A WEEK IN BESIEGED GAZA: FROM MONDAY AUGUST 8TH TO SUNDAY AUGUST 14TH

A WEEK IN BESIEGED GAZA: FROM MONDAY AUGUST 8TH TO SUNDAY AUGUST 14TH

This is not a complete collection of major incidents connected to the Israeli occupation's siege of Gaza Strip during this period, but only represents some of the incidents considered both important and illustrative of the current situation.

MONDAY:

Israeli occupation announced it had kidnapped engineer Waheed al-Bursh, who works for United Nations Development Program. 

The bizarre accusation which Israel uses against al-Bursh in a coming show trial is that he would have delivered 300 tons of a rubble to 'a Hamas run facility', which would be 'material assistance to terrorism'.

Israel's regime declared that al-Bursh had 'confessed' to all this in the hands of Shin Bet, which routinely tortures imprisoned Palestinians.

UNDP Special Representative of the Administrator, El Salvadorian Roberto Valent, in the immediate aftermath refused to support the engineer, condemn his kidnapping and contest the Israeli occupation's claims.

Instead he declared the usual mantra of being "greatly concerned" and having ordered "internal review of the processes and circumstances surrounding the allegation".

As an afterthought wishfully Valent wishfully said that the kidnapped engineer al-Bursh "should be accorded all due legal process and has the right to a fair trial."

Australian UN Coordinator Robert Piper made the same pious wish while already declaring his "unreserved condemnation" against al-Bursh, who had at that point almost certainly been tortured. He has made no new announcements after the most recent developments, unlike Valent.

All with even a slight knowledge of what Palestinians face in these circumstances knows that al-Bursh has no rights in Israeli occupation's hands and will face a political show trial.

It would take almost a week for Valent to deny Israel's crimes and declare that the accusations against al-Bursh are wrong.

This is a part of a wider Israeli occupation attack against humanitarian organizations working in the besieged Gaza Strip; an attack loyally supported by the so-called 'Western' media - which faithfully reports Israel's claims without any attempt critical journalism - and 'Western' politicians who automatically support these accusations, treating them as a 'truth'.

TUESDAY:

Rabeh Abu Mandil from al-Mughazi refugee camp was detained by Israel's occupation forces while he was crossing a border fence from Gaza Strip to ethnically cleansed Palestine 1948.

He was released on Friday.

To support Israel's tightening stranglehold on charities operating in the besieged Gaza Strip, Germany joined Australia in stopping donations for World Vision's work in the tiny enclave.

That World Vision says Israel's claim of up to 50 million dollars worth of aid being channeled to Hamas by kidnapped World Vision official Mohammed al-Halabi is 'hard to reconcile' with the fact that total World Vision aid to Gaza Strip was only 22.5 million dollars during the period Israel cites, makes little difference these states.

WEDNESDAY:

Israel's occupation forces' navy fired at fishermen of Khan Younis and Rafah in southern part of the Gaza Strip without causing injuries.

Farmers working at their lands in central part of Gaza had to stop after being fired at by Israel's occupation forces.

8 people suffered light to moderate injuries as a result of the collapse of a tunnel in al-Shujayya in eastern Gaza Strip.

The injured are said to be members of a resistance group, but there was no information available to us of which resistance group is in question.

Over 140 people were killed in a single day in al-Shujayya during Israel's attack in 2014.

THURSDAY:

Israel's occupation forces' navy opened fire at Palestinian fishermen off Gaza City, preventing them from sailing and forcing them to return to land.

Israel's occupation forces opened fire from military towers at farmers and shepherds at Deir al-Balah in the central part of Gaza Strip.

No injuries were reported in either incident.

FRIDAY

Israel's occupation forces' helicopters and drones flew over central Gaza Strip.

Israeli navy fired at and shelled Palestinian fishermen off the coast at four locations: Off at al-Sudaniya, al-Waha Beit Lahiya and Rafah. Some boats suffered damage.

Attack at 07:00 am forced fishermen to escape the fire by jumping into the sea from their boats off al-Waha.

