A Palestinian woman and her son were killed, and five members of their family were injured, on Sunday at dawn, when under-cover units of the Israeli army opened fire at them after breaking into their home, in Rojeeb village, southeast of the West Bank city of Nablus.
A local source in the village reported that Nawal Dweikat, 48, and her son Fawzi, 24, were killed, while the father and four other sons were injured; two members of the family suffered serious injuries.
Among the injured, Fawwaz Monjid Al Halabi, who suffered a serious injury in his heart, his sister suffered serious wounds close to her heart, while two of his sisters were injured, one was injured in the heart, while the other suffered an injury in his pelvis.
Fawzi was shot fifteen times as he exited the house, and his mother was shot three times as she left the house to see her son.
Five other members of the family were injured when they left the home after hearing the shots.
Lawyer Mohammad Al Halabi, a relative of the family, said that Monjid was night-guarding the family’s home after unknown men attacked it and burnt the family’s vehicles several days ago.
Al Halabi added that Monjid noticed strangers around the home at dawn, and shouted at them after thinking that they are the vandals who attacked his home earlier.
The soldiers, after their under-cover was exposed, fired at Monjid and killed him, and then they opened fire at the home killing the mother as she exited it, and injured the rest of the family members.
Also, Al Halabi stated that soldiers obstructed an ambulance which rushed to the home and delayed it for one hour.
The village of 4,000 Palestinians declared a state of mourning to honor the dead.
Colonel Yuval Bazak, brigade commander in the Nablus area, claimed in a statement to the Army Radio, on Sunday morning, that troops opened fire after they felt their lives were in danger when an armed man in the house loaded his weapon and aimed at them.
Bazak claimed that at least three armed men, from different locations in the house, exchanged fire with the troops.
Army claimed that soldiers searched the house after the incident took place, and found M16 rifle, a gun, binoculars and ammunition. Yet, army admitted none of the residents "who were involved in the gunfire" were wanted by the army.
