5 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Nablus shooting

Five Palestinian men were killed by Israeli special forces who shot at their car in Nablus in the occupied West Bank.

A video obtained by CNN shows at least four men standing behind a car while holding assault rifles and shooting at a second car across from them. In a separate video bystanders are seen rushing to the scene after the gunmen left. Another video shows the interior of the car filled with blood.

In a joint statement, the Israeli police and the Shin Bet security agency announced they killed five people, including the head of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades – a network of Palestinian armed groups – in Balata.

The statement added those killed were “wanted for terrorist activities” and were “involved in exporting and planning terrorist activities against civilians and IDF forces”.

Hamas condemned the attack in a statement calling on residents of the occupied West Bank to mobilize in “mass angry marches” and “escalate the confrontation and clash with the occupation and its settler gangs in all areas”.

There has been a surge in Israeli settler violence across the occupied West Bank since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza.

Since October 7, 2023, at least 747 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, according to Palestinian health officials, and more than 6,200 others have been wounded.