Mohammad Rawhi Hammad

Their life

Mohammad Rawhi Hammad, 30, was a Palestinian man from the town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. He lived through the constant realities of military presence, raids, and the occupation that shaped daily life for his community. On May 14, 2021, amid a wave of escalating violence across Palestine, he was killed by Israeli forces during a day that saw some of the bloodiest confrontations in years.

Born and raised in Silwad, Mohammad Rawhi Hammad grew up under the restrictions of the Israeli occupation, in a town known for its history of resilience and resistance. His generation came of age during times of repeated violence and instability, yet he remained connected to his hometown and its people. On May 14, 2021, as protests swept across the West Bank in response to Israel’s attacks on Gaza, Mohammad was in Ramallah when Israeli forces opened fire on him, claiming he had attempted to carry out a car-ramming attack. His killing came on one of the deadliest days of the escalation, in which nine Palestinians were shot dead in the West Bank and at least 39 people, including children, were killed in Gaza by Israeli missiles. Mohammad’s death reflects both the individual tragedy of a life cut short and the collective grief borne by Palestinian families under occupation.

How they died

He was Shot and killed by Israeli soldiers.

Israeli forces shot Mohammad after alleging he attempted to ram soldiers with his car near Ramallah. While the military characterized the incident as an “attack,” Palestinian accounts and human rights groups note that such claims are often made without substantial evidence and are regularly used to justify the use of lethal force. His death occurred in the context of widespread protests and violence across the occupied West Bank and Gaza, making him one of many Palestinians killed that day.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Mohammad Rawhi Hammad, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources