Ref: 82/2021
Date: 11 June 2021
Time: 20:00 GMT
Today, 11 June 2021, in a new crime of excessive use of lethal force by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF), a Palestinian child was killed and 5 others were injured, including 2 children, during the suppression of a peaceful protest against settlement expansion in Beita village, southeast of Nablus, north of the West Bank.
According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 13:00 on Friday, 11 June 2021, and for the 6th consecutive week, a peaceful protest took off from central Beita village, southeast of Nablus, towards Subeih Mount, south of the village, where IOF established “Evyatar” settlement outpost a month ago. The protestors raised Palestinian flags and chanted slogans against the Israeli occupation and settlers. When the protestors arrived at Subeih Mount, where a large number of IOF stationed, the latter indiscriminately opened fire at the protestors. Afterwards, violent clashes erupted, during which, the protestors threw stones at IOF who responded with live and rubber bullets, stun grenades and teargas canisters. The clashes continued until 17:30. As a result, a Palestinian teenager namely Mohammed Sa’ied Mohammed Hamayil (16), from Beita village, was shot dead with a live bullet, which penetrated his right armpit and then his chest and exited his left arm. Hamayil drew his last breath in the emergency department at Rafidia Governmental Hospital. Moreover, 5 other Palestinians, including 2 children, were injured. Moreover, many protestors suffocated due to teargas inhalation.
Hamayil was the 3rd Palestinian killed by IOF during the suppression of peaceful protests against settlement expansion in Subeih Mount as on 14 May 2021, IOF shot dead ‘Issa Suliman Barham Dawoud (38), a prosecutor in Salfit District Court, with a live bullet in the chest. Also, on 28 May 2021, IOF shot dead Zakaria Maher Falah Hamayil (26) with a live bullet in his head during the suppression of a protest in Subeih Mount.
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PCHR strongly condemns the excessive use of force which resulted in the murder of Hamayil and the injury of others and emphasizes that there was no justification for the use of fire, especially if there is no imminent danger or threat to the soldiers’ lives.
This incident is part of IOF’s recurrent policy of opening fire and using excessive force during the suppression of peaceful protests, which violates shooting standards. This policy also reflects the Israeli occupation’s disregard for Palestinians’ safety and their lives.
PCHR stresses that construction of “Evyatar” settlement outpost entices serious tension in the area as it is part of Israel’s settlement expansion plans which entrench its apartheid against the Palestinian people. PCHR reaffirms that settlement construction and expansion is illegal and constitutes a war crime according to international humanitarian law (IHL).
PCHR reiterates its call upon the international community to take immediate action to stop IOF crimes and reiterates its call on the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; i.e. to respect and ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances and their obligations under Article 146 to prosecute persons alleged to commit grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention. These grave breaches constitute war crimes under Article 147 of the same Convention and Protocol (I) Additional to the Geneva Conventions regarding the guarantee of Palestinian civilians’ right to protection in the oPt.
