Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank resulted in the deaths of two Palestinian youths on Saturday, marking continued violence in the region despite the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza. The incidents occurred near the city of Jenin, with both fatalities involving controversial circumstances that have drawn international scrutiny.
In the first incident, 16-year-old Rayyan Abu Mualla was fatally shot by Israeli soldiers in Qabatiya, south of Jenin. Palestinian authorities reported that the teenager was killed at close range after allegedly throwing a stone toward military personnel. Circulating video footage appears to show the moment of the shooting as Abu Mualla approached the soldiers. The Israeli military stated in an official communiqué that their forces responded after the youth “threw a brick” in their direction.
Medical response teams faced significant obstacles during the aftermath, with Palestinian news agency Wafa reporting that Israeli soldiers blocked ambulance crews from reaching the wounded teenager, effectively leaving him to bleed to death. In a further controversial move, Israeli forces subsequently withheld the victim’s body from being returned to his family.
Separately, in the town of Silat al-Harithiya west of Jenin, Israeli forces conducted a raid that resulted in the death of 22-year-old Ahmad Zyoud. Military officials claimed Zyoud was shot after “hurling an explosive device” toward security personnel during the operation.
These latest fatalities occur within a broader context of escalating violence across the West Bank since the commencement of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza two years ago. According to statistics compiled from Palestinian health ministry figures by AFP, Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza conflict.
Disturbingly, the Palestinian health ministry has documented that 51 Palestinian minors have lost their lives to Israeli forces in the West Bank since January alone. November witnessed particularly severe violence, with the Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission reporting approximately 2,144 attacks by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinian civilians and their property—1,523 perpetrated by soldiers and 621 by settlers.