Palestinian Children

Khaled Samer Al-Za’anin

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August 30, 2023: Khaled Samer Al-Za’anin, 14, was shot and killed by Israeli forces at a light rail station near the Damascus Gate (Bab al-Amoud), in occupied Jerusalem in the West Bank after an alleged stabbing attack.

Hebrew sources claimed that the Palestinian child stabbed an illegal Israeli settler in the “Al-Musrara” neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem before security officers and settlers attacked him at the light rail station.

Israeli police arrived at the scene, and rather than taking the child into custody, a police officer shot him at close range and failed to provide him with medical treatment, causing him to bleed to death.

Also, Israeli police officers assaulted Palestinian journalists who attempted to approach the scene to provide media coverage.

Israeli settlers were shown on social media videos attacking vehicles at the scene and applauding the killing of the Palestinian child.

Furthermore, the soldiers prevented local Palestinians from approaching the home of the slain child, which sparked protests among local Palestinian youths, who burned rubber tires.

Shortly after Khaled’s death, the army invaded and destroyed the contents of his family home, and caused injuries to members of his family, in the Beit Hanina neighborhood, north of occupied East Jerusalem.

Soldiers fired rubber-coated steel rounds, concussion grenades, and tear gas canisters at local citizens and at the home of the slain child, causing inhalation injuries.

Later it was reported that occupation forces abducted the father, mother, brother, and sister of the slain child.

Othman Atef Abu Kharj

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August 22, 2023: Othman Atef Abu Kharj, 17, was shot and killed by Israeli troops, who shot him with live ammunition in the head and shoulder during an invasion of the town of Zababda, south of Jenin, in the northern West Bank.

Abu Kharj was one of a group of youth that confronted the invading army at the entrance to their village, shouting slogans and throwing stones.

Invading Israeli soldiers shot the youth with multiple live rounds. He was taken to the Al-Razi Hospital in Jenin, where he was declared dead by hospital officials after doctors were unable to save his life.

Fawaz Hammad, director of the Al-Razi Hospotal, told the Palestinian Wafa News Agency that the child, Othman Atef Abu Kharj (17 years old), died of injuries he sustained at dawn, during the clashes that erupted after the invasion of the town.

The Israeli occupation forces also abducted the young man, Yazan Malik Al-Sharqawi, after raiding his family’s house and the homes of his relatives in the town of Al-Zababda.

According to ‘Visit Palestine’, the village of Zababda is home to about 3,000 inhabitants and is the only majority-Christian village in the northern West Bank.

Ruins found under the village show settlement dating to the Byzantine times. At the convent of the Rosary Sisters, a 6th century mosaic, as well as remnants of columns indicates that there was once a significant Byzantine church on the site. In the center of the village the remains of a Byzantine-Roman building, known as the Baubariya, can be found.

The modern village of Zababda was founded in the 17th century. Within the village there are four small churches belonging to the Catholic, Anglican, Melkite, and Greek Orthodox denominations. The village is also home to the Arab American University of Jenin.

Othman was from Zababda, south of Jenin, in the northern West Bank. Source: IMEMC

Qusai Omar al-Walaji

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QusaiAugust 15, 2023: Qusai Omar al-Walaji, 16, was shot and killed, before dawn during a military incursion into the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, south of Jericho, in the northeastern part of the West Bank.

Media sources said that the Israeli occupation army stormed the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, just south of the ancient city of Jericho.

Israeli soldiers opened fire at local Palestinians under unclear circumstances, however it is presumed that the youths were protesting the invasion.

There is no mention of resistance from armed Palestinian fighters, however social media videos show an exchange of fire between resistance fighters and the invading army.

During the invasion, soldiers shot and seriously injured two Palestinian civilians, including a child, who were transported to the Jericho Governmental Hospital.

Medical sources said that Qusai Omar al-Walaji, 16, and Muhammad Ribhi Nujoom, 25, were admitted to hospital in critical condition, and both were pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

It was reported that the slain young men were shot with live rounds, however, no further details were provided regarding the nature of the wounds.

The Jericho chapter of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) reported that soldiers abducted Mohammad Nasr Abu Al-Assal, 20, from his home in the camp.

Later on the same day, hundreds of Palestinians gathered at the Jericho Governmental Hospital to receive the body of Mohammad Ribhi Nujoom, 25, and proceeded to his family home for loved ones to say their final goodbyes.

Mourners performed the funeral prayer, and laid the body of the slain young man to rest in the martyrs’ cemetery, in the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp.

