The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the escalation of killings by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and settlers in the West Bank. These crimes have claimed the lives of four Palestinians from one family—a couple and their two children—after IOF opened direct fire on their vehicle in Tubas. Meanwhile, a Palestinian man was killed by settlers’ fire in Nablus, bringing the number of Palestinians killed by settlers this month to six. These crimes are escalating as a direct result of the expansion of the IOF’s open-fire regulations and the increasing violence by settlers, amid a prevailing climate of impunity and the entrenchment of ethnic cleansing, as well as the unprecedented silence of the international community.
According to information collected by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)’s field researchers regarding the killing of four members of one family in Tubas, at approximately 01:30 on Sunday, 15 March 2025, an Israeli special unit force infiltrated Tammoun using a refrigerated truck bearing a Palestinian registration plate and surrounded a house belonging to Mahmoud Hasan Bani ‘Odah (45). The force arrested his son, Hasan (20). Moments later, several IOF military vehicles stormed the village to secure the withdrawal of the special unit. During this time, IOF soldiers opened direct fire from only a few meters away at a vehicle carrying a Palestinian family traveling in the al-Babour area in the village center.
As a result of the shooting, ‘Ali Khaled Sayel Bani ‘Odah (37), who was driving the vehicle, was killed after being struck by several bullets to the head, face, and chest. His wife, Wa’ed ‘Othman ‘Aqel Bani ‘Odah (35), was also killed after being hit by several bullets to the face and head. Their children, Mohammed (5) and ‘Othman (7), were also killed after being struck by multiple bullets. In the same incident, their two other children were wounded: Mustafa (8), who was hit with shrapnel in the eye and head, and Khaled (11), who sustained shrapnel wounds to the head. All of them were transferred to the Turkish Hospital in Tubas for medical treatment.
Regarding the killing of a Palestinian by settler fire in Nablus, according to eyewitness accounts, at approximately 16:30 on Saturday, 14 March 2026, a group of settlers, estimated to be between 20 and 30 individuals, arrived carrying firearms. They were dressed in black and white, and some of them were wearing masks. The settlers were driving a vehicle and an agricultural tractor, heading from an outpost established on ‘Ein Ras al-‘Ein Mount, west of the village, toward Qasrah village, southeast of Nablus. Upon their arrival at the outskirts of the village, the settlers attacked two houses by throwing stones. As a result, local residents gathered and attempted to confront the settlers with stones in order to drive them away from the homes they were attacking. Clashes then broke out between the two sides. During the attack, settlers beat Mo’atasem Mahmoud ‘Odah (50) with sticks and sharp objects. When his son, Amir (28), along with other residents, attempted to rescue him, one of the settlers pulled out a firearm and opened random fire at them from a distance of approximately 10 meters. As a result, Amir ‘Odah was shot in the chest, while Yazan ‘Odah (20) was shot in the upper right thigh. In addition, Islam ‘Eddah (29) was wounded after being shot twice in the leg.
Despite the injuries that had occurred, the settlers continued their attacks, including beating the injured Amir ‘Odah, causing bruises all over his body. The injured were later evacuated in civilian vehicles to the Algeria Medical Center in Qasrah village and then transferred to Rafidia Governmental Hospital in Nablus. Amir ‘Odah arrived at the hospital showing no vital signs, while his father arrived unconscious after being assaulted with sharp objects that caused injuries to his head and chest. Doctors at the hospital later declared Amir ‘Odah dead. The other injured individuals received medical treatment, and their conditions were described as moderate. Later, IOF raided Qasrah village, patrolled its streets, and dispersed the Palestinians.
The IOF’s method of intervention indicates a recurring pattern, characterized by delays in stopping settlers’ attacks while simultaneously rushing to use force to disperse Palestinians. The IOF arrived after Palestinians had already been killed or injured but did not take any measures to prevent settlers from continuing their attacks or pursuing them. Instead, they focused on dispersing the youths using heavy teargas.
With this incident, the number of Palestinians killed by settlers since the beginning of the year has risen to seven, while the total number of Palestinians killed by IOF and settlers has reached 25, including a woman and five children.
While condemning the unjustified killings carried out by the IOF and settlers, PCHR emphasizes that these crimes are part of a systematic policy pursued by the Israeli authorities, which involves the use of lethal force against Palestinian civilians, in blatant violation of the principles of necessity and distinction that form the core of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. These acts also follow a recurring pattern aimed at intimidating and terrorizing the population, consolidating policies of ethnic cleansing, and repeating acts of genocide—although in a less overt manner.
PCHR emphasizes that these crimes are carried out by settlers as part of a systematic pattern of violence, for which the IOF bears full responsibility, amid political and security support that shields settlers and guarantees their impunity.
PCHR recalls the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice in July 2024, which confirmed that the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967 is illegal and obligated the occupying state to immediately end its unlawful presence, including dismantling the settlements and evacuating the settlers.
PCHR reiterates that such crimes require urgent and effective action to halt the IOF and settlers’ crimes in the oPt, to end the apartheid system imposed by Israel on the Palestinian people.
PCHR calls on the international community to take effective and urgent action to stop the settlers committed by settlers and IOF, end apartheid imposed by Israel against the Palestinian people, hold perpetrators of war crimes accountable before international justice, end the policy of impunity, provide international protection for Palestinian civilians, and halt all forms of international support to Israel that enable it to continue its racist and colonial policies.
