Protection of Civilians Report | 11-24 October 2022

Latest Development (outside the reporting period)

• On 30 October, a Palestinian reportedly rammed a vehicle into five Israeli soldiers near Jericho, injuring them, before being shot and killed by Israeli forces.

• On 29 October, a Palestinian shot and killed an Israeli settler in Hebron, injuring others, before being killed by Israelis; the shooter was rammed by an Israeli settlement guard’s vehicle and then shot by an Israeli soldier.

• On 28 October, Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinians and injured another two near Huwwara checkpoint (Nablus). Subsequently, Israeli forces reimposed previously eased access restrictions around the city.

• On 25 October, Israeli forces surrounded and exchanged fire with Palestinians in Nablus and used shoulder-fired explosive projectiles. Five Palestinians were killed and at least 22 were injured. On the same day, in Nabi Saleh (Ramallah), Israeli forces killed a 19-year-old Palestinian as Palestinians were protesting the Nablus incident, including by hurling stones at Israeli forces, who fired live ammunition and teargas canisters.

(More details will be provided on the above-mentioned incidents in the next report)

Highlights from the reporting period

• Daily violent incidents involving Palestinians, Israeli settlers and Israeli forces across the West Bank continued; ten Palestinians, including two children, and one Israeli soldier were killed; and 650 Palestinians and nine Israelis were injured. So far, 2022 is the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank, on a monthly average since the United Nations started counting fatalities systematically in 2005.
• One Israeli soldier and two Palestinians were killed in three Palestinian shooting attacks against Israeli settlers or soldiers in the West Bank. On 11 October, a Palestinian man shot and killed an Israeli soldier near Shavei Shomron settlement, northwest of Nablus city, in a drive-by attack, before fleeing the scene. Israeli soldiers were present in the area to secure a settler march, which according to Israeli media was attended by thousands of settlers, who erected tents and caravans in the area (Nablus). Subsequently, Israeli forces conducted extensive search-and-arrest operations, deployed dozens of checkpoints and sealed off access points to and from Nablus city except one (see below). On 14 October, a Palestinian gunman opened fire toward Beit El settlement near Ramallah, where an Israeli settler was injured; the suspected perpetrator, a 23-year-old Palestinian man, was subsequently shot and killed by Israeli forces. On 19 October, a 22-year-old Palestinian man was killed while exchanging fire with Israeli guards near Ma’ale Adummim settlement (Jerusalem); he is believed to be the gunman who, on 8 October, killed an Israeli soldier and injured two other Israelis near Shu’fat Refugee Camp, and had been on the run since then. The bodies of both Palestinian assailants are withheld by the Israeli authorities, as of the end of the reporting period. In another incident, on 22 October, a 16-year-old Palestinian boy was shot and injured with live ammunition after he stabbed and injured an Israeli in the vicinity of French Hill settlement in East Jerusalem. Since the beginning of the year, fourteen Palestinians have been shot and killed by Israeli forces during Palestinian attacks or attempted/alleged attacks against Israelis in the West Bank and Israel.
• Four Palestinians were shot and killed by Israeli forces, and seven others were injured during three search-and-arrest and other Israeli forces operations in Jenin and Salfit. On 14 October, an Israeli undercover unit raided the Jenin Refugee Camp, where they exchanged fire with armed Palestinians. Two armed Palestinians were shot and killed by Israeli forces, and four others were injured, including three medical staff who were hit with shrapnel from live ammunition while trying to evacuate injured people. Three Palestinians were arrested. On 16 October, a 30-year-old Palestinian man died of wounds sustained the day before, when Israeli forces shot him with live ammunition during a raid in Qarawat Bani Hassan village (Salfit). According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces fired live ammunition at residents who threw stones. One Israeli soldier was injured from stones, according to Israeli media. On 21 October, Israeli forces raided Jenin city, shot live fire, rubber-coated bullets, and teargas canisters at residents who threw stones. An 18-year-old Palestinian was shot and killed, and three others were injured. This brings the total number of Palestinians killed during search-and-arrest and other operations conducted by Israeli forces in the West Bank in 2022 to 74, including 29 in refugee camps. On 23 October, a 33-year-old Palestinian man was killed when an explosive device rigged to his motorcycle went off in the Old City of Nablus; Israeli and Palestinian sources suggest that Israeli forces may have been responsible.
• Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinian boys during demonstrations in Hebron and Ramallah. On 12 October, a 17-year-old Palestinian boy was shot and killed with live ammunition in Al ‘Arrub Refugee Camp (Hebron) during a demonstration against the closure of Shu’fat Refugee Camp following the killing of an Israeli soldier nearby on 8 October. Palestinians threw stones at Israeli forces positioned at a checkpoint near the entrance to the camp, and the latter shot live fire, killing one boy, and injuring another. On 20 October, a 16-year-old Palestinian boy succumbed to wounds sustained on 28 September, when Israeli forces shot him with live ammunition near Beit El/DCO checkpoint in Ramallah during a demonstration against the Israeli military operations in Jenin Refugee Camp. This brings to 28 the total number of Palestinian children killed in the West Bank since the beginning of 2022, at least 27 of whom were killed by Israeli forces, compared with 17 children killed during the whole of 2021.
• Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian worker sitting inside a car near the Jaljulia checkpoint (Qalqiliya). On 22 October, Israeli forces opened fire at an Israeli-plated car that crossed from Israel into the West Bank. The vehicle sped up in an apparent attempt to avoid the soldiers' orders to stop. Israeli forces shot at the car from behind. According to Israeli forces cited by Israeli media, the vehicle hit and injured one of the soldiers. A 32-year-old Palestinian sitting inside was shot and injured with live ammunition fired by Israeli forces in the head and died of his wounds later that day in a Palestinian hospital. In another three separate incidents, Israeli forces shot and injured three Palestinians who were trying to reach their worksites in Israel via informal openings in the Barrier, near Tarqumiya checkpoint and As Samu’ (both in Hebron).