The body of the slain child, Qusai Omar al-Walaji, 16, was held at his family home in the “Katt al-Wad” neighborhood in Jericho city, while loved ones paid their respects.

The funeral procession began from there to the Old Jericho Mosque, where the funeral prayer was performed, before the body of the child was laid to rest.

Qusai was from Jericho, in the eastern part of the West Bank. Source: IMEMC

Baraa Ahmad Al-Qerem

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BaraaAugust 6, 2023: Baraa Ahmad Al-Qerem, 16, was killed in an extrajudicial execution (assassination) in which Israeli forces killed three Palestinians dead, including a child, when their vehicle was targeted in Jenin, north of the West Bank.

According to information collected by a fieldworker from the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, at around 17:15 on Sunday, 06 August 2023, an Israeli Special Military Force sneaked via a Volkswagen Caddy car and a Hyundai Santa Fe SUV with Palestinian registration plates into a road connecting Bir al-Basha village with Arraba village near ‘Arraba Intersection in Jenin.

Suddenly, the two vehicles intercepted a grey Peugeot vehicle with a yellow Israeli registration plate and many Israeli soldiers stepped out of their vehicles and heavily opened fire at the targeted vehicle from behind, forcing it to stop completely. Minutes later, backup Israeli forces arrived at the scene and completely closed the road from both directions, blocking the traffic. Afterwards, the Israeli soldiers fired teargas canisters in the area, and after 15 minutes, Israeli forces started withdrawing from the area and towed the targeted vehicle that was hit by many bullets with the targeted persons still inside.

After Israeli forces withdrew, many Palestinians gathered at the scene and saw blood and brain tissue scattered on the ground. Later, the Israeli military released the names of the three Palestinians they had executed: Nayef Jihad Nayef Abu Sweiss (27), Khaleel Nizar Nemer Abu Na’asah (21), both from Jenin refugee camp and members of Jenin Brigade, and Baraa Ahmad Al-Qerem (16), from Jalkamous village, south of Jenin. The Israeli military held on to the bodies and refused to release them to their families.

Later, Israeli forces announced, in a joint statement by the Israeli forces, the Shin Bet, and the Israel Border Police, that a joint operation was carried out after spotting a “terrorist cell” in a car in Jenin refugee camp, claiming (without providing evidence) that they were on their way to carry out a shooting attack. The statement added that the head of the cell, Nayef Abu Sweiss was killed as well as two persons accompanying him.

It is noteworthy that extrajudicial killings are carried out pursuant to Israeli forces’s intelligence, and those on the Israeli militarys ‘wanted’ list are killed instantly rather than being arrested. By this, Israeli forces act as both judge and executioner of a death sentence at the same time. Palestinian civilians often pay the price of such crimes, which are committed by Israeli forces without regard for nontarget civilians’ lives.

According to PCHR’s documentation, at least 1000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli forces’s assassination crimes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip over the last two decades, 80% of them have been nontarget civilians and 15% were children.

PCHR indicates that that Israeli forces has perpetuated this pattern of crimes in the recent years against the Palestinians in light of international community’s silence and inaction, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to stop these crimes and take effective measures against the Israeli occupation, thereby encouraging the latter to commit further war crimes against the Palestinians.

PCHR reiterates its call on the international community to take an immediate action to stop the Israeli crimes and double standard when applying the international law and particularly urges the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to take serious action in the situation of Palestine.

PCHR demands the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention fulfil their obligations as per Common Article 1 of the Convention, “undertake to respect and to ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances,” and their obligations under Article 146 of the same Conventions, i.e., to hold accountable persons accused of committing grave breaches of the Convention.

Baraa was from Jalkamous village, south of Jenin, in the northern West Bank. Source: PCHR, IMEMC

Fares Sharhabeel Abu Samra

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July 26, 2023: Fares Sharhabeel Abu Samra, 14, was shot and killed by Israeli forces in Qalqilia, in the northwestern part of the West Bank.

The Israeli army invaded the “Al-Naqqar neighborhood” in the western part Qalqilia, sparking protests among local Palestinian youths,

Soldiers responded to the protests by firing live ammunition, rubber-coated steel rounds, tear gas canisters, and concussion grenades at citizens and their homes.

The Ministry of Health, in a brief statement, that a Palestinian child Fares Sharhabeel Abu Samra, 14, was critically wounded after soldiers shot him in the head with live ammunition.

The severely injured child was transported to the Qalqilia Governmental Hospital, where doctors pronounced him deceased as a result of a critical gunshot wound to the head.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health data shows that 202 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli forces in 2023, including 37 children.

