Palestinian authorities have reported that Israeli police shot and killed a Palestinian man as he tried to scale the concrete barrier separating the occupied West Bank from Jerusalem. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening in the West Bank town of Al-Ram, which borders the wall.
Victim Identified
The Palestinian Health Ministry and the Palestinian Red Crescent identified the deceased as Zakaria Qatusa, 44, from the town of Deir Qadis, approximately 20 kilometers (13 miles) northwest of the shooting site. His funeral was held on Wednesday.
Brother's Account
Khalid Qatusa, the victim's brother, stated that Zakaria was a father of four who was crossing the wall to find employment in Israel. “He was forced to resort to this method as there was no other opportunity to meet the needs of his household and live a dignified life. This was the only way,” Khalid said. “He was neither an aggressor nor a threat.”
Context of Rising Unemployment
In recent years, an increasing number of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank have attempted to enter Israel illegally for work. Before the Israel-Hamas war, tens of thousands held permits to work in Israel, but access was sharply restricted after the attack by Hamas-led militants on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Since then, unemployment has surged amid a deep economic slowdown and a shortage of jobs in the West Bank.
Similar shootings have occurred at the same location separating Al-Ram from Beit Hanina, an east Jerusalem neighborhood. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, at least 47 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers as of May 11.
Israeli police did not immediately respond to queries about the shooting.
