Amnesty verifies 'shocking spike' in Israel’s use of lethal force against Palestinians in West Bank

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Amnesty International said Monday that there has been a "shocking spike" in the use of unlawful lethal force by the Israeli military against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank after verifying videos and photos relating to incidents taking place in October and November.

The UK-based rights group cited evidence of its findings as the dire humanitarian situation continues in Gaza, where more than 27,400 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7.

"With the world’s eyes fixed on Gaza, Israeli forces have over the past four months unleashed a brutal wave of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, carrying out unlawful killings, including by using lethal force without necessity or disproportionately during protests and arrest raids and denying medical assistance to those injured," it said in a statement on its website.

It cited its investigation of four cases where Israeli forces used unlawful lethal force -- three incidents in October and one in November -- which resulted in the unlawful killing of 20 Palestinians, including seven children.

Researchers interviewed eyewitnesses, including first responders and local residents, and the rights group said its Crisis Evidence Lab verified 19 videos and four photos in examining the four incidents.

The research also revealed that Israeli forces obstructed medical assistance to seriously injured people and attacked those attempting to help wounded Palestinians, including paramedics.

"These unlawful killings are in blatant violation of international human rights law and are committed with impunity in the context of maintaining Israel’s institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination over Palestinians," said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International’s director of Global Research, Advocacy and Policy.

She said these cases provide "shocking evidence" of the deadly consequences of Israel’s unlawful use of force against Palestinians in the West Bank.

"Israeli authorities, including the Israeli judicial system, have proven shamefully unwilling to ensure justice for Palestinian victims," said Guevara-Rosas.

"The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court must investigate these killings and injuries as possible war crimes of willful killing and willfully causing great suffering or serious injury," she added.

Amnesty International said that although they sent requests for information on the four cases to the Israeli military’s spokesperson unit and to the Jerusalem District Commander on Nov. 26, no response has been received.

- 'They did not give him a chance'

Citing Israel's 30-hour-long raid on the Nour Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem beginning on Oct. 19 as one of the cases, Amnesty said Israeli forces killed 13 Palestinians, including six children -- four of them under the age of 16 -- and arrested 15 people.

"Residents told Amnesty International that during the operation, Israeli soldiers stormed more than 40 residential homes, destroying personal belongings and drilling holes in the walls for sniper outposts."

It added that water and electricity to the camp were cut off and soldiers used bulldozers to destroy public roads, electricity networks and water infrastructure.

Fifteen-year-old Taha Mahamid was among those killed during the raid, shot dead in front of his house, said the group.

"They did not give him a chance. In an instant, my brother was eliminated. Three bullets were fired without any mercy. The first bullet hit him in the leg. The second – in his stomach. Third, in his eye. There were no confrontations…there was no conflict." Fatima, Taha’s sister, told Amnesty International.

An eyewitness told the rights group that when Taha’s father, Ibrahim Mahamid, then attempted to carry his injured son to safety, Israeli forces shot him in the back.

Amnesty said a verified video filmed by one of Taha’s sisters after the shooting shows Taha’s father lying on the ground next to him before limping away.

"He raised his hands, showing them (the soldiers) that he had nothing in them. He just wanted to take his son. They shot him with one bullet, and my father fell next to Taha," added Fatima.

The rights group also cited the three other cases where Israeli forces used lethal force against civilians in the occupied West Bank with evidence that it verified.

The incidents came as tensions continued to soar across the occupied West Bank amid a deadly Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip which has killed at least 27,478 Palestinians and injured 66,835 others since the Palestinian group Hamas launched a cross-border incursion into Israel on Oct. 7 last year.

The Israeli army has since killed 381 Palestinians, injured 4,400 others and detained 6,512 people in the West Bank, according to Palestinian figures.