Ten Palestinians killed and 600 injured in clashes during West Bank protests against the Israeli offensive in Gaza

The past few days witnessed a sharp escalation in clashes between Palestinian civilians and Israeli forces across the West Bank in the context of protests against the ongoing Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. Since 23 July, Israeli forces killed ten Palestinians and injured approximately 600; an additional Palestinian was reportedly killed and three injured by an Israeli settler. The incidents resulting in fatalities include the following:

• Hussan village (Bethlehem), 22 July: a man was shot with live ammunition (died of wounds on 23 July)
• Hussan village (Bethlehem), 23 July: a 19-year-old youth was struck in the head with a tear gas canister
• Qalandiya checkpoint (Jerusalem), 24 July: a man was shot with live ammunition in the head
• Beit ‘Ummar village (Bethlehem), 25 July: three men were shot with live ammunition
• Al Arroub Refugee Camp (Hebron), 25 July: a man was shot with live ammunition
• Beit Fajjar village (Bethlehem), 25 July: a 15-year-old boy was shot with live ammunition
• Huwwara village (Nablus), 25 July: a 20-year-old man was shot by an Israeli settler from a vehicle
• Huwwara village (Nablus), 25 July: a 22-year-old man was shot with live ammunition
• Jalama checkpoint (Jenin), 25 July: a 19-year-old youth was shot with live ammunition

Initial information indicates that a large percentage of the injuries were caused by live ammunition. Other injuries resulted from rubber coated bullets, stun grenades, tear gas inhalation, skunk spray and physical assault. Throwing of Molotov cocktails and fireworks at Israeli forces has been reported in some of the clashes, alongside intense stone throwing. Opening of fire at Israeli forces was also reported in at least one case and in another, an Israeli police station in East Jerusalem was set on fire. About two thirds of the Palestinian injuries recorded during this period (~400) occurred on 24 July in various areas of East Jerusalem. Particularly violent clashes took also place in villages and camps in the Ramallah, Hebron and Bethlehem. Villages in the latter accounted for seven of the 11 fatalities. Some of the demonstrations, including those in East Jerusalem, were amongst the largest witnessed in recent years. Unlike clashes recorded on a regular basis across the West Bank, which involve primarily children and youth, a large proportion of demonstrators and of those injured during the recent days were adults.

An upward trend in clashes and casualties throughout the West Bank has been ongoing since the end of April 2014, against the backdrop of an atmosphere of hopelessness following another failed round of peace negotiations. On 15 May, two Palestinian children were killed by Israeli soldiers at Beituniya checkpoint (Ramallah). On 12 June, three Israeli youths were kidnapped and killed in the West Bank, triggering massive military operations, which involved violent clashes resulting in Palestinian casualties, as well as the arrest of some 1,000 people. On 2 July, a Palestinian child was kidnapped and burnt alive by Israelis in East Jerusalem, which was triggered a demonstrations and clashes throughout the city.

Disclaimer: Data and analysis provided in this Humanitarian Update is based on preliminary information available. Further assessments are pending.

For more information on these incidents, please contact: Matthew Ryder: 054 3311840

For more information on the humanitarian situation in the West Bank, please refer to the OCHA Protection of Civilians weekly reports