Multiple casualties were reported Monday night after a police officer and soldier opened fire during violent clashes in the Palestinian village of Funduk, with one youth sustaining a gunshot wound to the head and another to the shoulder. Additional injured individuals received treatment from paramedics at the scene.
The incident began when dozens of masked rioters stormed the Palestinian village, setting fire to vehicles, buildings, and shops belonging to local residents, despite visible police presence in the area. Security camera footage documented the perpetrators systematically targeting the village entrance before fleeing the scene.
Video: Footage of the Funduk clashes
Eyewitnesses reported that the shooting erupted following a confrontation between law enforcement and a group of Jewish youths, during which pepper spray was deployed against a police officer. The officer responded with what witnesses described as indiscriminate fire, joined subsequently by a soldier at the scene.
In the aftermath of the shooting, witnesses described the police officer as emotionally distraught, reportedly breaking down and saying: "What have I done?" and "Internal Affairs will deal with me now." While the officer did not provide medical assistance to the wounded, the soldier – though visibly shaken – participated in treating the injured.
The Police Internal Investigations Department confirmed Tuesday morning that investigators had launched an official inquiry into the incident. The officer involved has been placed under house arrest until Friday on suspicion of illegal discharge of his weapon and has been barred from entering police stations for eight days.
The violent events prompted a response from the Hamas terror organization, which called for "increasing resistance in all its forms."
