OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (Palestine Foundation Information Center) Palestinian former prisoner Mohammad Hassan Hosni Abu Hammad, 41, was shot and killed by Israeli forces on Tuesday evening near Occupied Jerusalem.
According to local sources, Israeli soldiers opened fire on Abu Hammad before detaining him. His death was later confirmed by the Israeli authorities.
Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli soldiers fired on Abu Hammad, from Al-Eizariya town, near the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bypass road, claiming he had attempted to carry out a car ramming attack.
Al-Eizariya has recently been the target of intensified settlement expansion, as Israeli authorities seek to impose greater control over Palestinian land. The settlement of Ma’ale Adumim is actively working to alter the main entrance of Al-Eizariya, a move aimed at easing access for settlers travelling to Ma’ale Adumim and Kedar, while further isolating surrounding Palestinian communities.
The current entrance serves not only the residents of Al-Eizariya, but also those in Abu Dis, As-Sawahira ash-Sharqiya, Arab al-Jahalin, Sheikh Saad, and travellers from Al-Khalil and Bethlehem. Israeli plans to divert or restrict this access are expected to significantly worsen congestion and severely disrupt movement for thousands of Palestinians.
Israel’s continued confiscation of land and imposition of settlement infrastructure in the area constitutes a violation of international law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of an occupying power’s civilian population into occupied territory.
The towns of Al-Eizariya, Abu Dis, As-Sawahira ash-Sharqiya, Arab al-Jahalin, and Sheikh Saad have long been enclosed by the Israeli separation barrier, with only one remaining entrance connecting them to the rest of the West Bank — situated next to the Ma’ale Adumim roundabout.
Ma’ale Adumim is one of the largest settlements in the occupied West Bank, with a population of approximately 40,000 settlers. It is built on lands of Al-Eizariya and Abu Dis towns. The nearby settlement of Kedar houses an additional 5,000 settlers.
The killing of Mohammad Abu Hammad adds to a concerning pattern of Israeli use of lethal force against Palestinians, particularly in areas facing active annexation and displacement. His killing underscores the urgent need for international accountability and protection for Palestinians living under occupation.
