile strikes schoolyard in Gaza, killing a teacher

On 7 February 2008, soldiers fired a missile that landed in the yard of an agricultural school in Beit Hanun, in the northern Gaza Strip. In his testimony to B'Tselem, one of the school's students described how the missile, which struck at the beginning of classes, killed a teacher and wounded him and two of his cousins.

February 28
Palestinian struck in head with "rubber" bullet dies

On 4 Jan. 08, Border Police fired rubber-coated metal bullets at Ahmad Abu Hantash, a father of two. Hantash died on 23 Jan. B'Tselem's investigation indicates that the police officers' lives were not in danger. B'Tselem demands a thorough investigation of the incident.

February 4
Head of Israeli Intelligence Defines Every Palestinian Killed in Gaza as a Terrorist

In the Cabinet meeting, the Head of the ISA said that Israel has killed 1,000 terrorists in the Gaza Strip in the past two years. The total number of Palestinians killed in this period is actually 816, and this includes 152 minors as well as many women and men uninvolved in the hostilities.

January 13
2007: 131 Palestinians who did not participate in hostilities killed by Israel

B'Tselem today releases its year-end report. According to B'Tselem data, the number of Israelis and Palestinians killed in clashes in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip dropped. However, there has been deterioration in many other measures of the human rights situation in the Occupied Territories.

December 31
Independent committee to investigate targeted killing

The State Attorney's Office has consented to have an independent committee examine the circumstances of a targeted killing. The case involves a 2002 bomb attack on a residential building that killed Salah Shahadeh and fourteen others, 13 of them civilians.

September 18
Testimony: A Palestinian injured in the course of being used as a human shield

According to Majd Ghanem's testimony, the soldiers ordered him to search his neighbor's house, and later forced him to sit in the road next to their jeep. When Palestinians opened fire at the jeep, the soldiers refused to let him in or allow him to escape the crossfire.

June 5
B'Tselem calls for criminal investigation into Gaza bombing

B'Tselem wrote to Israel's Judge Advocate General urging a Military Police investigation into the May 20 bombing that killed 8 people. Testimonies given to B'Tselem indicate that none of the victims was armed.

May 21
B'Tselem to Israel's Defense Minister: Do not target civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip

B'Tselem sent in an urgent letter to Israel 's Defense Minister urging him to ensure that the military does not attack civilian targets in the Gaza Strip. The letter responds to the calls by Israeli politicians to cut off Gaza's water and electricity.

May 17
Testimony: Soldiers shoot Gaza youths sneaking into Israel to look for work, killing one

Repeated cases of soldiers firing without warning at Palestinians approaching the Gaza perimeter fence raise the suspicion that the IDF treats the area as a "death zone," with soldiers firing indiscriminately at everyone who enters.

February 21
B'Tselem: Stop using undercover forces in combat actions

Following the undercover action in Ramallah on 4 Janaury, B'Tselem calls on the army to immediately cease using undercover soldiers in any action that the army defines as combat.

January 25
2006: 683 people killed in the conflict

B'Tselem publishes its 2006 annual statistics. This past year, we witnessed a deterioration in the human rights situation in the Occupied Territories, particularly in the increase in civilians killed and the destruction of houses and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. At the same time, there was an improvement regarding violations of the right to life of Israeli civilians.

December 28
B'Tselem and al-Haq warn about killing of children playing with toy guns

During Muslim holidays, Palestinian children and youths play with toy rifles. According to B'Tselem's figures, in recent years, IDF soldiers have killed five Palestinian children and youths who were playing with toy weapons or fireworks.

December 27
Soldier kills man restoring archeological site in Kufr A-Dik village

This month alone, B'Tselem has documented four cases where unarmed Palestinians were shot by Israeli soldiers. B'Tselem wrote to the Chief Military Prosecutor demanding investigations into these cases.

December 20
High Court of Justice imposes limitations on Israel's targeted-killing policy

The High Court rejected the state's position that members of armed Palestinian organizations in combat against Israel are neither civilians nor combatants - the two categories established by international humanitarian law - but belong to a third category, "illegal combatants."

December 19
High Court invalidates state's expanded exemption from tort liability

B'Tselem welcomes the decision issued by the High Court of Justice invalidating part of the amendment to the "Intifada Law." The amendment almost totally blocked Palestinians from suing for damages.

December 11
Prime Minister Olmert, is every Palestinian in the Gaza Strip a terrorist on the death list?

On 7 Dec, 06, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated that "Since June, more than 400 members of terrorist organizations have been killed." According to B'Tselem's, from 26 June, to 15 November, the IDF has killed 387 Palestinians. More than half of them, including 81 minors, were not taking part in the hostilities when they were killed.

December 7
Soldier who shoots Palestinian student at checkpoint sentenced to two weeks

On 4 Dec. 06 soldiers at a military checkpoint near Nablus shot at and then severely beat a Palestinian student, following an argument. According to press reports from 12 Dec. 2006, one of the soldiers involved was sentenced in a disciplinary hearing to 2 weeks in prison.

December 6