What's happened
On September 19, 2024, videos surfaced showing Israeli soldiers pushing lifeless bodies off a rooftop during a raid in Qabatiya, West Bank. The Israeli military acknowledged the incident as serious and under review, while Palestinian officials condemned it as a massacre amid ongoing military operations that have resulted in numerous casualties.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The New York Times reported that the Israeli military is reviewing the incident, stating it does not align with IDF values. Sky News provided detailed analysis of the videos, confirming multiple bodies were thrown, while The Guardian highlighted the incident as part of a troubling trend of excessive force by Israeli forces. Al Jazeera described the actions as a 'crime' and emphasized the ongoing military operations that have resulted in numerous Palestinian casualties. Human rights advocates, like Shawan Jabarin from Al-Haq, expressed skepticism about the likelihood of a thorough investigation, citing a history of inadequate accountability in similar cases.
How we got here
Since late August 2024, Israel has intensified military operations in the West Bank, claiming to target militants amid rising violence. These operations have led to significant casualties, including civilians, and have drawn international scrutiny regarding human rights violations.
More on these topics
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The Israel Defense Forces, commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal, are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force, and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has
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Qabatya census, the town had a population of 19,197 in 2007.
Its total land area consists of 50,547 dunams (50.5 km²; 19.5 sq mi) and it is situated approximately 256 metres (840 ft) above sea level.
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The West Bank is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia, bordered by Jordan to the east and by Israel to the south, west and north. The West Bank also contains a significant section of the western Dead Sea shore.
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Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.