Ref: 92/2022

Date: 24 July 2022

Time: 10:15 GMT

At Dawn, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) moved into Nablus’s Old City deep into the Palestinian Authority (PA)-controlled areas in the West Bank, where they cordoned off and targeted a residential house with a barrage of live bullets and projectiles. Also, they killed two armed group members and wounded 4 civilians; one of them sustained serious wounds. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns IOF’s ongoing escalation and incursions into PA-controlled areas in the West Bank whether to assassinate wanted persons or to conduct arrest campaigns.  

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 01:50 on Sunday, 24 July 2022, an Israeli special force from “Yamam Unit” sneaked into al-Yasamina neighborhood in Nablus’s Old City, in two civilian vehicles (Volkswagen Touran car and a reefer). The Yamam Unit stationed near al-Yasamina council and cordoned off a house belonging to a Mohammed Bashar Nimer ‘Azizi (25), a member in al-Aqsa Martyrs Military Brigades. Few minutes later, IOF backed by military vehicles and a drone moved into al-Yasamina and Ras al-‘Ein neighborhoods and surrounded them. Afterwards, IOF heavily opened fire at the 3-story house and fired several missiles at the 3^rd floor. Meanwhile, an exchange of fire occurred in the area between IOF and young Palestinian men trapped in the house. The clashes continued until 05:30 and resulted in the murder of two members of Palestinian armed groups after they sustained live bullet and shrapnel wounds and their bodies were found on the house roof. Also, four civilians were injured; one of them sustained a serious injury in his head. The members killed were identified as: Mohammed Bashar Nimer al-‘Azizi (25) and ‘Abed al-Rahman Jamal Suliman Subieh (28).

Moreover, IOF’s attack on the house caused partial damage to the 3^rd floor of the house and to a nearby house and a shop. 

At approximately 05:30, IOF withdrew from the neighborhood and set al-Yamam Unit’s vehicles on fire. As a result, a Palestinian vehicle parked in the area caught fire while 3 other vehicles sustained damage.

Later, IOF declared, “backups from Yamam counterterrorism unit and Giv’ati Brigade had an operation in the Old City.  The forces clashed with gunmen suspected of taking part in terrorist activities.  During the operation, a house was cordoned off and then targeted with NLAW (Next generation Light Anti-tank Weapon) and other type of missiles.” The statement added, “clashes broke out and a number of terrorists were eliminated.”

Since the beginning of 2022, IOF murdered 68 Palestinians, including 51 civilians: 14 children, 5 women (one was a journalist Sherin Abu ‘Aqlah), a Palestinian stabbed by an Israeli settler and the rest were activists; 6 of them were assassinated. Also, hundreds of Palestinians, including women and children, were injured.

PCHR reiterates its call upon the international community to take immediate action to end Israeli occupation’s crimes and double standards when it comes to international law.  PCHR also urges the ICC Prosecutor in particular to act seriously with regard to the situation in Palestine similar to its prompt action in Ukraine.  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.