Ref: 56/2022

Date: 09 May 2022

Time: 11:00 GMT

Yesterday evening, 08 May 2022, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) killed a Palestinian civilian, from the Gaza Strip and resided in the West Bank, while trying to sneak into Israel through a hole in the annexation wall. Investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) indicate that the victim was civilian and he did not have any weapons on his person; he was trying to enter Israel for work as do thousands of Palestinians who sneak via holes in the annexation wall. IOF directly opened fire at him without him posing any threat or real danger to soldiers’ lives, which reflects IOF loose shooting standards against Palestinians. 

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 19:00 on Sunday, IOF stationed near Jbara military checkpoint, which is established on Kherbet Jbara village’s lands in southern Tulkarm, opened fire at Mahmoud Sami Khalil ‘Arram (27), while trying to sneak into Israel through a hole near the mentioned checkpoint. ‘Arram was going to Israel for work. As a result, he was critically injured in the upper part of his body and succumbed later to his wounds. ‘Arram was a resident of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza Strip, and he had lived in Tulkarm since 2019 after obtaining a travel permit for medical treatment in the West Bank, where had remained ever since.

It should be noted that Jbara hole directly leads to Tayibe city in Israel, and Palestinian workers who do not have work permits usually enter through this hole.

The Israeli military spokesperson said in a statement that an Israeli force spotted a Palestinian, who does not have a work permit, as work permit holders do not pass into Israel through holes, trying to cross the security fence near Khirbet Jbara village in southern Tulkarm. The force opened fire at him. He succumbed to his wounds before he was transported to Sheba Tel Hashomer Hospital in Israel.”

So far this year, the Israeli occupation forces killed 43 Palestinian, including 33 civilians of them were 8 children and 3 women. The others are active members of armed groups, 3 of them were extrajudicially executed. Moreover, hundreds of others sustained wounds in IOF attacks, including women and children, across the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

PCHR reiterates its call upon the international community to take immediate action to stop the Israeli occupation’s crimes and reiterates its call upon the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligations under Article 1; 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; noting that these violations are considered war crimes in accordance with Article 147 of the Convention and in accordance with the Additional Protocol I of the Convention to guarantee the right of protection for Palestinian civilians in the occupied territory.