The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the Israeli Occupation Forces’ (IOF) unjustified commission of two separate murders yesterday that left two Palestinian civilians dead, including a child, in Nablus and Ramallah in the West Bank, as part of IOF’s extrajudicial executions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt) upon a decision from Israel’s top military and political echelons.
According to information collected by PCHR’s fieldworker on the killing of a Palestinian civilian in Nablus, at approximately 22:50 on Friday, 21 July 2023, IOF moved into Sebastia village, northwest of Nablus, and stationed at its entrance.
They then unjustifiably fired a barrage of bullets at a Volkswagen Polo Car carrying Fawzi Hani Makhalfah (19) and his friend Mohammed Omar Mukhaimar (19).
As a result, the car’s driver, Fawzi Makhalfah, was killed after being shot with several bullets in different parts of his body, including his head.
Makhalfah’s corpse was taken to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus, while his friend Mukhaimar was injured and then arrested by IOF, noting the latter’s injury is still unaccounted for.
An eyewitness said to PCHR’s fieldworker that;
“IOF stationed at Sebastia village entrance fired a barrage of bullets at a vehicle passing by the area. The vehicle continued its way until it crashed into a wall, being obvious that the driver had lost control of it. The Israeli soldiers approached the vehicle, fired live bullets at it and prevented ambulance crews from approaching it. Later, IOF withdrew from the area after they had arrested a wounded person from the vehicle, while the ambulance crews evacuated the corpse of the other person who was driving.”
According to information collected by PCHR’s fieldworker about the killing of a child in Ramallah, at around 13:00 following the Friday Prayer, a peaceful protest made its way from Umm Safa Village Council, northwest of Ramallah, in protest against the establishment of a pastoral settlement outpost on Palestinians’ lands adjacent to the main street near “Aterot” settlement, which is established on the village’s lands.
The protestors raised Palestinian flags and chanted slogans against IOF and settlers.
When the protestors gathered on the street in the village’s center near its council, they were surprised with many Israeli soldiers waiting for them.
Meanwhile, IOF immediately suppressed the protest and fired a barrage of teargas canisters.
Afterwards, clashes broke out in the area; during which, IOF fired live and rubber-coated bullets at the protestors.
As a result, Mohammed Foad ‘Atta al-Bayyed (17) was directly shot by IOF with a live bullet in his head as he was only 20 meters away.
When another person tried to pull him, IOF opened fire at him, wounding him with 2 live bullets, and his health condition was deemed serious.
An eyewitness said to PCHR’s fieldworker that:
“At around 15:30, during clashes that erupted in Umm Safa village, an Israeli soldier opened fire at one of the protestors from a distance of 20 meters, wounding him with a live bullet in his head. Immediately, a person tried to pull him to a safe area, but IOF fired two live bullets at him: one hit his hand and the other hit his chest.”
Both fell on the ground and the protestors managed to evacuate them to the Istishari Hospital in al-Rihan Suburb in Ramallah, where the two wounded were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Later, at around 16:49 on the same day, doctors announced the death of Mohammed Foad ‘Atta al-Bayyed (17), who was first wounded, while the other (28) sustained serious injuries.
