A violent incident at an Israeli military checkpoint in Hebron, occupied West Bank, resulted in the deaths of two Palestinians on Saturday evening, according to official sources. Israeli security forces opened fire on a vehicle allegedly accelerating toward their position, killing the 17-year-old driver and an uninvolved bystander.
The Israeli military stated that soldiers responded to a perceived threat when a vehicle accelerated toward their checkpoint position. While confirming the driver’s death, officials acknowledged an “uninvolved person” was also fatally wounded in the incident. Palestinian authorities identified the victims as Ahmed Khalil al-Rajabi, the teenage driver, and Ziad Naim Abu Dawood, a 55-year-old municipal street cleaner who was working nearby at the time of the shooting.
Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Abu Dawood was left bleeding at the scene for an extended period before his body was eventually transferred to the Red Crescent. The incident prompted widespread condemnation and a general strike across Hebron on Sunday, with businesses shuttering in protest. Municipal workers joined the strike after confirming Abu Dawood was a city employee killed while performing his duties.
The shooting occurs amid sharply escalating violence throughout the West Bank over the past year. Recent data from the Palestinian health ministry indicates 51 Palestinian minors have been killed by Israeli forces since January. According to the Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission, November witnessed approximately 2,144 attacks by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinians and their property, representing a significant escalation in regional tensions.