Violation of right to life and bodily integrity:
4 Palestinians were killed: 3 of them, including a civilian and a child, were shot by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) while the fourth was shot dead by a settler. Moreover, 17 others, including 2 children, were wounded, and dozens of others suffocated in IOF attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Details are as follows:
On 19 January 2023, IOF killed 2 Palestinians, including a civilian, wounded 3 others and arrested five during the IOF’s incursion into Jenin refugee camp, west of Jenin. Details available in PCHR’s press release.
On 21 January 2023, an Israeli settler shot dead Tareq ‘Odah Ma’ali (43), who allegedly tried to stab the settler with a sharp tool at “Sde Ephraim” settlement outpost near Ras Karkar village, north of Ramallah. A footage showed Ma’ali running after the settler, who fired several bullets at him, and captured him falling on the ground. Later on, IOF announced his death and kept his body in custody.
On 25 January 2023, Mohammad Ali Abed Mohammad Ali (17) was killed with a live bullet in the chest, and 4 others were wounded by IOF’s fire after the latter moved into ‘Anata village in East Jerusalem. A footage showed MohammadAli taking part in the confrontations while being masked and carrying a weapon. After IOF arrested him while wounded, it turned out that the weapon he was carrying was a toy. Before their withdrawal, IOF arrested 3 Palestinians, including a child, and destroyed a residential apartment belonging to the family of ‘Uday al-Tamimi, who was killed after carrying out 2 shooting attacks in occupied Jerusalem last October. This demolition falls under IOF’s collective punishment policy.
Meanwhile, those injured were victims of excessive use of force and shooting that accompanied IOF incursions into cities and villages or suppression of peaceful protests organized by Palestinian civilians, and they were as follows:
On 20 January 2023, 5 Palestinians were wounded with rubber-coated metal bullets during IOF’s suppression of Kafr Qaddoum peaceful weekly protest, northern Qalqilya.
On 25 January 2023, 2 children were seriously injured in Al-Lawza neighborhood in central Silwan village, south of East Jerusalem’s Old City, during IOF’s incursion into the village to arrest a Palestinian. IOF surrounded the 2 Children and prevented anyone from approaching them. They were then transferred by an Israeli ambulance to Israel.
On the same day, 3 Palestinians were wounded with live bullets during IOF’s incursion into Nour Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm.
In the Gaza Strip, 12 IOF shootings were reported on agricultural lands in eastern and northern Gaza Strip, and 7 shootings were reported on fishing boats off the western Gaza shores.
” So far in 2023, IOF attacks killed 20 Palestinians, including 9 civilians; 4 of them were children, and the rest were members of the Palestinian armed groups, including a child and 2 killed by two settlers allegedly for carrying out stabbing attacks. Meanwhile, dozens were injured in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Land razing, demolitions, and notices
IOF displaced 5 families of 40, including 28 children after demolishing 10 houses and confiscating cactus seedlings in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Details are as follows:
On 19 January 2023, IOF confiscated 120 cactus seedlings in Al-Jawaya area, eastern Yatta, south of Hebron.
On 21 January 2023, IOF forced a Palestinian to self-demolish his 120-sqm house in Ras Al-‘Amoud neighborhood in East Jerusalem under the pretext of unlicensed construction in Area C. As a result, a family of 7, including 5 children, was displaced.
On 22 January 2023, IOF forced a Palestinian to self-demolish his 150-sqm under-construction house in Ras Al-‘Amoud neighborhood in East Jerusalem, under the pretext of unlicensed construction in Area C.
On 25 January 2023, IOF demolished 6 houses in Al-Dyouk Al-Tahta village, west of Jericho, under the pretext of unlicensed construction in Area C, noting that PCHR’s fieldworker could not collect more information about the 4 houses, but was able to document displacement of 2 families of 16, including 2 women and 12 children.
On the same day, IOF demolished a 50-sqm agricultural house built of bricks and tinplate in Ma’in village, southern Yatta, south of Hebron, rendering a family of 9, including 6 children, homeless. In the same area, another 40-sqm agricultural house was demolished, displacing a family of 8, including 5 children, under the pretext of unlicensed construction in Area C.
” Since the beginning of 2023, and according to what we have been able to document, IOF made 22 families homeless, a total of 152 persons, including 17 women and 68 children. This was the outcome of IOF demolition of 26 houses; 7 were forcibly self-demolished by their owners and 3 were demolished on grounds of collective punishment. IOF also demolished 20 other civilian objects, razed other property, and delivered dozens of notices of demolition, cease-construction, and evacuation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
House demolitions on grounds of Collective Punishment
On 25 January 2023, large forces of Israeli soldiers raided ‘Anata village in East Jerusalem and surrounded an 11-storey residential building, which was evacuated. They closed a residential apartment on the 6th floor belonging to the family of ‘Uday Al-Tamimi after destroying its walls and internal contents as part of IOF’s collective punishment policy. Al-Tamimi was killed after carrying out 2 shooting attacks in occupied Jerusalem last October. Due to the apartment demolition, a family of 7, including 3 women, was displaced. During the incursion, clashes broke out between the young men and IOF, killing a 17-year-old Muhammad Ali Abd Muhammad Ali, and wounding 4 civilians. Before withdrawing, IOF arrested 3 Palestinians, including a child.
” So far in 2023, 3 houses were demolished as a result of collective punishment.
Settler-attacks
Settlers, protected by IOF, carried out 4 attacks on Palestinians and their property in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Details are as follows:
On 19 January 2023, a settler razed and excavated 2 plots of land of 225 dunums, after confiscating them to turn them into an agricultural settlement outpost in Al-Ras area between Qalandia and Rafat villages, northwest of East Jerusalem.
On 20 January 2023, a settler uprooted 25 olive seedlings in Al-Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem.
On 22 January 2023, settlers, supported by IOF, razed a plot of land planted with 300 olive trees in Kafr Qaddoum village, north of Qalqilya.
On 23 January 2023, settlers threw stones at a Palestinian vehicle and smashed its windows in Sinjil village, northeast of Ramallah.
” Since the beginning of the year, settlers conducted at least 17 attacks against Palestinians and their property.
IOF incursions and arrests of Palestinian civilians:
IOF carried out 200 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Those incursions included raids and searches of civilian houses and facilities and establishment of checkpoints. During those incursions, 106 Palestinians were arrested, including a journalist, 3 women and 19 children; one of them was sick.
” According to PCHR’s documentation, so far in 2023, IOF conducted 819 incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, during which 397 Palestinians were arrested, including 5 women and 47 children.
Israeli closure and restrictions on freedom of movement:
Israeli occupation maintains its illegal and inhuman 15-year closure on the Gaza Strip. Details available in PCHR’s monthly-update in the Gaza crossings.
In the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, IOF continue to impose restrictions on the freedom of movement. On top of its 110 permanent checkpoints, IOF established 122 temporary military checkpoints in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and arrested 7 Palestinians at those checkpoints.
On 20 January 2023, IOF closed Qalandia military checkpoint, north of East Jerusalem, and later reopened it.
On 22 January 2023, IOF closed the detector gate at the western entrance to Husan village, west of Bethlehem, and later reopened it.
On 23 January 2023, IOF closed the northern entrance to Teko’a village, southeast of Bethlehem and later reopened it.
On 25 January 2023, IOF closed Shu’fat refugee camp checkpoint, northeast of East Jerusalem, during IOF’s incursion into the camp and demolition of ‘Uday Al-Tamimi’s house. Later, IOF reponed the checkpoint.
” So far in 2023, IOF established 426 temporary military checkpoints and arrested 21 Palestinians at those checkpoints.
Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
