Four members of a Palestinian family, including two young children, were killed after Israeli soldiers opened fire on their car in the occupied West Bank. The tragic incident occurred late at night during the holy month of Ramadan and has raised serious concerns about the rising violence in the region.
The victims were identified as Ali Bani Odeh, 37, his wife Wa’ed Bani Odeh, 35, and their sons Mohammed, 5, and Othman, 7. The family had gone for a late-night drive after breaking their daily Ramadan fast and were returning home from the city of Nablus when their car was suddenly fired upon.
Two other children in the vehicle survived the attack. One of them, 11-year-old Khaled Bani Odeh, later described the frightening moments while speaking from his hospital bed.
Survivor Describes the Terrifying Moments
According to Khaled, the shooting began suddenly and without warning. “There were direct gunshots toward us, and we didn’t know where they were coming from,” he said in an interview with a Palestinian journalist.
He recalled that his father began reciting the shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith often spoken when facing death. “My mother was screaming and then she went silent,” Khaled said.
Khaled tried to help his younger brother Mohammed, but he was unable to move him. The only surviving children from the family are Khaled and his brother Mustafa.
Images from the scene showed the family’s car with its windshield shattered and bullet casings scattered across the road. Blood stains were also visible, showing how severe the attack was.
Israeli Military Says Soldiers Felt Threatened
The Israeli military confirmed the shooting but said the soldiers fired because they felt threatened by the movement of the vehicle.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said a car “accelerated toward the forces,” causing soldiers to open fire. The military added that four Palestinians inside the vehicle were killed as a result.
Officials also said that the circumstances of the incident are currently under investigation. However, no surveillance footage or video evidence showing the car’s movement has been released so far.
Palestinian paramedics also reported that they were initially prevented from reaching the scene to provide medical assistance. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, medical teams received the victims at a nearby hospital about an hour later.
Rising Violence in the West Bank
The shooting comes at a time when violence in the West Bank has been increasing. Israel has expanded military operations in the territory since 2023 while also continuing to support the expansion of Jewish settlements.
Many international organizations consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. Human rights groups say the expansion of settlements and military raids are worsening tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.
In a separate attack over the weekend, Israeli settlers reportedly killed a 28-year-old Palestinian man, Amir Oudeh, during an assault on the village of Qusra. According to Palestinian officials and activists, his father was also injured while trying to help him and was later beaten and stabbed by settlers.
The United Nations has expressed concern over the growing number of deaths in the occupied Palestinian territories. Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN human rights office in the region, said the situation shows a troubling pattern of disregard for Palestinian lives.
He warned that a lack of accountability is leading to more killings, displacement, and suffering for Palestinians across the occupied territory.
