Wheat harvest met live ammunition in Gaza "buffer zone"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wheat harvest met live ammunition in Gaza

"buffer zone"

  Israeli forces attacked women farm workers and
international human rights activists with heavy gunfire during three
days' wheat harvest in the southern Gaza Strip. The Israel-imposed
"buffer zone" illegally claims over 30% of Gaza's arable farmland. In
Khoza'a village, east of Khan Yunis, substantial wheat remains
unharvested despite severe poverty and food shortages, as a result of
the attacks.

Tuesday, the first day of harvest, did not take place inside the 300m
"buffer zone". However, snipers approached the harvest in Israeli
military Jeeps on two occasions, shooting live ammunition around five
women who were crouching to hand-collect the wheat with four
International Solidarity Movement (ISM) activists. The women laid down
in the wheat during the attack but did not leave, and harvest
continued after the Jeeps had left. Activists communicated the non-
threatening nature of the work to soldiers with a megaphone.

A more severe attack was levied Wednesday, as the harvest continued
within 300 meters of the fence. 5 ISM activists and 2 journalists were
present as Israeli military Jeeps approached at 7 a.m. and fired
several rounds, similar to the previous day. At 8:30, the Jeeps parked
on a small hill near the fence. Snipers stood atop the Jeep closest to
the workers, with a clear view of the obviously non-threatening hand-
harvest. Israeli snipers then rained over 50 rounds on the women,
activists and journalists, causing the women to crawl along the ground
and shriek with fear. Rounds of live bullets hit within a meter of
people's heads, meaning any deviation would almost certainly hit
someone. The harvest finished at 10 a.m.

Available for interview: Adie Mormech (Britain): +972(0)597717696

ISM - Gaza

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