• In total, 623 Palestinians, including at least 69 children, were injured by Israeli forces across the West Bank; 46 of them were shot with live ammunition. Of the total injured, 123 were wounded in demonstrations held in Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Hebron in protest at Israeli restrictions imposed since 11 October on movement in and out of Nablus city and the surrounding villages. Another 28 injuries were recorded near Beit Dajan (Nablus) and Kafr Qaddum (Qalqilya), in demonstrations against access restrictions and settlement expansion. In eleven incidents, Israeli forces injured 223 Palestinians in response to Palestinians throwing stones at Israeli settlers, accompanied by Israeli forces, who damaged property in ten Palestinian communities. The incidents took place in the governorates of Nablus, Tulkarm, Salfit, Qalqiliya, Jerusalem and Jericho. Another 175 people were injured in search-and-arrest operations (see below). In three incidents, Israeli forces shot live ammunition at Palestinians trying to cross the Israeli Barrier in the West Bank via informal openings (see above). The remaining injuries (70) were recorded in the Hebron, Bethlehem, Qalqiliya, Nablus and Jerusalem governorates, during clashes where Palestinians often threw stones at Israeli forces positioned at checkpoints and observation towers and the latter fired live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets, and teargas canisters. Overall, 489 Palestinians were treated for teargas inhalation, 46 were shot with live ammunition, 40 were hit with rubber-coated bullets, and 23 were physically assaulted. 
• Overall, Israeli forces conducted 157 search-and-arrest operations and arrested 201 Palestinians, including 18 children, across the West Bank. The Jerusalem governorate accounted for the highest number of operations (72) and the highest number of arrests (113). So far in 2022, the monthly average number of Palestinians arrested by Israeli forces in the West Bank is the highest since 2017. 
• Israeli forces restricted the movement of Palestinians in several locations across the West Bank. Since the killing of an Israeli soldier on 11 October (see above) and through the end of the reporting period, Israeli forces closed off all access points to or from the city of Nablus (population of about 170,000) except for the Huwwara checkpoint, where crossing was allowed exceptionally, including in humanitarian cases, with significant delays. The closure hindered the access to and functioning of essential services and livelihoods: pupils and teachers faced delays in reaching schools, teaching hours were reduced, and, in some areas, classes were cancelled; delays reaching health facilities were also reported. 
• The Israeli authorities demolished or forced people to demolish six Palestinian-owned structures in East Jerusalem and Area C of the West Bank, citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits. As a result, three people, including one child, were displaced, and the livelihoods of 47 others were affected. 
• The olive harvest season, which started in the West Bank on 13 October, was disrupted by at least 22 incidents that resulted in injuries or property damage: one Palestinian farmer was injured by Israeli settlers, and over 800 olive trees were burnt, or otherwise damaged, and large amounts of produce were stolen by people known or believed to be settlers. In the outskirts of Kisan village (Bethlehem) and Kafr ad Dik (Salfit), settlers stoned, physically assaulted, and stabbed a Palestinian olive picker and an international volunteer. In eight incidents Israeli settlers vandalized about 700 olive trees near the villages of Deir Jarir and Al Mughayyir (both in Ramallah), in the H2 area of Hebron city, Kafr Qaddum (Qalqiliya), Qabalan (Nablus) and Qarawat Bani Hassan (Salfit). The other twelve involved the stealing of the produce of about 800 olive trees near Qaffin (Tulkarm), Qarawat Bani Hassan and Yasuf (both in Salfit), Ya'bad (Jenin), Silwan in East Jerusalem and An Naqura, Azmut and Qaryut (all in Nablus) where harvesting tools were also taken.
• Outside the olive harvest season, Israeli settlers injured 27 Palestinians, and people known or believed to be Israeli settlers damaged Palestinian property in 35 instances. In thirteen incidents in the outskirts of Al Lubban ash Sharqiya, Burin, Qusra, Huwwara (both in Nablus), and Qarawat Bani Hassan (Sakfit), Azzun (Qalqiliya) and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem settlers stoned and physically assaulted and injured 27 Palestinians and left 280 trees and 45 vehicles vandalized, triggering stone-throwing with residents. Israeli forces intervened in six of the incidents, injuring an additional 223 Palestinians. Thirteen additional incidents were recorded in Salfit, Hebron, Ramallah, and Qalqiliya where agricultural equipment and livestock were stolen, and water tanks and network were damaged. In another nine incidents, settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles near Jerusalem, Hebron and Nablus causing damage to at least ten vehicles.
• Five Israeli settlers were injured in five incidents across the West Bank. These include the abovementioned shooting at Beit El settlement, where a settler was injured. Also, on 19 October, a Palestinian boy stabbed and injured an Israeli in East Jerusalem. In three other incidents, three Israeli settlers were injured and damage to property was caused by people known or believed to be Palestinians, who threw stones at Israeli vehicles travelling on West Bank roads. At least three Israeli-plated vehicles were damaged, according to Israeli sources. 
• In the Gaza Strip, on at least 26 occasions, Israeli forces opened warning fire near Israel’s perimeter fence or off the coast, presumably to enforce access restrictions in areas within Gaza; one fishing boat sustained damages with no injuries reported. On 13 October, Israeli forces fired teargas canisters near a school, located 1,700 metres away from the perimeter fence, southeast of Gaza; three students were taken to hospital, and classes were suspended for the remainder of the day, affecting over 270 pupils.