Ref: 34/2023
Date: 17 March 2023
Time: 08:30 GMT
Yesterday in the afternoon, in a new crime of extrajudicial executions (assassinations), an Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Special Force killed 4 Palestinians, including 2 members of the Palestinian armed groups who were directly shot and assassinated in cold blood. Of those killed, two civilians, including a child, were killed in a random shooting by the Israeli Special Force that have also injured 23 Palestinians, including 4 in serious condition. The way the assassination crime committed as shown in viral footages brings to mind the conduct of criminal gangs and not a state, and this is absolutely the outcome of Israel’s longstanding record of impunity encouraged by the international community’s policy of silence on the perpetration of such crimes upon a decision from the top military and political echelons in Israel.
According to PCHR’s investigations, at around 15:00 on Thursday, 16 March 2023, an Israeli Special Force (Mista’arvim) in Palestinian plain clothes sneaked into Jenin and stationed in a shopping area on Abu Baker Street in central Jenin, which is a densely populated area. The Force used two vehicles; one was a Passat and the other was a Skoda. The Special Force stepped out of the vehicles carrying pistols and an M16 and directly opened fire at two Palestinians; one was identified as Nidal Amin Khazem (28), a Commander in al-Quds Brigades (the military wing of Islamic Jehad), who fell on the ground covered in blood. And a footage has shown one of the Israeli Special Force members shooting Khazem’s head at point-blank range. The other Palestinian shot was identified as Yousif Saleh Barakat Shreim (29), a Commander in al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas), who was chased by the Special Force when he tried to escape from the area amid random shooting at him and on the overcrowded street. As a result, Shreim was immediately killed and many others were injured, including 15-year-old ‘Omer Mohammed ‘Awadin, from Jenin, who was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital after being hit with several bullets in the back.
After fishing its crime, the Special Force withdrew from the scene towards al-Seibat neighborhood in eastern Jenin, where Palestinians gathered and threw stones at the civilian vehicle used by the force and blocked its way. One of the protesters approached the vehicle and tried to open its door, but immediately one of the Special Force members opened fire at him and killed him; he was later identified as Loay Khalil al-Zaghir (37), a civilian from Jenin. After surrounding them in the neighborhood, the Special Force fled by walking to al-‘Omari Printing House in the area and used whoever was inside as human shields, that is prohibited under the international law, amid indiscriminate shooting, which continued until IOF’s military backups arrived from al-Jalamah checkpoint, northern Jenin. The Special Force stayed in the printing house for 20 minutes, during which there was an exchange of fire with the Palestinian armed groups. When the backups arrived, the Special Force withdrew, and the Palestinians along with the medical personnel transferred those killed and injured as 24 Palestinians were wounded, mostly civilians, including 4 in serious condition. They were all taken to Khalil Soliman Governmental Hospital and Ibin Sinai Private and al-Razi hospitals.
The extrajudicial killings are committed upon Israeli occupation’s stated official policy based on Intelligence information as the persons wanted are instantly assassinated in summary executions instead of being arrested. Hence, IOF usurp the judge’s role by issuing and even executing a death sentence at the same time. Also, the Israeli law and courts provide cover for these crimes and other war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the IOF, who have used such crimes for the past years against the Palestinians triggered by the impunity they enjoy.
PCHR believes that the international community’s silence and International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor’s unfulfillment of his duties encourage the Israeli occupation to commit more crimes, especially after the ICC has opened investigations into the Situation of Palestine since March 2021 and the Prosecutor’s not taking any measures despite Israel’s commission of tens of crimes that are stated, blatant and documented.
PCHR calls upon the ICC Prosecutor to fulfil his legal obligations through holding the Israeli war criminals accountable under the Rome Statute and end selectivity and politicization when dealing with cases.