Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian couple and two of their children during an ongoing military operation in the occupied West Bank town of Tammun. The incident occurred when Israeli forces opened fire on the family's car, which allegedly accelerated towards them.
Key Takeaways
Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian couple and two of their children during an operation in the occupied West Bank town of Tammun. The incident occurred when Israeli forces opened fire on the family's car, which allegedly accelerated towards them.
- Four members of the Odeh family were killed: Ali Bani Odeh, Waad Bani Odeh, five-year-old Mohammed, and seven-year-old Othman.
- Two older children survived with minor injuries from shrapnel.
- Israeli authorities stated that forces opened fire after a car accelerated towards them during an operation targeting suspects accused of 'terrorist activity.'
- The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that Israeli forces initially prevented their crews from reaching the injured inside the car.
- Pro-Israeli Palestinian militias have intensified operations against Hamas in Gaza, with significant logistic support from Israel.
The victims were identified by the Palestinian health ministry as Ali Bani Odeh, Waad Bani Odeh, five-year-old Mohammed, and seven-year-old Othman. All four arrived at the hospital with gunshot wounds to the face and head. Two older children aged eight and 11 survived with minor injuries from shrapnel.
Israeli authorities stated that a joint operation by the army and paramilitary border police was taking place in Tammun when the car accelerated towards Israeli forces, who felt endangered and responded by shooting. The circumstances of the incident are being investigated.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that Israeli forces initially prevented their crews from reaching the injured inside the car and ordered them to leave the area. The UN has noted heightened movement restrictions in much of the occupied West Bank since the outbreak of the war between the US, Israel, and Iran on 28 February.
Meanwhile, pro-Israeli Palestinian militias have intensified their operations against Hamas in Gaza. These militias, based in eastern parts of Gaza under Israeli control, have received significant logistic support from Israel and have launched repeated raids and assassination operations deep into Hamas-controlled territory. The most powerful among these are the Popular Forces and the Strike Force Against Terror.
Israeli strikes in Gaza, which had averaged around 10 a day over the last five months, have continued despite the outbreak of conflict with Iran. On Sunday, an Israeli airstrike and tank shelling killed six Palestinians, including two women and a girl, in separate attacks in Gaza City. At least 16 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by airstrikes since the outbreak of war with Iran on 28 February.
Najah al-Subhi, who lost her son and grandchildren, told the Associated Press that the family had gone to a mall in Nablus to buy clothes for Eid al-Fitr. She said the two surviving children sustained shrapnel wounds in the eye and the head.
The Israeli rights group B’tselem reported that the Odeh family’s car was riddled with bullets and accused Israeli forces of 'violently interrogating' one of the surviving children who was wounded. The group stated, 'No effective mechanism exists to hold those responsible to account.'
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