Celebratory gunfire hits a transformer in Hebron: ‘We came close to a horrendous disaster’

A stray bullet fired on March 14, 2023 by armed members of Palestinian movement Fatah caused a transformer to explode in the street in Hebron. Dozens of people were gathered in the street ahead of the announcement of the winner of the student elections at the local polytechnic university. © Observers

Videos filmed on March 14, 2023 show armed supporters of the Palestinian political movement Fatah firing celebratory gunshots into the air in Hebron in the West Bank. The men were celebrating their party’s victory in student elections held at the city’s polytechnic university. However, this celebratory gunfire, a common occurrence during celebrations in the Middle East, hit a transformer, causing it to explode. Our Observer says the result could have been catastrophic. 

It was a celebration that nearly ended in tragedy. Armed supporters of Fatah showed up en masse at the Hebron polytechnic university, where a student election was being held and fired multiple rounds of gunshots into the air during and after the vote.