During this reporting period, the Israeli Army has continued to violate International Humanitarian Law and Fundamental Human Rights, by restricting freedom of movement to Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulances and its medical teams. Delays, denial of access and arbitrary searches had a negative impact on the sick and wounded in Nablus, Qalqilia, Jenin, Jericho, Bethlehem and Hebron.

Jericho, 14/9/2004 (10:45 AM): Israeli soldiers caused extensive damage to a PRCS Ambulance in Jerusalem when it stopped near Al-Buraq wall. For further information go to: http://www.palestinercs.org/pressreleases/PR180904WBRR.htm

Jenin, 16/09/2004 (11:50 AM): A PRCS ambulance was subjected to direct Israeli Army gunfire while on route to Jannat checkpoint to transport a sick person to a local Palestinian hospital. Fortunately, the PRCS crew sustained no injuries and no damage to the ambulance was reported. The crew could not reach the patient and were obliged to return back to safety.

Jenin, 16/09/2004 (11:30 AM): A PRCS ambulance was stopped at Jannat checkpoint, while on route to transport a sick person to a local Palestinian hospital. The crew was subjected to arbitrary physical search, and order by the Israeli soldiers to take off most of their clothes. The ambulance was allowed to pass after a total delay of one and a half hours.

Jenin, 17/09/2004 (08:40 AM): A PRCS ambulance was stopped and denied access by Israeli soldiers while on route to transport a sick person from Yabad village to a local Palestinian hospital, via Haifa street. The ambulance was obliged to return back and took an alternative route, via Nablus road. For the second time the ambulance was stopped and denied access, and the crew obliged to return back. The ambulance then proceeded to Jannat checkpoint, where it was subjected to direct Israeli Army gunfire. Fortunately the PRCS crew sustained no injuries and no damage to the ambulance was reported. The ambulance was allowed to pass after a total delay of one and a half hours.

Nablus, 17/09/2004 (10:00 AM): A PRCS ambulance was stopped and denied access by Israeli soldiers at Huwwara checkpoint while on route to transport a sick person to a local Palestinian hospital in Jenin. The soldiers started shouting at the crew, forced the driver to get out of the ambulance and physically abused him. The ambulance was obliged to return back and then it proceeded to Beit Iba checkpoint, where it was allowed to pass after a total delay of one hour.

In addition to the above, the following table lists incidents of delay and denial of access during this reporting period.

PRCS Branch Date Checkpoint Delay of access (unless indicated 'denied access') Jenin 14/09/2004 Al Jalameh 35 minutes 16/09/2004 Near Jannat Denied access 16/09/2004 Jannat Denied access 17/09/2004 A'aba 75 minutes Qalqiliya 14/09/2004 DCO 45 minutes 14/09/2004 DCO 30 minutes Hebron 11/09/2004 Checkpoint # 35 75 minutes Bethlehem 12/09/2004 Gilo 65 minutes & denied access Jericho 14/09/2004 Al Nweimeh Denied access

During this reporting period, a total of 18 deaths and 63 injuries were reported in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

These practices constitute a breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the First Additional Protocol of the Geneva conventions, which are legally applied to the occupied Palestinian territories. In particular, they violate articles 20 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which guarantees the protection and respect of persons who engage in the search for, removal and transport of and caring for wounded and sick civilians, and article 63 which stresses that " Subject to temporary and exceptional measures imposed for urgent reasons of security by the Occupied Power, recognized National red cross and red crescent societies shall be able to pursue their activities in accordance with Red Cross principles, as defined by the international Red Cross Conferences…". In addition to articles 12 and 15 of the First Additional Protocol of the Geneva conventions which guarantees that " Medical units shall be respected and protected at all times and shall not be the object of attack and shall have access to any place where their services are essential" and article 16 which stresses that, "Under no circumstances shall any person be punished for carrying out medical activities compatible with medical ethics, regardless of the person benefiting there from.", in addition to article 21, which stresses that," Medical vehicles shall be respected and protected in the same way as mobile medical units under the Conventions and this Protocol."