Ref: 131/2021

Date: 06 November 2021

Time: 11:00 GMT

A Palestinian child died yesterday afternoon after being shot by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in Deir al-Hatab village, east of Nablus, north of the West Bank.  According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), there was no imminent threat or danger to the soldiers’ lives at the time the child was targeted. This crime again proves IOF unjustifiable lenient shooting standards in disregard for Palestinian civilians’ lives, thus increasing the number of deaths in this year.  Since the beginning of the year, the number of deaths amounted to 32, including 8 children, in protests and clashes with IOF across the West Bank.

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 16:50 on Friday, 05 November 2021, IOF fired several bullets at a group of children who tried to throw stones at the Bypass Road, where there is the entrance to “Elon Moreh” settlement and IOF’s camp at the entrance to Deir al-Hatab village, east of Nablus.  As a result, Mohammed Amjad Da’adas (13) was hit with a bullet in the abdomen and fell on the ground.  The children carried him around 400 meters away into the olive trees, and he was then taken by a civilian vehicle to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus.  An ambulance met them in the way and took the wounded child to the hospital, where his death was officially declared.  The child killed was a school student at Mohammed Amin al-Sa’di High School and lives in ‘Askar al-Jadeed refugee camp, northeast of Nablus.

An eyewitness said to PCHR’s fieldworker that since the olive harvest season started weeks ago, civilians who harvest olives face daily harassment by IOF while children and youngsters gather to throw stones at the Bypass Road that is used by IOF and settlers. An IOF patrol usually comes and fires teargas canisters at the children to disperse them from a distance of tens of meters.  However, on that day, IOF fired severe bullets at 4 children, who approached the road to throw stones, killing one of them after wounding him in the abdomen.

Meanwhile, IOF stated that “rioters threw stones at Israeli soldiers. The troops responded with riot dispersal means and live fire.”

PCHR’s investigations emphasize that the children did not pose any imminent threat or danger to the soldiers’ lives, and the latter unjustifiably opened fire at them in violation of the standards of shooting at protesters.

PCHR points out here 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.

PCHR reiterates its call upon the international community to urgently move 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.