Misuse of Firearms: Three Persons Killed, including Girl, in the West Bank

Filed Update

06 October 2022

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) follows up with concern the continued violation of the right to life and the incidents that claim more casualties due to the misuse of weapons and other manifestations of societal violence that has recently killed three persons, including a girl, in the West Bank.

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 17:30 on Wednesday, 05 October 2022, 23-year-old girl (Gh. Kh.), from Jab’ village in southern Jenin, was killed after being shot in the head.   According to the police, the girl was shot with a live bullet mistakenly unleashed from her father’s firearm in her house, noting that the father works at the Preventive Security Service. Accordingly, an investigation was opened into the incident.

At approximately 18:30 on the same day, (‘A. Z.) (41), from Silat ad-Dhahr village in southern Jenin, was killed after being shot with a live bullet in the neck from a hunting rifle when his brother opened fire at him while arguing in their house. The police announced opening an investigation into the incident.

At approximately 11:40 on Monday, 03 October 2022, unknown gunmen opened fire at (S. S.) (48), from Hura area in Israel, when he was inside his vehicle parked in an auto repair garage in al-Boniyia area, south of As-Samu village in Hebron. He was then taken to the Princess Alia Governmental Hospital, where medical sources pronounced him dead, and his corpse was transferred to Israel. The Palestinian police announced that an investigation was opened into the incident, and initial investigations revealed that the murder is due to an old revenge.

So far in 2022, PCHR documented the murder of 26 persons, including 3 women and a girl, due to the misuse of firearms and assault on the rule of law in the West Bank.

PCHR calls upon the public prosecution to investigate these incidents and take the necessary legal proceedings. Also, PCHR demands the competent authorities take serious steps to end such violations.