The mayor claims that a 16-year-old Palestinian is killed by an Israeli settler in the West Bank
A 16-year-old Palestinian was shot dead by an Israeli settler in the town of Tuqu’ on Tuesday, following the funeral of another teenager, according to the town’s mayor.
Since the onset of the war in Gaza in October 2023, violence in the West Bank has intensified. There has been a significant rise in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, with the U.N. indicating that October recorded the highest number of such incidents to date.
An Israeli security source reported that an Israeli civilian discharged a firearm at masked individuals who were hurling stones and paint bottles at Israeli civilian vehicles traveling along a primary road in the vicinity. An Israeli civilian was transferred for additional questioning by the Israeli police, according to the source.
The Israeli police have yet to provide a response to a request for comment from Reuters.
“Today, following the funeral of 16-year-old Ammar Sabah, who was killed yesterday by the Israeli army in the town center, several youths were assembled by the main street when a settler shot 16-year-old Muheeb Jibril in the head,” Tuqu’ Mayor Mohammed al-Badan informed Reuters via telephone.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, Israeli forces killed Sabah on Monday during a military raid in the town. The military announced that the incident is currently being reviewed. Rocks were reportedly thrown at soldiers who employed riot dispersal methods and subsequently responded with gunfire.
The West Bank hosts 2.7 million Palestinians who experience restricted self-governance amid Israeli military occupation. There are hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have made their homes there.
Many global powers consider Israel’s settlements, established on territory seized during the 1967 war, to be illegal, and various U.N. Security Council resolutions have urged Israel to cease all settlement activities.
Israel asserts that the settlements are legal, referencing biblical and historical ties to the territory.
Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Jennifer Locetta stated to the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday, “The United States remains focused on ensuring Israel’s security and maintaining stability in Gaza and the West Bank.”
“President Trump has clearly stated that the United States expects an end to the violence in the West Bank, and that the annexation of the West Bank will not be permitted,” she said.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military announced its intention to demolish multiple structures in the northern Nur al-Shams refugee camp, a long-established camp located in the West Bank near the city of Tulkarm.
The camps in the area are described as “centres of gravity for terrorist activity”. The mayor of Tulkarm has been reported by Palestinian media to have condemned the move as “a fully fledged crime”.
In March, the Israeli military destroyed significant portions of the camp to create a wide route for military vehicles, resulting in the displacement of thousands, residents informed Reuters at that time.
The military has imposed stricter movement restrictions and conducted extensive raids across multiple cities, emphasizing the necessity to eliminate suspected militants.
In November, Human Rights Watch charged Israel with war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing alleged forced expulsions in the West Bank. Israel refutes allegations of committing such crimes.
