Ref: 83/2022

Date: 26 June 2022

Time: 09:00 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns Israeli Occupation Forces’ (IOF) murder of a Palestinian child, who was directly shot by Israeli soldiers stationed in a military watchtower in Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah. PCHR’s investigations affirm that IOF unjustifiably opened fire at the child from a distance of 50 meters when the latter was on the street, where no events took place. The child was left to bleed for about two hours while IOF denied him first aid.

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 16:30 on Friday, 24 June 2022, when Palestinian young men and boys gathered in al-Junadi area adjacent to the Bypass Road (60) at the entrance to Silwad village, northeastern Ramallah, Israeli soldiers in a military watchtower at the village entrance opened fire at Mohammed ‘Abdullah Salah Suliman (16). As a result, he was injured and fell on the ground. IOF left Mohammed to bleed for about 2 hours, prevented Palestinian ambulances from reaching him and indiscriminately and heavily opened fire to prevent anyone from approaching him as well.  Afterwards, an Israeli ambulance arrived and provided first aid to him before taking him to a hospital in occupied East Jerusalem. At approximately 01:40 on Saturday, 25 June 2022, Mohammed’s family was informed of his death after succumbing to his wounds.

The child’s father, ‘Abdullah Suliman, said that the Palestinian civil liaison informed them that Mohammed was injured by IOF fire and then taken via an Israeli helicopter to Hadassah-‘Ein Karem Hospital in Jerusalem. He added that he was later informed of Mohammed’s death after succumbing to a live bullet wound in his chin.

Since the beginning of 2022, IOF murdered 63 Palestinians, including 49 civilians: 14 children, 5 women (one was a journalist Sherin Abu ‘Aqlah), a Palestinian stabbed by an Israeli settler and the rest were activists; 6 of them were assassinated. Also, hundreds of Palestinians were injured.

PCHR reiterates its call upon the international community to take immediate action to end Israeli occupation’s crimes, and its call upon the ICC Prosecutor to investigate the situation in Palestine without any delay similar to its prompt action in Ukraine.  PCHR also demand the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention 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.