A/HRC/24/30 force against unarmed Palestinians. The following cases, documented by OHCHR, are examples of recent incidents of possible excessive use of force by Israeli security forces.56 39. On 12 January, an unarmed 21-year-old Palestinian man was shot in the back and killed while attempting to enter Israel through a gap in the Wall near the village of al-Ramadin. Witnesses reported that no warnings were issued prior to the shooting. The victim was evacuated by Israeli forces to a hospital in Israel and pronounced dead upon arrival. 40. On 15 January, a 17-year-old boy was shot dead on the outskirts of the village of Budrus. The victim was part of a group of boys playing in a restricted area near the Wall, a short distance from their school. A witness indicated that an Israeli soldier fired at the victim, without prior warning, from a distance of between 5 to 10 metres. The boy turned away and started running toward the village when another soldier fired three bullets, hitting him in the head and back. According to the statements to the media by Israeli authorities, the boys had thrown stones at the soldiers. 41. On 18 January, a 15-year-old boy was shot in the head from an IDF observation tower near the Ayda refugee camp, close to Bethlehem. The boy had been walking with another boy on a road leading towards the tower. He died of his injuries on 23 January. While there had been demonstrations and clashes in front of the camp in the weeks leading up to the incident, witnesses stated that no confrontations were occurring at the time of the incident. This is supported by video footage from a surveillance camera at a nearby children’s centre. According to Israeli authorities, the victim had attempted to enter Rachel’s Tomb while some 30 other Palestinians gathered next to the military post threw stones, as well as a fake bomb, at the soldiers. 42. On 23 January, a 22-year-old woman was shot in the head and killed by an IDF soldier in the al-Arrub refugee camp. Another woman was injured in the incident. The two were allegedly walking out of a college when what appeared to be a civilian car stopped on the road. Witnesses reported that a uniformed IDF soldier got out of the car and shot at the women from a distance of around 150 metres. An Israeli spokesperson stated that the soldiers had been attacked by Palestinians, who had hurled multiple firebombs at them and therefore the IDF soldier had returned fire.57 However, witnesses reported that there had been no clashes, confrontations or any similar incident in the area prior to the shooting. 43. On 3 April, IDF soldiers shot three Palestinian teenagers, two of whom were killed, outside of Anabta in the Tulkarem area. The Palestinians stated that they intended to throw stones at an IDF observation tower at the Ennab IDF checkpoint, near the settlement of Einav. This tower is fortified by concrete blocks, barbed wire and surveillance cameras. One teenager threw a stone when the group was 10 to 20 metres from the tower. IDF emerged from the tower and shouted at the teenagers to stop, whereupon the teenagers turned away and began to run back to their village. IDF allegedly opened fire as they ran back towards their village. Amer Nassar died from a gunshot wound in the back. Naji al-Bilbisi also died from a gunshot wound in the back. Fadi Abu al-Assal was treated for a gunshot wound to his upper arm and released from the hospital. 44. On 20 February, while conducting an arrest operation in the village of Birqin north of the West Bank, IDF soldiers allegedly opened fire at Rajih Qablawi, who was leaving his brother’s house. The soldiers who were surrounding the house allegedly shot at Mr. Qablawi without firing any warning shots or being exposed to any threat. Mr. Qablawi, 56 57 For other examples, see A/HRC/22/35 para.23 and A/67/375, para. 43. http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-small-detail-about-eyewitness-to-idf.html 13