A/HRC/31/73 when she did not pose a threat, following initial shots to her legs, and called on the Israeli military to publish its video documentation from the checkpoint’s security cameras. 11 20. October and November 2015 also saw a wave of protests and violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces. Excessive use of force by Israeli security forces against Palestinians in the context of attacks and alleged attacks on Israelis, including soldiers, and during clashes, has been widely reported. Whereas much of the initial violence centred in East Jerusalem, Hebron, where Palestinians also live in close proximity to a large settler population and with a large presence of Israeli security forces, has become a hotspot. While most fatal incidents occurred in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Palestinians in Gaza have also been killed in incidents involving Israeli security forces. In reported incidents on 9 and 10 October 2015, 9 Palestinians were reported killed and more than 230 injured, by Israeli security forces during protests in Gaza linked to the situation in the West Bank.12 21. The high number of Palestinian casualties in individual incidents and during clashes with Israeli security forces, since the violence escalated, is extremely worrying. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that, in October and November 2015, of some 11,300 Palestinians injured, injuries were mainly caused by exposure to tear gas (60 per cent), rubber bullets (23 per cent) and live ammunition (14 per cent).13 Of fatalities in the same period, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 60 Palestinians, including children, were killed in the context of attacks and alleged attacks against Israelis, and 17 Israelis were killed in such attacks. In addition, 39 Palestinians were killed in the context of clashes with Israeli security forces. Three Palestinians were killed in other types of incidents.14 22. On 14 October 2015, nine human rights organizations in Israel issued a joint press release against statements made by politicians and senior police officers to the effect that attackers should be killed, and noted “it seems that too often, instead of acting in a manner consistent with the nature of each incident, police officers and soldiers are quick to shoot to kill”.15 On 26 October 2015, in response to a letter from a human rights organization, the Attorney General of Israel is reported to have clarified the circumstances in which Israeli forces may use firearms: “the use of a firearm to prevent an immediate life-threatening situation is permitted as long as there is concrete fear of such harm” and “to use a firearm after the threat to bodily integrity or human life has elapsed would constitute a deviation from the law”.16 He also, reportedly, noted that the use of fire must be proportional to the threat. 11 12 13 14 15 16 B’Tselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, “B’Tselem investigation: No justification for multiple bullets that killed Hadil al-Hashlamun in Hebron”, press release, 24 September 2015. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, “Protection of Civilians report: 6-12 October 2015”, 15 October 2015, p. 1. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, “Casualties in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, 1 October to 30 November 2015”, 14 December 2015 (figures exclude casualties within Israel except where Palestinians from the Occupied Palestinian Territory were involved in incidents). Three per cent of injuries were caused by other types of weapons. Ibid. Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Amnesty International – Israel branch, B’Tselem, Gisha, Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual, Yesh Din – Volunteers for Human Rights, Adalah: Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, Physicians for Human Rights – Israel. Times of Israel, “A-G: It’s illegal to fire on suspects who don’t pose threat”, 26 October 2015. 7