Israeli authorities are investigating the shooting death of two people by soldiers in Jenin, the occupied West Bank, after a “surrender procedure”, according to a joint statement from a military spokesperson and Israeli police.
The Palestinian Authority confirmed their deaths, and the West Bank Civil Affairs Directorate identified the men as Al-Muntashir Mahmoud Qassem Abdullah, 26, and Yousef Ali Youssef Assa, 37.
It condemned the deadly shooting as “a full-scale war crime and a gross violation of all international laws, treaties, norms and humanitarian values.”
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the two men were wanted by authorities on suspicion of terrorist activities.
In a joint statement, the IDF said it had worked with border police to arrest two members of a “terrorist organization operating in Jenin,” accusing them of throwing explosives and firing at security forces.
The Israel Defense Forces added that the “surrender procedure” lasted several hours and that the men left the building after a sabotage vehicle was used. “Shots were fired at the wanted persons after they exited the building,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a joint statement with Israeli police.
Video of the incident shared on social media showed two men emerging from the building with their hands raised above their heads in surrender. They are surrounded by people who appear to be Israeli soldiers.
Two people were then seen lying on the floor in front of the entrance to the building before multiple gunshots were heard. The body of at least one of the men could be seen lying on the ground, according to the video.
“This incident is currently under investigation by the on-scene commander and will be transferred for consideration by the relevant authorities,” the IDF statement said.
The Israeli military launched a major military operation in the West Bank on Wednesday, with Israeli forces “searching more than 220 locations, interrogating dozens of people and arresting “several wanted persons,” according to an earlier statement from the IDF.
Israel’s far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir praised the Israeli army and police after the incident.
“I fully support the border police fighters and IDF soldiers who opened fire on the wanted terrorists coming out of the building in Jenin. The fighters did exactly what they were expected to do. The terrorists must die!” he wrote on social media.
