October 20, 2022
Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Weekly Update 13 – 19 October 2022)
Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Weekly Update 13 – 19 October 2022)

Violation of right to life and bodily integrity:

Three Palestinians, including a civilian, were killed and 23 others, including 6 children and 2 paramedics, were wounded, while dozens of others suffocated in Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) attacks in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Details are as follows:

On 14 October 2022, two members of Palestinian armed groups were killed and four other Palestinians, including two paramedics, were wounded in clashes and confrontations with IOF during the latter’s incursion into Jenin refugee camp, where they cordoned off a house, arrested one of its residents and later withdrew.

On 15 October 2022, a Palestinian succumbed to wounds he sustained by IOF fire the day before their incursion into the entrance to Qarawat Bani Hassan village, west of Salfit, while four other Palestinians, including a child and a teenager, were wounded. (Details are available in this press release).

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

On 13 October 2022, a number of students suffocated after IOF fired teargas canisters near al-Qisariyia Mixed School in Gaza Valley village (Juhor al-Deek), southeast of Gaza, that is located 1000 meters away from the border fence., forcing the school administration to evacuate.  In the evening, a teenager was shot with a live bullet in his hand in clashes with IOF during their incursion into Nablus to secure Israeli settlers’ raid into Joseph’s Tomb. Also, dozens of Palestinians, suffocated, including 3 children had severe suffocation, and six others were arrested during clashes with IOF in Silwan village in occupied East Jerusalem. Moreover, a child was shot with a live bullet in his foot during clashes with IOF at the entrance to Al-Arroub refugee camp following the funeral of Osama ‘Adawi, who was killed by IOF’s fire the day before. (Details are available in this press release).  Also, a child was shot with a live bullet in his foot during clashes with IOF at the entrance to the closed al-Shuhada Street in Hebron.

On 14 October 2022, three Palestinians, including a child, were shot with rubber-coated bullets in clashes with IOF after the latter’s suppression of Kafr Qaddoum weekly protest in northern Qalqilya.  On the same day, a child was shot with a rubber-coated bullet during clashes with IOF near the annexation wall gate on the road connecting Beit Duqqu village with Beit Ijza village in occupied East Jerusalem. Additionally, two Palestinians were shot with two bullets and two others were arrested in clashes with IOF who were protecting Israeli settlers while carrying out attacks in Huwara village in Nablus.  Also, three Palestinians, including a child, were wounded and another one was arrested during clashes with IOF at the entrance to the closed al-Shuhada street in Hebron.

On 15 October 2022, IOF arrested a Palestinian after opening fire at him and wounding him under the pretext of throwing stones at IOF near the northern entrance to Yatta in Hebron. Also, IOF arrested a Palestinian after opening fire at him and wounding him when he tried to approach the annexation wall, southwest of As-Samu village in Hebron.

On 18 October 2022, IOF arrested a teenager after opening fire at him and wounding him under the pretext of throwing a Molotov Cocktail at the intersection of Al-Majdal village in Nablus.

In the Gaza Strip, 7 shootings were reported on agricultural lands in eastern Gaza Strip, and 6 others were reported on fishing boats off the western Gaza shores.

“So far in 2022, IOF attacks killed 144 Palestinians, including 100 civilians: 27 children, 8 women, 2 Palestinians killed by Israeli settler and the rest were activists; 15 of them were assassinated. Also, hundreds of Palestinians were wounded in IOF’s attacks in the Gaza Strip and West Bank while 4 Palestinian detainees, including a woman, died in the Israeli prisons.”

Land razing, demolitions, and notices

On 13 October 2022, IOF forced a Palestinian to self-demolish his house in Sur Baher village under the pretext of unlicensed construction, rendering him, his wife and daughter homeless.

“Since the beginning of 2022, Israeli occupation forces made 119 families homeless, a total of 702 persons, including 136 women and 318 children. This was the outcome of IOF demolition of 127 houses and several residential tents. IOF also demolished 92 other civilian economic objects, leveled vacant areas of land, and delivered dozens of notices of demolition, cease-construction, and evacuation.”