Earlier on Wednesday, Israeli forces shot and killed, a Palestinian young man in the Al-Ein refugee camp, in the northern occupied West Bank city of Nablus.

The Ministry of Health announced that Muhammad Abdul Hakim Naim Nada, 23, succumbed to a critical live bullet wound to the chest.

On Tuesday, occupation soldiers shot dead three Palestinian young men after an exchange of fire south of the northern occupied West Bank city of Nablus.

The slain men were identified as Noureddine Tayseer Al-Ardah, 32, Montaser Bahjat Ali Salama, 33, and Saad Maher Al-Kharraz, 43.

Fares was from Qalqilia, in the northern West Bank. Source: IMEMC

Omar Mohammad Awadin

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March 16, 2023: Omar Mohammad Awadin, 14, was shot and killed by Israeli undercover forces who invaded Jenin and killed four Palestinians, including a child and a young man who was executed while lying injured on the ground, and wounded more than 21 Palestinians, five seriously.

In a statement, the Palestinian Health Ministry said the soldiers killed Yousef Saleh Barakat Shreim, 29, Nidal Amin Zidan Khazem, 28, Omar Mohammad Awadin, 14, and Luay Khalil Zghayyar, 37.

Defense For Children International – Palestine Branch, said on its Twitter account: “Israeli special forces shot 14-year-old Omar Mohammad Omar Awadin in the back with live ammunition while he was riding his bike outside his parents’ shop around 3 p.m. today in Jenin. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Jenin Government Hospital.”

The Health Ministry added that the soldiers shot at least 21 Palestinians, including four who suffered life-threatening wounds.

The Ministry said 12 Palestinians who were shot with live fire, including four who suffered serious wounds, were rushed to the Ar-Razi Hospital, five were moved to Jenin governmental hospital, six, including one who was seriously injured and one who was rammed by an army jeep, were moved to Ibn Sina Specialized Hospital.

One of the wounded Palestinians, a child named Ahmad Farahna, will be transferred to the Al-Maqasid hospital in Jerusalem, due to the seriousness of his wounds.

Eyewitnesses said undercover Israeli soldiers infiltrated the center of Jenin city and executed the Palestinians, as many army vehicles invaded the area and started firing dozens of live rounds at the Palestinians and surrounding homes and properties.

A video from the scene shows an undercover soldier executing the seriously wounded Nidal Amin Khazem by shooting him a live round in the head, even though he was already lying flat on his stomach, motionless and unconscious.

Palestinian medics tried to reach Nidal, but the soldiers did not allow them through before the undercover officer executed him.

There has been a serious increase of cases where Israeli soldiers have executed Palestinians, including in January of this year, 2023, when the soldiers killed Ahmad Kahala, 45, a father of five, from point-blank range with two live rounds in the neck near a military roadblock under Yabrud bridge, east of the central West Bank city of Ramallah.

A similar incident occurred on December 2, 2022, in Huwwara town, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, when the soldiers executed Ammar Hamdi Mifleh, 22, while he was lying on the ground. After shooting Ammar on the ground once, the soldier then fired a total of four times again. Ammar was unarmed and was lying on the ground when he was shot.

After concluding its offensive in Jenin, the Israeli army said it had carried out a joint operation with the undercover forces and intelligence officers, adding that one of the Palestinians, Nidal Amin Khazem, was a senior fighter of the Al-Quds Brigades of the Islamic jihad, and was “behind serious attacks against Israeli targets.”

The army claimed that the soldiers “neutralized a Palestinian who tried to throw a large iron object on the army, ” and stated that the soldiers “fired live rounds at Palestinian fighters who engaged in a fire exchange with the soldiers,” and said “its operations will continue to ensure Israel’s security.”

Omar was from Jenin, in the northern West Bank. Source: IMEMC

Mohammad Farid Sha’ban

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February 22, 2023: Mohammad Farid Sha’ban, 16, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers during an Israeli offensive on Nablus, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said Anan Shawkat Ennab, 66, was rushed to a hospital in Nablus, suffering the severe effects of tear gas inhalation. All efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he was declared dead.

The Palestinian Health Ministry has confirmed that Israeli soldiers killed eleven Palestinians and injured more than 102, including six in critical condition, during the Wednesday invasion of Nablus.

One of the slain Palestinians, Abdul-Hadi Al-Ashqar, 61, was sent to the Najah National University where his son, Elias, who works as a nurse at the Emergency Unit, was shocked to see his father there, and despite all efforts, the father died in his arms.

