Israeli soldiers shoot dead Palestinian who held hands in air

Man seen walking towards troops in Nablus with arms raised before shots ring out

Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian man after he approached them with his hands in the air during a raid in the old quarter of Nablus in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday.

The man, who was not identified, was one of what the Israeli army said were two terrorists who were “eliminated” after attempting to snatch a weapon from a soldier.

Footage and photos of the incident show a man wearing a white shirt, dark trousers and a red cap walking towards soldiers positioned at the entrance to a narrow passageway in one of the old city's lanes.

The Palestinian man raises his hands as he approaches two Israeli soldiers who are aiming their weapons at him. Reuters

The man gestures to the soldiers who still have their guns trained on the resident. Reuters

Shots are fired and the man lays dead in the alleyway. AFP

An Israeli soldier aims his gun at photographers. AFP

Once close, he appears to talk to them, arms still raised, before a series of shots ring out. Subsequent photos show the man lying on the ground, a red stain on his shirt, with another person also prone on the ground nearby, as soldiers stand over them.

Israeli soldiers stand over two bodies on the ground during a raid in Nablus. AFP

The Israeli army said that “as a result of the attempt to steal the soldier’s weapon, several bullets were fired, moderately injuring one soldier, and lightly injuring three additional soldiers”.

Palestinian authorities said Nidal Amireh, 40, and his brother, Khaled, 35, died of their injuries after being shot by Israeli troops, who were withholding their bodies.

Dozens wounded in Nablus raids

In addition to the two deaths, Palestinian medics reported dozens of people injured during the raid as a result of either beatings by Israeli soldiers, being hit by shrapnel and from inhaling tear gas.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said many of the injured had to be treated in the old city after its ambulances were blocked from entering.

The Israel army said it arrested six wanted people, and seized weapons during a search of “over 250 structures” during the operation.

AFP reported that dozens of military vehicles entered the city shortly after midnight, after a curfew had been announced over loudspeakers the day before.

The raid was focused on the old city, a densely populated area bordering a large downtown square where young men and boys gathered to burn tyres and throw stones at the armoured vehicles. Israeli flags were raised over the roofs of buildings that had been turned into temporary bases for Israeli troops during the raid.

Nablus is in the northern West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967.

A masked Palestinian man walks past burning tyres set up to block a road during a large-scale Israeli army raid in the old town of Nablus city in the occupied West Bank. AFP

A Palestinian man raises his hands as an Israeli solider aims a weapon at him during an Israeli raid in Nablus. Reuters

Israeli soldiers load bags into an armoured vehicle. AP

An Israeli armoured vehicle drives past burning tyres. AP

A masked Palestinian demonstrator sets a tyre on fire. AP

An Israeli soldier points his weapon in Nablus. AP

A Palestinian man looks out of a window during the raids in Nablus. EPA

A Palestinian man seeks cover from tear gas. EPA

The territory's north has been the target of a major Israeli military operation dubbed “Iron Wall” since January 21, two days after the start of a ceasefire in Gaza.

Violence has surged in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, caused by the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack by the Palestinian militants group Hamas on southern Israel.

At least 938 Palestinians, including fighters but also many civilians, have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli soldiers or settlers, according to data from the Palestinian Authority.

During the same period, at least 35 Israelis, both civilians and soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military raids, according to official Israeli figures.