October 6, 2022
Palestinian Civilian Killed and 7 Others, including 2 Journalists, Wounded by the Israeli Occupation Forces Fire in Nablus
Palestinian Civilian Killed and 7 Others, including 2 Journalists, Wounded by the Israeli Occupation Forces Fire in Nablus

 

Ref: 126/2022

Date: 06 October 2022

Time: 08:40 GMT

 

Yesterday evening, a Palestinian civilian was killed, and 7 others, including 2 journalists, were wounded by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) fire during clashes that erupted when the latter cordoned off a house in Deir al-Hatab village, northeast of Nablus, in the northern West Bank.

 

This crime and the crimes previously committed over the past 2 days reflect IOF’s loose shooting standards and the excessive use of force against Palestinians upon top-level Israeli military and political orders.

According to investigations condutcted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at approximately 14:30, on Wednesday, 05 October 2022, an infantry force of the IOF’s special units (Yamam) infiltrated and surrounded the 4-storey house of Salman ‘Ezzat Ahmad ‘Omran (36) in western Deir al-Hatab village, northeast of Nablus. After the force tightened the cordon around the house, military vehicles accompanied by a military bulldozer backing up the special units moved into the area and some of them stationed at the entrances to nearby villages of ‘Azmot, Salem and Deir al-Hatab, blocking movement in and out of these villages, amid heavy gunfire at the cordoned house. Meanwhile, the house residents went out while Salman ‘Omran stayed in the house. IOF ordered his brother, Salah Al-Deen (34) to persuade his brother to surrender, but Salman refused. According to his testimony to PCHR’s fieldworker, IOF shot Salah Al-Deen and wounded his left shoulder, so he was taken to the hospital. As a result, Palestinians gathered at the entrances to the villages, where IOF heavily deployed, and threw stones at the force.  Violent confrontations broke out, especially at the entrances, particularly to Salem village as IOF fired live and rubber-coated metal bullets, stun grenades and teargas canisters to disperse them. As a result, ‘Alaa Nasser Ahmad Zaghal (21) was killed with a live bullet in the head when he was directly targeted near the entrance to Salem village, while 6 others were injured, including photojournalists who were covering the events on the roof of a 4-storey building at the entrance to ‘Azmout village.  The journalists wounded were identified as Luay Al-Samhan (47), Palestine TV photographer, who was wounded with a live bullet in his right hand and Mahmoud Fawzi Mahmoud ‘Abdulghani (37), Avent Media Agency photographer, who was wounded with a live bullet in his left hand.

 

Clashes and an exchange of fire erupted at the cordoned house and ended at around 17:00 when Salman ‘Omran surrendered to IOF who declared that they arrested him as he was wanted.

 

PCHR call upon the international community to take immediate action to end Israeli occupation’s crimes and double standards when it comes to international law and urges the Public Prosecution of the ICC to act seriously with regard to the situation in Palestine.  PCHR also demands the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention fulfil their obligations as per Common Article 1 of the Convention, “undertake to respect and to ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances,” and their obligations under Article 146 of the same Conventions, i.e., to hold accountable persons accused of committing grave breaches of the 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.