The soldiers also killed and injured many Palestinians who were trying to seek shelter from their gunfire.

Three journalists are among the wounded Palestinians.

The slain Palestinians, as officially confirmed by the Palestinian Health Ministry, are:

  1. Anan Shawkat Ennab, 66.
  2. Adnan Sabe’ Ba’ara, 72.
  3. Mohammad Khaled Anbousi, 25.
  4. Tamer Nimir Ahmad Minawi, 33.
  5. Mos’ab Monir Mohammad Oweiss, 26.
  6. Husam Bassam Isleem, 24.
  7. Mohammad Omar Abu Kabr Al-Juneidi, 23.
  8. Walid Riyad Hussein Dakheel, 23.
  9. Abdul-Hadi Abdul-Aziz Ashqar, 61.
  10. Mohammad Farid Sha’ban, 16.
  11. Jasser Jamil Abdul-Wahab Qaneer, 23.

Of the wounded:

– 47 Palestinians, including three who suffered life-threatening wounds, were rushed to Rafidia governmental hospital.
– 20 Palestinians, including one who suffered life-threatening wounds to the back and abdomen, were rushed to Nablus Speciality Hospital.
– 15 Palestinians, including three who suffered life-threatening wounds, were rushed to the Najah Hospital.
– 9 Palestinians were shot with live fire and were rushed to the Women’s Union Hospital.
– 11 Palestinians were shot with live fire and were rushed to the Arab Specialty Hospital.
– More than 250 Palestinians suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation, and other minor wounds.
The Israeli army said two of its soldiers were injured during exchanges of fire with Palestinian fighters in Nablus.

The massacre took place when several armored Israeli military vehicles invaded the Old City of Nablus, Palestinians in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, and opened fire with live ammunition on the crowds of Palestinian civilians that were in the area.

The soldiers were opening fire at the Palestinians from small openings in their heavily armored jeeps that barely fit the barrel of the automatic rifles.

Media sources said the soldiers surrounded a home in the Sheikh Mosallam neighborhood to abduct several Palestinians, leading to protests, and exchanges of fire between the army and Palestinian resistance fighters in the Old City and surrounding areas.

The soldiers fired a barrage of live ammunition, gas bombs, and concussion grenades at the Palestinians protesting the invasion and also targeted journalists and medics with live fire.

The wounded journalists are Omar Istaitiyah, who suffered a bullet fragment wound to the ear, Mohammad Khatib, who was shot in the arm, and Ahmad Khalaf, who suffered the severe effects of tear gas inhalation.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said the soldiers encircled the home and surrounding area and prevented its medics from reaching the wounded to be able to provide medical care.

The denial of medics is a direct violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention – but despite this fact, Israeli soldiers frequently prevent medics from reaching wounded Palestinians.

Israeli sources said the soldiers and undercover officers invaded Nablus to abduct a “wanted Palestinian” and added that the Palestinian that they were pursuing was shot while fleeing the area in his car.

All hospitals in Nablus remained on high alert due to the offensive and the number of injuries, especially since almost all of the wounded Palestinians were shot with live fire, including expanding bullets, to the upper body. As a result, hospitals called on the Palestinians to donate blood to the seriously wounded.

Video By Palestine TV

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

Amro Khaled Al-Khmour

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January 16, 2023: Amro Khaled Al-Khmour, 14, was killed by Israeli soldiers in the Deheishe refugee camp south of Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said the child succumbed to a serious gunshot wound to the head.

The child was shot at dawn when many army vehicles invaded the refugee camp, violently searched homes, and abducted a young man.

He was rushed to Beit Jala hospital before he was moved to Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation due to the seriousness of his wounds before he succumbed to his injuries.

The invasion led to protests before the soldiers fired many live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets, gas bombs, and concussion grenades.

Media sources said the soldiers searched several homes and abducted Mahmoud Salah Hammash, 24.

Hours after the child’s death, hundreds of Palestinians gathered in front of Beit Jala governmental hospital and marched to the child’s home in the Deheishe refugee camp.


Video By WAFA News

The Palestinians held the funeral ceremony and procession and headed to the Shuhada graveyard in the Artas nearby village while chanting for liberation and independence and calling for International Protection for the Palestinian people.

The child’s death brings the number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army in the first sixteen days of this year to fourteen, including four children.

