Israeli forces shot and killed 17-year-old Fayez Khaled Mahmoud Damdoum near Jerusalem on October 1. (Photo: Courtesy of the Damdoum family)
Fayez Khaled Mahmoud Damdoum, 17, was shot and killed by Israeli forces around 3:30 p.m. on October 1 in the town of Al-Eizariya, east of Jerusalem in the central occupied West Bank, according to documentation collected by Defense for Children International – Palestine. Fayez was riding a motorcycle behind two Israeli military vehicles that entered Al-Eizariya from Israel’s nearby Al-Jabal military base. An Israeli paramilitary border police officer shot Fayez in the back of the neck with live ammunition. He was transferred to Abu Dis Emergency Center, where doctors declared him dead.
“Palestinian children live in a hyper-militarized context where Israeli military incursions into Palestinian communities to arrest and intimidate Palestinian civilians is the norm,” said Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at DCIP. “During these incursions, Israeli forces routinely resort to intentional lethal force in situations not justified under international law and make no effort to impartially investigate or ensure that Israeli soldiers act in accordance with international standards. Instead, all Palestinians, including children, are considered targets.”
Fayez, who was driving the motorcycle with a friend, attempted to slow down as the Israeli military vehicles in front of him slowed down, but the motorcycle slipped. He fell and was dragged by the motorcycle, according to information collected by DCIP. His friend jumped off before the motorcycle fell and ran away. Fayez got up, ran less than one meter (three feet), then Israeli forces shot and killed him from a distance of two to four meters (seven to 13 feet).The single bullet settled in Fayez’s brain, according to information collected by DCIP.
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 may amount to extrajudicial or wilful killings.
40 Palestinian children have been killed in 2022, according to documentation collected by DCIP, including 23 Palestinian children shot and killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the occupied West Bank. DCIP documented the killing of 17 Palestinian children between August 5–7 after Israeli forces launched a military offensive in the Gaza Strip. DCIP continues to investigate several incidents.
2021 was the deadliest year for Palestinian children since 2014. Israeli forces and armed civilians killed 78 Palestinian children, according to evidence collected by DCIP.