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Israeli forces kill two Palestinians after apparent surrender in Jenin
Footage released Thursday shows Israeli security personnel fatally shooting two Palestinian men who had emerged from a building with raised hands during a raid in Jenin, a city in the occupied West Bank. The incident has drawn condemnation from the Palestinian Authority (PA), which labeled the killings a "war crime" and described them as "brutal field executions."
Israeli authorities defend actions
The Israeli military and police confirmed the men were "wanted individuals affiliated with a terror network" and stated the incident is under internal review. In a joint statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and police said forces had attempted to apprehend suspects responsible for "terror activities," including explosive attacks and shootings at security personnel.
According to the statement, troops surrounded the building where the suspects were located and initiated a "surrender procedure that lasted several hours." After the men exited, forces opened fire, resulting in their deaths.
"The fighters acted exactly as expected of them."
Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's far-right National Security Minister, in a post on X
Video shows apparent surrender before shooting
The footage depicts the two men exiting the building with their hands raised, kneeling on the ground, and one lifting his shirt-presumably to show he was unarmed. After a brief pause, they re-entered the structure before border police fired upon them.
Broader context of escalating violence
The Jenin raid is part of an ongoing Israeli military campaign in northern West Bank cities, which Israel states is aimed at dismantling Palestinian armed groups accused of attacks on soldiers and settlers. On Wednesday, Israeli forces launched a separate operation in the nearby city of Tubas.
Violence in the West Bank has surged since the October 2023 Hamas-led assault on southern Israel, which triggered a devastating Israeli military offensive in Gaza. According to the UN, Israeli troops or settlers have killed over 1,000 Palestinians-including combatants and civilians-in the West Bank since then. Israeli figures report at least 44 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, have died in Palestinian attacks or during military operations.
