JENIN, West Bank, June 23: The Israeli military has acknowledged that its forces breached protocol by strapping a wounded Palestinian man to the front of their vehicle during a raid in Jenin, a city in the West Bank. This admission follows the circulation of a video on social media capturing the incident.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the man, who was a suspect in the raid, was wounded during an exchange of fire. According to an IDF statement, the suspect was injured in the shootout and subsequently apprehended.

Family members of the injured man stated that when they requested an ambulance, the military instead strapped him to the bonnet of a jeep and drove off. The man was later transferred to the Red Crescent for medical treatment. Eyewitnesses identified him as Mujahed Azmi, a local resident.

The IDF's statement elaborated on the incident, explaining, "This morning [Saturday], during counter-terrorism operations to apprehend wanted suspects in the area of Wadi Burqin, terrorists opened fire at IDF troops, who responded with fire. During the exchange of fire, one of the suspects was injured and apprehended. In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle. The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the IDF. The incident will be investigated and dealt with accordingly."

This incident occurs amid a surge in violence in the West Bank, which has escalated since the onset of the war in the Gaza Strip, triggered by a deadly Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7. According to the United Nations, at least 480 Palestinians, including members of armed groups, attackers, and civilians, have been killed in conflict-related incidents in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the start of the conflict.