Ramallah, November 10, 2023—Israeli forces have killed five Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank over the last 24 hours.
Early this morning, Israeli forces shot and killed 17-year-old Mohammad Ali Mohammad Azya in Aida refugee camp, near Bethlehem in the southern occupied West Bank, according to documentation collected by Defense for Children International - Palestine. Yesterday, Israeli forces killed four Palestinian children during an Israeli military incursion into Jenin: 12-year-old Lutfi Sayel Mahmoud Turkman, 14-year-old Qais Raed Rafiq Dweikat, 17-year-old Ahmad Mahmoud Shafiq Khalaf, and 13-year-old Mohammad Yousef Azzam Zayed, according to documentation collected by DCIP.
“Israeli forces are escalating military attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, now regularly using weaponized drones and attack aircraft to target densely-populated residential areas,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at DCIP. “For years, Israeli forces have unlawfully killed Palestinian children at protests and the world accepted it, now Israeli forces are expanding lethal and unlawful tactics against an occupied population where children are sure to bear the brunt of Israeli aggression.”
Mohammad Ali Mohammad Azya, 17, was shot in the chest around 4:30 a.m. on November 10 by an Israeli sniper stationed in an Israeli military tower near his home in Aida refugee camp, according to documentation collected by DCIP. Mohammad was preparing to go to morning prayer at the mosque across the street from his house when he was shot. Israeli forces had entered Aida refugee camp to carry out arrest operations and prevented an ambulance from reaching Mohammad, so his father tried to bring Mohammad to a hospital in a private car but was stopped by Israeli forces, who detained Mohammad despite his injuries. Around 8 a.m. Israeli forces handed Mohammad’s body over to a Palestinian ambulance, which transported him to Al-Hussein Hospital in Bethlehem, where he was pronounced dead.
Four Palestinian children were killed by Israeli forces yesterday in the northern occupied West Bank city of Jenin yesterday during a large Israeli military incursion that began around 10 a.m and continued until about 7:30 p.m. when Israeli forces withdrew.
An Israeli drone-fired missile killed 12-year-old Lutfi Sayel Mahmoud Turkman and 14-year-old Qais Raed Rafiq Dweikat around 11 a.m. on November 9 that struck a group of people in the Jourat Al-Dahab neighborhood of Jenin refugee camp, according to documentation collected by DCIP. Volunteer paramedics transferred Lutfi and Qais to an ambulance that brought them to Jenin Governmental Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival. Both children sustained serious shrapnel wounds and burns all over their bodies. The same drone strike killed three other Palestinians.
An Israeli sniper shot and killed 17-year-old Ahmad Mahmoud Shafiq Khalaf around 3:30 p.m. on November 9 in the Jourat Al-Dahab neighborhood of Jenin refugee camp, according to documentation collected by DCIP. Ahmad sustained gunshot wounds to his right leg and chest from a distance of 200 to 250 meters (656 to 820 feet) away. Volunteer paramedics carried Ahmad to an ambulance, which brought him to Ibn Sina Hospital in Jenin, where he was declared dead on arrival. Ahmad was allegedly carrying a weapon when he was shot.
Israeli forces shot 13-year-old Mohammad Yousef Azzam Zayed around 12:30 p.m. on November 9 from inside a heavily armored Israeli military vehicle from a distance of 100 to 150 meters (328 to 492 feet) away near the taxi station in Jenin, according to documentation collected by DCIP. Mohammad did not go to school yesterday and instead went into Jenin to buy shoes. When Israeli forces entered Jenin, Mohammad looked for a taxi to take him home but was unable to find one. Palestinians confronted Israeli forces in the area, and Mohammad was shot twice by Israeli forces, sustaining gunshot wounds to his chest. An ambulance transported Mohammad to Ibn Sina Hospital in Jenin, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The Israeli military incursion into Jenin lasted more than nine hours, during which Israeli forces killed 14 Palestinians, including four children. Israeli military forces were accompanied by bulldozers and military aircrafts, including drones. Bulldozers destroyed many streets in Jenin and Jenin refugee camp. During the military incursion, Israeli forces cut electricity and water supply to Jenin refugee camp and nearby neighborhoods. At least three UNRWA schools were besieged during the incursion and around 4,000 students were trapped in their schools until they were evacuated to nearby hospitals around 6 p.m.
In addition, Israeli forces in armored Israeli military vehicles blocked the entrance to Jenin Governmental Hospital, and several ambulances were directly targeted by Israeli forces. Israeli forces shot one Palestinian paramedic, who suffered moderate injuries.
51 Palestinian children have been killed in the occupied West Bank since October 7, according to documentation collected by DCIP, when the Israeli military began a full-scale bombardment on the Gaza Strip dubbed Operation Iron Swords.
So far this year, Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 91 Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank, according to documentation collected by DCIP. Israeli forces and settlers shot and killed 78 Palestinian children with live ammunition, nine Palestinian children were killed in drone strikes, and four Palestinian children were killed by missiles fired from a U.S.-sourced Apache attack helicopter.
At least 175 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank since October 7, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Under international law, intentional lethal force is only justified in circumstances where a direct threat to life or of serious injury is present. However, investigations and evidence collected by DCIP regularly suggest that Israeli forces use lethal force against Palestinian children in circumstances that may amount to extrajudicial or wilful killings.
