A/HRC/24/30
I. Introduction
1.
The present report examines progress made in the implementation of Human Rights
Council resolution 22/28 of 22 March 2013, entitled “Human rights situation in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”. The resolution demanded,
among other things, that Israel respect its obligations under international law, including
with regard to practices and actions that violate the human rights of the Palestinian people.
The report covers the period of 30 November 2012 to 25 May 2013. The information
contained in the report is based primarily on monitoring and other information-gathering
activities carried out by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR) and other United Nations entities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It
also contains information obtained from Israeli, Palestinian and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), human rights defenders and media sources.
2.
The report highlights selected human rights issues related to Gaza, including the
firing of rockets and mortars into Israel, the blockade and the access restricted areas
(ARAs) and their enforcement mechanisms. It examines the situation in the West Bank,
including East Jerusalem, including limitations on freedom of movement, forcible transfers,
settler violence and lack of accountability, excessive use of force by Israeli security forces 1
and violations of human rights by the Palestinian Authority. The report also addresses the
situation of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prison facilities.
3.
Several issues identified in resolution 22/28 are addressed in reports of the
Secretary-General submitted to the General Assembly for its sixty-eighth session, including
Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The human rights situation in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory is also reviewed in the recent report of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights on the implementation of Human Rights Council
resolutions S-9/1 and S-12/1 (A/HRC/22/35 and A/HRC/22/35/Add. 1).
4.
The applicable international legal framework has been set out in previous reports of
the Secretary-General and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The
High Commissioner’s first periodic report on the situation of human rights in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory contains a detailed analysis of the legal framework applicable and the
basis for the obligations of the different duty-bearers in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,
namely the State of Israel as the occupying Power, the Palestinian Authority and the de
facto authorities in Gaza (A/HRC/12/37, paras. 5–9). This analysis remains valid.
II. The situation in Gaza
A.
Killing and injuries in the course of hostilities
5.
The escalation in hostilities between Israel, the de facto authorities in Gaza and
armed groups in Gaza2 ended with a ceasefire understanding between Israel and the de
facto authorities on 21 November 2012. The understanding was generally observed by the
parties despite a number of incidents that occurred during the reporting period, especially
1
2
The phrase “Israeli security forces” refers to law enforcement, military, governmental and
intelligence agencies of Israel.
From 14 to 21 November 2012, Israel conducted a military operation in Gaza. During the escalation
174 Palestinians, of whom 101 are believed to have been civilians, and six Israelis, including four
civilians, were killed.
3
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents