By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

Gaza – In the past week, Israeli military operations have killed about 20 people, mostly militants.  Most recently, on December 4, a missile strike targeting a training base for Hamas’ armed wing in southern Gaza.  According to Palestinian medical workers, two militants were killed and two others were wounded in the strike.

On December 2, an air strike killed five members of the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, near the Khan Younis.  According to Hamas, the men were on night patrol and were 500 meters from the border.  However, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) states that the strikes were triggered when an armored unit spotted a mortar launching team near the border.  During this incident, at least three men were also injured.  Some of the injured were members of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), a smaller militant group allied to Hamas.

Also on December 2, Gaza medics report that one individual was killed and three others wounded in an incident east of Gaza City.  Residents recall hearing gunfire in the area.  The Israeli military stated that troops returned fire when Palestinian gunmen opened fire.

In addition to increased military strikes inside Gaza, on November 30, the Israeli Supreme Court held that Israel could impose fuel cuts but had to postpone planned electricity cuts.  Israel’s highest court agreed that there was no need to issue a stay on the fuel cuts, especially since the government took measures to ensure that fuel delivery to Gaza’s only power plant would be maintained.

However, while the court ruled that the Israeli government took measures to ensure that the reductions do not cause humanitarian harm.  Several hospitals in Gaza report dangerously low fuel supplies, which are required to run generators, threaten their ability to provide Palestinians with medical care.

Israel seeks to use these sanctions as a less lethal method to combat rocket attacks launched from Gaza.  In recent years, Israel has been faced with the difficult question of how to efficiently combat the persistent rocket fire from Gaza.  On December 3, IDF reports that three soldiers were lightly wounded by shrapnel from a mortar shell fired from Gaza.  During the same attack, three other mortars were launched, but no causalities resulted.  Also, earlier on December 3, fifteen other mortar shells were fired from Gaza, but again, no causalities resulted.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Israel hits Gaza amid fuel fears – 3 December 2007

Jerusalem Post – Gaza: At least four gunmen  killed by IDF – 3 December 2007

Reuters – Two Hamas militants killed in Gaza air strike, medics say – 3 December 2007

Al Jazeera – Deaths in Israeli attack on Gaza – 1 December 2007

BBC – Five killed in Israeli Gaza raids – 1 December 2007

Reuters – Six Palestinians, including militants, killed in Gaza – 1 December 2007

Al Jazeera – Israeli court backs Gaza fuel cuts – 30 November 2007