Jerusalem: Israeli forces opened fire at an Al Jazeera news crew on Friday, February 13, while it was covering a illegal settler attack in the occupied West Bank, as violence in the territory continues to escalate.
The Qatar-based channel reported that soldiers shot towards its team in the town of Talfit, south of Nablus, causing partial damage to camera equipment. The crew was reporting on an attack by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the village.
Al Jazeera correspondent Tharwat Shaqra said troops used live ammunition before firing a tear gas canister that directly struck and damaged filming gear. She said the journalists were positioned in a clearly visible and exposed location and were targeted without being asked to leave.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident.
The shooting occurred as settlers, reportedly under the protection of Israeli forces, attacked Palestinians in Talfit.
According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, the number of injuries rose to 54. One person was shot and taken to hospital, while others were treated at the scene for injuries and suffocation after tear gas was fired.
As per media reports, Israeli forces fired live ammunition, stun grenades and tear gas towards Palestinians and their homes, and arrested three people during the clashes. The violence also extended to the neighbouring town of Qusra, where settlers stormed the Ras al-Ain area, the site of a newly established settlement outpost, and attacked residents.
Journalists covering events in the occupied Palestinian territories have frequently reported harassment and attacks. Israel shut Al Jazeera’s operations inside Israel on May 5, 2024, and closed its offices in the West Bank on September 22, 2024. The closures have been repeatedly extended. In December 2025, Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi pledged to prevent the channel from operating “forever”.
Israel has intensified operations in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since launching its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023. Palestinians view the escalation, which includes killings, arrests, displacement and settlement expansion, as a step towards the formal annexation of the territory.
At least 1,112 Palestinians have been killed and about 11,500 injured in the West Bank during this period, while more than 21,000 have been arrested, according to Palestinian News Agency.
In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and calling for the evacuation of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Commission for Resistance of the Wall and Settlements said settlers carried out 468 attacks across the West Bank in January alone, including physical assaults, arson and property damage, as well as restricting farmers’ access to their land.
