At least four Palestinians and two Israelis have been killed in a shooting in the occupied West Bank, marking the deadliest single incident in the territory in months. The violence erupted in the northern village of Tal, located south-west of Nablus, where sharply conflicting accounts have emerged about the sequence of events.
Conflicting Accounts of the Violence
Palestinians told the BBC that the incident began early in the morning when approximately 30 settlers attacked Palestinian homes in Tal. According to eyewitness Ahmed Zeidan, local residents rushed to confront the settlers, leading to hand-to-hand clashes that took place in the presence of Israeli soldiers.
Essam Saifi, a local leader of the ruling Palestinian Authority's Fatah party, told Reuters that settlers opened fire before Israeli forces arrived and also began shooting. Saifi said two brothers and two of their cousins were among those killed. Palestinian officials reported that several other Palestinians were wounded.
Israel's military offered a different account, stating that Palestinians initiated the attack. The IDF said soldiers had gone to Tal following a report of an attack on Israeli civilians who were hiking in the area. The military noted that the hike had not been coordinated with them. The area where the incident occurred falls partly under full Palestinian Authority control and partly under PA administrative control with Israeli security control.
According to the IDF, a security guard from a nearby settler outpost went to the scene and had his weapon snatched by a Palestinian, who then used it against the Israelis, killing the guard. Soldiers subsequently "eliminated the terrorist who executed the terror attack," the military said. The IDF has not explained who killed the other Palestinians.
Video Footage and Military Response
Two video clips widely shared by local media — though not independently verified — appear to show elements of the confrontation. One video seems to depict a confrontation between Palestinians, Israeli soldiers, and armed Israelis in civilian clothes, with gunshots fired as a group of Israeli civilians, including children, watch and heckle. Armed Israelis in civilian clothes are seen pushing and kicking two Palestinian men.
A second video, shot from a different angle, appears to show both men attempting to grab guns, with one succeeding. Chaotic scenes follow as several gunshots are heard, with the man apparently firing the weapon and troops responding.
The IDF later confirmed that a 27-year-old soldier "fell during operational activity in the area of the village," though the circumstances of his death remain unclear. The Israeli ambulance service reported that two Israelis were also wounded in the incident.
The military says it is preparing for a major operation in the area and has cancelled soldiers' leave. An AFP reporter at the site observed roadblocks being set up and troops searching for additional suspects. The IDF later said it raided a hospital in Nablus and apprehended two individuals it described as terrorists who had participated in the shooting and gone to the hospital for treatment.