Israeli forces have fatally shot a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank after the army claimed he fired on soldiers. According to the Israeli military, the incident occurred in Deir Nidham, a town west of Ramallah. Soldiers stopped a suspicious motorist on Monday for questioning, but the individual exited the vehicle, threw a grenade at the soldiers, and opened fire. In response, the soldiers fired back, neutralising the assailant, as stated in an official military statement.
The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the death of Bilal Qadah, 33, near Deir Nidham but provided no further details. Qadah, a resident of the village of Shuqba near Ramallah, was married and had three children, according to the Palestinian news outlet Wafa.
Reports suggest that Red Crescent ambulances were prevented from reaching Qadah by Israeli forces after he was shot, leaving him without immediate medical assistance. This incident has drawn condemnation from various sources, with the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine praising Qadah as a “heroic martyr” who defied the occupying army.
The West Bank, where Palestinians seek to establish a state, has witnessed a rise in violence over the past 15 months, characterized by increased Israeli raids and assaults by Jewish settlers on Palestinian villages. Last week, Israel launched a large-scale operation in the flashpoint city of Jenin, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 Palestinians, including three children. The military offensive, conducted by hundreds of soldiers, was followed by further violence, including a shooting by a Palestinian assailant that killed an Israeli soldier and subsequent clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians.
Israel has escalated its raids into Palestinian territories since the spring of 2022 in response to a series of Palestinian attacks against Israelis. The violence has steadily intensified throughout the year, resulting in a rising death toll on both sides. Since the beginning of this year, over 150 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, while at least 26 people have died in Palestinian attacks targeting Israelis.
