contact@ifamericansknew.org, Author at Israel-Palestine Timeline

Fadi Adnan Samara

May 29, 2020May 30, 2020 contact@ifamericansknew.org

May 29, 2020: Fadi Adnan Sarhan Samara, 37, a father of five, was killed by Israeli soldiers after he lost control of his vehicle when he was fired upon by Israeli colonial settlers near Nabi Saleh village, northwest of the central West Bank city of Ramallah.

The Israeli army claimed that the soldiers fired live rounds at the Palestinian car after the driver reportedly tried to ram them, and that the soldiers “neutralized the threat,” a term Israel and various Israeli media outlets frequently use when the soldiers fatally shoot a Palestinian.

His family denied the military allegations and said the man lost control of his car after Israeli colonialist settlers opened fire at it.

The slain man was identified as Fadi Adnan Sarhan Samara, 37, a father of five children, including an infant (two months of age) from Abu Qash village, north of Ramallah.

He worked in Israel and had returned back home to Nabi Saleh to celebrate the Muslim feast of al-Fitr with his family.

His brothers stated that he left his home in the evening heading to az-Zawiya village, west of Salfit in central West Bank, to fetch his wife and children and bring them back home, as they were visiting her family there.

The Israeli army claimed that Fadi tried to ram soldiers with his car near a natural spring in the Ramallah governorate. He was shot in the leg and was left to bleed for about an hour, without any first aid.

But Palestinian media outlets and residents in the area said that Fadi lost control of his car when illegal Israeli colonialist settlers, who repeatedly invade the area, opened fire at his car, before the soldiers fired a barrage of live rounds at it, claiming that he was attempting to ram them.

One of his brothers, and one of his cousins, were both detained by the army, and after being released, they stated that an army officer told them, after confirming his identity, that they could not take his corpse for burial.

They stated that the military was taunting them by stating that the family can have his corpse back “maybe in an hour or two, a month or two, a year or two….”

His family, and the residents of his village, strongly denounced his murder, and stated that the Israeli soldiers are always “trigger happy” when it comes to shooting Palestinians, and that the army tries to justify these crimes by making false allegations.

They called for a serious investigation into the fatal shooting and called on international organizations to act and hold Israel accountable at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for its escalating crimes and ongoing violations against the Palestinian people, their homes and property.

Protests erupted after the fatal shooting of the Palestinian man, and the soldiers fired live rounds and rubber-coated steel rounds.

A Palestinian man with Downs Syndrome was struck with a live round in his leg.

Fadi was from Abu Qash village, north of Ramallah. Source: IMEMC

Bahaeddin Mohammad al-‘Awawda

May 14, 2020May 18, 2020 contact@ifamericansknew.org

May 14, 2020: Bahaeddin Mohammad Abdullah al-‘Awawda, 18, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers near Negohot illegal colony, southwest of Hebron, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank, reportedly after he rammed them with his car, wounding one.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said it was informed by the Civil District Coordination Office that the young man had been identified as Bahaeddin Mohammad Abdullah al-‘Awawda, 18, from Deir Samit town, west of Hebron.

The Palestinian was moved by an Israeli ambulance to Soroka hospital in Beersheba (Be’er as-Sabe’), but was shortly pronounced dead due to his severe wounds.

The Israeli army stated that the young man “deliberately rammed soldiers with his car, moderately wounding one,” before they shot him.

It added that the soldiers were standing near a military post when the Palestinian reportedly accelerated towards them, moderately wounding one soldier, 21, who suffered injuries in his upper body.

The incident took place near Beit Awwa town, west of Hebron, and the soldiers closed the main entrance of the town, preventing the Palestinians from entering or leaving it.

The al-‘Awawda family demanded the army to reveal more information about his death, and called for a fair investigation committee to investigate these details.

His uncle, Atef al-Awawda, said that the family demands to know these details, regardless of whether this was a “ramming attack” as the army claims, or just a traffic accident, and most importantly “was there a real need for fatal shots?”

Atef added that the soldiers summoned the slain man’s father for interrogation immediately after the incident and that the father was still in the military base.

Bahaeddin was from Hebron, in the southern West Bank. Source: IMEMC

Zeid Fadel Qaisiyya

May 13, 2020November 17, 2020 contact@ifamericansknew.org

May 13th, 2020: Zeid Fadel Qaisiyya, 15, was killed with a bullet to the head by Israeli soldiers during an invasion of Zeid’s neighborhood in the al-Fawwar refugee camp, southwest of the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

Media sources said dozens of soldiers invaded the refugee camp, and attacked local youngsters, who protested the invasion into their alley and neighborhoods.

