Field Update

On Tuesday, 08 October 2019, 5 persons, including 4 security officers, were injured during a law enforcement mission in Jenin, north of the West bank. This incident falls under the state of proliferation of weapons and assault on the rule of law in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 21:30 on Tuesday, 08 October 2019, a joint security force intervened to disperse a ceremony in celebration of releasing a former prisoner from the Israeli jails. The joint security force opened fire in the air and raided the ceremony venue.  In response, persons threw stones and homemade pipe bombs, wounding 4 security officers with their shrapnel while a child was shot with a live bullet from an unknown source. The injured security officers were identified as:

• Jaber Nazek ‘Afeef Shtawi (22), From Beit Eebah village, sustained shrapnel wounds to his feet.
• Yousef Ghazi Ahmed Abu Kishek (24), from ‘Askar camp, sustained shrapnel wound to his right ankle.
• Yousef Mahmoud Hasan Darawish (27), from Dura, sustained shrapnel wounds to his right foot.
• Ramiz Ghassan Mahmoud Jum’a (20), from Tulkarm, sustained shrapnel wounds to his knee.
• Ibrahim Marwan Mahmoud al-Sous (16), from Jenin, was shot with a live bullet in his right thigh.

PCHR stresses the importance of taking all necessary measures in order to maintain security and prohibit the possession or use of firearms. PCHR also emphasizes that the security services should comply with the principles of proportionality, avoid excessive use of force and take into consideration all human rights standards during any law enforcement mission.

 PCHR is deeply concerned over the significant increase in the number of casualties due to the misuse of weapons and calls upon the competent authorities to take the necessary steps to guarantee civilians’ safety and security.