Ref: 160/2022

Date: 22 December 2022

Time: 10:30 GMT

Today at dawn, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed a Palestinian civilian and wounded 5 others, including a child and one in serious condition, during IOF’s incursion into Nablus, northern West Bank.  This crime reflects IOF’s loose shooting standards and intention to kill and wound despite no imminent threat or danger to IOF’s lives.

According to investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), at around 00:00 on Thursday, 22 December 2022, IOF moved into eastern Nablus and a number of soldiers topped roofs of high buildings to secure buses carrying setters to Josef’s Tomb on ‘Amman Street in the area.  Meanwhile, young men gathered and threw stones at IOF, who fired teargas canisters and stun grenades as well as live and rubber-coated bullets at the protesters.  As a result, 6 Palestinians were wounded and taken to the City’s hospitals; two of them sustained serious injuries, including Ahmed ‘Atef Mustafa Daraghmah (23), from Tubas, who was announced dead at Rafidia Governmental Hospital succumbing to his bullet injuries in the chest and legs.  It should be noted that Daraghmah was a distinctive footballer in Tulkarm Cultural Team.

One of those wounded (PCHR keeps his name) said to PCHR’s fieldworker that he was with his friend Ahmed Daraghmah in the latter’s car in Nablus when they learnt about IOF’s incursion into the city.  They headed to ‘Amman Street leading to Tubas to return to their houses, but they were surprised that the street was closed with burning tires.  They stopped the car in one of the alleys and stepped out.  While inspecting what was going on from the alley, they were shot by IOF, who were stationed in the east, so Ahmed was wounded in his chest and legs and fell on his back.  When his friend tried to pull him, IOF continued shooting at him and wounded him in the right side of his waist.  Both were then taken to different hospitals, and he later knew about his friend’s death.

PCHR condemns this crime and other previous crimes, calling upon the Office of the International Criminal Court’s Prosecutor to investigate this crime and others committed against the Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory.