Ramallah, October 10, 2022—A 12-year-old Palestinian boy succumbed to his wounds today after Israeli forces shot him in late September in the northern occupied West Bank.
Mahmoud Mohammad Khalil Samoudi, 12, was shot by Israeli forces with live ammunition in the abdomen around 10 a.m. on September 28, 2022 in the Al-Zahra neighborhood of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank, according to documentation collected by Defense for Children International - Palestine. The bullet entered Mahmoud’s left side and exited from his right side causing severe bleeding and damage to his colon, kidneys, and bladder. A Palestinian ambulance transferred Mahmoud to Al-Razi Hospital, where he underwent surgery to repair his injuries. Mahmoud was transferred to the intensive care unit at HClinic Hospital in Ramallah on October 5 and succumbed to his wounds on October 10.
“Palestinian children live in a hyper-militarized context where Israeli military incursions into Palestinian communities to arrest and intimidate Palestinian civilians is the norm,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at DCIP. “During these incursions, Israeli forces routinely resort to intentional lethal force in situations not justified under international law and make no effort to impartially investigate or ensure that Israeli soldiers act in accordance with international standards. Instead, all Palestinians, including children, are considered targets.”
Israeli forces carried out an incursion into Jenin refugee camp around 8:30 a.m. on September 28, 2022. As a result, confrontations between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian residents ensued. Mahmoud arrived around 10 a.m. to Al-Zahra neighborhood, adjacent to Jenin refugee camp, where he joined a group of Palestinian boys and youth who were throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli military vehicles about 150 meters (492 feet) away, according to information collected by DCIP.
Mahmoud allegedly threw a few stones at the Israeli military vehicles, then Israeli forces shot several live bullets at the group of Palestinian youth. One bullet struck Mahmoud in the left side of his abdomen and exited the right side, causing severe bleeding and damage to his colon, kidneys, and bladder.
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.
44 Palestinian children have been killed in 2022, according to documentation collected by DCIP, including 27 Palestinian children shot and killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the occupied West Bank. DCIP documented the killing of 17 Palestinian children between August 5–7 after Israeli forces launched a military offensive in the Gaza Strip. DCIP continues to investigate several incidents.
2021 was the deadliest year for Palestinian children since 2014. Israeli forces and armed civilians killed 78 Palestinian children, according to evidence collected by DCIP.
