Violation of right to life and bodily integrity

Two Palestinians died of wounds they sustained by Israeli occupation forces’ (IOF) fire. Also, 143 civilians, including 5 children, a paramedic, and a journalist, were wounded while dozens of others suffocated and sustained bruises in IOF attacks in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

On 14 May 2022, a Palestinian succumbed to his rubber bullet injury by IOF during clashes at al-Aqsa Mosque yards in occupied East Jerusalem on 22 April.

On 15 May 2022, a Palestinian from Jenin Refugee Camp wounded by IOF’s fire succumbed to his wound at Rambam Hospital, noting that he sustained a bullet injury in the abdomen during IOF’s incursion into Jenin refugee camp on 13 May 2022 to arrest a wanted Palestinian, besiege his house and pound it with missiles. At the time, 12 Palestinians, including 3 children, were injured: 2 sustained serious injuries.

Meanwhile, those injured were victims of excessive use of force that accompanied IOF suppression of peaceful protests and gatherings organized by Palestinian civilians and they were as follows:

13 May: 33 Palestinians, including a photojournalist, were injured due to IOF’s suppression of mourners at journalist Shireen Abu ‘Akleh’s funeral in East Jerusalem. For further information here. On the same day, 2 Palestinians, including a child, were wounded with rubber bullets during IOF’s suppression of Kafr Qaddoum weekly protest in Qalqilya.

14 May: 3 Palestinians sustained rubber bullet wounds during IOF’s suppression of Kafr Qaddoum weekly protest in Qalqilya. On the same day, a Palestinian was injured by IOF’s fire and then arrested near al-Mahkama military checkpoint, northern al-Bireh, allegedly for throwing stones at a settlers’ car.

15 May: 20 Palestinians, including 2 children, were wounded in clashes after IOF suppressed a protest organized in commemoration of Palestinian Nakba near al-Mahkama military checkpoint, northern al-Bireh.

16 May: 71 Palestinians, including a paramedic, were wounded while 35 others were arrested during IOF’s widespread operation to suppress thousands of Palestinian mourners in the funeral of Waleed al-Sharif, who died 2 days after he was injured.  Also, IOF assaulted journalists and obstructed work of 11 journalists.

17 May: a Palestinian with disability (suffering a mental disorder) was injured by IOF’s fire.  He was then arrested and taken to a hospital in Israel, claiming he attempted to attack soldiers according to a video published by IOF.

“So far in 2022, IOF attacks killed 48 Palestinians, including 38 civilians: 10 children, 4 women (one was a journalist) and the rest were activists; 3 of them were assassinated.  Also, 693 others were wounded in these attacks, including 68 children, 4 women, and 19 journalists all in the West Bank, except 7 fishermen in the Gaza Strip.”

Settler-attacks on Palestinian civilians and their properties:

2 Palestinians, including a human rights defender, were wounded and 50 trees were cut during setters’ attacks in the West Bank.  Details are as follows:

12 May: under IOF’s protection, settlers attacked a human rights defender from Defense for Children Palestine and threw stones at his car on Jenin-Nablus Street near the entrance to evacuated Homish settlement, northwestern Nablus.  As a result, he sustained bruises and his car sustained damage.

13 May: settlers attacked a Palestinian in eastern Yatta in Hebron and smashed windows of al-Ghad al-‘Arabi Channel vehicle during IOF’s suppression of a peaceful protest in the area against an Israel plan to expel thousands of Palestinians from Masafer Yatta area.

18 May: settlers cut 50 olive trees in Yasouf village, eastern Salfit.

“So far this year, settlers carried out 123 attacks on Palestinians and their properties in the West Bank.”

Land razing, demolitions, confiscation, and settlement expansion

The Israeli occupation authorities demolished 2 houses, rendering a family of 5, including 3 children, homeless.  They also demolished a room and 4 agricultural facilities; IOF razed one dunum and took over 44.6 dunums in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.  Details are as follows:

On 13 May, IOF handed 2 notices to evacuate a 4.5-dunum land, western Bani Na’im village in Hebron, claiming it is state property. On the same day, IOF demolished a rainwater pool used for irrigation in Marj Na’ajah village, northern Jericho.

On 14 May, IOF forced a Palestinian to self-demolish his house in Sour Baher in occupied East Jerusalem for the second time under the pretext of unlicensed construction, rendering a family of 5 homeless.

On 15 May, IOF handed a house demolition notice, noting that a family of 4 was supposed to move to this 2-story house in western Samou’a village in Hebron.

On 16 May, IOF demolished an under-construction house, a wooden room, and 3 barracks for livestock in al-‘Issawiya village, northeastern occupied East Jerusalem, under the pretext of unlicensed construction.  On the same day, IOF handed 3 notices to demolish 3 barracks used for poultry in Umm ar-Rihan village, southwestern Jenin.

On 17 May, Israeli municipality bulldozers razed a 1000-sqm land and demolished the surrounding steel fences in Shu’fat refugee camp, East Jerusalem.  On the same day, IOF handed military orders to seize 40 dunums in Wadi Fukin village, western Bethlehem, under the pretext that it is state property.

“Since the beginning of 2022, IOF made 61 families homeless, a total of 343 persons, including 70 women and 169 children. This was the outcome of IOF demolition of 67 houses and 5 residential tents. IOF also demolished 43 other civilian objects, razed 243 dunums and delivered 64 notices of demolition, cease-construction, and evacuation.”

IOF incursions and arrests of Palestinian civilians

IOF conducted 187 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Those incursions included raids and searches of civilian houses and facilities and establishment of checkpoints. During this week’s incursions, 130 Palestinians were arrested, including 2 children and a woman; most of them were arrested in a widescale arrest operation during the funerals of Shireen Abu ‘Akleh and Walid al-Sharif in East Jerusalem.  Also, IOF conducted a limited incursion into eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

“So far in 2022, IOF conducted 3166 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, during which 2,296 Palestinians were arrested, including 226 children and 17 women.  IOF also conducted 14 limited incursions into eastern Gaza Strip and arrested 40 Palestinians, including 25 fishermen, 13 persons attempting to enter Israel from the Gaza border area, and 3 travelers via Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing.”

Closure policy and restrictions on freedom of movement

On 15 May 2022, the Israeli occupation authorities reopened Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing, northern Gaza Strip, to Palestinian workers and permit holders from Gaza after it had been closed since 03 May.

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation maintains its illegal and inhuman 15-year closure on the Gaza Strip. Details available in PCHR’s March 2022 monthly update on the Gaza crossings.

In the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, IOF continues to impose restrictions on the freedom of movement. On top of its 108 permanent checkpoints, IOF established 110 temporary military checkpoints this week and arrested a Palestinian at those checkpoints.

“So far in 2022, IOF established at least 1,516 checkpoints and arrested 90 Palestinians at those checkpoints.”