Video: Israel shoots Palestinian, denies him medical care for 20 minutes

The circumstances surrounding the death of a Palestinian man in Jericho have been revealed, after a video released by the Israeli NGO B’Tselem show how he was denied treatment after being shot by Israeli forces.

Thirty-six-year-old Yassin Al-Saradih was shot in the stomach by Israeli soldiers at 1am last Thursday during a West Bank raid; he later died in custody. The video now reveals that Al-Saradih was denied medical attention for 20 minutes after he was shot, and was instead beaten with rifles and kicked in the head and upper body, before being dragged by the limbs into an alley, and taken to a detention centre.

The military initially claimed the Al-Saradih had died from smoke inhalation, but acknowledged soldiers had shot him after the autopsy result found an entry wound in his stomach and shrapnel in his tailbone.

“In light of this unacceptable conduct, the attempts made by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit to justify the incident with one excuse or another are equally disturbing,” B’Tselem said in a statement.

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Although the military police have now opened an investigation into the incident, the NGO did not have much hope that it would result in a fair conclusion.

Based on years of experience, the investigation is unlikely to result in any indictment of the persons responsible for the killing and ill-treatment of Al-Saradih – certainly not among the higher ranks.

Israel regularly shoots Palestinians with impunity, including women and children. Many of the victims are also shot in the head or chest and at close distances, suggesting Israeli forces employing a deliberate strategy of shooting to kill or seriously injure.

Occupation forces also conduct regular raids of the West Bank, detaining Palestinians at will, often claiming they have taken part in protests or have been involved in throwing stones at Israeli soldiers.

Read: Israel forces kill suspected resistance attacker in West Bank