In May 2025, the Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF) and Israeli settlers continued their crimes and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law against Palestinians and their properties in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem. These crimes have included willful killings, destruction of public and private property, arrests, threats, among others.
The Following is some of violations highlighted and documented by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR):
Killings and violation of the right to life and bodily integrity:
The IOF and settlers’ attacks during the reporting period in the West Bank have resulted in the killing of 19 Palestinians, including 9 civilians; amongst them 2 children. Also, a Palestinian detainee died in Israeli jails.
On 01 May 2025, ‘Alaa Shawkat Ahmed Khudair (29) was killed after being shot with a live bullet that penetrated his back and exited the chest during the IOF’s incursion into Beita village, southeast of Nablus. The crime occurred during the Israeli military vehicles’ withdrawal from the village at around 22:30, as many Israeli soldiers stepped out of a military vehicle and opened heavy and indiscriminate fire at people near the Beita Sport Club on the main street at the entrance to the village. As a result, Khudair sustained serious injuries and died shortly after arriving at An-Najah Hospital in Nablus.
On 02 May 2025, in extra-judicial execution crime (assassination), the IOF killed Omar Mostafa Mousa Abu Lail (39) inside his house on al-Quds Street adjacent to Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus. Although Omar was unarmed, he was shot by the IOF while he was sitting on the balcony of his brother’s house on the fifth floor of a 5-storey building. After killing Omar, the IOF kept his body.
On 04 May 2025, Muhi al-Deen Fahmi Sa’eed Nijem (60), a Palestinian detainee from Siris village, southeast of Jenin, died in Soroka Medical Center. It is worth noting that Muhi al-Deen had been held under administrative detention since 08 August 2023. According to the Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and Palestinian Prisoner’s Club, he was subjected to medical neglect and was completely denied access to treatment despite suffering from chronic health problems. He was last visited on 10 March at Negev Prison, when it was revealed that his health had deteriorated significantly. He could not easily move and had great difficulty walking. Following several interventions, he was transferred for medical examinations, but he was not informed of his health condition. It is worth noting that Nijem had been arrested several times in the past and had spent around 19 years in Israeli prisons.1
On 07 My 2025, the IOF killed ‘Abed al-Fattah ‘Ahed Ahmed Hreibat (20) at Hebron’s southern entrance (al-Fahs), which leads to the Bypass Road (60). The IOF opened fire on Hreibat while he was driving his white Ford Transit, claiming that he had carried out a car-ramming attack against Israeli soldiers stationed at the al-Fahs entrance. However, there were no eyewitnesses to the incident.
On 08 May 2025, Rami Sami Waleed al-Kakhan (30) was killed in an extrajudicial execution (assassination) when an Israeli special unit opened fire on him in Nablus’s Old City. The IOF also arrested one Palestinian and injured seven civilians, including three children. Before withdrawing, the IOF took Rami’s body with them. Footage circulating on social media showed one of the unit’s members,2 disguised in a “jalabiya”, civilian clothing, opening fire on Rami, even though he had raised his hands and surrendered. After killing him, the IOF held his body.
On 09 May 2025, in an extrajudicial execution (assassination), an Israeli special unit killed Nour ‘Abed al-Kareem Mohammed al-Bitawi (34), from Jenin refugee camp, and Hekmat Shawqi Mohammed ‘Abed al-Nabi (42), from Jabal ‘Askar, after surrounding an under-construction house they were staying in at the Jabal ‘Askar area, northeast of Nablus. The unit killed them with a booby-trapped drone directed at the house. When they withdrew, the IOF held Nour and Hekmat’s bodies.
On 15 May 2025, in an extrajudicial execution (assassination), an Israeli special unit killed five Palestinians by targeting a house they were in with several shells in Tammun village, southeast of Tubas. The victims were identified as Saher Nabil Bisharat, Islam ‘Azmi Hussain Bani ‘Awda, Rida Kamal Bani ‘Awda, Wadee’ Eyad Bani ‘Awda, and Ibrahim Rafe’ Bani ‘Awda. The IOF held four of the bodies, while the fifth was found charred on the roof of the building.
On 16 May 2025, the IOF stationed at Chain Gate, one of al-Aqsa Mosque’s gates in occupied East Jerusalem, killed Mohammed Nidal Abu Lebda (17), alleging that he had stabbed a soldier at the gate, causing minor injuries.
On 17 May 2025, Nidal Wael ‘Abed al-Kareem Shaghnoni (16) was killed, and two other children were injured when Israeli settlers, under the IOF’s protection, opened fire at them at the entrance to Burqa village, northwest of Nablus. The IOF held Shaghnoni’s body.
On the same day, the IOF killed Nael Sami ‘Abed al-Rahman Samara (36) during their incursion into Burqin village, west of Salfit, and held his body.
On 27 May 2025, Mahmoud Faisal Taher Kharraz (32) was killed after being shot with a live bullet to the neck by the IOF, who opened fire on him and other civilians while they were sitting on the stairs of al-Akhdar Market in Nablus. The incident occurred during the IOF’s withdrawal from the area. Additionally, seven civilians, including two children, were injured. The IOF also raided a currency exchange shop and a gold store, confiscating all the money and gold inside.