They added that the soldiers fired many live rounds at the unarmed protesters, and at random, in addition to rubber-coated steel bullets and gas bombs. In addition to Zeid, four others were injured.

His mother stated that her son was not taking part of any protest, and added that he, his brother, and some of his cousins, went to the rooftop of the house after hearing what sounded like concussion grenades, but that is when he was shot.

His brother, after seeing him collapse on the ground, thought he was joking, but when he checked on Zeid, he found the blood on his face, as the bullet struck him in the face and exited from the back of his head.

The family lived in a five-story building, and Zeid was on the rooftop along with his cousins to watch the unfolding invasion.

His brother Jihad, who was standing next to him when Zeid was shot, said that they just went to the rooftop to see what was happening when a soldier targeted them.

Jihad added that he and his slain brother were not part of any protests that took place when the soldiers invaded the refugee camp. “We were just on the rooftop, watching when the soldiers fired the shot, ” he said.

Medical sources in Hebron said the soldiers killed a child, identified as Zeid Fadel Qaisiyya, 15, after shooting him with a live round in the head.

They added that the soldiers also shot four other Palestinians with live fire; two of them were shot in the chest and abdomen, and two in their lower extremities.

Zeid was from the al-Fawwar refugee camp, southwest of the southern West Bank city of Hebron. Source: IMEMC

Amit Ben Ygal

May 12, 2020June 7, 2020 contact@ifamericansknew.org

May 12, 2020: Amit Ben Ygal, 21, was killed during a pre-dawn invasion of the northern West Bank by Palestinians who dropped a large stone from a rooftop on his head while he was in the street.

According to the Israeli daily Ha’aretz, Ygal was among a battalion of soldiers with the Golani Brigade who invaded the village of Ya’bad, southwest of the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank, around 4:00 in the morning on Tuesday.

Many villagers were awake at the time, to eat their pre-dawn meal and prepare for the day of fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. So the soldiers, who often engage in pre-dawn raids but usually do so while residents are sleeping, instead were met by angry youth who demanded that they leave their town.

The Israeli military reported that the Golani Brigade was invading the village in order to abduct two Palestinians that they suspected of ‘terrorism’, and another two who were suspected of having thrown stones at soldiers during previous invasions.

Following the initial invasion, dozens of soldiers and armored vehicles stormed the town, and initiated very violent and extensive searches of homes and buildings, and abducted at least eighteen Palestinians, including a father and his three children.The person who dropped the stone on the soldier has not been identified, but Israeli troops have issued a complete lockdown order on the village and are searching house-by-house, interrogating the residents and preventing them from leaving their homes.

Media sources in Jenin said the soldiers abducted Mohammad Atiyya Abu Bakr along with his brothers Thabet, Bassel and Ra’fat, in addition to Ribhi Mohammad Abu Bakr, along with his wife, his daughter Eman, 15, and his sons Mohammad and Khaled.

The soldiers also abducted Anas Kamer Abu Shamla and his brother Yazan, in addition to assaulting and wounding their brother, Mohammad.

The soldiers also shot two young men with rubber-coated steel bullets and caused dozens to suffer the severe effects of teargas inhalation.

The soldiers also stormed and ransacked many homes, including the properties of Bassem Lufti Abu Bakr, Sa’ed Omar Abu Bakr, Atiyya Younis Asfour, in addition to his brothers Nathmi and Ribhi, and interrogated them for several hours.

Furthermore, the soldiers also occupied the rooftops of many homes, especially in the as-Salma neighborhood, while more soldiers were deployed in the town’s streets and around it, completely isolating it.

Amit was from Ramat Gan, in central Israel. Source: IMEMC

Nour Jaber Barghouthi

April 22, 2020November 28, 2020 contact@ifamericansknew.org

April 22, 2020: Nour Jaber Barghouthi, 23, died in the Negev Desert Detention Camp, after he fainted in the shower, and Israeli soldiers failed to provide him with any medical aid for more than thirty minutes.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society stated that the detainee, Nour Jaber Barghouthi, 23, was from ‘Aboud town, northwest of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, and added that he was abducted by the soldiers four years ago, and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

It stated that the detainee was showering in Section 25 of the Negev Detention camp when he collapsed and lost consciousness.

The PPS held Israel fully responsible for the death of the detainee and denounced its deadly neglect of basic, internationally guaranteed rights of the detainees in direct violation of all related International laws, and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

On his part, the head of the Palestinian Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees Committee, Qadri Abu Bakr, said that Israel continues to abuse the detainees, violate their basic rights, in addition to its constant use of torture during interrogation, and the continuous invasions and violent searches of the detainees’ rooms.

