A Palestinian man was killed Thursday after being shot by Israeli forces during a raid on the town of Sarta in the occupied West Bank, as his family said Israeli troops prevented paramedics from reaching him for nearly two hours after shooting him inside his home.
Israeli forces raided the town, west of Salfit, conducting house searches and arrest operations targeting several Palestinians, witnesses told Anadolu Agency.
During the raid, Israeli soldiers entered a home and opened fire at Mustafa Taha Khatib inside the house, critically wounding him, the witnesses said.
Khatib was transferred to Salfit Government Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Khatib’s uncle, Yassin Khatib, said the family awoke to find Israeli troops deployed across the town before they surrounded the house where Mustafa lived.
“My nephew called me and said the army was in the town,” he said. “I went up to the roof and saw Israeli forces positioned at the entrance leading to Mustafa’s home.”
He said Palestinian ambulance crews arrived after the Palestinian liaison office — the body responsible for field coordination with Israeli authorities — was informed that someone had been wounded.
“The ambulance reached the area, but the army prevented it from entering, cleared the surroundings of the house, and remained there for about two hours after Mustafa was shot and injured,” he said.
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According to Yassin Khatib, Israeli soldiers later detained one of the family’s relatives before withdrawing from the area. “Only then were the medics allowed to enter,” he said.
He added that he was among the first family members to reach the house after Israeli forces left.
“I went in behind the ambulance, but the paramedics asked us to stay outside. Then we learned that Mustafa had lost his life,” he said.
Describing the scene inside, Yassin Khatib said there were clear signs of a violent raid.
“From the broken door and the damaged contents of the room, it was obvious they forced their way in without giving him time even to open the door or get dressed,” he said.
“They went straight into the room where he was and opened fire.”
He said Mustafa had lived on the property for four years, working in agriculture and construction.
“About four years ago he built a small room and kitchen on the land and worked cultivating it. He had no problems with anyone and was never known for any activity or previous pursuit,” he added.
“In my opinion, what happened was an execution without any justification. They spoke about finding a knife or an axe, but those were simply work tools he used in construction, just like any other equipment related to his profession,” he said.
Mustafa had lived in Sarta for the past four years after previously residing in Jordan with his family. He held both Jordanian and Palestinian citizenship.
The Israeli army did not immediately comment on the incident.
The West Bank has seen escalating attacks by the Israeli army on Palestinians and their property since the Gaza war in October 2023.
Since Oct. 8, 2023, Israeli escalation by the army and occupiers in the West Bank has killed 1,173 Palestinians, wounded 12,666, led to the arrest of about 23,000 and displaced 33,000, according to official Palestinian figures.
Palestinians warn that the attacks are paving the way for Israel to formally annex the West Bank, which would end the possibility of establishing an independent Palestinian state under UN resolutions.
Israel was established in 1948 on lands occupied by armed Zionist groups, and in 1967 occupied the remaining Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the eastern part of Jerusalem.
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