Field Update08 December 2020 

On Monday, a Palestinian man succumbed to wounds he sustained after being shot with 2 live bullets in his abdomen in a family dispute, where firearms were used, in Abu Shalbak area in al-Ram village, north of occupied East Jerusalem. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) expresses its deep concern over the incident and the ongoing assault on the rule of law in addition to the escalating use of firearms during family disputes and its threat to civil peace.

According to eyewitnesses’ testimonies, at approximately 22:00 on Monday, 07 December 2020, a family dispute broke out between al-Ghazawneh and al-Salayimeh families in al-Ram village; where firearms were used, as an old intra-family dispute reignited. As a result, Anas Rajeh al-Ghazawneh (25) was shot with two live bullets in his abdomen and taken to the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah for treatment. Later, medical sources pronounced him dead of his wounds.

The Palestinian police arrived at the scene after al-Ghazawneh was shot, cordoned off the area and controlled the dispute. The Public Prosecution also opened an investigation into the incident.

Lieutenant Colonel Louay Zreiqat, Spokesperson of the Palestinian police, said that the police control room in suburbs received a phone call informing them that a citizen was admitted to the Palestine Medical Complex after being shot with live bullets, and his health condition was classified critical and doctors pronounced him dead later. Zreiqat added that the Public Prosecution ordered to keep the corpse in custody and refer it to the Forensic Medicine Department to identify the cause of death.

PCHR is deeply concerned over the growing manifestations of social violence phenomenon in recent times. PCHR calls on the competent authorities to investigate into al-Ram incident, prosecute those responsible and bring them to justice. PCHR also calls upon the competent authorities to take strict measures to deter the increasing use of weapons outside the rule of law.