IDF under scrutiny after 14-year-old dies during West Bank raid amid Israel-Palestine conflict
A disturbing video from the occupied West Bank has intensified scrutiny of the Israel-Palestine conflict, showing a 14-year-old Palestinian boy, Jad Jadallah, shot at close range by Israeli soldiers and left bleeding for an extended period without clear medical assistance.
The incident occurred last November in the al-Far’a refugee camp, home to about 10,000 Palestinians. According to CCTV footage verified by media reports, Jad and two friends were peeking around an alley corner after hearing that Israeli military vehicles were leaving the area.
Unbeknownst to them, four Israeli soldiers were positioned just metres away.
Shot at Close Range
Video footage shows one soldier stepping into view less than three metres from Jad and appearing to open fire. Jad, seemingly wounded, runs a few metres before collapsing in the alley. Bullet marks later found on nearby walls suggest multiple shots were fired.
Separate bystander footage shows Jad lying on the ground, repeatedly waving his arms and throwing his hat toward the soldiers, apparently trying to get their attention. The soldiers appear to stand nearby without immediately providing visible life-saving treatment.
According to eyewitness accounts and the Palestinian Red Crescent, two ambulances were prevented at gunpoint from reaching the injured teenager. The lead paramedic, Hassan Fouqha, said they were forced to watch for at least 35 minutes as Jad lay bleeding.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told the BBC that soldiers provided “initial medical treatment” after ensuring Jad was not carrying explosives but declined to provide details about the nature or timing of that aid.
At some point after being placed in a military vehicle, Jad died. The military has not clarified how many times he was shot or where he was wounded. His body has not been returned to his family.
Dispute Over Allegations
The IDF accused Jad of throwing a rock and described him as a “terrorist” who attempted to attack soldiers — an allegation that, under Israeli rules of engagement, could justify the use of lethal force.
However, footage shows a soldier appearing to drop an object next to Jad after he was shot and then photographing it. Jad’s family and Israeli human rights group B’Tselem argue that the act appears to show an attempt to plant evidence.
“It is hard to determine for certain what we’re seeing,” a representative from B’Tselem said, “but many who watch the footage may conclude it looks like an attempt to frame him.”
When asked directly about the allegation, the IDF did not respond.
Wider Context in the West Bank
Jad’s death comes amid escalating violence in the West Bank following the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. According to United Nations data, 55 Palestinian children were killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank last year, and 227 children have been killed there since October 2023.
Israeli authorities frequently conduct military raids in refugee camps, stating they are targeting armed groups. Human rights organizations, however, have criticized what they describe as a permissive “open fire” policy.
Israel is reportedly withholding hundreds of Palestinian bodies, including Jad’s. His mother, Safa, said the refusal to return her son’s body adds to the family’s suffering.
“Maybe it is only to exhaust us,” she said. “But we will keep waiting. Today, tomorrow, or after a hundred years, we will get him back.”
Many key details of the case remain unresolved, including the exact circumstances of the shooting and the timeline of medical intervention.
Source: BBC