HEBRON, WEST BANK: Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian teenager who was driving a car toward them at a checkpoint in the West Bank city of Hebron on Saturday. A Palestinian bystander was also killed in the incident, according to an Israeli security official.
Details of the Incident
- The Israeli military initially stated that two “terrorists” were killed but later clarified that only one person, the driver, was involved in the alleged acceleration towards soldiers.
- An Israeli security official, speaking anonymously, identified the driver as a 17-year-old and the bystander as a 55-year-old man.3
- The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the driver as Ahmed Khalil Al-Rajabi (17).
- The Palestinian state news agency WAFA reported that the bystander killed was Ziad Naim Abu Dawood (55), a municipal street cleaner who was working at the time.4
The military confirmed that an “uninvolved person” was hit in addition to the driver.5 The motive for the 17-year-old’s actions remains unclear, and no militant group has claimed responsibility. No injuries to Israeli soldiers were reported.
Context of Rising West Bank Violence
The incident occurs amid a surge in violence across the Israeli-occupied West Bank this year.
- The region has seen a sharp increase in attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians.
- The Israeli military has intensified movement restrictions and conducted sweeping raids in several cities.
- The Palestinian Health Ministry reports that since January, 51 Palestinian minors (under the age of 18) have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank.
- Palestinians have also carried out attacks targeting Israeli soldiers and civilians, some of which have been deadly.