Palestinian Deadly Shot by Israeli Occupation Forces inside His House in Occupied East Jerusalem
Ref: 101/2022
Date: 15 August 2022
Time: 11:20 GMT
Today morning, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed a Palestinian after opening fire at him inside his house in Kafr ‘Aqab village, north of occupied East Jerusalem, claiming that he tried to stab one of the Israeli soldiers who raided and searched the house.
According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 03:30 on Monday, 15 August 2022, an Israeli border guard force raided and completely cordoned off Ibrahim Shaham’s house in a residential building in Kafr ‘Aqab village. Afterwards, large number of Israeli soldiers raided the house after blowing up the door and fired 4 live bullets at Ibrahim’s son, Mohammed, (21). One of the bullets hit Mohammed in his head while the rest bullets hit one of the apartment’s walls. Mohammed was left to bleed for 40 minutes, while his family was locked by IOF in a nearby house and prevented from providing first aid to their injured son. IOF thoroughly searched the house’s rooms, arrested Mohammed and withdrew taking him to an unknown destination. Later, the Israeli police announced Mohammed’s death.
The Israeli police claimed in a statement that: “the shooting happened after the Palestinian killed stabbed with a knife one of the officers during a home raid searching for weapons, but none of the Israeli soldiers were injured.” The statement added that “an Israeli paramedic, who accompanied the border guard officers, provided first aid to the wounded, and the latter was then taken to receive treatment, but he was pronounced dead later, succumbing to his injuries.”
Contrary to IOF’s claims, Mohammed’s father said to PCHR’s fieldworker that:
“I left my bedroom after my wife woke me up and told me there are Israeli soldiers knocking on the house door. At the time, I saw my son Mohammed leaving his room towards the apartment’s main door. I then saw IOF opening the door and raiding the house. When IOF saw Mohammed, they shot him at point-blank range and wounded him with a live bullet in his head. My son did not have a fight with the soldiers, who raided our house, but they opened fire at him without a prior warning and even without asking who he was. Although Mohammed was injured, the shooting continued inside the house, so I returned to my bedroom and my other son who was staying in the living room, closed the door as well. Later, my wife and I tried to help Mohammed, but the soldiers prevented us from approaching him. They also assaulted me, my wife and our 5 sons; 3 of them are blind. We were then taken and detained in nearby apartments. Forty minutes later, I saw the soldiers leaving the house and carrying Mohammed, who was covered with a piece of cloth and bleeding from his head. The building stairs were stained with Mohammed’s blood. Later, we were informed of his death.”
PCHR calls for an independent and impartial investigation into the death circumstances of Shaham and recalls tens of cases, where Palestinians were shot and killed by IOF under similar allegations.
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. PCHR also urges the ICC Prosecutor in particular to act seriously with regard to the situation in Palestine similar to its prompt action in Ukraine. 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.