What follows is a detailed chronological report of the raid taken by a friend and myself, followed by witness testimonies taken from the students at the scene:

At 12h15, we arrive at An-Najah Street where four jeeps were located near the university. Eight Palestinians, half of them women, were crouching in front of a student housing complex with their hands up in the air in a surrender position and were surrounded by the soldiers. Marcus approached and attempted to speak to Jeep # 611390 but was rebuffed

Later, 3 shots rang out from the student housing complex. More soldiers came from behind the female student housing complex nearby. The soldiers began to forcibly break down metal door with a sledge hammer, firing 5 shots into the door and then continue striking it until it was forced open. 4 soldiers entered and 3 more shots were heard from inside the building. Soldiers also used sound bombs as more action was going on to east of home.

Some shebab attempted to resist by shattering bottles against the Israeli military jeep positioned near At-Tachasusi Hospital. The military commander called for curfew and ordered nearby shops to close down their operations. He pointed his gun down alleyway towards shebab.

Jeep # 610985 threw sound bomb at the press huddle across from the student housing complex that was filming/photographing the scene. A total of three sound-bombs and one tear gas grenade were launched at the journalists to clear them from the area, as they were attempting to do their job. At this point, one of the military jeep got involved in brief clashes with stone throwers.

Hummer # 703839 showed up and threw a 4th sound bomb at a huddle of journalists and medical personnel on the corner of 15th Street and An-Najah. Multiple shots were being fired repeatedly by soldiers and snipers positioned on one of the balconies of surrounding high-rises (around 30 fired, at a rate of about one every second or two); Four gunshots near the building which was originally searched were heard and the jeep and hummer pushed press down the street with teargas.

Israeli army fired 3 live rounds in the vicinity of press to intimidate them and force them to leave the scene. 3 Kalashnikov rounds, coming from the central occupied house were fired. Another wave of shooting (about 30 rounds at a rate of one per second) was unleashed by Israeli army again.

The group of internationals went around a side street to inspect situation at the other end of military convoys near the hospital. A Palestinian male student made several attempts to enter his building in order to look for friends as he was concerned by the random shooting systematically fired by the Israeli army . He was restrained by medical personnel as they were scared the military would shoot him.

21 waves of gunfire, all coming from where an Israeli army APC equipped with an armored sniper tower was located, were fired into the building. The military seemed to target civilians. The medics repeatedly asked them not to shoot. A jeep drove up the road towards the university. A border police jeep and other military jeeps have come during the last hour. The APC with sniper tower arrived onto An-Najah Street: three guns were visible from the sniper turrets

At 13h26, the Israeli soldiers eventually pulled out of building after an hour and a half of confrontation. They made their way to one of the jeeps and this extraction which lasted about five minutes, included shooting, sound grenades and tear-gas deployed near the hospital.

TESTIMONIES AND DAMAGE

Eyewitnessess who were staying in the flats during the Israeli army raid reported that the army used a 25 year old Palestinian man as human shield to open main door. People’s IDs were taken and not returned (the Palestinians hoped the PA would get them back eventually from the DCO at Huwara). The Israeli army destroyed properties such as computer and HiFi equipment. The soldiers also fired into rooms through windows from above, leaving holes in the floor. They searched all rooms, breaking into some with sledge hammer and gunfire. They also checked and took mobile phones from the people present in the building. Two men were hit by the soldiers during this invasion. The Israeli army never stated the reason for this brutal incursion in a building inhabited by families and students essentially.

According to medical personnel on the scene, 3 people were injured during the operation, including one who was hurt as a stun grenade exploded between his legs.

One of the families living in the upper apartment stated that the soldiers fired randomly into the flat through doors and windows. A plastic fuel tank on their balcony was shot but luckily there was no explosion even though pools of fuel poured onto the floors. Property destruction was experienced as the army shot through walls, breaking mirrors and furniture. More disturbing, the water tanks located on the roof were ruptured by the fire and spewed water.

This invasion constitutes a serious break of international laws applying to occupied territories. Indeed, article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War clearly states that “collective penalties are prohibited... Reprisal against protected persons and their properties are prohibited.” Article 53 of the same Convention also states that “any destruction by the Occupying Power... is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.”

The Israeli army never stated the purpose of this military operation in an area which was clearly marked as inhabited by civilians.