In a troubling incident in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, Israeli forces have shot and killed two Palestinian men who appeared to surrender. Video footage and local eyewitness accounts show the victims exiting a building with their shirts raised — seemingly unarmed — before being directed back inside and then shot. The killings have triggered widespread condemnation, with critics calling them extrajudicial and demanding international scrutiny.
Surrender Seen, Then Gunfire
Footage from the scene reportedly shows the two men — identified by Palestinian authorities as 26-year-old Al-Muntasir Abdullah and 37-year-old Yousef Asasa — stepping out of a building surrounded by armed soldiers. The men raised their shirts and lay on the ground to signal they were unarmed. Military personnel then ordered them back inside. Moments later, gunfire erupted at close range. Observers at the scene described it as a “cold-blooded execution.”
In response, the forces involved stated that the victims were “wanted individuals” allegedly linked to a terror network in the area. According to the military, a surrender procedure had lasted several hours before the men exited — after which “fire was directed at the suspects.” An internal review has been launched, but local officials and human rights groups express deep scepticism about any accountability.
Escalating West Bank Operations Amid Growing Violence
This deadly event comes as part of a broader intensifying security crackdown across the northern West Bank. In recent days, security forces have conducted sweeping operations, raiding multiple towns — including neighbouring areas such as Tubas — seeking to dismantle suspected militant infrastructure. Over a hundred Palestinians have reportedly been detained across these raids. While Israeli officials frame the operations as necessary counter-terror measures, critics warn that indiscriminate violence and civilian harm are mounting.
The killing in Jenin adds to a growing list of fatal incidents where at least some of the victims were reportedly unarmed or surrendering, raising alarm about possible extrajudicial practices and violation of international humanitarian norms.
International Outcry and Questions Over Accountability
Local Palestinian authorities and human rights organisations swiftly condemned the killings as “war crimes” and called for accountability. Many argue that even if suspects are accused of serious offences, the use of lethal force under surrender conditions cannot be justified. Critics are warning that without transparent, independent investigation, such operations may become part of a recurring pattern of violence against civilians.
Meanwhile, the far-right national security minister of Israel publicly backed the forces, declaring that “terrorists must die,” a statement that has further inflamed tensions and deepened distrust among Palestinians.
