Local sources told Al Jazeera that a Palestinian man and his son were killed, and his daughter was injured in heavy gunfire in the Al-Hawashin neighborhood, in the heart of Jenin refugee camp, West Bank. Meanwhile, the Jenin Battalion accused Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces of "cold-bloodedly killing 16 Palestinians."
The Haj family reported that a sniper from the PA's security forces, stationed on a hill surrounding the camp, shot Mahmoud Haj (43) and his son Qasim (14) and seriously injured his daughter. The father was reportedly filling water on the rooftop when he and his son were killed.
This incident occurred amid a 28-day siege imposed by PA security forces on the camp, forcing residents to hold Friday prayers in the camp’s social center despite ongoing gunfire during the prayer.
The Political Detainees’ Families Committee condemned the incident, describing it as a "brutal and inhumane crime." They stated that the PA security forces shot the father and his son in cold blood while they were merely fetching water.
Hamas also denounced the PA’s security campaign in Jenin, calling it a "full-fledged crime." The movement accused the PA of imposing a siege, committing deliberate killings, arrests, and torture, which it claimed serve only the occupation's agenda. In a statement, Hamas mourned the victims and warned against the PA’s actions, claiming they undermine Palestinian unity and resistance, benefiting Israel's plans for annexation and displacement.
In response, a spokesperson for the PA's security forces blamed "outlaws" for the tragedy. The spokesperson denied the presence of PA forces in the area and stated that they had repeatedly urged citizens to exercise caution.
Clashes that began last month between Palestinian security forces and the Jenin Battalion, affiliated with Saraya Al-Quds, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, have resulted in 12 casualties, including journalist Shatha Al-Sabbagh and six members of the Palestinian security forces.