Two Youths Killed in Israeli Army Raids, More Homes Demolished in West Bank

July 1, 2025 News
Two Palestinian youths were shot and killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank. (Photo: Palestine Chronicle, via social media)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

At least 45 Palestinians from the towns of Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya in the West Bank were also detained.

Israeli occupation forces have shot and killed two Palestinian youths in separate incidents during raids in the cities of Ramallah and Hebron (Al-Khalil) in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday.

Amjad Nassar Awad Hawshiya, 16, from the town of Yatta, south of Hebron, and a resident of Kafr Aqab, north of Jerusalem, succumbed to his wounds after being shot by Israeli soldiers at Al-Manara Roundabout in the center of Ramallah, the official Palestinian news agency reported.

Israeli forces raided several homes on Rukab Street in the city center and in the Ein Misbah neighborhood,  vandalizing them. They also held several young men for questioning.

Elsewhere, Israeli soldiers stationed at the Adh Dhahiriya (Meitar) crossing shot and killed Samer Bassam Al-Zagharneh, a resident of the town of Ar-Ramadin, south of Hebron, WAFA reported.

Israeli forces handed over the slain youth’s body to Palestinian medical crews, the report added.

The youths’ killings increased to 988 the death toll among Palestinians killed in the West Bank since October 7, 2023, Al Jazeera Arabic (AJA) reported, citing Palestinian data. Another 7,000 Palestinians have been injured.

Scores Detained

Also on Tuesday, 45 Palestinians from the towns of Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah, Tulkarm, and Qalqilya in the West Bank were detained, AJA reported.

The army also raided Al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron, and carried out a widespread arrest campaign.

Meanwhile, Israeli special forces raided the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, on Tuesday morning, WAFA reported.

Witnesses said that undercover units affiliated with the Israeli army infiltrated the town and deployed across several neighborhoods, including al-Zakarneh and Kamil. The operation was later reinforced by additional military units dispatched from the nearby Dotan checkpoint, the report added.

‘Human Shields’ Used in Raid

Israeli forces also stormed the Iktaba suburb, east of Tulkarm city, on Tuesday morning, using military vehicles and infantry units in a large-scale raid.

WAFA’s correspondent reported the occupation forces used a young man and a child as human shields during the search operations in the lands surrounding the homes, before detaining two young men, Shadi al-Badawi and Salim al-Badawi.

The forces also assaulted a child, Saif Abu Tamza, who was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Several homes in al-Qaisi neighborhood were raided and searched, with occupation soldiers vandalizing the homes and subjecting their occupants to field interrogation, WAFA reported.

The Israeli army also raided Al-Ain refugee camp, west of Nablus Governorate, in the northern occupied West Bank. The raid on Ain al-Ain is the latest Israeli military operation against West Bank cities, towns, and camps since January 21, coinciding with the escalation of Israel’s ongoing military assault on the Gaza Strip.

Homes Demolished

Israeli forces on Tuesday demolished a Palestinian-owned house in the town of Beit Hanina, north of Jerusalem, according to WAFA.

The Jerusalem Governorate reported that the family has been left homeless after the demolition. In addition, Israeli forces forced a Palestinian family in Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, to self-demolish their home.

According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, the occupation authorities carried out 23 demolition operations in the Jerusalem Governorate during May, the report noted.

Palestinians in Jerusalem are forced to build without permits because the Israeli municipality discriminates against them and refuses to issue permits or places unreasonable conditions that they cannot afford to issue a permit, WAFA reported.

At the same time, thousands of housing units are built for illegal settlers in the city on appropriated Palestinian lands, the report added.

Qalqilya, Jericho

Elsewhere, Israeli occupation forces demolished a Palestinian-owned house located in the village of Azbat Salman, south of Qalqilya.

The house, measuring approximately 350 square meters and built on a 700-square-meter plot of land, belonged to Palestinian resident Wissam Abdul Rahman Qazmar, WAFA reported.

The Israeli forces justified the demolition, citing the absence of building permits, the report noted.

Also on Tuesday, Israeli occupation forces demolished a house and a commercial store in the town of Al-Auja, north of Jericho, according to WAFA.

(WAFA, AJA, PC)

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