West Bank Teens Report Gunfire Aimed to Disable, Ambulances Blocked

*TL;DR: Teens in the Askar refugee camp say Israeli forces fire to disable, then block ambulances, while child deaths in the West Bank top 150 this year.

The Askar camp north of Nablus has become a flashpoint since October 7, when Israeli raids intensified across the occupied West Bank. Residents recall olive‑tree gatherings turning into danger zones as soldiers patrol the narrow streets, often entering through the nearby Elon Moreh settlement.

Eighteen‑year‑old Amir Othman describes the moment a convoy of Israeli jeeps opened fire on the hill where he was hauling a wounded friend. "My kneecap and my thighbone were shattered," he told reporters. "I couldn’t feel my leg, I thought I had lost it." The bullet left him with permanent mobility loss despite four surgeries and months of bed rest.

Amir’s case mirrors a broader pattern. Health officials note that Israeli soldiers have repeatedly prevented ambulances from reaching the injured, a practice that has occurred hundreds of times since the October 7 escalation. In Amir’s instance, medics were turned away while he bled on the ground, delaying life‑saving care.

The human toll is rising. Defense for Children International – Palestine records at least 157 children killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the start of 2024. In Askar alone, 13 Palestinians have been killed since the recent surge, and dozens more have suffered disabling injuries.

Local leaders describe a shift in tactics. Amjad Refaee, director of the Askar Social Development Centre, says soldiers no longer aim low with rubber bullets; they now “shoot to kill, or cause disability.” Families describe the camp’s only green play area as haunted by memories of those killed.

Israel maintains that its operations target militants and are essential for security, rejecting claims of deliberate targeting of children. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency notes that Askar houses 24,000 people in an area comparable to 17 football fields, creating cramped conditions that exacerbate civilian vulnerability.

The convergence of lethal force, restricted medical access, and a high child death count underscores a deepening humanitarian crisis in the West Bank. International observers warn that continued obstruction of emergency care could breach humanitarian law.

What to watch next: Monitoring of ambulance access during future raids and any diplomatic pressure on Israel to alter engagement rules in densely populated refugee camps.