IDF soldiers entered the city of Kafr Kassem on Saturday in pursuit of Palestinians who crossed into Israel from the West Bank illegally.
Upon the IDF's arrival in the city, they identified a number of suspects which led to a confrontation between the two groups. A preliminary investigation revealed that two suspects were found to have crossed the fence from the West Bank into Israeli territory.
During the confrontation, five civilians were injured in the confrontation, according to Palestinian reports.
Some reports claimed that IDF personnel acted in violation of the law when they operated in the area without any certification or training, and recklessly threw stun grenades.
Investigating the confrontation
During the investigation into the incident, Israeli forces confirmed that they had thrown a stun grenade at the suspects. An IDF spokesperson stated that "the entry of soldiers into Kafr Kassem was against instructions. The incident is being investigated and the conduct of the soldiers will be examined."
חמור ומסוכן!! ארבעה חיילים נכנסו באישון לילה לשכונה המזרחית בתוך העיר כפר קאסם, ללא תיאום עם המשטרה המקומית, משליכים רימון הלם ברחוב, מנפצים פנסים של רכבים, ותוקפים באכזריות חמישה אזרחים שיצאו להבין מה מתרחש מחוץ לבתיהם! האזרחים המותקפים הובהלו לקבלת טיפול רפואי, ולפי עדויותיהם… pic.twitter.com/qqcm5CloGe
— وليد طه - ווליד טאהא - Waleed Taha (@Waleedt68) September 9, 2023
There were no Israeli casualties.
MK Ahmad Tibi condemned IDF's actions, stating that "Arab citizens are treated as enemies in this country."
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that we was "stunned" that the entry of of soldiers into Kafr Kassem was against instructions.
"I give full support to our heroic soldiers, who fulfilled their role and strived to protect. Our soldiers work day and night with dedication and risking their lives in order to maintain the safety and lives of Israeli citizens and we are committed to providing them with full support. Let the IDF win."
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.