Ramallah, West Bank – At least 41 Palestinians were injured, including 11 hospitalized, after Israeli forces stormed Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank, opening fire with live rounds, sound grenades, and tear gas. The assault occurred while students attended classes and engaged in campus activities, sparking widespread condemnation.
Students Targeted During Campus Raid
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry and Palestinian Red Crescent Society, three students were shot in the legs, five suffered tear gas inhalation, and three were hit by flying shrapnel. Witnesses described panic and chaos as Israeli troops smashed the university gates.
Law student Youssef Sharawneh recounted:
“I handed back my exam paper empty, left my faculty building, and saw them in front of me. They threw sound grenades so I tried to escape and saw some teachers trying to talk to them. Then they shot live fire.”
Engineering student Mustafa Rimawi criticized the military action, stating:
“These days Palestinian people don’t have rights. They attack Gaza and the West Bank – universities and homes alike. Even mosques are not safe.”
Birzeit University Condemns the Attack
In an official statement, Birzeit University said the raid “constitutes a flagrant and deliberate violation of the sanctity of universities and educational institutions.” The university described the storming of its campus as part of a systematic policy aimed at intimidating students, undermining their right to education, and targeting Palestinian consciousness.
The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education denounced the attack, calling it a violation of all international norms regarding educational facilities and urging global institutions such as the International Association of Universities and the Association of Arab Universities to condemn the assault.
Context of the Raid
The raid coincided with a student solidarity event in support of thousands of Palestinian prisoners held incommunicado in Israeli jails. A film screening about Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl killed in Gaza, was underway when the Israeli army entered the campus.
Israeli forces justified the operation by claiming they targeted a “gathering in support of terrorism”, a move widely criticized by Palestinian authorities and human rights organizations.
Wider West Bank Developments
The raid comes as Israel moves forward with the E1 settlement project near East Jerusalem, a plan considered illegal under international law. The project would fragment the West Bank, jeopardizing the potential for a contiguous Palestinian state.
Yoni Mizrahi, of Peace Now, said that initial construction could begin within the month following the release of a government tender. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has long advocated for the plan, stating that every settlement and housing unit constitutes a “nail in the coffin” of a Palestinian state.
The international community has consistently criticized West Bank settlements, calling them a major obstacle to peace and a violation of international law.
Impact on Palestinian Students
Al Jazeera reporter Nida Ibrahim described the raid as unprecedented:
“For Palestinians living under occupation, education is one of the few avenues for a sustainable future. But now students face fear even inside their universities. No place is immune from Israeli assaults.”
The attack has heightened tensions in the West Bank, underscoring the fragile situation for Palestinians navigating daily life under occupation.
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