Mohammad Abu Amsha al-Atrash

April 22, 2015: Mohammad Abu Amsha al-Atrash, 24, was killed by Israeli soldiers at a military roadblock near Nablus, in northern West Bank.

The Israeli army claimed that Mohammad approached soldiers at the roadblock and asked them for a drink of water.

The army added that Mohammad distracted the soldiers before stabbing one with a knife, before other soldiers opened fire and killed him.

Medical sources said Mohammad was shot six times and died at the scene.

Mohammed was shot six times and died at the scene. He is at least the 25th Palestinian to be killed by Israeli forces since the start of 2015.

Mohammad and his twin brother, Mahmoud, were in the middle of building a house together. They planned to have a joint wedding and move into their newly built homes on the same day.

Mahmoud and Mohammed were born only seconds apart at a small hospital in Jenin, a city in the north of the occupied West Bank. Most of their life has been spent side-by-side.

Mahmoud and his family vehemently deny the government’s official statement.

“First, Mohammad didn’t carry a knife. I would know if he had a knife and Mohammed didn’t,” Mahmoud said adamantly.

“Second, we’ve been under occupation for 67 years in this country, we aren’t a political family, but Mohammed was a healthy guy, and I don’t know any Palestinian that would ask an Israeli soldier for a drink of water unless they were dying. Third, trying to stab a soldier at a checkpoint is a suicide mission, and that wasn’t Mohammad.”

Mohammad was from Kafr Ra’ey village, near Jenin, in northern West Bank. Source: Middle East Eye