Israeli forces shoot dead Palestinian man in West Bank raid

Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man on Friday in the city of Jenin, in the north of the occupied West Bank.

The military said the man attempted to stab a soldier during the raid, while the Palestinian health ministry confirmed his death from gunfire injuries.

Who was killed in the Jenin raid?

Fathi Zidan Hazem, 58, died from injuries sustained after being shot by Israeli forces early Friday in Jenin, the Palestinian health ministry said. Israel is withholding his body. Hazem was a retired colonel in the Palestinian National Security Forces and had lost two sons to previous Israeli operations.

What did the Israeli military say happened?

The Israeli military said a "terrorist armed with a knife attempted to stab an IDF soldier" while troops operated in the Jenin area. Soldiers "responded by firing toward the terrorist and eliminating him," it said, adding that no injuries were reported among the troops involved.

What does the eyewitness account say?

A Palestinian eyewitness, who declined to give her name to AFP, said Israeli forces raided her neighbor's house in the early hours and ordered Hazem to raise his hands.

She said he refused and then attacked them with a knife, after which they shot him seven times in front of his 10-year-old son. She added that Israeli forces dragged his body down the stairs and took it with them. AFP footage from the scene showed a pool of blood and bullets scattered among groceries inside the family's home.

Why has Hazem's family faced previous Israeli operations?

In April 2022, Hazem's son Raad Hazem carried out a shooting spree in Tel Aviv, killing three Israelis and wounding several others. Israeli authorities demanded that Fathi Hazem hand himself in following the attack, and his son was later shot dead by Israeli forces after a large manhunt.

A second son, Abdul Rahman Hazem, was killed during an Israeli military raid targeting alleged militants in the Jenin refugee camp in September 2022.

How many people have died in West Bank violence since October 2023?

Violence in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, has surged since the Gaza war began with Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

At least 1,098 Palestinians, including militants, have been killed by Israeli troops or settlers since then, according to Palestinian figures. Official Israeli data shows at least 48 Israelis, both civilians and security personnel, have been killed in attacks by Palestinians or during Israeli military operations over the same period.