Reference number: 36/2023
Date: May 22, 2023
Native language: Arabic
Press release
The International Commission “Hashd”: In the Balata camp, east of Nablus, the Israeli occupation forces killed three civilians without an explanation.
The Israeli occupation forces’ field execution of three civilians and the injury of others during their invasion of the Balata camp in Nablus at dawn on Monday, May 22, 2023, are condemned firmly by the International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (Hashd).
According to information and eyewitnesses, special forces infiltrated the Balata camp, followed by big military reinforcements, and surrounded a group of citizens’ houses. They began firing and throwing grenade launchers at the homes and then getting in combat with the citizens, which resulted in the tragic deaths of three citizens: Fathi Jihad Abdul Salam Rizq (30), Abdullah Youssef Muhammad Abu Hamdan (24), and Muhammad Bilal Muhammad Zaytoun (32), The occupation forces detained many civilians while also preventing healthcare workers from entering the camp to take care of the injured. The occupation soldiers destroyed three houses with “Anerga” rockets before leaving the camp.
The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights “Hashd” states that this crime corresponds within the context of the Israeli occupation state’s escalated situations of the wave of arbitrary killings and field executions against Palestinians, which have resulted in the deaths of (159) civilians since the start of this year, including 26 children. Also 36 civilians from the Gaza Strip.
The International Commission (Hashd) confirms that extrajudicial killings and field executions are classified as war crimes according to international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention’s provisions. The International Commission (Hashd) also gives an alert about the international community’s inactivity and being unable to stop Israeli occupation crimes, which present a threat to adding to the death toll among Palestinians.
The International Commission (Hashd) calls on the United Nations and the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention to take action in order by taking a clear position on Israel’s planned policies and war crimes, provide international protection for Palestinians, and support procedures for holding those responsible accountable and pursuing them with to the International Criminal Court, using the principle of international jurisdiction, and insist on the immediate arrest of those who have been imprisoned for these crimes. And imposing Sanctions and boycotts on the occupying state.
Finished.
The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (Hashd)
