Israeli forces are retaining the bodies of two Palestinian teenagers who were shot dead near a settlement in the West Bank, Palestinian officials said Monday. The incident occurred north of Hebron, according to the Ramallah-based General Authority of Civil Affairs, which is affiliated with the Palestinian Authority.
The two youths were identified by the Palestinian news agency Wafa as Reda Sami Awad, 15, and Arafat Ismail Awad, 19. Wafa reported that Israeli forces have not returned their bodies.
Israel’s military stated that soldiers fired on a group late Sunday who were reportedly burning tires and throwing Molotov cocktails toward the settlement. The military described the operation as a "counter-terrorism" action, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and the neutralization of a third. The military referred to the assailants as threats during the incident, which took place amid ongoing tensions in the area.
The West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, with over 500,000 Israeli settlers living there, excluding East Jerusalem, alongside approximately three million Palestinians. The United Nations recently highlighted a surge in settler violence against Palestinians, noting an average of six attacks per day that cause injuries or property damage.
The region has experienced heightened violence since the onset of the Gaza conflict earlier this year. According to reports compiled from the Palestinian health ministry, Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed at least 1,082 Palestinians—including both militants and civilians—since the escalation began. Israeli officials report that at least 46 Israelis, including both civilians and soldiers, have been killed in attacks attributed to Palestinians or during Israeli military operations in the same timeframe.
The situation reflects the continuing cycle of violence in the West Bank amid ongoing disputes over territory, security, and sovereignty. Both Israeli and Palestinian authorities maintain contrasting narratives over incidents such as these, underscoring the complexity and volatility of the conflict.