Abu Bakr added that the detainees are also denied professional medical attention in Israeli prisons, especially those suffering from cancer, diabetes, kidney failure, and other serious health conditions.

Barghouthi’s death brings the number of Palestinian detainees who died in Israeli prisons since the year 1967 after Israel occupied the rest of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, to 273.

Israel is also still holding the remains of five deceased detainees, identified as Anis Doula, who died of medical neglect in the year 1980, Aziz Oweisat, 53, who died on May 20, 2018, at an Israeli hospital from serious complications after he was assaulted by several Israeli soldiers in the prison, Fares Baroud, 51, who died on February 6, 2019, of medical neglect in an Israeli prison, Nassar Taqatqa, 31, who died after having been tortured in an Israeli prison on July 16, 2019, and Bassam Sayeh, 47, who died on September 8, 2019, in an Israeli prison, due to medical neglect.

It is worth mentioning that 73 of the detainees who died in Israeli prisons since 1967 were tortured to death, 67 died after not receiving the needed medical treatment, 75 were shot to death after being captured, and seven were killed by Israeli army fire while in prison.

Nour was from ‘Aboud town, northwest of the central West Bank city of Ramallah. Source: IMEMC

Islam Dwaikat

April 1, 2020April 3, 2020 contact@ifamericansknew.org

April 1, 2020: Islam Dwaikat, 22, died of wounds sustained when he was shot by Israeli forces during a protest last month.

Palestinian medical sources in the West Bank city of Nablus pronounced Islam dead on Wednesday April 1st, and said he was wounded by Israeli troops that opened fire at Palestinian protesters during an Israeli invasion of Beita town, south of Nablus city, in the northern West Bank.

The Mayor of Beita town, Fo’ad Ma’ali, told local media outlets that on March 11, the youth was struck with a rubber-coated steel bullet in the head and has remained in a deep coma at a local hospital.

Massive protests took place last month, between Israeli troops and local residents in the al-‘Arma Mountain when locals intercepted colonial Israeli settlers, en-route to the Palestinian-populated area.

Israeli forces reacted by firing tear-gas canisters, rubber-coated steel bullets and live ammunition at Palestinians protecting their land.

The Israeli crackdown on the protests claimed the life of a teen boy, Mohammad Hamayel, 15 and caused the injury of 112 other protesters, mainly by rubber-coated steel bullets and tear-gas inhalation injuries.

Israeli colonists, illegally squatting on Palestinian lands in the occupied West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, have been constantly storming the mountain and attempting to control an archaeological historical site above its summit.

Illegal Israeli settlements, that surround and isolate Palestinian villages, towns, and cities stand as flashpoints for violent confrontations between the indigenous Palestinian population and illegal settlers not to mention the occupation army.

Islam was from the Nablus district, in the northern West Bank. Source: IMEMC

Sofian Nawwaf al-Khawaja

March 24, 2020March 24, 2020 contact@ifamericansknew.org

March 22, 2020: Sofian Nawwaf al-Khawaja, 29, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers near the entrance of Ni’lin village, west of the central West Bank city of Ramallah.

Medical sources said the soldiers shot Sofian during an invasion of the area, causing a very serious injury that resulted in his death shortly afterward.

They added that the soldiers stopped and held a Palestinian ambulance that was rushing to render aid to the Palestinian.

Instead of allowing the Palestinian medics to render the urgently needed aid to the critically wounded young man, the soldiers called for an Israeli ambulance while al-Khawaja continued to bleed.

The Israeli army claimed that the soldiers opened fire at several Palestinians who reportedly hurled stones at their jeeps.

However, Palestinian sources said the slain Palestinian was not among the protesters but happened to be passing through the area along with his cousin.

Israeli daily Haaretz quoted a military spokesperson stating that the soldiers opened fire at two Palestinians who were “hurling rocks at Israeli vehicles at the Ni’lin junction,” and added that the soldiers “killed one of them, while the other Palestinian managed to escape.”

Haaretz added that the army initiated a search campaign in the area.

Sofian was from Nil’in, in the central West Bank. Source: IMEMC

Mohammad Abdul-Karim Hamayel

March 11, 2020March 24, 2020 contact@ifamericansknew.org

March 11, 2020: Mohammad Abdul-Karim Hamayel, 15, was killed by Israeli soldiers, and 112 wounded, as the Israeli army cracked down on protesters at the al-‘Arma Mountain, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said the child, Mohammad Abdul-Karim Hamayel, 15, was shot with an expanding bullet in the head, and he was rushed to a local hospital before succumbing to his serious wounds.

