RAMALLAH, April 22, 2026 (WAFA) – The number of Palestinians killed as a result of colonists’ attacks since the beginning of the current year has risen to 15, following the announcement of the killing of young man Odeh Atef Awawdeh in the town of Deir Dibwan, east of Ramallah, today, Wednesday, according to data issued by the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, bringing the total since October 7, 2023, to 50 killed.

Head of the Commission, Moayyad Shaaban, said the escalation in colonists’ attacks in towns east of Ramallah reflects an accelerating pace of organized assaults targeting citizens and their lands.

He stressed that these crimes are carried out under the direct protection of Israeli occupation forces, within a policy aimed at imposing new colonial facts on the ground.

Awawdeh was killed after succumbing to critical injuries sustained from colonists’ gunfire during an attack on Deir Dibwan today.

Local sources said groups of colonists attacked the outskirts of the town and opened live fire at citizens, shooting and injuring Awawdeh in the back. He was transferred in critical condition to Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah, before being later pronounced dead due to his wounds.

On Tuesday, 14-year-old child Aws Hamdi Al-Na’san and 32-year-old Jihad Marzouq Abu Naim were killed, and others were injured by live ammunition during a colonists’ attack on Al-Mughayyir Boys School, northeast of Ramallah. Child Mohammed Majdi Al-Jabari, 16, was also killed after being run over by a colonist vehicle in Hebron.

According to the Commission, a total of 1,819 attacks were carried out by the occupation forces and colonists in March, including 1,322 by occupation forces and 497 by colonists.

It noted that Hebron registered the highest number of attacks, totaling 321, followed by Nablus with 315, Ramallah and al-Bireh with 292, and Jerusalem with 203, highlighting a clear pattern of systematic targeting of these areas.

T.R.