Nine Palestinian children killed by Israeli forces in 2020

Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCIP) documented the killing of nine Palestinian children by Israeli occupation forces in 2020, all of them boys aged between 14 and 17.

Under international law, intentional lethal force is only justified in circumstances where a direct threat to life or of serious injury is present.

However, investigations and evidence collected by DCIP regularly suggest that Israeli forces use lethal force against Palestinian children in circumstances that do not appear to be warranted and may amount to extrajudicial or wilful killings.

On December 4, Israeli forces shot and killed 15-year-old Ali Ayman Saleh Abu Alia as he observed clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian youth from the village of Al-Mughayyir. Ali was shot in the abdomen with live ammunition and did not pose any threat to Israeli forces, according to documentation collected by DCIP.

On October 24, Amer Abdel-Rahim Snobar, 16, was beaten and killed by Israeli forces near the occupied West Bank village of Turmus’ayya. Amer had been helping his 17-year-old friend move a broken-down car around 10 p.m. when Israeli forces arrived. Amer was placed in a chokehold, then at least six other soldiers beat him, according to information collected by DCIP.

DCIP said that Israel occupation forces “routinely violate international law by using lethal force against Palestinian children without justification.”

DCIP stressed that Israel is to continue this policy against Palestinians as long as the international community remains silent and Israel is not held accountable for its crimes.

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