Ref: 20/2022
Date: 23 February 2022
Time: 10:54 GMT
Yesterday afternoon, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed a Palestinian child in al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem, after excessively and deliberately shooting at him, claiming that the child threw stones and Molotov Cocktails at settlers’ vehicles.
According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at around 21:00 on Tuesday, 22 February 2022, IOF opened fire at a group of children, who were between houses in Jabal Baqoush area in al-Khader village in southern Bethlehem, claiming the children attempted to throw stones and Molotov Cocktails at settlers’ cars on “Etzion-Jerusalem” Road near the village. As a result, Mohammed Rezeq Shehadah Salah (14) was hit with 2 bullets in his chest and abdomen, and the soldiers tried to offer him first aid, but he drew his last breath on the spot. IOF kept his body under custody and took him with them. So far, the child’s body was not delivered to his family.
According to the child’s family and eyewitnesses, Mohammed Salah was playing with his friend in the neighborhood near the annexation wall next to the “Etzion-Jerusalem” settlement road known as Bypass Road 60 when the children were surprised with large number of Israeli soldiers moving into the area and topping the house roofs. IOF’s snipers opened fire at and targeted the children, wounding Salah with 2 bullets in his chest and abdomen. He fell on the ground, and IOF tried to offer him first aid. However, he died on the spot. IOF kept the body under custody and withdrew from the area.
Eyewitnesses said to PCHR fieldworker that IOF set an ambush for the children, claiming the latter threw stones and Molotov Cocktails. They also emphasized that the residential area, where the children were playing, usually witnesses clashes with the Israeli soldiers under the pretext that settlers’ vehicles were thrown with stones in this area.
Moreover, IOF’s official spokesperson claimed that during their presence near al-Khader village, IOF ambushed 3 Palestinian suspects in the area, where Israeli civilian cars were thrown with Molotov Cocktails by Palestinians, exposing the travelers on the road to danger. IOF opened fire at one of the suspects when he was throwing a Molotov Cocktail and wounded him. the soldiers provided him with first aid, but he died shortly thereafter.
PCHR points out that IOF murder crimes against Palestinian civilians, particularly children, have been on the rise, including the use of snipers and direct shooting to kill, harm, and cause severe injuries, ascertaining that these crimes are done without justification.
Since the beginning of 2022, IOF murdered 8 Palestinians, including 2 children, and wounded 47 others, including 8 children and 4 journalists; all of them are residents of the West Bank.
PCHR reiterates its call upon the international community to take immediate action to end Israeli occupation’s crimes, and its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfil their obligations as per Common Article 1 of the Convention, “undertake to respect and to ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances.” PCHR also calls upon the High Contracting Parties to uphold their commitment to Article 146 of the same Conventions, i.e., to hold accountable persons accused of committing grave breaches of the Convention, and to ensure protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied territory.