On october 22, on Tuesday evening, the Israeli Security Forces (ISF) shot in the chest and killed an 11-year-old Palestinian boy throwing stones at armoured vehicles in Nablus despite posing no realistic threat, during a raid in the city of Nablus, northern West Bank.

The scene was filmed, while the Israeli armored vehicles was stormed the street of Nablus, the child Abdullad Hawash, was seen throwing a rock in direction of them, and was immediatly shot deadly by a sniper.

Abdullah Jamal Hawash, 11, succumbed to critical injuries sustained from the Israeli army's gunfire, a Palestinian Health Ministry statement said.

The funeral of Palestinian child Abdallah Hawash, who was gunned down by Israeli occupation forces in Nablus in the occupied West Bank. Picture

Defense for Children International - Palestine report :

Abdullah Jamal Nidal Hawash, 11, was shot in the chest by Israeli forces around 5:30 p.m. on October 22 in the Fatayer Street area near the old city of Nablus. Abdullah was approximately 50 meters (164 feet) away from the last Israeli military vehicle as it withdrew when an Israeli soldier inside the vehicle fired a bullet at him, striking him near the heart. He was transported by a civilian vehicle to Rafidia Governmental Hospital, where doctors attempted to revive him, but he was pronounced dead shortly afterward. Abdullah, a sixth grader, was struck in the chest with one bullet that exited from the back, according to information collected by DCIP.

“Israeli forces consistently use lethal force against Palestinian children, even in circumstances where they pose no threat to life or safety,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at DCIP. “Abdullah’s killing highlights the routine nature of violence that Palestinian children face, where Israeli military incursions often escalate to fatal outcomes without accountability.”

Abdullah's death is a yet another clear example of an extrajudicial execution and wilful killing, as there was no imminent threat to justify the use of such force. Evidence collected by DCIP repeatedly shows that Israeli forces employ lethal force against Palestinian children with impunity, blatantly violating international humanitarian and human rights law.

Context & chronology :

1. Earlier that day, at approximately 5:10 p.m., reports emerged about Israeli special forces operating undercover in the Habs al-Dam area of the old city of Nablus. The special force, disguised in civilian clothing, invaded the Old City of Nablus.
2. Around 5:20 p.m., Israeli military reinforcements, including seven military vehicles, entered from the At-Tur military gate, heading towards the southern entrances near Ras al-Ein and the old city.
3. “The special force entered the Old City and arrested a young man, after which the occupation army sent military reinforcements to support the special unit,". According to Wafa special units raided the Qaryoun neighborhood in Nablus Old City and fired tear gas. Their objective was reportedly to arrest a young man from this neighborhood.
4. The special forces arrested a young man in the old city and withdrew by 5:30 p.m., heading back toward the At-Tur military gate. As the convoy passed Fatayer Street near Sondos Supermarket, a soldier inside the last vehicle opened fire, killing Abdullah.
5. Following the entry of the special unit, Israeli military reinforcements arrived to back up the operation. This escalation led to confrontations and increased the intensity of the raid.

Residents experienced heightened tension, with eyewitnesses describing the incursion as sudden and forceful, leading to significant fear and distress in the community.

Previous similar incidents

On 20 Octobre, in Hebron- Al-Khalil, ISF shot in the head a 17-year-old boy, now in critical condition. Another 11-year-old boy was critically injured after ISF shot him in the head on 17 Oct in Al-Arroub camp. In the past year alone, ISF killed 165 Palestinian children in the West Bank, incl. EJ, 36 in airstrikes and 129 shot with live ammunition, most in the head or upper body.

Over the past few years, the Israeli military has conducted regular raids in the West Bank, which have escalated with the beginning of the war on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinians have also been violently attacked by illegal Israeli settlers.

At least 760 Palestinians have since been killed and over 6,250 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry.

Israeli forces and settlers have killed 86 Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank in 2024, according to documentation collected by DCIP.

167 Palestinian children have been killed in the occupied West Bank since October 7, 2023, according to documentation collected by DCIP.

Broader Context of Nablus in the Conflict:

Nablus, one of the largest cities in the West Bank, has become a focal point for both Israeli military actions and settler attacks. Since October of the previous year, settler-related violence and military raids have increased significantly in Nablus, causing not only deaths but also extensive property damage.

UN and Palestinian Reactions: The UN Refugee and Works Agency (UNRWA) recently cited Nablus in reports on escalating violence in the West Bank, stating that operations there contributed to making September one of the deadliest months for Palestinians in the area in recent years.

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