Israeli forces kill 15-year-old Palestinian boy after settlers attack West Bank towns, officials say

Israeli forces killed a 15-year-old Palestinian boy in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, according to Palestinian officials. The incident comes amid rising violence between Israeli forces, settlers, and Palestinian residents.

Palestinian health authorities identified the teenager as Rayan Tamer Hawshiya. He was shot in the neck during a military raid in Al Yamoun, a northern town near Jenin. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah said residents reported heavy gunfire during the raid.

The Israeli military said troops entered the town after being attacked with explosives. “Terrorists hurled explosive devices at IDF forces,” a military spokesperson told CNN. “The forces responded with fire, and hits were identified.”

Hawshiya's family said the teen had no links to any militant groups.

Later that same day, a 66-year-old Palestinian woman, Zahia Joudeh al-Obeidi, died after being shot in the head. The shooting happened during an Israeli police raid on the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem. According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, Israeli police stormed the area without warning.

Police confirmed the woman’s death and launched an investigation into the incident. They did not release further details.

The deaths come during a sharp rise in settler violence across the West Bank. In the town of Kafr Malik, Israeli settlers attacked homes and cars. The Palestinian foreign ministry said settlers opened fire on residents. Israeli officials said there was also a firefight between Palestinian gunmen and security forces.

Three Palestinians died and several more were injured, according to Palestinian officials. The Israeli military said “several” people were killed but did not confirm their identities.

An Israeli opposition politician called the violence a “violent Jewish pogrom.” Yair Golan said, “Dozens of rioters set fire to homes and vehicles, and assaulted Palestinians and security forces.”

Videos from Kafr Malik showed residents fleeing burning homes and cars. In one clip, a man tries to extinguish a burning vehicle using a hose. The IDF said they arrested five Israelis and were attacked when they arrived on the scene.

Violence continued in nearby areas. In Taybeh, settlers torched three cars and injured three people, according to the Israeli rights group B’Tselem. Another attack occurred near Jericho, where smoke from a burning home injured eight, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces or settlers have killed at least 947 Palestinians in the West Bank, including 200 children. These figures come from the United Nations’ human rights office. Over the same period, 39 Israeli civilians died in West Bank violence, according to Israeli officials.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, when it seized the territory from Jordan. In May, the Israeli government approved its largest expansion of Jewish settlements in decades. These settlements are considered illegal under international law.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in 2024 that Israel must treat the West Bank threat “just as we deal with Gaza.” He warned that Palestinians who fled military raids would not be allowed to return.

Human Rights Watch accused Israel of “deliberate displacement of Palestinian civilians.” The group said Israeli actions had made much of the territory “unlivable.”

The United Nations echoed these claims. UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, said Israel’s operations forced thousands from their homes.

“Even now, Israeli security forces are demolishing homes and buildings in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams camps,” said Roland Friedrich, UNRWA affairs director. “Stripped of basic dignity, many families couldn’t save their belongings.”

The situation continues to deteriorate. With raids, demolitions, and settler attacks increasing, aid workers and rights groups warn of a growing humanitarian crisis in the West Bank.

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