Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Near Hebron as Settler Violence Surges Across Occupied West Bank

Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man and seriously wounded two others near the town of Bani Naim, east of Hebron, on Monday, in one of a series of violent incidents reported across the occupied West Bank in a single day, according to Palestinian officials and the Israeli military.

The Palestinian General Authority of Civil Affairs identified the deceased as 38-year-old Hossam Alaa al-Din Abdul Jabbar Walad Ali. The authority said Israeli forces had withheld his body, a practice that has become increasingly common in the territory and which rights groups argue deprives families of closure and violates international humanitarian law.

According to the Israeli military, the three Palestinians were traveling in a vehicle that approached soldiers "suspiciously" before accelerating toward a military jeep and striking it. The army said its troops then opened fire, describing the incident as an attempted car-ramming attack. Palestinian officials, however, disputed that account, saying the three men were shot while in their car and that the circumstances of the incident remained contested.

The fatal shooting near Bani Naim was not an isolated event. In a separate incident near Ramallah, the Israeli military said it dispatched troops after receiving a report that a vehicle had been set on fire and that two "terrorists" were present in the area, one of whom was allegedly carrying a knife. The military stated that one of the Palestinians "was neutralised by an Israeli civilian," without clarifying what that term meant in practice. Palestinian authorities said Ahmad Mazen Kahla was critically injured by Israeli occupation forces' gunfire in the same area.

Further north, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians in the Imriha area, southwest of Jenin, injuring three people. The Palestinian Red Crescent said its crews treated the wounded and transported them to hospital. Sources cited by the Anadolu news agency said one Palestinian suffered a broken leg, another sustained a hand injury, and an elderly man was beaten and pepper-sprayed during the assault. The attack is the latest in a long pattern of settler violence that has intensified alongside the broader escalation in the territory.

The violence comes amid a sharp rise in unrest across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in the run-up to Israeli elections later this month. Reports indicate that Israeli efforts to prevent Palestinian politicians and parties from participating in the electoral process have compounded existing tensions, raising concerns about the disenfranchisement of the Palestinian population at a moment of heightened political uncertainty.

The Palestinian Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission released figures showing that 66 Palestinians have been killed in at least 14,742 attacks across the occupied West Bank since October 2023. The same data indicates that attacks have damaged or destroyed 147,111 trees through breaking, uprooting, burning, and poisoning, including 100,485 olive trees. The destruction of olive groves carries particular weight in Palestinian society, as olive cultivation is both an economic lifeline and a deeply rooted cultural tradition that has been passed down through generations.

Israeli settler violence has been a persistent driver of displacement and insecurity in Palestinian communities, with olive harvest season repeatedly marred by attacks on farmers attempting to bring in their crops. In recent days, reports have documented settlers attacking Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest, prompting questions about what is driving the surge in settler violence and why Israeli authorities have not consistently intervened to prevent it.

The broader context of Monday's incidents is one of accelerating violence and deepening humanitarian concerns. The occupied West Bank has seen a significant increase in Israeli military operations, settler attacks, and Palestinian casualties since October 2023, a trajectory that has drawn international scrutiny and repeated calls for restraint. Rights organizations have argued that accountability for both military shootings and settler assaults remains rare, contributing to a climate of impunity that fuels further violence.

The withholding of Hossam Alaa al-Din Abdul Jabbar Walad Ali's body adds to a growing list of Palestinian families denied the ability to bury their dead in accordance with religious and cultural norms. Israeli authorities have defended the practice as a security measure, but critics view it as a form of collective punishment that exacerbates grief and anger within affected communities.

Monday's incidents also underscore the contested nature of official accounts. The Israeli military's description of the Bani Naim shooting as an attempted car-ramming attack contrasts with Palestinian testimony that the men were fired upon without justification. Such discrepancies have become familiar in a conflict where access for independent investigators is severely restricted, leaving families and observers to rely on competing narratives.

The attacks in Imriha, meanwhile, highlight the vulnerability of Palestinian communities near Jenin, an area that has experienced repeated settler incursions and military raids. The elderly man who was beaten and pepper-sprayed during the assault represents a particularly troubling aspect of the violence, as older Palestinians are often unable to flee or defend themselves during such encounters.

As Israeli elections approach, the political environment appears likely to sustain, rather than reduce, the pressures on Palestinian communities. The exclusion of Palestinian political voices from the electoral process, combined with ongoing military operations and settler violence, suggests that the coming weeks could bring further escalation. For families in Bani Naim, Ramun, and Imriha, Monday's events are the latest chapter in a long and painful history of displacement, loss, and the struggle to remain on their land.