  1. January 16, 2023: Amro Khaled Al-Khmour, 14.
  2. January 15, 2023: Ahmad Hasan Kahala, 45.
  3. January 14, 2023: Yazan Samer Ja’bari, 19.
  4. January 14, 2023: Amjad Adnan Khaliliyya, 23.
  5. January 14, 2023: Ezzeddin Bassem Hamamra, 24.
  6. January 12, 2023: Habib Mohammad Kamil, 25.
  7. January 12, 2023: Abdul-Hadi Fakhri Nazzal, 18.
  8. January 12, 2023: Samir Awni Aslan, 41.
  9. January 11, 2023: Ahmad Amer Abu Jneid, 21.
  10. January 11, 2023: Sanad Mohammad Samamra, 19.
  11. January 05, 2023: Amer Abu Zeitoun, 16.
  12. January 03, 2023: Adam Essam Ayyad, 15.
  13. January 02, 2023: Fuad Mohammad ‘Aabed, 17.
  14. January 02, 2023: Mohammad Samer Houshiyya, 22.

Amro was from Deheishe camp, south of Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank. Source: IMEMC

Dia’ Mohammad Rimawi

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DiaDecember 09, 2022: Dia’ Mohammad Shafiq Rimawi, 16, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers in Aboud village, northwest of Ramallah, in the central part of the occupied West Bank. The soldiers also seriously injured two other Palestinian youth, and wounded three.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said it was officially informed of the death of Dia’ Mohammad Shafiq Rimawi, 16, at an Israeli medical center.

The Health Ministry added that two teens sustained serious injuries and were taken to Israeli medical centers.

It stated that the soldiers shot two other teenage boys, causing moderate wounds, before Palestinian medics rushed them to a clinic in Beit Rima village, northwest of Ramallah; One was shot in the chest and the other in his leg.

Eyewitnesses said the soldiers left Dia’ bleeding on the ground without medical aid after refusing to allow Palestinian medics to approach him.

After his death, the corpse of the slain child was transferred to the Palestinian side and was moved to Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah. His funeral procession is scheduled to be held Friday in Beit Rima.

One of Dia’s relatives said he, the oldest sibling in his family, was an eleventh-grade student at a school in Beit Rima and is the nephew of Wiliam Rimawi, imprisoned by Israel and serving a 32-year sentence.

On Thursday dawn, Israeli soldiers killed three young men and injured several Palestinians after the army invaded Jenin city and Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank.

The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the slain Palestinians as Sidqi Siddeeq Zakarna, 29, from Jenin city, Tareq Fawzi Ad-Damaj, 29, from Jenin refugee camp, and Ata Yassin Shalabi, 46, from Qabatia town, south of Jenin.

According to the Health Ministry, the child’s death brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers and colonizers since the beginning of this year to 217, 165 of them in the West Bank and 52 in the Gaza Strip.

Dia’ was from Aboud, in the central West Bank. Source: IMEMC

Issa Hani Talqat

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IssaNovember 30, 2022: Issa Hani Talqat, 13, On Wednesday, a Palestinian child from the Negev died during surgery at the Israeli Soroka Medical Center a month after an Israeli police officer shot him with live fire in Arara town in the Negev, during celebrations after the Knesset election.

Issa Hani Talqat, 13, suffered serious wounds when an Israeli police officer shot him on November 1st, 2022, after exit polls were published, and United Arab List (Ra’am) only won five Knesset seats.

The Israeli police claimed that the officers fired at a car “driving wildly” and “believed that the life of an officer was endangered.”

Eyewitnesses said the child was walking on the sidewalk and not in the car when the officers opened fire and shot him in the neck.

The Times Of Israel said the child’s condition initially improved but had several scheduled difficult surgeries and died just minutes after the surgeons started surgery to install a feeding tube in his body.

It added that the officer who injured the child was questioned by the “Internal Investigations Department,” which is part of the “Justice Ministry” that investigates police wrongdoing in Israel, and the officer claimed he “suspected one of the drivers tried to run him over.”

Locals in the Arab town said the police had no reason to open fire and that the child had no connection with the alleged wild driver, adding that several police officers tried to stop one of the speeding cars and fired at it when the driver did not stop.

The child’s uncle, Riyad, said his slain nephew child was walking on the side of the road heading home when he was shot and seriously injured and added that Issa was recovering and even started walking while attached to a medical device, but then he suffered complications and died during surgery.

Riyad stated that the investigation could reveal whether the child died of medical negligence or other causes, adding that “no matter what eventually led to his death, the police should not have opened fire, and they are responsible for his death.”

Issa was from Arara, in the Negev in southern Israel. Source: IMEMC