In a disturbing incident that has drawn sharp condemnation from local authorities, an Israeli army vehicle on Saturday reportedly rammed into a van transporting Palestinian pilgrims in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, sparking outrage and raising concerns over the safety of civilians amid ongoing regional hostilities.
The attack, which occurred near Jenin Governorate Square, was captured in a video widely circulated on social media. The footage shows an Israeli military vehicle veering into the path of a parked van, which was carrying elderly Palestinian pilgrims scheduled to travel to Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. The group was en route to the city of Ariha, from where they were expected to proceed through the Karama Bridge border crossing into Jordan and onward to Saudi Arabia.
While no casualties were recorded, the van sustained visible damage. Eyewitness accounts and official statements suggest the collision was not accidental but rather an act of deliberate provocation. Speaking on the incident, the Deputy Governor of Jenin, Mansour al-Saadi, accused the Israeli military of targeting the pilgrims intentionally, describing the act as a form of psychological warfare aimed at instilling fear and disrupting the spiritual journey of the travellers.
According to al-Saadi, the van had been parked outside the Jenin Governorate Compound when it was struck. He emphasized that the passengers included elderly individuals, some of whom suffer from chronic health conditions, and many are relatives of Palestinians who have been killed or wounded in the conflict. The van was reportedly part of a convoy of 376 pilgrims departing from the Jenin governorate.
The incident occurs against the backdrop of heightened Israeli military operations across the West Bank since October 7, 2023, when a full-scale military offensive was launched in Gaza. Since then, Israeli forces and settlers have intensified their presence and operations across the occupied territories, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians and the injury of thousands more. These developments have further strained the already volatile situation between Israel and Palestine.
The larger context includes continued Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas occupied since the 1967 war. Over 700,000 Israeli settlers now reside in more than 230 settlements, all considered illegal under international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of an occupying power’s civilian population into the territory it occupies.
This latest act involving Hajj-bound pilgrims has heightened fears among Palestinians and human rights observers, as it not only endangered civilians but also appeared to deliberately obstruct an important religious obligation. The annual Hajj pilgrimage is a core tenet of Islamic faith, and such interference is viewed as both a humanitarian and religious violation.
As tensions continue to rise, the international community remains under pressure to intervene and address the deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially as incidents such as these further fuel resentment and instability in the region.
