The incident occurred near the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, in an area close to the Israeli settlement of Karmei Tzur, according to Israeli and Palestinian accounts.

The Palestinian news agency WAFA identified the victims as 15 and 19 years old. A relative confirmed their ages to Reuters. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said a third Palestinian, aged 15, was wounded and taken to hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition.

The Israeli military said troops opened fire on three individuals who were allegedly throwing fire bombs and setting tires alight near the settlement. According to the military, two of the suspects were killed and a third was wounded.

Reuters could not independently verify the military’s account, and Palestinian officials did not immediately provide additional details regarding the circumstances of the shooting.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the West Bank, where Israeli forces have intensified security operations and movement restrictions around Palestinian communities located near Israeli settlements.

The territory has witnessed a rise in violence involving Israeli security forces, settlers and Palestinians since the start of the year. According to United Nations data, at least 57 Palestinians have been killed in incidents involving Israeli settlers or security forces in the West Bank in 2026.

Palestinians have also carried out attacks targeting Israeli soldiers and settlers in the territory. Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security agency has reported at least one deadly Palestinian attack in the West Bank this year.

The status of Israeli settlements remains one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Most countries and United Nations bodies regard the settlements as illegal under international law and an obstacle to a future Palestinian state. Israel disputes that interpretation, arguing that the territory is disputed and citing historical Jewish ties to the area.

No immediate indication was given that the latest incident would trigger a formal investigation, and neither side announced additional security measures following the shooting.

Speaking at a London event on Tuesday, Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said recognition of a Palestinian state was only a first step and urged the government to take further measures to support a two-state solution.

She criticized what she described as Britain’s slow response to Israeli plans to expand control in Gaza and called for tougher action against Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including restrictions on settlement goods and sanctions on those involved.

Thornberry said the UK had fallen short in upholding international law on Palestine and urged countries that backed Palestinian statehood in 2025 to coordinate economic pressure against settlement expansion.

Her remarks add to growing debate within Britain’s ruling Labour Party over the government’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Peace Now said Israel’s security cabinet approved the move “secretly” in early April, adding that the new settlements come in addition to 68 others authorized since the government led by Benjamin Netanyahu took office in 2022.

The Israeli defense ministry, which oversees settlement activity in the West Bank, declined to comment on the reports.According to Israeli media, including i24News, 10 of the newly approved sites are existing outposts previously considered illegal under Israeli law but now set to be retroactively legalized.

The remaining 24 settlements have yet to be constructed.News outlet Ynet reported that military chief Eyal Zamir warned during a security cabinet meeting on April 1 that increased operational demands, including the protection of additional settlements, could strain military capacity.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and settlements there are widely considered illegal under international law. More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements in the territory, excluding East Jerusalem, alongside approximately three million Palestinians.

Settlement expansion has been a consistent policy across successive Israeli governments, but rights groups say approvals, land seizures and settler-related violence have accelerated since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.