Israeli security forces fatally shot two Palestinian men during a military operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Thursday, despite video evidence showing both individuals appearing to surrender while unarmed. Palestine TV footage captured the disturbing sequence where 26-year-old Montasir Abdullah and 37-year-old Yusuf Asasa exited a building surrounded by armed Israeli troops, lifted their shirts to demonstrate they carried no weapons, and lay prone on the ground in clear surrender gestures.
The visual record shows Israeli forces subsequently directing the men back inside the structure before opening fire at close range. A Reuters journalist confirmed witnessing the surrender sequence and later observed Israeli forces standing near what appeared to be a lifeless body following audible gunshots.
The Israeli military and police issued a joint statement acknowledging an investigation into the incident, stating forces had fired toward suspects who exited a building during an operation targeting individuals wanted for ‘terror activities.’ The statement identified the deceased as wanted individuals affiliated with a ‘terror network’ in Jenin but provided no specific allegations or evidence substantiating these claims.
Jenin Governor Kamal Abu al-Rub condemned the shooting as a ‘cold-blooded execution’ of unarmed civilians, expressing skepticism about the likelihood of a genuine investigation. The incident occurred amid intensified Israeli operations across northern West Bank cities, with another operation launched in nearby Tubas on Wednesday.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir offered his ‘full backing’ to the involved units, declaring ‘terrorists should die!’ in a social media post. Palestinian group Hamas, while not claiming the men as members, denounced the killings as ‘escalating field executions’ and called for international intervention.