Netanyahu convenes emergency meeting as West Bank violence claims five lives
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called an emergency cabinet session following a fatal shooting incident in the occupied West Bank, where officials report conflicting narratives regarding the deaths of four Palestinians and one Israeli.
The Israeli military and Palestinian health officials confirmed that four Palestinians and one Israeli were killed in a shooting incident in the occupied West Bank on Friday. The violence occurred in the town of Tal, located southwest of Nablus, prompting a temporary closure of the area and the establishment of roadblocks by Israeli troops who pursued the assailants.
Palestinian officials stated that residents of Tal were attacked by Israeli civilians and soldiers, resulting in four deaths and four injuries. Essam Saifi, a local leader from the Palestinian Fatah party, told Reuters that the incident began when approximately 25 to 30 Jewish settlers attacked the eastern area of the town and attempted to break into two houses. Saifi claimed that when residents confronted the settlers, they opened fire.
According to Saifi, the situation escalated further half an hour later when Israelis returned to attack the western part of the town, striking a minor with a weapon. He alleged that upon the arrival of the Israeli military, both troops and settlers began shooting, contributing to the chaos that led to the fatalities.
The Israeli military offered a different account, stating it was dispatched to the area after reports of an attack on Israeli civilians who were hiking in the vicinity. The military alleged that a Palestinian had stolen a weapon from local security personnel and fired at the civilians, prompting the military response.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting to discuss a response to the incident. Violence between Israeli settlers, troops, and Palestinians has surged sharply in the occupied Palestinian territory since the start of the Gaza war.
The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, with more than 500,000 Israelis living in settlements alongside approximately three million Palestinians. All Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law.
Data compiled by AFP from the Palestinian health ministry indicates that Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed at least 1,094 Palestinians, including militants and civilians, since the beginning of the Gaza war. Official Israeli figures show that at least 47 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during military operations over the same period.
