Occupied Palestinian Territories

Casualties

In December 2022, there were no recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in the Occupied Palestinian Territories which resulted in civilian casualties. Two armed actors were injured in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in December.

On 05 December 2022, two border police officers were injured when an IED was thrown at them near a refugee camp in Aida, Bethlehem.

Sources: Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post, Jewish Press 

Casualties

In October 2022, there were no recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in the Occupied Palestinian Territories which caused civilian casualties. There was one armed-actor that was killed. 

On 23 October 2022, a Palestinian militant was killed when a bomb planted on a motorcycle exploded as he passed by. Palestinians described the explosion as a targeted attack by Israel. 

Sources: AFP, Reuters 

Casualties

In August 2022, there were 31 reported incidents of explosive weapon use in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), 20 of which resulted in 157 civilian casualties, 37 of whom were killed and 120 injured. At least 53 civilian casualties were reportedly children and 26 were women. Civilians accounted for 96% of all 164 casualties, as seven armed-actor casualties were also recorded, all of whom were killed. 

The majority of civilian casualties, 97% (152), occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 39% (61) occurred in encampments, 35% (55) in urban residential areas, 8% (12) in villages, 6% (9) across multiple urban locations, 4% (6) at public gatherings, 3% (5) in agricultural land, 2% (3) in other locations, and <1% (1) in places of worship. 

The districts in which civilian casualties were reported in Gaza were Rafah (50 civilian casualties), Gaza (44), North Gaza (41), Khan Younis (16) and Deir al-Balah (5). The district in which civilian casualties were reported in the West Bank was Nablus.

The majority of civilian casualties, 95% (149), were caused by state actors’ use of explosive weapons, specifically Israel. The remaining 5% (8) of civilian casualties were caused by groups of unknown name and status.  

The use of air-launched weapons caused the majority, 87% (136), of civilian casualties, specifically air-strikes (73) and missiles (63). Weapons of unclear launch method caused 7% (11) of civilian casualties, specifically rockets (7) and missiles (4). Ground-launched weapons caused 6% (10) of civilian casualties, specifically artillery shelling (7), non-specific shelling (2), and missiles. 

The highest casualty incident took place on 06 August 2022, when five civilians, including one child and two women, were killed and 35, including 18 children and 12 women, were injured in an Israeli air-launched missile strike on a three-story house in a refugee camp in Rafah.  

The number of incidents of explosive weapon use in OPT in August 2022 saw a sharp rise from July and June, in which no incidents were recorded.  

Sources: PCHR, Palestinian Chronicle, Algemeiner

Casualties

In December 2021, there was one incident of explosive weapon use recorded in the State of Palestine, which resulted in three civilian casualties. On 29 December 2021, three Palestinian farmers were injured on agricultural land by Israeli army shelling in the northern Gaza Strip, close to the border with Israel. The Israeli army claimed to be targeting Hamas outposts in retaliation for the wounding of an Israeli soldier stationed near the border fence by a Palestinian sniper.

Sources: The New Arab, Yeni Safak

Over the space of eleven days from 10-21 May 2021, 140 incidents of explosive weapon use were recorded in the occupied Palestinian territories causing 1,474 civilian casualties. Of these, 233 civilians were recorded killed and 1,241 injured, including 140 children. The use of air-launched weapons by Israel accounted for 89% of attacks and 83% of civilian casualties. 94% of these incidents took place in populated areas. Critical infrastructure, residential areas, and encampments were attacked, with 55% of attacks striking residential areas. Casualties from airstrikes frequently caused multiple casualties,  including members of the same families. The two highest civilian casualty incidents recorded took place overnight on 13 May in Beit Lahia, when Israeli airstrikes attacked residential areas and apartment buildings causing 72 civilian casualties, at least 20 of whom were children. In an Israeli airstrike on a residential area in Beit Hanoun on 10 May, 16 children were among 26 casualties, and six children died. Encampments for displaced people were also attacked, with 87 casualties recorded in these areas. The worst incidents took place in al-Shati and al-Bureij refugee camps. In two days, from 13-14 May, 26 civilian casualties were recorded as a result of Israeli airstrikes on al-Bureij camp, five of whom died, and four of whom were children. In one Israeli airstrike on 15 May on al-Shati camp, 25 civilian casualties were recorded, 10 of which were fatal, including 8 children. Sources: Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), PCHR, PCHR, PCHR, PCHR, PCHR, PCHR, PCHR, PCHR

NOTE: These numbers under report actual casualty figures. In situations of intense conflict and explosive weapon use, not all casualties or incidents can be recorded due to the requirements of AOAV methodology.