Israeli military forces fatally shot two Palestinian individuals during a confrontation near Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Saturday night, according to conflicting accounts from Israeli and Palestinian authorities. The Israel Defense Forces stated the incident began when a vehicle accelerated toward soldiers stationed at a security checkpoint in the Bab al-Zawiya area, prompting troops to open fire and “eliminate” what they described as a terrorist threat.
Palestinian authorities identified the deceased as 17-year-old Ahmad Khalil Al-Rajabi and 55-year-old Ziad Jabara Abu Dawoud, the latter reportedly employed as a sanitation worker. The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed the older victim’s civilian occupation. Initial military investigations suggest the sanitation worker was traveling separately from the alleged attacker and was “uninvolved” in the incident, according to Israel’s army radio.
This lethal encounter occurs against a backdrop of intensifying violence throughout the West Bank since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023. Despite a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas, tensions remain critically elevated in the occupied territory. According to documentation by AFP based on Palestinian health ministry statistics, more than 1,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the West Bank since the Gaza war began—many identified as militants but including substantial numbers of civilians. Official Israeli figures report at least 44 Israeli casualties, comprising both military personnel and civilians, during the same period in Palestinian attacks or military operations.
The incident underscores the persistent volatility in the region, where checkpoint confrontations frequently result in lethal outcomes. Both sides maintain sharply divergent narratives regarding the circumstances of violent incidents, complicating efforts toward de-escalation and reconciliation.