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UNRWA urges ‘restraint in use of force’ after Israel kills Palestinian teen

Palestinian demonstrators and journalists run from tear gas fired by Israeli forces during a protest along the fence, east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, on August 25, 2021. (Photo by AFP)

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine refugees has called on Israel to exercise restraint in its use of force after Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian teenage boy during a violent raid on a refugee camp in the occupied northern West Bank.

“UNRWA calls on the Israel Forces to exercise restraint in their use of force and to minimize causalities,” the UN agency said in a statement on Thursday.

Imad Hashhash, 15, a ninth-grade student was shot with live ammunition by Israeli forces during the clashes and sustained a head injury on Tuesday. The Palestinian Health Ministry said that Hashhash was rushed to Rafidia Surgical Hospital in Nablus, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

The UNRWA statement added that Israeli troops had killed about 60 Palestinians and injured hundreds more in questionable circumstances across the West Bank since the beginning of this year.

“The killing of Imad adds to the ever-growing number of victims killed by the Israeli forces. In 2021 alone the Israeli Security Forces have killed 59 Palestinians in the West Bank including 22 refugees and 13 children. In addition, 984 Palestinians have been injured by live fire since the beginning of the year.”

The UN agency also called on the Tel Aviv regime to hold perpetrators of violence against Palestinians accountable and bring them before justice.   

"UNRWA continues to call on the Israeli forces to investigate these fatalities and use of live ammunition and hold accountable those that violate international standards. Until the Israeli military control over Palestinian civilians ceases, Israeli military forces must protect the lives and ensure the dignity of Palestinians living under their control."

The Israeli military frequently carries out wide-ranging arrest campaigns across the West Bank under the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians.

During Tuesday’s clashes, a young Palestinian was taken into Israeli custody.

The Israeli army claimed that shots were fired by the Palestinians toward the regime’s troops, who returned fire.

The Palestinian victim had tried to drop a large object from the roof of a building on a soldier below, but the trooper opened fire toward Hashhash, it further claimed.

The Tel Aviv regime has been criticized for its extensive use of lethal force against and extrajudicial killing of Palestinians who do not pose an immediate threat to Israeli forces.

Israeli human rights group B'Tselem in July released two videos showing armed settlers and masked Zionists fatally shooting Palestinians who did not pose any danger to them, with soldiers standing idly by.

Back in April, UN human rights experts warned that violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank had risen markedly, with assaults and property destruction occurring in an atmosphere of impunity.

They said settler violence was predominantly ideologically motivated and primarily designed to take over land but also to intimidate and terrorize Palestinians.


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