Key facts
- Two Palestinians, Ahmad Adel Abu Mukho and Odeh Abdul Rahim Odeh Farakhneh, were killed by Israeli fire.
- The incident occurred during a settler attack in Deir Jarir, West Bank, accompanied by Israeli soldiers.
- Settlers raided a house and stole sheep, leading to a confrontation where residents attempting to intervene were shot.
- Palestinian residents described the event as a partnership between the army and settlers.
- The Israeli military stated they opened fire after Palestinians threw rocks and concrete blocks.
Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire during a settler attack in the West Bank town of Deir Jarir late Sunday night. The victims were identified as Ahmad Adel Abu Mukho, 26, and Odeh Abdul Rahim Odeh Farakhneh, 53.
According to Palestinian residents, settlers arrived at the town after 9 p.m. claiming to be searching for stolen livestock. They were soon joined by Israeli soldiers and police, who protected them as they attempted to forcibly take sheep from villagers. When a crowd gathered, soldiers opened fire, killing the two men.
Family members described the incident as a "partnership between the army and the settlers," with settlers frequently raiding homes on the outskirts of the village and stealing livestock, often under the protection of security forces. Video footage appeared to show a settler, accompanied by four IDF soldiers, leading a sheep out of a local house.
The Israeli military stated that soldiers went to Deir Jarir to escort settlers who claimed their livestock had been stolen and wanted to retrieve it. The military added that they opened fire after Palestinians threw rocks and concrete blocks at the security forces. They did not respond to questions about why non-lethal crowd control measures were not used.
This incident is part of a pattern of escalating settler violence in the region, which has intensified since the war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023. A 17-year-old from the town of al-Mughayyir also died recently from a gunshot wound sustained during a raid by the Israeli military and settlers.