A 17-year-old Palestinian youth was killed by Israeli fire on Tuesday afternoon near Zubaidat, a village north of Jericho in the West Bank. The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that the General Directorate of Civil Affairs identified the victim as Muhamad Yousef Ismail Zubaidat, a resident of the area. The incident immediately drew attention to ongoing tensions in the region and raised questions about the use of deadly force in confrontations with security forces.
Reports indicate that Israeli forces planned to follow the youth, fire at him, and confiscate his body. They also sought to search his family home and arrest his father and brother. These details emerged through the Palestinian news agency Wafa, which cited sources familiar with security operations in the area.
According to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) statements, the minor allegedly opened fire in the Jordan Valley near the Argaman crossing. Officials claimed that Zubaidat fired into the air, then fled while being pursued by border police, leading to a clash. During the confrontation, a police officer was injured and transported to a hospital. The IDF later stated that the suspect had been neutralized after the incident.
Palestinian government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem condemned what he called the “shooting of the occupation soldiers,” describing it as a systematic practice involving further killings and intimidation within a doctrine that includes field executions. In a separate reaction, Hamas denounced the death, saying resistance would continue and that the invader must expect continued Palestinian defense in various conflicts.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qasim praised the operation in the Jordan Valley, saying it was part of defending the Palestinian people and a response to what he described as occupation crimes. He asserted that the occupation will face consequences for its actions against Palestinians.
Likewise, Islamic Jihad celebrated what it described as the intensification of guerrilla activity, particularly in the occupied West Bank, noting ongoing attacks by Israeli forces on Palestinian towns and villages. The group framed the situation as an ongoing struggle in the face of occupation and regular security actions in the region. (Source: Palestinian authorities and security wing briefings)