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Israeli troops strap injured Palestine man atop army jeep during arrest in West Bank city
The Israeli military said that the Palestinian man was injured during a “counterterrorism operation” initiated to capture wanted suspects in the West Bant city.
Israeli army forces strapped a wounded Palestinian man atop of the military vehicle during an arrest operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Saturday, news agency Reuters reported.
The report added that a video verified by Reuters and circulating on social media depicted a Palestinian resident of Jenin situated atop the jeep as it passed between two ambulances.
Israeli military's response to the viral video
The Israeli military said that the Palestinian man was injured during a “counterterrorism operation” carried out to nab wanted suspects. In a statement, the military explained that during an exchange of gunfire between soldiers and suspects, one of the suspects sustained injuries and was subsequently apprehended.
“In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle,” news agency AFP quoted Israel Defence Forces (IDF) the statement.
The military added the “conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values” of the Israeli army and that the incident will be investigated and dealt with.
The military further said that the individual was handed over to medical personnel for medical attention.
According to a Reuters report, the location was corroborated and verified through footage shared on social media, depicting a vehicle transporting a person tied atop a vehicle in Jenin. The date was confirmed by an eyewitness interviewed by Reuters.
The family of the wounded Palestinian man said he sustained injuries during an arrest raid. When the family requested an ambulance, the army took the man, fastened him to the hood of a vehicle, and departed.
Jenin has historically served as a stronghold for Palestinian militant factions, leading the Israeli army to frequently conduct raids in both the city and the neighbouring refugee camp.
How many deaths have occurred due to the Israel-Hamas conflict so far?
Violence in the West Bank, which had already increased before the Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7, has continued to escalate. Palestinian officials report that at least 549 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli troops or settlers since the Gaza conflict started.
During the same period, attacks by Palestinians have resulted in the deaths of at least 14 Israelis in the West Bank, according to an AFP count based on Israeli official figures.
After the Hamas militant group launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 last year, which marked the beginning of the conflict resulting in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians in Israel, according to AFP.
Hamas militants took 251 Israeli hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 41 who the army says are dead.
Israel's military offensive in Gaza has since killed at least 37,551 Palestinian people, also mostly civilians, according to the health ministry of the Hamas-run territory.
(With inputs from AFP, Reuters)
