Israeli police shot and killed a 33-year-old Palestinian man near Damascus Gate in Jerusalem on Friday, claiming he was attempting to stab an officer. The Palestinian news agency Wafa identified the deceased as Ibrahim al-Hendi from East Jerusalem’s Beit Hanina neighborhood. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following the shooting, Israeli forces increased their presence around Damascus Gate and the surrounding areas of Jerusalem’s Old City, according to Palestinian sources.
In a separate incident, the Israeli army reported arrests of Palestinians in the town of Qabatiya, alleging they were planning attacks against Israelis and security forces. Additionally, ten Palestinians were arrested during a 48-hour operation in Nablus, where the army claimed to have seized over 30 machines used for weapon production.
On the same day, reports indicated that Israeli settlers and soldiers conducted attacks across the occupied West Bank. Settlers reportedly stormed the Khirbet al-Hamra community in the northern Jordan Valley, assaulting a resident, and also attacked Khalet a-Nahlah in southern Bethlehem. Israeli forces responded to a gathering of Palestinians resisting these attacks with tear gas and concussion grenades.
The Israeli army also blocked approximately 100 peace activists from delivering food and medicine to Palestinians in the town of Qusra, which has been under siege for 28 days. Activists from the Israeli Peace Now movement stated that they were initially prevented from entering Qusra, which the army designated as a 'closed military zone.' After being allowed in, they were detained on their way back for allegedly violating the zone.
Qusra Mayor Abdel Azim Wadi informed the Turkish Anadolu news agency that the Israeli army has been obstructing the delivery of essential supplies to three families trapped on Mount Ras al-Ain.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee commented that settler violence against Palestinians is harming Israel's image and emphasized the need for Israel to maintain positive relations with its allies.
According to Palestinian figures, around 750,000 Israeli settlers reside in 156 illegal settlements and 360 outposts in the occupied West Bank, where they carry out actions aimed at displacing Palestinians.