Israel continues its assault on the village of Nabi Saleh - Toddler shot in the head, died in hospital
For Immediate Release
June 5, 2023 Nabi Saleh, Occupied Palestine:
The Israeli occupation forces have escalated their assaults on the West Bank Palestinian village of Nabi Saleh targeting civilians, including a toddler, with live ammunition.
On Thursday June 1, 2023, the occupation forces placed a military checkpoint at the entrance to the village and prevented cars from passing. They forced some young men to get out of their cars and began to attack them physically, without reason.
At approximately 7:30 pm one of the soldiers stationed near the military tower shot Haitham al-Tamimi, 40, in the shoulder, and his son, Mohammed al-Tamimi, 21/2, in the head, as they were about to get into their car. Haitham was operated on in Ramallah Hospital, but his son, Mohammed, was found to be inoperable with a bullet lodged in his brain. After several days in critical condition, the toddler today (June 5 th ) succumbed to his wounds and died today.
At around 8:00 pm, a military jeep stormed the village and started firing live bullets directly at the homes, which led to broken windows in some houses. As a result, Wissam al-Tamimi 17 was injured by a so-called "sponge" bullet (actually, a metal bullet inside the sponge casing) in his head while he was standing on the roof of the house, which fractured his skull.
After that, three snipers positioned themselves on the roof of one of the shops opposite the residents’ homes and fired live bullets and sponge bullets at anyone who moved, whether inside the houses or on the roof tops.
The journalist (and B’Tselem volunteer) Bilal al-Tamimi, wearing a press uniform, helmet, and protective clothing, was wounded after a soldier fired a sponge bullet at him directly, from close range, breaking his wrist, which required surgery to insert a titanium plate. The house of journalist Bilal al-Tamimi continued to be targeted with live bullets, gas canisters and sponge bullets, as a result of which his mother, who suffers from kidney failure, suffocated.
On Friday, June 2 , at approximately 4:30 pm, Noura al-Tamimi was hit in her stomach by a sponge canister, causing severe convulsions, requiring her to be taken to the hospital. Kafa al-Tamimi, who is seven months pregnant, suffocated from the gas after a tear gas canister broke the glass of her bedroom window. Many of the village residents, including children, women, and the elderly, were detained outside
their homes and not allowed to return until the withdrawal of the occupation forces at dawn.
On Saturday night, June 3, 2023 the occupying military invaded the village once again, entering homes. During the incursion, the occupying soldiers took one young man from his home, beat him up and then released him. This morning (June 4 th ) the children of Nabi Saleh went to school to sit their final exams for Tawjihi after yet another sleepless night.
Manal Tamimi of Nabi Saleh stated: “The incitement for this attack stems from the settlers' repeated attempts to intimidate the villagers, with the most recent incident occurring just last week. In light of these distressing events, we urgently call on the international community to ensure protection to this small village, with a population not exceeding 650 people. It is imperative that international humanitarian law and international treaties are upheld, and immediate action be taken to halt the repeated attacks by both the occupation forces and the settlers. Over the past decade alone, these aggressions have tragically resulted in the martyrdom of five young individuals from the village.”
For more information:
Manal Tamimi: +970 592 457 185
Or Yonatan Pollak +972 503 010 16
For photos see: https://palsolidarity.org/2023/06/israel-continues-its-assault-on-Nabi-Salah-after-shooting-toddler-in-the-head/
