Click to view other reports

31 January: The IDF completely demolished 3 more houses in the Rafah camp, and 18 houses were partially demolished. The Palestinian authorities estimate that there were more than 50 houses demolished in Rafah camp in the last 3 days.

30 January: Israeli Occupation Army destroy two essential water wells in Rafah. Now there is not enough water any more in the Rafah camp.

On the evening of Wednesday 29 Jan during an invasion of Rafah the Israeli Occupation Army destroyed two water wells that are the main source of water for the town. The force which was comprised of Tanks flanked by armored bulldozers destroyed at least 8 homes making 60 defenseless civilians homeless. The 2 water wells were the sole source of water for the 130’000 residents of Rafah.

The two wells along with their attached pumping stations, electrical systems and water pipelines were completely leveled to the ground.

So until the wells are restored 130’000 people will be virtually denied their basic human right to water, this is an alarming precursor to a large scale health crisis.

Also, the IDF completely demolished 3 more houses in the Rafah camp, and 18 houses were partially demolished. The Palestinian authorities estimate that there were more than 50 houses demolished in Rafah camp in the last 3 days.

29 January: The IDF demolished 6 houses in the Tal Alsultan area, there are more than 10 tanks, and 3 bulldozers ... 15 people are injured... Now they are trying to demolish a large building, built by the Canadian government, the "Orphan City" ... this building houses all the orphans (children who have no parents or relatives). Also, they demolished many olives trees…

27 January: Yesterday, a 25 year old man and a 7-year-old boy were killed, and his 6-year-old brother wounded by army fire, in the Al Bahar street in the west of Rafah camp near Block (J). Also, the IDF demolished the house of Abedalfath Mansoor, who was killed last week (see my report in "Deaths and wounded"). The widow and children are homeless now. Today, they killed one child being on its way to school. Today, all Rafah schools are closed because of the situation. Click here to see the photos of the demonstration that took place today because of these victims.

25 January: I went up early today to take pictures of the houses that were demolished yesterday and tonight.
Click here for the photos I took today. 15 more houses were demolished. Right now there is a demonstration in Rafah, against the house demolitions, and international people joined it.
All people are very nervous because of the situation, they do not know the reasons why their houses were demolished. I asked an old women (you can see her on some of the photos), she cried and said: I lost everything, I grew up in this house, with my family... they destroyed everything, also all furniture, money, important papers ... where will we go, what shall we do? She had a little shop, and this also was demolished...

24 January: I estimate that more than twenty tanks and bulldozers attack Rafah camp, they demolished more than 12 houses and they still demolish other houses, and more than seven people are injured, three of them are children… In the Rafah camp, there is now a very dangerous situation, as the Israelis shoot towards ISM groups, and other international volunteers… Now, the weather is very cold and chilly and the people leave their houses because of the massive shooting…

23 January: The IDF is about to destroy even more houses. International peace activists came and joined us to stop the IDF. But because of heavy shooting, they had to leave again. Click here for the photos I took today.

21 January: Weather has changed and since yesterday there was storm and rain. Most of these tents where the homeless families found a temporary shelter were destroyed by the storm. And with this weather, anyway it becomes impossible to live in these tents. I only can hope that most of these families found some shelter in the houses of relatives... but I'm sure not everybody will manage. Because of the many house demolitions in Rafah, there is not enough room any more...



To help one of these desperate homeless families, click here to have a look at the website of PCWF, offering individual sponsorships for the children in these families.

In the afternoon, heavy shooting in town ... many ambulances bringing badly injured people into the hospitals.