The video of the incident, which took place on Friday near Hebron in the southern West Bank, appears to show 24-year-old Haroun Abu Aram, along with three other men, trying to grab the generator while Israeli soldiers try to take it away. -se’l.
The conflict continues until, outside the camera, a single shot is heard, followed by screams, before the camera is shown to reveal Abu Aram lying motionless on the ground.
The video has been widely circulated by Israeli human rights organizations and by the Israeli and Palestinian media.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the soldiers were involved in a routine operation “to confiscate and evacuate an illegal building in the village of At-Tuwani.” Israeli forces regularly evacuate and demolish Palestinian homes in Palestinian territories that are being built without the permission of the Israeli authorities.
The statement said the army was aware of reports that a Palestinian had been injured by live fire during the operation and that it was conducting an investigation.
The army statement also indicated that the operation had been carried out in the face of the rocket launch by about 150 Palestinians, although this cannot be seen in the two-and-a-half-minute video of the incident circulating on social media.
Mohammed Ribe, the head of the local village committee, told CNN that Abu Aram’s family home had been demolished a month ago and that he was trying to protect his neighbors’ property when IDF moved to empty his house during Friday’s operation.
“Haroun was trying to help his neighbors get the generator back when they shot him in the back of the neck,” Ribe said.
In a statement from Hebron Hospital where Abu Aram is being treated, he was said to have been shot in the neck, hurting his nerves and spine and left him paralyzed in all four limbs. The hospital added that breathing was only possible with a ventilator.