Israeli occupation forces (IOF) shot and killed two Palestinian teenagers near the town of Beit Ummar, north of al-Khalil (Hebron) in the occupied West Bank, on Thursday evening, before seizing their bodies, according to local Palestinian sources.

The victims were identified as Mohamed Abu Ayyash and Bilal Baran, both residents of the Beit Ummar area. Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli soldiers opened fire on the two teenagers near the entrance of the town, preventing ambulances and residents from approaching them after the shooting. The IOF then took away their bodies to an undisclosed location.

The Israeli military later claimed that the two Palestinians were allegedly planning to throw Molotov cocktails at the nearby illegal settlement of Karmei Tzur, situated close to Beit Ummar. No Israeli casualties were reported.

Palestinian local officials and residents strongly condemned the killings, describing them as part of Israel’s ongoing campaign of extrajudicial executions and collective punishment across the occupied territories.

Beit Ummar, a flashpoint area north of Hebron, has long been a target of Israeli raids, arrests, and road closures. The town’s proximity to several illegal settlements has made it a frequent site of clashes between residents and Israeli forces.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned Israel’s policy of withholding the bodies of slain Palestinians, calling it a violation of international humanitarian law and a form of psychological warfare against families seeking to bury their loved ones.

The killing of the two teenagers adds to the growing toll of Palestinian civilians, including minors, killed by Israeli forces across the West Bank amid escalating violence and military incursions since the start of the year. (ILKHA)