- July 24, 2026
- 7:10 pm
- Israel
On the morning of July 24, 2026, near the Palestinian village of Tell, located southwest of Nablus, a clash occurred resulting in the deaths of two Israelis and four Palestinians. The incident began after a group of Israeli citizens entered the area, classified as zones A and B of Judea and Samaria, without prior coordination with the IDF.
The circumstances of the incident are still being investigated by the Israeli military. It has been confirmed that during the clash, one of the Palestinians seized a weapon from a member of the Havat Gilad territorial defense unit and opened fire. Israeli authorities have classified this episode as a terrorist attack. However, it remains unclear under what circumstances the other three Palestinians were killed.
Uncoordinated entry into the Tell village area
According to the results of a preliminary IDF investigation, on the morning of July 24, several dozen Israelis of various ages headed to the Tell village area. Among the group were minors, including children.
The outing was not previously coordinated with the army. Part of the route passed through territories classified as zones A and B. Israeli citizens are prohibited from entering zone A independently, and visiting certain parts of zone B also requires coordination with security forces.
Initially, the Israeli military reported that the group was on a hike and was attacked near a mosque on the outskirts of Tell. According to the Palestinian version, the Israelis entered the residential part of the village, after which a confrontation began between them and the local residents.
Fatah representative in Tell, Issam Saifi, told Reuters that about 25-30 Israelis entered the village. He claims that some of them attempted to approach the homes of local residents. Independent confirmation of this part of the events is not available at the time of publication.
How the clash began
After the group’s appearance near Tell, IDF soldiers and members of the nearby Havat Gilad territorial defense unit arrived at the scene.
Among those who arrived was 32-year-old reservist Benyahu Melet. He was part of the Havat Gilad rapid response unit. In initial reports, he was referred to as the head of the settlement’s security service, but it was later clarified that Melet was a member of the local defense unit.
Videos circulated on social media show armed Israelis in civilian clothes, a soldier, and a group of Palestinians in a field near the village. The footage shows a physical confrontation during which one of the Palestinians seized Melet’s rifle.
After seizing the weapon, the man opened fire. As a result, Benyahu Melet and IDF officer Major Yuval Ezra were fatally wounded. Several other Israelis were injured.
The IDF reported that the shooter was killed by soldiers immediately after the attack, and the stolen rifle was returned to Israeli forces.
Who died on the Israeli side
As a result of the shooting, Major Yuval Ezra, 27, from Herzliya, was killed. He served as the commander of a battery in the 411th Battalion of the 282nd Artillery Brigade of the IDF.
The second fatality was Reserve Sergeant Benyahu Melet, 32. He served in the 8119th Battalion of the 16th Jerusalem Brigade and was also part of the Havat Gilad territorial defense unit.
Melet was married and had two daughters. Both deceased were officially listed by the IDF as soldiers killed in the line of duty.
According to Israeli medical services, two more Israelis sustained gunshot wounds. In initial reports, one was in critical condition, and the other was in serious condition. The injured were evacuated by helicopters to hospitals.
Four deceased Palestinians
The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported the deaths of four residents of Tell. Palestinian sources name the following individuals:
- Farouk Adnan Ali Ramadan;
- Ibrahim Hussein Ali Ramadan;
- Jawad Hussein Ali Ramadan;
- Imran Ahmed Ali Ramadan.
All four belonged to the same extended family. Some Palestinian publications also mention the family name al-Saifi.
The IDF confirmed that one of the deceased seized a rifle and opened fire on the Israelis. However, the army has not yet released his name.
The circumstances of the deaths of the other three Palestinians are still under investigation. In one of the videos, the authenticity of which was confirmed by the Israeli military, Palestinians are seen lying on the ground, followed by a series of gunshots.
The IDF reported that the shooter with the stolen rifle was among the people shown in the footage. However, the army has not yet provided a full public explanation of who opened fire on the other Palestinians and how much time passed between the initial attack and this episode.
Different data on the injured
Palestinian sources initially reported eight injured. Later, international agency publications mentioned four injured Palestinians, some of whom were in serious or critical condition.
The discrepancy in statistics may be due to the fact that the initial reports included those injured not only in Tell but also during subsequent clashes in neighboring settlements.
Thus, six fatalities remain confirmed — two Israelis and four Palestinians. The final number of injured is still being clarified.
IDF operation near Nablus
After the shooting, the army blocked several roads near Tell and set up additional checkpoints at the entrances to Nablus. Additional units were sent to the area.
Special forces unit ‘Duvdevan’ conducted an operation in one of Nablus’s hospitals and detained two injured Palestinians. The IDF considers them participants in the clash near Tell. The detainees were handed over to the Shin Bet for questioning.
The army stated that the identities of other alleged participants have been established, and security forces continue to search for them.
IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir arrived at the scene and conducted an operational assessment of the situation together with the Central Command. The army also announced preparations for an expanded operation against armed groups in the Nablus area.
Decisions of the Israeli government
Following the events near Tell, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz held a meeting with security officials.
As a result of the discussion, it was instructed to prepare the shooter’s house for demolition, increase military presence in Judea and Samaria, conduct operations to seize illegal weapons, and consider revoking work permits in Israel for residents of settlements linked to the attacks.
Israeli authorities officially called the seizure of the rifle and subsequent shooting a terrorist attack. The Palestinian side describes the incident as a clash that began after the uncoordinated entry of the Israeli group into Tell.
The army is preparing to prevent retaliatory attacks
After the deaths of two Israelis, the IDF and police began preparing for possible attacks on Palestinian villages by Israeli activists.
Throughout the day, Palestinian sources reported clashes and arson in several settlements near Nablus, including Sarra, Farata, and Jit. Reports were received of damage to cars, homes, and agricultural plots.
According to the Associated Press, riots and clashes were recorded in at least five Palestinian villages. Israeli military stated that they are deploying units to separate the sides and prevent further violence.
What is not yet established
As of the evening of July 24, the investigation continues. The Israeli military needs to establish:
- who organized the uncoordinated outing of the Israeli group;
- what were the exact route and purpose of their entry into the Tell area;
- who first used firearms before the rifle was seized;
- which of the deceased Palestinians seized the weapon and opened fire;
- under what circumstances the other three Palestinians were killed;
- how many people were injured during the initial clash;
- whether there were violations of orders and rules of engagement by soldiers or members of the territorial defense.
NANews — Israel News will continue to monitor the publication of official results of the army investigation. It is currently confirmed that the cause of death of the two Israelis was gunfire from a rifle seized from a member of the Havat Gilad defense unit. The full sequence of events before and after this episode is still being established.