Tarif Ashour, the spokesperson of the Health Ministry, said at least thirteen Palestinians were rushed to Rafidia governmental hospital, including another child, seventeen years of age, who was shot with two rubber-coated steel bullets in his head, before he was rushed to surgery, and remains in critical condition.

Shortly afterward, the soldiers shot two Palestinians with rubber-coated steel bullets in their heads, causing hemorrhaging in the brain; one of them remains in life-threatening condition.

In addition, a journalist working for the Palestinian TV, identified as Bakr Abdul-Haq, was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet in his lead, and at least thirteen other residents were shot with similar rounds.

The total number of injuries stood at more than 112 Palestinians in the past two days — among them 90 who suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation, and eighteen who were shot with rubber-coated steel bullets.

The soldiers also abducted at least three young men, after more than 40 additional military vehicles invaded the area.

The protests are still ongoing as more soldiers and fanatic illegal colonists continue to flock to the mountain and prevented many Palestinian ambulances from approaching it.

The head of the Beita Fuad Maali Village Council told Wafa reporters that scores of illegal Israeli colonists began storming the mountain last night and are still in the place, explaining that hundreds of Palestinian citizens remain stationed on the mountain to repel their invasion.

Ghassan Douglas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israel’s colonialist activities, said that there have been calls by colonists to storm the mountain, in an attempt to control an archaeological historical site above its summit, and install an illegal colony after occupying the entire Palestinian Mountain.

It is reported that the residents of the village, and the neighboring towns and villages, responded to previous attempts by the settlers to storm the top of the mountain two weeks ago.

Mohammad was from the Nablus district, in the northern West Bank. Source: IMEMC

Ziad Ahmad Mansour

February 24, 2020February 24, 2020 contact@ifamericansknew.org

February 24, 2020: Ziad Ahmad Mansour, 23, a Palestinian fighter with the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, was one of two Palestinians killed by an Israeli missile in Damascus, Syria.

The Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, has reported that two of its fighters were killed, late on Sunday at night, after Israeli war jets fired missiles into an area in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

The Brigades stated that its slain fighters have been identified as Salim Ahmad Salim, 24, and Ziad Ahmad Mansour, 23.

It added that the Israeli offensive on the Arab Syrian capital “is just another example of Tel Aviv’s failure in facing the Palestinian fighters in occupied Palestine.

“This new aggression will not deter us, as it is only another incentive for us to continue our fight for liberation and independence,” the Brigades added, “Our struggle against the Israeli occupation will continue until we achieve our legitimate goals,” and vowed a fierce retaliation.

Medical sources have confirmed that at least four Palestinians were injured.

In related news, Israeli fighter jets fired, on Sunday evening, many missiles into sites run by the Al-Quds Brigades in several areas in the besieged Gaza Strip, after the fighters fired homemade shells into nearby settlements in retaliation to the death of Mohammad Ali Hasan an-Na’em, 27, from Khan Younis, who was killed by army fire before the soldiers crushed his body with the blade of their bulldozer, then grabbed the corpse with the blade and swinging the body back and forth in the air.

ِAbu Hamza, the spokesperson of the Al-Quds Brigades, said in a statement that the brigades will retaliate to the Israeli aggression on Syria resulting in the death of the two fighters.

On Saturday evening, the soldiers abducted a Palestinian merchant, identified as Amer Baraka, at the Erez Terminal, in northern Gaza. He is the third merchant to be taken prisoner at the terminal since the beginning of this year.

Source: IMEMC

Salim Ahmad Salim

February 24, 2020February 24, 2020 contact@ifamericansknew.org

February 24, 2020: Salim Ahmad Salim, 24, a Palestinian fighter with the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, was one of two Palestinians killed by an Israeli missile in Damascus, Syria.

The Brigades stated that its slain fighters have been identified as Salim Ahmad Salim, 24, and Ziad Ahmad Mansour, 23.

It added that the Israeli offensive on the Arab Syrian capital “is just another example of Tel Aviv’s failure in facing the Palestinian fighters in occupied Palestine.

Medical sources have confirmed that at least four Palestinians were injured.

ِAbu Hamza, the spokesperson of the Al-Quds Brigades, said in a statement that the brigades will retaliate to the Israeli aggression on Syria resulting in the death of the two fighters.

Salim was from Gaza. Source: IMEMC