Israeli authorities have launched an investigation after video footage appeared to show a border police officer throwing a stun grenade into a car carrying young Palestinians during a raid in the Qalandiya refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.
The CCTV clip, recorded on Sunday and released by Israeli human rights group B'Tselem, shows an officer confronting a vehicle before the situation quickly escalates.
CCTV Shows Confrontation Turn Violent
In the footage, the officer walks up to the car and shouts at the people inside. After a short exchange, he pulls a stun grenade from his belt and throws it through the open door. As the driver tries to step out, the officer pushes the door shut and is heard shouting, "Shut your mouth. Who are you talking to like that?"
Seconds later, the grenade explodes inside the vehicle, filling it with smoke. The passengers climb out from the other side of the car to escape. The officer then appears to fire his rifle as they take cover. According to B'Tselem, everyone inside the vehicle survived.
Officer Suspended As Investigation Begins
Israeli police said the officer's actions were "not in accordance with procedure" and confirmed that the Justice Ministry's department responsible for investigating police officers has taken over the case.
The officer has been suspended while the investigation is underway.
Stun grenades are meant to temporarily disorient people with an intense flash and loud blast, but they can cause serious injuries, especially if they explode nearby.
Deadly Raid And Rising Civilian Toll
The same operation in the Qalandiya refugee camp also turned deadly. According to the Palestinian health ministry, Israeli forces shot dead 16-year-old Walid Abu Sneineh and wounded three other Palestinians. Two Palestinian children were also shot in the legs during the raid.
UN figures show that since 2020, at least 1,175 Palestinian civilians have been killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers in the occupied West Bank. At least one in four of those killed were children, and no one has been charged in connection with those deaths.
Baby Dies After Delayed Medical Treatment
Later on Sunday, the family of four-month-old Ahmad Marouf Zaid told The Guardian that the infant died after Israeli forces allegedly prevented them from crossing a checkpoint to reach an ambulance.
The family said they were forced to drive the critically ill baby through rough mountain roads to Ramallah, delaying medical care by more than an hour.
An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson denied that soldiers blocked the family from seeking medical treatment.
The incident came just days after another Israeli military raid in Ramallah, during which 15-year-old Amir Ahmad Jaber was killed.
Reacting to the latest developments, B'Tselem executive director Yuli Novak said: "The widespread and unprecedented killing of Palestinian children and teenagers in the West Bank is the result of a broader Israeli policy that allows the killing of Palestinians and violent abuse against them without any accountability."
