Testimonies of husband and wife Muhammad and ‘Abir Jaber, who were attacked in the neighborhood of Jabal Johar by soldiers who hurled a stun grenade into their car on 21 August 2024

Muhammad Jaber, 34, a father of four from al-Manshar in the city of Hebron, attacked along with his wife by soldiers who threw a stun grenade into their car in the Jabal Johar neighborhood on 21 August 2024

I live with my wife ‘Abir, 33, and our four children, between the ages of 4 and 13, in the al-Manshar area in the western part of Hebron city.

On 21 August 2024, around 9:30 P.M., ‘Abir and I drove to the Jabal Johar area to buy groceries, fruit and vegetables at my cousin Nafez’s store, as we do every week. ‘Abir was sitting behind the driver’s seat. When we got to al-Kasarah Street, which leads to the Jabal Johar area, I heard gunfire and saw bullets flying over the car.

I stopped the car right away, in order to turn around and drive back, but suddenly I saw dozens of soldiers about 50 meters away. They were pointing the lasers on their guns at us. Then five of them walked up to our car, shouting obscenities and cursing God. The soldiers yanked the door open, with their guns pointed at me. I shouted to them: “Don’t shoot! My wife is with me!”

The soldiers ordered me to get out of the car, and while I was trying to get out, they dragged me out. Then they led me on foot for about 50 meters, swearing obscenities at me. I heard my wife ask them to leave me alone and one soldier order her to be quiet.

An officer asked me in English, which I speak very well, “What are you doing here?” I said that I was going to visit relatives. In the meantime, an Arabic-speaking soldier came – I think he was an officer – along with eight other soldiers. He asked me, “What are you planning to do here?” I said I was going to visit my cousins. He said, “Moving around this area at night is forbidden.”

I heard my wife shout, “Grenade! Grenade!” I turned my head to see what she meant, and the grenade exploded right by my face. I felt something hit the back of my head, and then I passed out

Then several soldiers started aggressively pushing me toward the car, with one of them cursing me and God on the way. The soldiers pushed me into the driver’s seat and ordered me to drive away.

Just as I got in, I heard my wife shout, “Grenade! Grenade!” I turned my head to see what she meant, and the grenade exploded right next to my face. I felt something hit the back of my head, and then I passed out.

I woke up at al-Muhtaseb Hospital. I couldn’t breathe or hear anything, and my head hurt terribly. They gave me a CT scan, medication and injections. Then my hearing began coming back gradually. I was discharged at my own risk around 11:20 P.M., and we went home because we were worried about the kids who were there alone.

That was yesterday, and my head still hurts badly and my ears are constantly ringing. I’ll have to see an ear doctor. My wife has been having back pain since the explosion.

Our car was badly damaged: the seats were burned and the windshield was shattered, and so were the dashboard cover and the panoramic mirror.

* Testimony given to B’Tselem field researcher Manal al-Ja’bari on 22 August 2024.

‘Abir Id’es-Jaber, 33, said in her testimony:

On 21 August 2024, around 9:30 P.M., I went with my husband Muhammad to buy vegetables and fruit in his cousin’s store in Jabal Johar. I got in the back seat, behind him. When we got to al-Kasarah Street, which leads to the Jabal Johar area, halfway down the road, we heard gunfire and then saw, through the windshield, bullets passing over the car.

I asked him what they wanted, and he shouted at me “Shut up!” I went silent. I was so afraid, I barely breathed. The street was empty, and the soldiers were very aggressive. I was really afraid they would shoot us to death

My husband stopped the car, and suddenly we saw dozens of soldiers coming out from the side of the street and advancing towards us, pointing their weapons at us. My husband shouted to the soldiers not to shoot because I was with him.

Five soldiers came up to our car, swearing. One of them cursed God. They pointed their guns at us and cocked them. I was in shock. I was terrified they would shoot us, and I couldn’t utter a sound.

I saw the soldiers pull my husband out of the driver’s seat. They led him about 50 meters, to a point where there were dozens of soldiers. One soldier stayed by the car and started searching it. I asked him what they wanted, and he shouted at me “Shut up!” I went silent. I was so afraid, I barely breathed. The street was empty, and the soldiers were very aggressive. I was really afraid they would shoot us to death.

From where I was, I could see and hear my husband speaking to the soldiers in English. About ten minutes later, I saw four soldiers pushing him violently towards the car, and when he was by the door, they forcefully pushed him into the car and ordered us to leave.

My husband turned the car around, and the soldiers were still around us. One of them looked at me and winked. He gave me a mocking smile and then I saw him pull the pin on a stun grenade and throw it between my legs. I pushed the grenade away and it fell under the seat. I shouted, “Grenade! Grenade!” and ducked to the other side. Muhammad turned around to me when I shouted, so the grenade exploded under his face. He passed out, and thank God, the car stopped by itself.

One of them looked at me and winked. He gave me a mocking smile and then I saw him pull the pin on a stun grenade and throw it between my legs. I pushed the grenade away and it fell under the seat

It was hard getting out of the car at first, because of the thick smoke and because I was really scared about Muhammad. I managed to get out and started shouting on the street and calling for help. Some local residents came over, and two guys moved Muhammad from the driver’s seat to the passenger’s seat. Then, one of them got in the driver’s seat and drove us the hospital. The other guy got into the back seat and tried to calm me down. People on the street were shouting “Martyr! Martyr!”, and my blood froze in my veins with fear.

We arrived at al-Muhtaseb Hospital with Muhammad still unconscious. He was admitted to the ER, and half an hour later, he woke up complaining that his head hurt badly and he couldn’t hear. Then his hearing gradually came back, but the pain in his head was so bad he was writhing and screaming.

They gave Muhammad a CT scan, took X-rays and gave him shots and painkillers. The doctors wanted to keep him in the hospital for 24 hours for observation, but he refused because we were worried about our children who were home alone. We left the hospital around 11:30 P.M. When we got home, the kids were crying. It turned out they’d found out what happened from the news and social media.

I’m still suffering from severe back pain, and Muhammad is suffering from headaches. We’re both shaken up, of course, because of the nightmare that evening.

* Testimonies given to B’Tselem field researcher Manal al-Ja’bari on 26 August 2024