On 28 May 2025, the IOF killed Jasem Ibrahim al-Sedda (20), from Jit village, north of Qalqilya city, after storming his home and shooting at him while he was sleeping in bed. The IOF left him to bleed to death. Before withdrawing, the IOF held his body and later handed it over to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS)’s teams at the entrance of Jit village.
Thus, the death toll due to the IOF’s attacks in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has risen to 132, including 70 civilians, among them 21 children and 4 women. Furthermore, 7 Palestinian detainees, including a child, have died in Israeli prisons.
Demolition and land-razing
During the reporting period, the IOF demolished 123 facilities in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem: 51 houses were completely demolished, among them 21 were demolished under the pretext of unlicensed construction, 3 houses were demolished as part of the Israeli collective punishment policy, and 8 were self-demolished by the owners in Occupied East Jerusalem and Northern Jordan Valleys. They also demolished 72 commercial facilities.
Moreover, the IOF demolished a house in Tammun village, southeast of Tubas, after surrounding it and killing five people inside. Additionally, 18 houses were completely demolished in Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps, as part of the IOF’s ongoing military assault that has continued for several months, as our researchers documented.
During their ongoing ground assaults on the West Bank’s cities and refugee camps, particularly Jenin refugee camp and Nur Shams and Tulkarm refugee camps, east of the city, IOF conducted extensive destruction to infrastructure, including streets, water pipes, telephone and electricity lines.
Land confiscations and settlement expansion
During the reporting period, the IOF and Israeli settlers continued their settlement expansion policy materialized in confiscating and razing Palestinian lands to establish settlement outposts and expand settlements.
On 01 May 2025, a group of Israeli settlers established a new settlement outpost in al-Farisiyia compound area in northern Jordan Valleys, with the aim of expanding settlement in the area and forcibly displacing Bedouin communities in favor of annexing the Jordan Valleys.
On 13 May 2025, Israeli bulldozers levelled two dunums of Palestinian-owned lands adjacent to Street No (60), known as Yitzhar Road, southeast of Nablus.
On 16 May 2025, the IOF seized 245 dunums and 620 square meters from Plot No. 2 to establish a new settlement outpost on lands of Bruqin village, west of Salfit.
On 31 May 2025, ministers in the Israeli government announced that the Security Cabinet approved the construction of 22 new settlements in the West Bank, including the legalization of settlement outposts, along the border with Jordan.
Settler violence
Israeli settlers conducted 21 attacks against Palestinians and their properties in various villages and cities across the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem. Their attacks killed a Palestinian child and injured 20 Palestinians, including 3 children; two of them were shot with live bullets, while the rest with stones and sharp tools. The settlers also caused extensive damage to Palestinians’ properties. The attacks included setting fire to three houses, a mosque, and a car wash, burning 28 private vehicles, smashing the windows of 10 other vehicles and 9 houses, stealing 9 sheep from a barn and killing 20 others, stealing 4 tents, and damaging other properties. Moreover, the settlers cut down 140 fruitful olive trees and set fire to dozens of dunums planted with wheat, barley, and olive trees.
IOF attacks in Jerusalem
OF’s violations and Judaization attempts continued in occupied East Jerusalem by approving the building of hundreds of new settlement units and entrenching their house demolition policy against Palestinians under various pretexts. IOF also continue to impose age-based access restrictions to Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially on Fridays, and enforce strict search procedures.
In addition to house and facility demolitions as elaborated above, PCHR documented the following:
On 08 May 2025, the Israeli Ministry of Education’s staff, accompanied by Israeli police officers, closed six UNRWA schools and hanged closure orders on their doors. They forced students and teachers to evacuate some of the schools, preventing them from providing educational services to more than 800 students.
On 12 May 2025, in an unprecedented and alarming escalation, an Israeli settler brought an animal sacrifice into al-Aqsa Mosque and performed religious rituals, including prayers and prostration, in blatant violation of the sanctity of Islamic holy sites. This coincided with the Jewish celebration of the Second Passover.
On 27 May 2025, during the “Flags March,” the IOF imposed further restrictions on the Old City. This included a large-scale settler raid on al-Aqsa Mosque, during which they performed provocative rituals to offend Muslim worshippers.
Restriction on freedom of movement and checkpoints
The IOF have established more military checkpoints in the West Bank and tightened restrictions on freedom of movement between the cities and villages, rendering them isolated. During the reporting period, the IOF established hundreds of temporary checkpoints and metal detector gates along the streets and between the villages in addition to tens of permanent checkpoints aiming to restrict Palestinians’ freedom of movement. The IOF establish 908 permanent checkpoints and metal detector gates at the entrances to Palestinian cities and villages and on streets in the West Bank.
On 14 May 2025, as part of their collective punishment policy, the IOF imposed a complete siege and curfew on Bruqin and Kafr al-Deek villages, west of Salfit, and prevented ambulances and vehicles carrying food supplies from entering the two villages following a shooting attack that led to the killing of a settler in the area.
Moreover, Palestinian civilians are subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment at military checkpoints, which obstruct their movement and endanger their lives, as they are killed based on unfounded suspicions or these checkpoints are used as ambushes to arrest allegedly wanted persons.
