Violation of right to life and bodily integrity

Two Palestinians were killed; one was a child killed by an Israeli settler’s fire and the other was a person with disability succumbed to his injury by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF)’s fire. Also, 16 Palestinians, including a child, were injured, while dozens of others suffocated in in the West Bank. Details are as follows:

On 29 July 2022, Amjad Nashat Abu ‘Alia (15) was killed with a live bullet that penetrated his back and exited his chest after an Israeli  settler opened fire at him from a distance of less than 60 meters during IOF’s suppression of a peaceful protest against settlement activity near the eastern entrance to Al-Mughayyir village. According to eyewitnesses’ statement, a group of Israeli settlers, under IOF’s protection, spread in the area, where the peaceful protest was organized, and assaulted the protestors along with IOF.

On the same day, Hussain Hasan Qawareeq (59), a person with disability (mental disorder), from Nablus, died in an Israeli hospital after succumbing to wounds he sustained on 26 July 2022 when he was shot by IOF at Huwara checkpoint that is established at Nablus’s southeastern entrance. IOF claimed that Qawareeq did not obey their orders at the time, and they took him to an Israeli hospital to receive treatment.

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

On 28 July 2022, three Palestinians were injured and one of them, a police officer, was arrested after IOF stationed at Huwara checkpoint that is established at Nablus’s southeastern entrance opened fire at a vehicle travelled by them near the checkpoint. Two of the injured Palestinians managed to flee while the third one was arrested and taken to an Israeli hospital.  Later, IOF claimed that they thwarted a shooting attempt at the checkpoint. 

On 29 July 2022, 11 Palestinians were shot with rubber bullets; 2 of them were shot in the head, in clashes after IOF’s suppression of Kafr Qaddoum weekly protest in northern Qalqilya.

On 31 July 2022, a Palestinian sustained a bullet wound in his leg after IOF opened fire at him and other workers near the annexation wall adjacent to Zeita village in northern Tulkarm while the workers were trying to infiltrate through the wall to work in Israel.

On 01 August 2022, a child was wounded after being hit with a teargas canister in his head, while dozens of other Palestinians suffocated in clashes that accompanied IOF’s demolition of a house in Kafr ad-Dik village, west of Salfit. On the same day, a woman sustained bruises after being assaulted by IOF, who raided her house in Jenin refugee camp and arrested her husband Bassam Ragheb al-Sa’di, a leader in the Islamic Jihad Movement, and his son-in-law. During IOF’s incursion, clashes broke out with members of armed groups; as a result, one of them (a boy) was killed.

In the Gaza Strip, 9 IOF shootings were reported on fishing boats off the Gaza western shores, and 6 other shootings were reported on agricultural lands in eastern Gaza Strip. No casualties were reported.

“So far in 2022, IOF attacks killed 71 Palestinians, including 53 civilians: 16 children, 5 women (one was journalist Shireen Abu ‘Aqlah), a Palestinian with disability, 2 Palestinians killed by Israeli settler and the rest were activists; 6 of them were assassinated. Also, 998 others were wounded in these attacks, including 115 children, 5 women, and 20 journalists: all in the West Bank, except 15 fishermen in the Gaza Strip. Moreover, a male and female prisoners died in the Israeli jails.”

Land razing, demolitions, and notices

IOF demolished 2 houses, rendering a family of 8 persons, including 6 children, homeless. Also, IOF demolished 3 facilities and notified to demolish and cease construction works in 3 other facilities in the West Bank. Details are as follows:

On 01 August 2022, IOF demolished a 160-sqaure-meter house in Kafr ad-Dik village, west of Salfit. It should be noted that the house was ready to live in it.

On 02 August 2022, IOF demolished a 1-story house built on an area of 140 square meters in Sebastia village in Nablus, under the pretext of illegal construction, rendering a family of 8 persons, including 6 children, homeless. Also, IOF demolished two commercial facilities (a cafeteria and a carwash) at the eastern entrance to Bizzariya village, northwest of Nablus. On the same day, IOF demolished a tinplate barrack used for agricultural purposes in southern Hebron, under the pretext of unlicensed construction.

On 03 August 2022, IOF notified to stop construction works in a tinplate barrack, to remove an electricity network and to demolish a classroom in Khelet al-Dabi’ school in al-Tawana and Sha’b al-Baten villages in Hebron.

“Since the beginning of 2022, Israeli occupation forces made 83 families homeless, a total of 479 persons, including 96 women and 239 children. This was the outcome of IOF demolition of 88 houses and 40 residential tents. IOF also demolished 64 other civilian objects, leveled vacant areas of land and delivered dozens of notices of demolition, cease-construction, and evacuation.”

IOF incursions and arrests of Palestinian civilians:

 IOF carried out 104 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, 63 Palestinians were arrested, including a child. Also, on 01 August 2022, IOF conducted widescale arrest campaigns, as at least 32 Palestinians were arrested; most of them were from Hebron. In the Gaza Strip, IOF arrested 2 Palestinians ( a worker and a businessman) from Maghazi refugee camp, while traveling to Israel  via Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing although both had travel permits. The worker was arrested on 27 July 2022, while the businessman was arrested on 31 July 2022.

“So far in 2022, IOF conducted 5029 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, during which 3050 Palestinians were arrested, including 297 children and 26 women.  IOF also conducted 24 limited incursions into eastern Gaza Strip and arrested 74 Palestinians, including 41 fishermen, 28 infiltrators, and 5 travelers via Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing.”

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

Under collective punishment policy, on 02 August 2022, IOF closed Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the travel of persons in northern Gaza Strip and the Karm Abu Salem commercial crossing for goods until further notice.  Meanwhile, 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.

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 63 temporary military checkpoints in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem arrested 5 Palestinians at those checkpoints.

“So far in 2022, IOF established 2626 temporary military checkpoints and arrested 119 Palestinians at those checkpoints”