A/HRC/22/35 11. On 4 November 2012, a 23-year-old man suffering from epilepsy was shot and killed by IDF about 10 metres from the fence, east of El Borueij camp. IDF had requested the victim several times – in Arabic, by microphone – to leave the area, but the victim had not responded. OHCHR received information indicating that the victim was known to IDF, due to his detention in mid-September, when he had previously approached the fence. IDF called the victim by his name prior to opening fire. Information received by OHCHR indicates that IDF allowed the victim to be evacuated only three hours after having been shot. 12. On 8 November 2012, a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed by IDF, as he played football with three friends next to his home about 1,000 metres from the fence, in Abasan al-Kabira, Khan Younis. Eyewitnesses reported that several incursions by IDF took place in the area on the same day. 13. On 11 August 2012, a 17-year-old male farmer cultivating his land, located about 600 metres from the fence, was shot twice, in his left hand and right thigh, east of Khan Younis. In another case, on 29 August , a 42-year-old female farmer was shot three times, in her hand, abdomen and back, in Wadi El Salqa, central Gaza Strip, about 700 metres from the fence. Information gathered by OHCHR indicates that the farmers posed no apparent risk to IDF, and that no armed activities had been or were being conducted from the site of the incident or from the surrounding area at the time when the incidents took place. 14. On 28 September 2012, IDF opened fire on about 30 fishermen from Beit Lahia, who were on the beach, killing one of them, a 23-year-old, and injuring another. IDF sources, through media, denied that IDF had attacked any fishermen that day. The same sources admitted that Israeli soldiers at the Gaza-Israel northern fence had shot and injured two Palestinians approaching the fence after they had disregarded the verbal warnings.9 OHCHR was informed that the fishermen were fishing on the shore with nets about 300400 metres from the fence when the incident occurred. 15. On 23 November 2012, dozens of Palestinians celebrating the ceasefire headed toward the fence east of Khan Younis, attempting to cross it. IDF responded with live fire, leaving one civilian dead and 18 others, including 3 children, injured. 10 OHCHR does not have any information regarding whether the civilians in the cases mentioned above were warned in advance. 16. In terms of positive developments, the Israeli Navy appeared to change operating procedures and resorted to more systematic use of warning fire, rather than directly targeting fishermen with live ammunition, as had previously often been the case. However, fisherman continued to be detained and their equipment confiscated and/or destroyed. A local human rights group documented the arrest of 68 fishermen, and the confiscation of 20 boats by the Israeli Navy during the reporting period.11 In October 2012, OHCHR documented the detention of eight fishermen and the confiscation of their boats by the Israeli Navy in two separate incidents. These occurred at 2 to 2.5 nautical miles from shore, west of Beit Lahia, on 7 and 22 October. 9 10 11 6 Yaakov Lappin, “IDF fires on suspects who approached Gaza fence”, Jerusalem Post, 30 September 2012, www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=286079. According to PCHR, Weekly Report, 22-29 November 2012, www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9072:weekly-reporton-israeli-human-rights-violations-in-the-occupied-palestinian-territory-22-29-nov2012&catid=84:weekly-2009&Itemid=183 According to Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, e-mail to OHCHR, 4 November 2012 (period covering 15 November 2011 to 4 November 2012).