Amid continued violations and international silence, a Palestinian teenager has died from critical injuries sustained after being shot by Israeli occupation forces in the town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus, in the northern occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that the deceased was Mohammad Wahbi Abdul Aziz Hanani, aged 17, who was shot directly in the head on Saturday evening during a raid on the town. Another 16-year-old boy was shot in the foot during the same incursion.
The Director of the Ambulance and Emergency Centre of the Palestine Red Crescent in Nablus, Imad Ahmad, stated that Hanani was in critical condition when transferred to Rafidia Governmental Hospital. He added that the second injured boy is currently receiving treatment, noting that the incident occurred amid a series of ongoing military raids on the town.
Since the start of the occupation’s war on the Gaza Strip on 8 October 2023, the West Bank has witnessed a sharp escalation in violations, including killings, arbitrary arrests, forced displacement, and settlement expansion. These attacks have resulted in the killing of at least 1,117 Palestinians, the injury of approximately 11,500 others, and the arrest of nearly 22,000 individuals, including in occupied East Jerusalem, according to local statistics.
The targeting of civilians, the use of excessive force against them, and violations of the right to life contravene international humanitarian law, including the four Geneva Conventions and customary rules governing the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
Settlement expansion in occupied territory also constitutes a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 242 and Resolution 2334, both of which affirm the inadmissibility of acquiring territory by force and underscore the obligation to protect the rights of the indigenous population.
The escalation of attacks by Israeli occupation forces and settlers against Palestinians reflects the continuation of systematic occupation policies aimed at consolidating control over the West Bank, in disregard of international human rights obligations, including the rights to life, personal security, freedom of movement, and the protection of children from violence.
