By Julie Frankel and Majdi Mohammed | Related Press
QABATIYA, West Financial institution — Israeli troopers pushed three apparently lifeless our bodies from rooftops throughout a raid within the northern a part of the occupied West Financial institution on Thursday, in line with an Related Press journalist on the scene and video obtained by AP.
An AP journalist within the city of Qabatiya witnessed three troopers push the our bodies off the roofs of adjoining multi-story buildings, sending them falling out of view. It was the newest in a sequence of suspected violations by Israeli forces because the begin of the Israel-Hamas battle that rights teams say present a sample of extreme power towards Palestinians.
“It is a severe incident that doesn’t coincide with IDF values and the expectations from IDF troopers,” the army mentioned in an announcement, utilizing the acronym it goes by. “The incident is below evaluation.”
Israel mentioned its troops had killed 4 militants throughout operations in Qabatiya on Thursday.
The Palestinian Well being Ministry in Ramallah didn’t instantly affirm a number of deaths, however mentioned one particular person had been killed within the city and that Israeli gunfire despatched 10 Palestinians to the hospital.
Within the video obtained by AP, three troopers will be seen choosing up what seems to be a stiff physique after which dragging it towards the sting of the roof as troops stand on the bottom beneath. The troopers on the roof peer over the sting earlier than heaving the physique off.
On an adjoining rooftop, the troopers maintain one other apparently lifeless physique by its limbs and swing it over the sting. In a 3rd occasion, a soldier kicks a physique towards the sting earlier than it falls from view. Images captured by AP throughout Thursday’s raid present an Israeli military bulldozer shifting close to the buildings the place the our bodies had been dropped.
Different journalists on the scene additionally witnessed the our bodies being pushed off the roofs.
The identities of the lifeless and the reason for their deaths weren’t instantly identified.
When withdrawing from raids, the military often leaves behind any Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire. Sometimes the military brings lifeless our bodies into Israel.
Underneath worldwide regulation, troopers are supposed to make sure lifeless our bodies, together with these of enemy combatants, are handled decently.
“There isn’t any army want to do that. It’s only a savage method of treating Palestinian our bodies,” mentioned Shawan Jabarin, the director of Palestinian rights group Al-Haq, after watching the footage.
Jabarin mentioned the video was stunning however not shocking, and he was uncertain Israel would correctly examine the incident. The Israeli army not often prosecutes troopers in instances of reported hurt to Palestinians, rights teams say.
“Essentially the most that can occur is that troopers will likely be disciplined, however there will likely be no actual investigation and no actual prosecution,” mentioned Jabarin.
The AP reporter who witnessed the raid noticed a blindfolded and shirtless Palestinian man kneeling earlier than an Israeli military jeep and armed troopers. Smoke billows from a number of buildings that appeared broken.
Because the world’s consideration focuses on the way more lethal battle in Gaza lower than 80 miles away, scores of Palestinians have been killed, shot and arrested within the West Financial institution, the place the Israeli army has waged a months-long crackdown.
Over 700 Palestinians within the West Financial institution have been killed by Israeli fireplace because the battle erupted on Oct. 7, in line with the Palestinian Well being Ministry. The northern West Financial institution has seen among the worst violence because the battle’s outbreak.
Israel says the raids are essential to stamp out militancy, which has flared since Oct. 7. In that point, Palestinian gunmen have attacked Israelis at checkpoints and staged a number of assaults inside Israel.
Earlier this month, Israel staged its deadliest raid into the northern West Financial institution because the battle started, killing at the very least 33 individuals.
Frankel reported from Jerusalem. AP reporter Jack Jeffery contributed reporting from Ramallah, West Financial institution.