Israeli forces and settlers shot and killed two Palestinian teenagers, Khalil Abu Alia, 16, and Omar al-Nassan, 19, this week in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyir. The killings occurred during a military-escorted operation to seize sheep, contributing to a surge of violence and displacement across the occupied territory.
The deaths of Abu Alia and al-Nassan have sparked funerals and outcry in al-Mughayyir, a village south of Nablus that has faced near-daily attacks by Jewish settlers. Mohammed Al-Naasan, father of Omar, told the BBC, We expect that when our sons walk in the street, they are likely to return to you injured or killed.
The Siege of al-Mughayyir and the Fatal Shooting
The incident unfolded shortly after sunset when settlers, escorted by Israeli police and military forces, entered the village to steal dozens of sheep from a Palestinian home. According to village residents and activists, snipers took positions on rooftops during the operation.
Khalil Abu Alia, who was about to start 11th grade, was shot in the neck while standing on his doorstep. Omar al-Nassan was shot twice, including once in the back. Both died before they could reach a hospital. While a soldier is credited with killing Abu Alia, it remains unclear if al-Nassan was shot by a soldier or a settler.
The Israeli military provided a different account of the engagement. A spokesperson stated that troops fired at key instigators
after Palestinians resisted the seizure of the sheep by throwing cinder blocks and stones. The military characterized the shooters as responding to instigators of a violent riot
to remove a threat, adding that the incident is currently under review.
Impact on Education and Village Infrastructure
This includes a 17-year-old player from the Palestinian youth football team killed in June, a 14-year-old shot at the school gate in April, and another 14-year-old killed outside the village mosque in January.
“We don’t know how long these crimes are going to continue,”
Abu Naim, who had taught all five boys, added that many more of his students had been injured by Israeli attacks and said that this week they are making extra security preparations for the new semester which starts in three days.
To protect students, the school has constructed a higher wall topped with a fence and reinforced its gates. The village has been under a tightening siege for two weeks, with Israeli barricades blocking all but one road into the village since late 2023. Recently, soldiers and settlers began closing the one remaining lifeline road for hours at a time, establishing checkpoints near the school.
Of the school’s 26 teachers, only nine live within the village; there are fears the other two-thirds may not be allowed to reach their classrooms. Additionally, at least eight families have been forced to rent flats elsewhere because they can no longer commute to work.
Forced Displacement in the South Hebron Hills
Parallel to the events in al-Mughayyir, Israeli forces razed the community of Khirbet a-Taban in the South Hebron Hills. The operation left 70 residents homeless, including 28 children, after troops demolished homes, livestock pens, storage areas, and water cisterns.
The Israeli military agency Cogat described the demolition as enforcement activity
targeting illegal construction within a military training zone. The area, known as Masafer Yatta, was designated as Firing Zone 918 in 1981. While Palestinian residents have fought these expulsions in court for decades, the legal battles have slowed but not stopped the demolitions.
Systemic Erasure and Settlement Expansion
According to the rights group B’Tselem, this is the 66th Palestinian community wiped off the map since October 2023. Including those partially displaced, nearly 5,000 people have been forced from their homes.
As these communities are dismantled, illegal Israeli settlements have filled the vacuum. Within Firing Zone 918 alone, 11 outposts now exist, housing some of the most notoriously violent Israeli settlers.
The Scale of West Bank Violence
The United Nations reports that more than 80 Palestinians have been killed by settlers or Israeli forces in the territory since the start of the year.