5 fishermen were kidnapped: Saed Jom’a Bakr, Mahmoud Saed Bakr, Ibrahim Saed Bakr, Yasser Nasser Bakr and Ahmad Mahmoud al-Louh. (List from IMEMC.)

They were released later that evening, but their boats remain confiscated.

It's possible that the air and naval, which happened at the same time, were coordinated.

Later on Friday Israel's occupation forces' snipers shot at protesters at the 'buffer zone' Israeli occupation has declared inside besieged Gaza, wounding a 23 y/o youth lightly in his legs.

SATURDAY:

Hamas' military wing al-Qassam Brigades' member Muhammad Shlouf from Gaza City died of electric shock while working inside a resistance tunnel, latest in a significant number of deaths this year connected to resistance and not smuggling tunnels.

Israel's occupation forces' military vehicle opened fire at apparently empty area of land in Khan Younis. No injuries were reported.

SUNDAY:

UNDP's Roberto Valent finally stepped up to support engineer al-Bursh kidnapped by Israel.

According to Valent, al-Bursh had no administrative powers to decide where the rubble in question should be delivered and that UNDP's tests had showed the rubble had been delivered in the right place.

This is a small consolation for al-Bursh, who faces a kangaroo trial in Israeli occupation's hands and an imprisonment for several years.

(Photograph shows rubble removal in besieged Gaza.)

SOURCES:

5 Gaza fishermen among 34 civilians kidnapped by IOF from occupied territories

http://english.palinfo.com/site/pages/details.aspx?ItemId=80144

8 Palestinians injured in tunnel collapse in Gaza

http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772609

A week after World Vision case, Israel accuses UNDP employee of working with Hamas

http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772596

Eight resistance members injured in tunnel collapse east of Gaza

http://english.palinfo.com/site/pages/details.aspx?ItemId=80113

Hamas fighter dies of electric shock inside Gaza tunnel

http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772660

In Gaza: Palestinian Injured by Live Fire During Protests, Al Qassam Fighter Dies of Electric Shock in Tunnel

http://imemc.org/article/in-gaza-palestinian-injured-by-live-fire-during-protests-al-qassam-fighter-dies-of-electric-shock-in-tunnel/

IOF opens fire at Palestinian fishermen in Gaza Strip

http://english.palinfo.com/site/pages/details.aspx?itemid=80147

Israeli Army Injures A Palestinian In Gaza

http://imemc.org/article/israeli-army-injures-a-palestinian-in-gaza/

Israel arrests Palestinian UN employee accused of using position to support Hamas

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-arrests-palestinian-un-employee-accused-support-hamas-gaza-a7180701.html

Israeli forces injure Palestinian with live fire during protests in the Gaza Strip

http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772658

Israeli forces open fire at fishermen on Gaza coast

http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772637

Israeli forces open fire at Palestinian farmers, shephards in central Gaza

http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772643

Israeli forces open fire at Palestinian fishermen, farmers in Gaza

http://english.palinfo.com/site/pages/details.aspx?ItemId=80116

Israeli forces open fire on Palestinian fishermen in Gaza, detain 5

http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772646

Israeli forces open fire at Palestinian lands in southern Gaza Strip

http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772656

Israeli forces release 5 Gazan fishermen

http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772654

Israeli Navy Kidnaps Five Fishers In Gaza

http://imemc.org/article/israeli-navy-kidnaps-five-fishers-in-gaza/

Israeli Navy Opens Fire On Palestinian Fishing Boats In Gaza

http://imemc.org/article/israeli-navy-opens-fire-on-palestinian-fishing-boats-in-gaza/

Israel releases Palestinian detained after crossing Gaza border fence

http://maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=772652

UNDP denies Israeli accusation against employee Barsh

http://english.palinfo.com/site/pages/details.aspx?itemid=80180

U.N. aid worker is second charged by Israel for helping Hamas

http://www.humanosphere.org/human-rights/2016/08/u-n-aid-worker-is-second-charged-by-israel-for-helping-hamas/