Two Palestinian children were killed on Sunday when members of a Palestinian Authority (PA) security force opened fire on their father’s vehicle during a pursuit in the town of Tammun, southeast of Tubas in the northern occupied West Bank.
The incident has triggered widespread condemnation and prompted the PA to announce an internal investigation.
Al-Jazeera said 16‑year‑old Yazan Samer Samara was killed instantly when PA security personnel opened fire at his father’s car.
Al-Jazeera added that Yazan’s younger sister, Ronza Samara, 3, who sustained a severe head injury, was transferred to hospitals in Tubas and later Nablus, where she died of her wounds.
Local residents said a joint force from the Preventive Security service and the “Sahm” (Arrow) unit had set up an ambush for the children’s father, Samer Samara, who is also wanted by Israel.
The force then pursued his vehicle and fired multiple rounds striking Samara himself, and his children, before detaining him.
PA Security Forces: “We Express Deep Regret”
In a statement, the “Political and National Guidance Authority”, said:
The security establishment is closely following what occurred today during a security force’s operation in the Tubas governorate to arrest an individual wanted by law under a judicial warrant.
According to initial information, the operation resulted in the death of the wanted man’s son and the injury of his daughter, both of whom were transported to the hospital for necessary medical treatment.
While the security establishment expresses its deep regret over the casualties that occurred during the mission, it affirms that the circumstances of the incident remain under thorough and continuous review.
The establishment confirms that an immediate and comprehensive investigation has been opened in accordance with applicable legal procedures and under the supervision of the competent authorities, in order to determine all details and identify responsibilities with full transparency and clarity. The findings of the investigation will be announced once completed.
The security establishment also stresses its full commitment to enforcing the law, protecting citizens, safeguarding their security and safety, and addressing any violations—should they be proven—in accordance with the law and without leniency.
Maj. Gen. Anwar Rajab
Official Spokesperson of the Palestinian Security Force
* the statement was issued before the daughter succumbed to her wounds
Samara Family Statement
The Samara Family, at home and in the diaspora issued the following statement:
• A heinous crime has been committed by the Preventive Security Service, deliberately targeting the children of Samer Samara — who is pursued by the Israeli occupation — and killing them in cold blood.
• The targeting of a civilian vehicle carrying children and women, with live ammunition fired by a Palestinian security force in such a cruel manner, constitutes an extremely dangerous act that requires inevitable punishment for this criminal group whose hands have been stained with Palestinian blood.
• We reject all forms of disregard for Palestinian blood, and we affirm that the blood of our children is not a passing number in the record of events, but a responsibility that rests on everyone’s shoulders.
• We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Samer Samara, who is pursued by the occupation, and the accountability of all those involved in this crime — the killers who carried it out, and those who made the decision to send them to commit this massacre against the children of a man targeted by the occupation for years.
• We call on all honorable people in Tammun, the Tubas governorate, and across Palestine to stand united in demanding legal and tribal accountability for the killers. If the fire ignites, it will not stop at anyone’s door.
• We call on the Palestinian Bar Association and all human rights and legal institutions to take a leading role in filing cases before Palestinian and international courts to hold these violators accountable.
Hamas: “A New Black Mark”
The Hamas movement issued a strongly worded statement holding the PA leadership fully responsible for the killings, describing the incident as “a new black mark in the record of the security services, which continue to use force against our people instead of protecting them.”
Hamas warned that the PA’s approach undermines national cohesion and demanded accountability for those involved, an end to the pursuit of Palestinians wanted by Israel, and the release of political detainees held by PA forces.
Families of Political Prisoners: “A Dangerous Deviation”
The Committee of Families of Political Prisoners condemned the killings, calling them the result of a “systematic policy” of pursuing resistance members and individuals wanted by Israel, even at the cost of Palestinian lives.
The committee said the incident represents a “dangerous deviation” that places Palestinian security forces “in confrontation with their own people instead of protecting them.”
Growing Public Anger
Residents of Tammun and Tubas, along with various parts of the occupied territory, expressed shock and anger, saying the children were killed in an operation that should never have involved live fire in a populated area.
Community leaders warned that the incident has deepened mistrust between the public and PA security agencies.
The PA has not yet announced whether any officers have been suspended, detained, or removed from duty pending the investigation.
