Ref: 142/2022

Date: 03 November 2022

Time: 12:30 GMT

Today at dawn, a Palestinian was killed by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) fire during the latter’s incursion into Beit Duqqu village, northwest of occupied East Jerusalem. This crime and other crimes committed during the past few days unequivocally prove IOF’s loose shooting standards against Palestinians and commission of murder crimes that amount to extrajudicial executions upon Israeli top-level military and political orders. Also, in most cases where shooting was carried out against Palestinian civilians, there was no threat to Israeli soldiers’ lives.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 04:00 on Thursday, 03 November 2022, IOF moved into western Beit Duqqu village, northwest of occupied East Jerusalem, amid drones flying over the village. IOF then raided a house belonging to Habbas ‘Abdul Hafiz Rayan (54), who was killed yesterday by IOF fire at a military checkpoint established at the entrance to Beit Ur in western Ramallah after he ran over an Israeli soldier at the checkpoint. IOF searched the house amid heavy shooting of rubber bullets and teargas canisters in its vicinity. Meanwhile, dozens of young Palestinians gathered near the house and threw stones at IOF and their vehicles. Immediately, IOF assaulted the protestors and fired live and rubber bullets and teargas canisters at them as the clashes extended to nearby streets. Forty minutes later, IOF fired live bullets at a group of protestors gathered near Mostafa Mirar’s house yard, west of the village. As a result, Dawoud Mahmoud Khalil Rayan (42) was shot with a live bullet in his chest and fell on the ground. After that, the owner of Marar family house tried to help Rayan and pulled him inside his house yard.  Marar then called the medical crews, who immediately arrived, but IOF denied them entry. IOF noticed Rayan in the house in critical condition and examined him. Half an hour later, IOF allowed the Palestinian medical crew to take him to Ramallah Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

IOF claimed that: “during their operation in Beit Duqqu village, the soldiers responded by using riot control means and opened fire at Palestinians, who threw stones and Molotov Cocktails at them, causing injuries.”

However, Mirar house’s owner and eyewitnesses emphasized to PCHR’s fieldworker that they did not see any Molotov Cocktails with the protestors, in particular with Rayan, who did not pose any danger to the Israeli soldiers that directly targeted him in his chest.

PCHR reiterates its call upon the international community to take immediate action to end Israeli occupation’s crimes and double standards when it comes to international law and urges the ICC Prosecutor to act seriously with regard to the situation in Palestine.  PCHR also demands 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,” and their obligations under Article 146 of the same Conventions, i.e., to hold accountable persons accused of committing grave breaches of the Convention.