Mohammad Issa Abbas Masalma
Mohammad was shot in al-Biereh, near Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank, and later died at the Palestine Medical Complex.
On the night of December 22, Israeli soldiers raided the al-Biereh area following alleged reports of gunfire near the Psagot settlement. The army claimed they came under fire from a passing car and responded by shooting at the vehicle. Mohammad, who was seated on the passenger side, was hit in the back by live ammunition. He was transported to the Palestine Medical Complex in critical condition, where he was later pronounced dead.
Israeli sources speculated that Mohammad may have been involved in the alleged earlier gunfire but provided no concrete proof. Palestinian sources and eyewitnesses refuted the claim, emphasizing that he was an unarmed civilian and likely targeted arbitrarily as part of a broader military response.
Biography
Mohammad Issa Abbas was a 26-year-old Palestinian man from the al-Am’ari refugee camp, located south of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Like many young men in the camp, Mohammad grew up surrounded by the effects of military occupation, economic hardship, and a longing for freedom. On the night of his death, he was riding in a vehicle near al-Biereh when Israeli soldiers opened fire during a military raid. Mohammad was shot in the back and later died at the Palestine Medical Complex. His killing came amid a surge in Israeli military operations across the West Bank, and his death added to the growing list of Palestinians killed without due process or evidence of wrongdoing.
Born in 1995, Mohammad Issa Abbas was a resident of the al-Am’ari refugee camp, a densely populated and often-targeted area near Ramallah. Raised under occupation, Mohammad was one of thousands of young Palestinians growing up with limited opportunities, facing frequent raids, curfews, and systemic oppression. Though not publicly affiliated with any political group, he was a familiar figure in his community, described by peers as quiet and warm-hearted.
On the evening of December 22, 2021, while riding in a vehicle during a time of heightened military activity, Mohammad was shot in the back by Israeli forces. The Israeli military alleged, without providing conclusive evidence, that the vehicle may have been involved in an earlier shooting incident. However, Mohammad was not the driver, and there was no confirmation that he was armed or had fired any shots.
His killing sparked widespread anger, particularly because it fit a broader pattern of lethal force being used without warning or judicial process, especially against young men in refugee camps. His funeral in al-Am’ari was attended by hundreds who marched in defiance of occupation and in mourning of another life cut short.
Pleas of Surviving Relatives and Family if any
Mohammad’s family, residents of the al-Am’ari refugee camp, mourned not just his death, but the manner in which he was killed—shot in the back, without warning, during a military raid based on suspicion, not evidence. Speaking after the funeral, a relative said:
“He was a young man trying to live his life under impossible conditions. They shot him in the back and then blamed him for his own death. There is no justice here.”
His relatives denied all claims that he was armed or involved in any militant activity, calling the Israeli army’s version of events “a fabrication to justify murder.” The family called on international human rights organizations to investigate the incident independently, and to confront the growing pattern of extrajudicial killings of Palestinians under occupation.
“We will not forget him. We will not allow them to say he was a terrorist just because he was young and Palestinian,” said a family friend during the funeral procession.
Additional Information
Sources & References
December 22, 2021: Mohammad Issa Abbas, 26, Killed by Israeli Soldiers in al-Biereh, West Bank On the night of December 22, 2021, Mohammad Issa Abbas, a 26-year-old Palestinian man, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers in the al-Biereh area, near Ramallah, in the central occupied West Bank. He was struck by live gunfire in the back while riding in a vehicle during an Israeli military operation. The Israeli military claimed they were responding to suspected gunfire near the illegal Psagot settlement, leading them to launch a raid on the outskirts of al-Biereh. Soldiers reportedly fired at a passing car, and Mohammad—who was not the driver but a passenger—was seriously wounded. No Israeli soldiers were injured in the incident, and there has been no verified evidence supporting Israeli claims that Mohammad fired a weapon.1 israelpalestinetimeline.org Open source