Statement Issued by Lawyers for Justice
Regarding the Targeting of Samer Samara’s Family and the Killing of Children Ali and Rozan Samara from the Town of Tammun Lawyers for Justice is monitoring the killing of two children, Ali Samara (16) and Rozan Samara (4), from the town of Tammun. The deaths resulted from direct gunfire by members of a Palestinian security force targeting a civilian vehicle carrying women and children. This is according to the testimony of the detained citizen’s son during his father’s arrest and the statement issued by the Samara family. According to testimonies, a security unit in civilian clothing, traveling in civilian vehicles, opened fire without any prior warning or notice on a civilian vehicle carrying Mr. Samara and his family. This led to the death of the two children, varying injuries to other family members, and the arrest of the children’s father, Samer Samara, who is pursued by Israeli occupation forces and was also injured during the attack. The targeting of a civilian vehicle carrying women and children with lethal force constitutes a serious crime and a grave violation of the Right to Life. It cannot be justified under any security or political pretext. This crime occurs within an alarming context of gross violations committed by Palestinian security services in recent years, reaching a peak since the killing of political activist Nizar Banat. Human rights organizations and families have documented accusations from more than twenty families against the security services for involvement in the killing of their sons in similar incidents or as a result of torture. This indicates a dangerous pattern and methodology of using excessive and lethal force outside the framework of the law, amidst a total absence of effective accountability. Lawyers for Justice affirms that the Palestinian Authority, by acceding to international human rights treaties including the Convention against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is legally bound to regulate the conduct of its members, respect human rights, prohibit torture and ill-treatment, and ensure accountability to prevent impunity. The persistence of a culture of impunity for perpetrators of these violations undermines the rule of law, fosters a culture of revenge and harassment of dissidents and activists, and threatens civil and social peace. Demands of Lawyers for Justice: The Right to Life is an inviolable right that may not be infringed upon under any pretext. Tolerance toward these crimes paves the way for their recurrence, threatens civil peace, and undermines what remains of trust in the justice system. Serious accountability is the only way to prevent the repetition of these violations and protect society from the cycle of violence and impunity. Our deepest condolences to the Samara family and the families of the victims. Lawyers for Justice Monday, February 16, 2026