Israeli soldiers were seen pushing three seemingly lifeless bodies off a rooftop during a raid in Qabatiya, a town in the northern West Bank, as tensions continue to rise in the region. The video of this event, which circulated online, was shared by an Associated Press journalist who witnessed the incident on Thursday.
Watch:
Israeli occupation soldiers throw injured men from a rooftop in Qabatiya outside Jenin in the occupied West Bank earlier today. This is Israel’s “self defence” pic.twitter.com/uYQxDYfJP2
— Husam Zomlot (@hzomlot) September 19, 2024
According to the journalist, the soldiers pushed the bodies off rooftops of adjacent multi-story buildings. Since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, the West Bank has experienced its own wave of violence, with Israeli settlers and military forces involved in various clashes.
In response, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) released a statement, expressing that this act does not align with their values. “This is a serious incident that does not coincide with IDF values and the expectations from IDF soldiers,” the statement said, adding that the event is under investigation.
Israeli troops reported that they had killed four militants during operations in Qabatiya on Thursday. Several journalists present confirmed seeing soldiers push the bodies from the rooftop. This act surprised many, as it deviated from typical procedures where the Israeli military often leaves behind Palestinian bodies or occasionally takes them into Israel.
International law requires soldiers to treat the bodies of the deceased, including enemy combatants, with dignity. If this video is verified, it would mark a violation of international law by Israeli forces. The identities and cause of death of the victims remain unclear.
“There is no military need to do this. It’s just a savage way of treating Palestinian bodies,” remarked Shawan Jabarin, the director of the Palestinian rights group Al-Haq, after viewing the footage. Jabarin also expressed concern that the Israeli soldiers involved might face minimal consequences. “The most that will happen is that soldiers will be disciplined, but there will be no real investigation and no real prosecution,” he added.
Meanwhile, Husam Zomlot, Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), criticizing Israel’s claim of “self-defence.” He wrote, “Israeli occupation soldiers throw injured men from a rooftop in Qabatiya outside Jenin in the occupied West Bank earlier today. This is Israel’s ‘self-defence.’”
