The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced on Friday that one of its workers was killed by an Israeli army sharpshooter in the Al-Far’a refugee camp, southwest of Tubas, in the occupied West Bank’s northeastern part, marking the first incident of its kind in the West Bank in 10 years.
In a statement, the agency said, “UNRWA mourns the death of a colleague killed overnight in Al-Far’a Camp. Sufian Jaber Abdul-Jawad, 42, was shot and killed on the roof of his home by a sniper during an overnight Israeli military operation in the early morning of 12 September.”
It is worth mentioning that medical sources have confirmed that Sufian was shot in the heart.
“Sufian was a sanitation laborer in the refugee camp and is survived by his wife and five children,” UNRWA added.
The statement indicated that the sniper attack occurred “early Thursday morning during an Israeli military operation.”
UNRWA also said: “This marks the first time a UNRWA staff member has been killed in the West Bank in more than ten years. It comes as the West Bank is experiencing unprecedented levels of violence, placing communities at risk.”
UNRWA emphasized “the need to protect all civilians during military operations and ensure their safe access to essential services.”
This comes “at a time when the West Bank is experiencing unprecedented levels of violence, putting communities at risk,” according to UNRWA.
UNRWA said: “The northern West Bank has experienced weeks of protracted Israeli military operations, with the refugee camps of Al-Far’a, Tulkarem, Nur Shams, and Jenin especially affected. Civilian infrastructure, including water and electricity networks, has been destroyed, with communities having precarious access to basic supplies.
UNRWA has been forced to suspend services to refugees because of the unacceptable risk to staff and beneficiaries during these operations. The use of improvised explosive devices by Palestinian armed actors is of particular concern. All civilians have to be protected during military operations and their safe access to basic services must be ensured.
In the week students were due to return to classrooms, 6,000 girls and boys attending UNRWA schools in the northern West Bank have had their education disrupted.”
