Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Family in West Bank, Incident Under Review
Israeli forces killed a Palestinian father, mother, and two of their children as they drove in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, according to Palestinian health authorities. The Israeli military stated the incident is under review, citing a perceived threat during an operation.
Details of the Incident
Ali Khaled Bani Odeh, 37, his 35-year-old wife Waad, and their children Mohammad and Othman, aged 5 and 7 respectively, were each shot in the head in the village of Tammun. Two other children in the vehicle sustained injuries. The Israeli military reported that forces were in Tammun to arrest Palestinians wanted for involvement in what they described as terrorist activity against security forces.
During the operation, a vehicle accelerated toward the forces, who perceived an immediate threat to their safety and responded with gunfire, resulting in the deaths of four Palestinians in the vehicle. The circumstances are currently under review by the military.
Survivor Account and Broader Context
Khaled, 12, one of the surviving boys, recounted the harrowing experience at the hospital. He heard his mother crying and his father praying before silence fell after shots sprayed the car. He stated, "We came under direct fire, we didn't know the source. Everyone in the car was martyred, except my brother Mustafa and me." Khaled added that soldiers pulled him out of the vehicle, beat him, and cried, "We killed dogs."
In a separate incident, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported that one Palestinian was killed in an attack by Israeli settlers overnight. Rights groups and medics note that settlers in the West Bank are taking advantage of movement curbs imposed during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran to attack Palestinians, with military roadblocks hindering ambulance access. Since the Iran war began on February 28, settlers have killed at least five Palestinians in the West Bank.
Gaza Deaths and Regional Violence
In Gaza, health officials said an Israeli airstrike killed three people on Sunday—a man, his pregnant wife, and their son—in the western area of Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip. This brings the death toll of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in the enclave since the Iran war erupted to at least 26. There was no immediate Israeli response to this report.
While Israeli attacks on Gaza declined at the start of the war with Iran, they have since increased again. Although a ceasefire went into effect in Gaza in October, regular outbreaks of violence have persisted, highlighting ongoing tensions in the region.
