According to Hakol Hayehudi, a serious incident unfolded a few hours after the start of Shabbat on the Mount Hazor ridge in Binyamin, Samaria. An IDF officer arrived at a newly established Jewish settlement outpost in the area with the goal of evacuating the residents. Upon exiting his vehicle, the officer reportedly fired live rounds over the heads of those present and threatened to “kill them all.”
The situation quickly escalated, with security forces reportedly deploying large amounts of tear gas and stun grenades directly at the settlers. During the incident, a 14-year-old boy was struck and sustained moderate to serious injuries. He was evacuated to Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, where he was hospitalized in the intensive care unit with a gunshot wound to his upper body, shoulder fractures, and lung damage caused by the impact.
Moriah Asraf & Doron Kadosh reported the settlers’ version of the events on Telegram. According to a post on Rotter, this message was disseminated on Shabbat based on permission from a local rabbi:
“The settlers offered their account of the incident, claiming it did not involve a large group but rather eight individuals who had come to the Mount Hazor outpost to ensure it wasn’t being torched by Palestinians.
“According to them, the situation began without any provocation. They allege that an IDF battalion commander and his troops arrived, ordered them to lie on the ground, and began firing live rounds into the air above them. The settlers claim the commander demanded they stop filming—allegedly at gunpoint—before launching tear gas and other riot control measures directly at them.
“One of the settlers alleged the commander threatened, ‘I will kill you all,’ though no video evidence has been provided to substantiate this claim.
“Following the incident, and fearing for their safety, the settlers say dozens of residents from nearby communities rushed to the scene, where they were also met with force. They reported that police and soldiers used dozens of tear gas and stun grenades at close range in response.”
“I Will Kill You All”: IDF Evacuates Outpost in Binyamin Amid Clashes, 14-Year-Old Boy Shot:
WHAT WE BELIEVE HAPPENED
Based on the evidence we’ve seen so far, the incident began near the start of Shabbat, shortly after Border Police forces vacated an outpost on Mount Hazor that had been evacuated by the settlers earlier that day. The residents, who had planned to return only on Saturday night, received reports that local Arabs were intending to torch the site and decided to return sooner to prevent damage.
Based on the evidence we’ve seen so far, around 10:00 p.m. on Friday, a vehicle with its lights off approached the hill. Fearing a potential attack, the residents drove toward the vehicle, only to discover it was the jeep of the district commander. The commander suddenly turned on his headlights, exited the vehicle, and began firing live rounds over the heads of the young men while shouting at them in Hebrew to lie on the ground.
Based on the evidence we’ve seen so far, the youths raised their hands and complied. One of them began filming the incident but was threatened at gunpoint and forced to stop recording. The commander then ceased the live fire and began launching Alpha grenades—riot control devices—one of which struck the windshield of a nearby vehicle. The officer shouted, “I will kill you all.”
Based on the evidence we’ve seen so far, later, the commander was recorded again, during a phone call, repeating his threat to “kill everyone” if the Border Police did not arrive promptly to arrest the youths.
CHIEF OF STAFF ON THE CASE
Yisrael Gantz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, met on Saturday night with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir at the site of the incident in the Binyamin region. Gantz expressed support for the military and emphasized the shared goals of the settlement movement and the IDF.
“There is no place for violence of any kind—certainly not against our security forces—and anyone who engaged in violence should be held accountable under the law. This is the unified stance of the entire settlement movement,” Gantz stated.
At the same time, he raised concerns about the conduct of the forces involved. Referring to footage from the incident, Gantz said it appeared the security forces acted improperly and urged the Chief of Staff to launch an immediate investigation. He specifically demanded an inquiry into the shooting of the 14-year-old boy.
“There is no justification for live fire on civilians. An incident in which a boy is shot in the chest is extremely serious and cannot be overlooked. I expect a full investigation,” Gantz said. “The settlement and the IDF are one. We continue our strong, close cooperation. The sons of the settlement are the sons of the IDF.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich commented Sunday on the violent incident in the Binyamin region, calling for a thorough investigation while strongly condemning the use of live fire by the IDF against Israeli civilians.
“The incident on Saturday night in Binyamin must be investigated and clarified,” Smotrich said. “What is already clear is that the use of live ammunition by the IDF against Jews is a forbidden and dangerous crossing of a red line that demands serious scrutiny and personal accountability.”
Smotrich emphasized the unity between settlers and soldiers: “The IDF and the settlers are one. Anyone who raises a hand against IDF soldiers is harming the settlement enterprise, not defending it. At the same time, opening live fire on Jews is unacceptable and extremely dangerous.”
He concluded by calling for an independent and comprehensive investigation: “The incident must be examined thoroughly, lessons must be learned, and those responsible must be held to account.”
