Mohammed Najum al-Omar

Their life

Mohammed Najum al-Omar was a 25-year-old Palestinian man from the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, located just south of Jericho in the northeastern West Bank. On the morning of August 15, 2023, he was shot and killed by Israeli forces during a military raid targeting the camp. The Israeli army stormed the camp to raid several homes and detain residents. During the operation, armed confrontations broke out between camp residents and Israeli forces. Although it was not clear whether al-Omar was directly involved in the clashes, he was shot with live bullets and sustained fatal chest wounds. He was rushed to Jericho Government Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Mohammed Najum al-Omar was a 25-year-old Palestinian man from the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, located just south of Jericho in the northeastern West Bank. On the morning of August 15, 2023, he was shot and killed by Israeli forces during a military raid targeting the camp. The Israeli army stormed the camp to raid several homes and detain residents. During the operation, armed confrontations broke out between camp residents and Israeli forces. Although it was not clear whether al-Omar was directly involved in the clashes, he was shot with live bullets and sustained fatal chest wounds. He was rushed to Jericho Government Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Aqabat Jaber is the largest refugee camp in the occupied West Bank in terms of surface area and has been subjected to regular Israeli military raids in recent months. Despite Jericho being a tourist city less prone to Israeli violence compared to other parts of the West Bank, the camp has experienced heightened military activity, including the killing of several Palestinians, such as five members of the Aqbat Jabr Brigade in February 2023 .
Al-Omar's death is part of a broader pattern of lethal violence during Israeli military operations in Palestinian areas, where live rounds are frequently used against civilians, including minors. His killing, alongside that of 16-year-old Qusai al-Walaji, underscores the ongoing impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on young lives in the West Bank.

How they died

He was shot dead by Israeli forces

Mohammed Najum al-Omar, 25, was fatally shot with live bullets during an Israeli military raid on the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, south of Jericho, in the northeastern West Bank. The raid involved Israeli forces storming the camp to conduct home searches and detain residents. During the operation, armed confrontations broke out between some camp residents and Israeli soldiers. Although it remains unclear whether Mohammed was actively involved in the clashes, he was struck by gunfire and sustained critical wounds to his chest. He was quickly transported to Jericho Government Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. His death reflects the heightened tensions and repeated violence in the camp, which has seen numerous military incursions in recent months. This use of live ammunition against Palestinians during raids has resulted in multiple fatalities, highlighting the dangerous and volatile environment faced by civilians in the occupied West Bank.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Mohammed Najum al-Omar, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources