Violation of right to life and bodily integrity:
A Palestinian was killed, and 16 others, including 3 children and a doctor, were injured, while dozens of others suffocated and sustained bruises in Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and settler attacks in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). Details are as follows:
On 29 September 2023, IOF opened fire at two Palestinians and injured them allegedly for throwing Molotov Cocktails at a military site near “Psagot” settlement, east of al-Bireh. IOF also prevented the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) medics from providing first aid to the wounded and arrested the latter. Later, IOF announced the death of one of them and he was later identified as Mohammed Jebreel Rummanah (18), from al-Bireh, while his body was kept under the Israeli custody.
Meanwhile, those injured were victims of excessive use of force that accompanied IOF incursions into cities and villages, or suppression of peaceful protests organized by Palestinian civilians.
On 27 September 2023, a Palestinian was shot with a live bullet in his leg and others suffocated after IOF fired bullets and teargas canisters at Palestinian protestors, east of Khuza’a village in eastern Khan Yunis.
On 28 September 2023, 5 Palestinians were injured with rubber-coated bullets; one lost his left eye after being directly shot in it. The latter was on his house roof when clashes broke out with IOF following the latter’s incursion into Qalandia refugee camp, north of occupied East Jerusalem.
On 29 September 2023, 3 Palestinians sustained bullet shrapnel injuries; one was a doctor and director of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society in Nablus, following IOF’s suppression of a peaceful protest organized on a plot of land threatened to be confiscated in Beit Dajan village, east of Nablus.
On 30 September 2023, a child was shot with a rubber-coated bullet in his head during clashes with IOF at the northern entrance to al-Ram village, north of occupied East Jerusalem. On the same day, 2 Palestinian fishermen were injured with rubber-coated bullets after Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing off northern Beit Lahia shore, north of the Gaza Strip.
On 01 October 2023, a Palestinian child sustained a live bullet shrapnel injury in his buttocks during clashes with IOF following their incursion into Burqa village, northwest of Nablus. On the same day, a Palestinian fisherman was shot with a rubber-coated bullet in his left hand after Israeli gunboats opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing off western Rafah shore, south of the Gaza Strip.
On 02 October 2023, a Palestinian woman sustained injuries and bruises after being beaten by IOF on al-Wad Street in central Hebron.
On 03 October 2023, a child was shot with a live bullet in his abdomen during clashes with IOF that accompanied the latter’s incursion into Burqa village, northwest of Nablus.
This week, 3 IOF shootings were reported on agricultural lands in eastern Gaza Strip, while 7 shootings were reported on fishing boats off western Gaza shores.
So far in 2023, IOF attacks have killed 234 Palestinians, including 118 civilians; amongst them 47 children, 6 women, a person with disability, and 9 killed by settlers while the rest were members of the Palestinian armed groups, including 10 children, and two died in Israeli prisons. Meanwhile, 1280 Palestinians, including 196 children, 33 women and 20 journalists, were injured in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Land razing, demolitions, notices and settlement
On 28 September 2023, IOF forced Mahmoud al-Qadi to self-demolish part of his house in Silwan village in occupied East Jerusalem upon an Israeli municipal decision under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
On the same day, IOF levelled 3 dunums planted with olive trees in Iskaka and Yasuf villages, east of Salfit, to expand “Nofei Nehemia” settlement. Also, IOF razed a 270-metre-long water pipeline in Wad Jehish area, south of Yatta in southern Hebron, under the pretext of working in Area (C) without prior permission.
On 30 September 2023, IOF seized a house sheltering 2 families of 9, including 5 children and 2 women, and turned it into a military post in Jalbun village, northeast of Jenin.
On 01 October 2023, IOF forced two siblings Mohammed and Suliman al-Radaydah to self-demolish their houses of 250 sqms in Beit Hanina village in occupied East Jerusalem upon an Israeli municipal decision under the pretext of unlicensed construction. As a result, two families of 12, including 3 women and 5 children, were displaced.
Since the beginning of 2023, IOF have made 142 families homeless, a total of 821 persons, including 180 women and 362 children. This was the outcome of IOF demolition of 152 houses; 39 were forcibly self-demolished by their owners and 14 were demolished on grounds of collective punishment. IOF also demolished 118 other civilian objects, razed other property, and delivered dozens of notices of demolition and cease-construction in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Settler-attacks and retaliatory acts
On 28 September 2023, Israeli settlers threw stones at Palestinians and their vehicles and chanted racist slogans against Arabs near an intersection next to the Mazmoria checkpoint, east of Bethlehem.
On 30 September 2023, Israeli settlers beat and pepper-sprayed 3 staff members of Teqoa Municipality in southern Bethlehem.
On 02 October 2023, Israeli settlers beat an elderly man in Silwan village in occupied East Jerusalem, causing him injuries and bruises in his face and left eye.
On the same day, settlers spat at Christian pilgrims from East Asia and cursed them while the latter were on their way out of the “Prison of Christ” Chapel in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.
Also, settlers attacked with batons and stones Palestinians and their vehicles in al-Mosrarah neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem.
Since the beginning of the year, settlers have conducted at least 320 attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property. As a result, 9 Palestinians were killed, and dozens of others were injured; most of them due to being beaten and thrown with stones. Also, dozens of houses, vehicles and civilian facilities were set ablaze.
Civilian Objects Seized and Turned into Military Posts
On 30 September 2023, IOF seized a house sheltering two families of 9, including 5 children and 2 women, and turned it into a military post in Jalboun village, northeast of Jenin.
On 04 October 2023, IOF took over Irtah Women’s Club run by the Rural Women’s Development Society and turned it into a military post in Irtah Suburb in southern Tulkarm. IOF also assaulted journalist Diana Khuwailed who was in the building, detained her for an hour, and prevented her from doing her journalistic work.
Freedom of worship
On 30 September 2023, marking the first day of the Israeli Jewish holiday, Sukkot, IOF established dozens of checkpoints at the entrances to the Old City and intensified their deployment at Al-Aqsa Mosque gates. They prevented worshipers aged under 70 from entering the mosque for a whole week while they facilitated hundreds of settlers’ raid into the mosque from 07:00 until 14:30. Tightened measures have been decided until the evening of Friday, 06 October 2023, which marks the last day of Sukkot.
On 01, 02 and 03 October 2023, the Israeli police deployed thousands of its members and special units in Jerusalem, set up barricades at the entrances to the Old City and the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and prevented worshipers aged under 70 from entering the Mosque. Meanwhile, it secured hundreds of settlers’ raid into the mosque while the latter chanting “Death to Arabs” during their celebration of the Jewish Throne Day. The Israeli police violently assaulted the worshippers who gathered at Bab as-Silsila (The Chain Gate) in protest against being denied entry into Al-Aqsa, arrested 3 Palestinians, including 2 women, and forced journalists out and obstructed their work.
On 02 October 2023, IOF closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in the Old City of Hebron for two days and denied worshipers entry. IOF tightened their security measures and closed all checkpoints and detector gates leading to the Mosque. They also shut some markets in the Old City, and all of this was to secure settlers’ raid to the Mosque and its yards to celebrate the Throne Day, and archaeological sites.
Israeli closure, restrictions on freedom of movement, and collective punishment:
Israeli occupation maintains its illegal and inhuman 17-year closure on the Gaza Strip. Details available in PCHR’s monthly-update of the state of the Gaza crossings.
IOF announced a full closure of the West Bank and Gaza Strip crossings starting at midnight Thursday, 29 September 2023, until midnight Saturday, 30 September 2023 for the Jewish holidays.
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 128 temporary military checkpoints in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, and arrested Palestinians at those checkpoints.
On 28 September 2023, IOF detained JMedia journalist Montaser Mohammad Nassar (35) for two hours at a temporary checkpoint at the eastern entrance to Dura, south of Hebron. He was later released after checking his ID card and searching his vehicle.
On 30 September 2023, IOF almost completely closed Bab al-Maghariba Gate Road and many entrances and neighborhoods of Silwan to secure settlers’ way to the Buraq Wall.
On 01 and 02 October 2023, IOF closed around 12 roads, entrances and checkpoints with sand berms, detector gates and cement cubes in Hebron’s villages and towns under the pretext of securing settler vehicles’ way to celebrate Throne Day.
On 01 October 2023, IOF closed the center of Al-Samou’ village, southwest of Hebron, to secure settler vehicles’ way in order to perform religious rituals in an old church in the center of the village. On the same day, IOF closed the entrances to Sebastia and Barqa villages, northwest of Nablus, with sand berms, to secure the settlers’ raid into the Homesh settlement, the archaeological findings of Sebastia, and Mount Ebal.
On 02 October 2023, IOF closed Beersheba Street, Wadi al-Tuffah Street, Al-Shalala Street, and Bab al-Zawiya area in Hebron, and forced shop owners to shut in order to secure the settlers’ raid into the city center and the Tomb of Otniel Ben Knaz. Meanwhile, IOF prevented Palestinians from reaching the city center and fired stun grenades and teargas canisters at them. As a result, several were suffocated.
On 02 October 2023, IOF closed the Container checkpoint, northeast of Bethlehem and reopened it later.
On 04 October 2023, IOF closed the roads leading to the Old City in East Jerusalem to secure settlers’ way to al-Buraq Wall to perform religious rituals. This coincided the raids into Al-Aqsa Mosque on the fifth day of the Throne Day, blocking traffic around Jerusalem neighborhoods. IOF also closed Wadi Al-Dam Road in Beit Hanina and the Via Dolorosa Street in the Old City and denied movement of Palestinians and school students but later reopened both roads later.
On 04 October 2023, IOF detained journalists Yazan Hamayel (23) and ‘Abdul Rahman Dhamidi (21) for an hour at Huwwara checkpoint in southern Nablus. They were released after searching their vehicle, checking their equipment and confiscating Dhamidi’s camera.
Since 12 September 2023, IOF have tightened their military measures in the vicinity of Huwara village and nearby villages of Aqraba, Osarin, Beita, and Yatma in Nablus. They have closed some sub-roads with sand berms and established checkpoints as part of the collective punishment measures following the shooting attack that injured Israeli settlers in Huwara village.
So far in 2023, IOF have established 4,818 temporary military checkpoints and arrested tens of Palestinians at those checkpoints.
Source: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