Settler-attacks on Palestinian civilians and their properties:

Many Palestinians sustained bruises, an Israeli solidarity activist sustained wounds and Palestinian property sustained severe damage in 9 attacks conducted by Israeli settlers under IOF’s protection, including continuous attacks on Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest season in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Details are as follows:

On 13 October 2022, five Palestinians sustained bruises after Israeli settlers attacked shops and vehicles in Huwara village in Nablus, causing damage to two vehicles. On the same day, Israeli settlers attacked agricultural lands in al-Montar area in Nablus and cut the branches of 120 olive trees. In the evening, Israeli settlers set a restaurant and a truck ablaze during their attack in Huwara village. Also, under IOF’s protection, dozens of Israeli settlers; some of them were masked, accompanied with the Extremist Israeli Member of Knesset (MK), Itamar Ben Gvir, stormed Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. They raided residential houses, assaulted their residents and damaged their property. Meanwhile, IOF suppressed Palestinians, who tried to confront the settlers, instead of providing protection for the neighborhood’s residents, and dispersed them after firing a barrage of teargas canisters, pumping skunk water at them and arresting and assaulting 9 Palestinians. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society stated that its crews treated 20 Palestinians who were beaten and thrown with stones while 5 of them were evacuated to hospital.

On 14 October 2022, Palestinians found that Israeli settlers cut 12 old olive trees, north of Qaryut village in Nablus. In the evening, Israeli settlers raided Huwara village and attacked shops on the main street amid clashes with Palestinians. On the same day, Israeli settlers, under IOF’s protection, threw an incendiary at the Awarif Secondary School Principal’s room in Urif village Nablus, setting it ablaze. Also, they smashed the glass of 20 solar cells on the school roof. Moreover, dozens of Israeli settlers, under IOF’s protection, raided al-Sumod building in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem, where they broke the windows of several vehicles parked in front of the building and beat and pushed its residents.  As a result, dozens of the neighborhood’s residents gathered in front of the building entrance to confront the setters’ attacks. During which, IOF fired sound bombs at the neighborhood’s residents, forcibly suppressed and attacked them, and arrested seven of them, including a child.

On 15 October 2022, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians’ vehicles passing by Omar Abu Laila roundabout (Ariel), north of Salfit. As a result, windows of some vehicles were broken.

On 19 October 2022, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers and volunteers with knives, sticks and batons when they tried to reach an agricultural land near “Ma’ale Amos” settlement in Kisan village, east of Bethlehem. As a result, an Israeli solidarity activist sustained wounds and fractures.

“Since the beginning of the year, settlers conducted at least 203 attacks. In two of the attacks, 2 Palestinians were killed.”

IOF incursions and arrests of Palestinian civilians:

IOF carried out 239 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 those incursions, 110 Palestinians were arrested, including 15 children, 2 women and a paramedic. During this week, IOF blew up the doors of three houses in Ramallah, maltreated their residents and seized money from them.  In occupied East Jerusalem, IOF conducted a widescale arrest campaign, whether during their incursion into Shu’fat refugee camp or in settlers’ attacks in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. Also, IOF arrested a PRSC paramedic after stopping an ambulance driven by him at Za’tara military checkpoint.

“So far in 2022, IOF conducted 7,136 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, during which 4092 Palestinians were arrested, including 388 children and 38 women. IOF also conducted 33 limited incursions into eastern Gaza Strip and arrested 86 Palestinians, including 49 fishermen, 32 infiltrators, and 5 travelers via Beit Hanoun “Erez”

Israeli collective punishment and closure policy and restrictions on freedom of movement:

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

Israeli authorities announced crossings with the West Bank and Gaza Strip will be closed from Sunday noon, 16 October 2022, to Tuesday midnight, 18 October 2022, for Jewish Holidays.

On 17 October 2022, a patient namely Akram Ahmad Mohammad Al-Sultan (62), from the northern Gaza Strip, died after he was denied travel for treatment at Al-Muttala’ Hospital in occupied Jerusalem. Thus, since the beginning of this year, the number of deaths among patients denied travel for treatment abroad has risen to 8, including 3 children. ( More details are available in this press release).

In the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, IOF continue to impose restrictions on the freedom of movement. On top of its 108 permanent checkpoints, IOF established 156 temporary military checkpoints in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem arrested 5 Palestinians at those checkpoints.

Since 11 October 2022, IOF continue to impose a siege and a closure on Nablus and its three camps: Balata, ‘Ein Beit el Ma and Askar, including the closure of entrances and checkpoints and blocking some roads with sand berms and cement cubes, as part of collective punishment measures against tens of thousands of Palestinians. The siege was imposed following a shooting attack against IOF stationed near “Shavei Shomron” settlement, northwest of Nablus, that killed an Israeli soldier. Due to the closure of checkpoints, the city’s residents need 3-4 hours to enter or exit the city, as they use dirt and bypass roads.

“So far in 2022, IOF established at least 3683 temporary military checkpoints and arrested 165 Palestinians at those checkpoints”