Thafer Abdul-Rahman Rimawi
He was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers
Thafer Abdul-Rahman Rimawi, a 21-year-old Palestinian man, died from catastrophic trauma caused by a high-velocity gunshot wound to the chest, inflicted by Israeli forces during a military raid on his hometown of Kafr Ein in the occupied West Bank. According to medical reports from Yasser Arafat Hospital in Ramallah, the bullet struck him in the thoracic region, rupturing vital organs and major blood vessels, leading to rapid blood loss and irreversible tissue damage. Despite emergency medical intervention, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Medical personnel noted that the nature of the wound suggested the use of live ammunition with high kinetic energy, and Palestinian sources alleged that expanding bullets (dum-dum rounds)—which are designed to fragment upon impact, causing severe internal damage—may have been used. Such munitions are widely condemned under international humanitarian law due to their capacity to inflict excessive harm.
Biography
Thafer Abdul-Rahman Rimawi, a 21-year-old Palestinian from Kafr Ein, a town northwest of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers during a military raid on November 29, 2022. His older brother, Jawad Rimawi (22), was also killed in the same incident, marking another tragic episode in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In the early hours of Tuesday, November 29, 2022, Israeli forces invaded Kafr Ein, sparking protests from local Palestinians. The soldiers responded with live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets, and tear gas, firing indiscriminately at the crowd. Thafer was struck by a live bullet in the chest, sustaining life-threatening injuries before succumbing to his wounds. His brother, Jawad, was also fatally shot in the abdomen.
Medical sources at Yasser Arafat Hospital in Ramallah reported that the soldiers had used expanding bullets (dum-dum bullets), which are internationally controversial due to their severe tissue damage. The attack left several others wounded, some critically.
The same day, another Palestinian, Mofeed Mohammad Mahmoud Ekhlayyel (44), died from wounds sustained in Beit Ummar, near Hebron, after Israeli forces raided the town, injuring at least 21 people.
Thafer and Jawad’s deaths were part of a surge in West Bank violence in 2022, one of the deadliest years for Palestinians in the occupied territories. Their killings drew condemnation from Palestinian authorities and human rights groups, who accused Israeli forces of excessive and indiscriminate force.
Thafer’s story reflects the broader tragedy of Palestinian youth facing military raids, settler violence, and systemic oppression under occupation. His name joins the long list of civilians killed in the conflict, leaving behind grieving families and a community demanding justice.
Sources & References
Thafer Abdul-Rahman Rimawi, a 21-year-old Palestinian from Kafr Ein, a town northwest of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers during a military raid on November 29, 2022. His older brother, Jawad Rimawi (22), was also killed in the same incident, marking another tragic episode in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.1 israelpalestinetimeline.org Open source