A video has emerged showing Israeli security forces shooting dead two Palestinian men who appeared to have surrendered during an Israeli military operation in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank.
The footage, widely circulated on Thursday, shows the men exiting a building with their hands raised as Israeli border police surround them. The men kneel on the ground, and one lifts his shirt, seemingly to show he is unarmed. Moments later, both move back toward the entrance of the building before Israeli forces open fire, killing them.
The Palestinian Authority condemned the killings as “brutal executions” and accused Israel of committing a “war crime.”
Israeli security officials, however, said the men were wanted operatives “affiliated with a terror network” accused of carrying out attacks, including throwing explosives and firing on Israeli forces. In a joint statement, the Israel Defense Forces and police said troops had surrounded the structure and initiated a “surrender procedure that lasted several hours.”
“Following the use of engineering tools on the structure, the two suspects exited,” the statement said. “Following their exit, fire was directed toward the suspects.” The incident is now under review.
Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, defended the officers involved, writing on X that “the fighters acted exactly as expected of them,” adding that “terrorists must die.”
The deadly confrontation occurred amid an expanded Israeli military campaign targeting armed groups in the northern West Bank. Israeli forces also launched a new operation in the nearby city of Tubas on Wednesday.
Violence in the West Bank has surged since Hamas launched its 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel, triggering Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza. According to UN figures, more than 1,000 Palestinians including both militants and civilians have been killed by Israeli troops or settlers in the West Bank since then. Israel says at least 44 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed in attacks or military confrontations in the same period.
Erizia Rubyjeana
About the Author
