March 15, 2026 — Tammun, West Bank Israeli soldiers fired on a car carrying a Palestinian family late Saturday in the northern West Bank town of Tammun, killing four people including two children, Palestinian health officials reported.
The victims were Ali Odeh and his wife Waed Odeh, along with two of their four children, who were shot in the head, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Health Ministry. The family had gone out to buy new clothes for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holiday, the official Palestinian news agency said.
The two surviving children suffered shrapnel wounds and were examined by first responders after access was granted to the scene.
“The Odehs’ two surviving children had shrapnel wounds that were examined by first responders once they were granted access.”
Israeli Military Response
The Israeli military and police issued a joint statement saying forces opened fire after the car accelerated toward them while they were pursuing suspects accused of “terrorist activity” in Tammun. The shooting is under investigation.
“Forces opened fire after a car accelerated toward them in Tammun.”
The Palestinian Red Crescent accused Israel of delaying ambulances dispatched to the area.
Broader Context of Violence
The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the occupied West Bank. Shootings by Israeli settlers and soldiers have killed at least eight Palestinians since Israel and the U.S. launched attacks on Iran on February 28, 2026. Israeli authorities have intermittently closed checkpoints, hindering emergency responses.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recorded 18 Palestinians killed in the West Bank since the start of 2026, including eight by Israeli settlers. An Israeli rights group, Yesh Din, documented 109 incidents of settler violence in Palestinian communities since the Iran war began.
Violence levels are lower than at the same point in 2025, which saw a record number of casualties following an Israeli invasion of northern West Bank militant strongholds.