Growing concerns over the killing of two Palestinians in Jenin have drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations, which warned that recent events reflect a wider pattern of unrestrained force across the West Bank. The organisation expressed deep unease over the circumstances surrounding the deaths, noting that the incident appears to involve the deliberate killing of individuals who no longer posed a threat. For many observers, it is another stark illustration of a deteriorating environment where accountability remains absent.

During a briefing in Geneva, questions were raised about the credibility of internal reviews carried out by Israeli authorities regarding actions taken by their forces and settlers. Statements from senior officials seeking to absolve security personnel of responsibility have heightened doubts about whether any forthcoming investigations can be regarded as independent or effective. Human rights specialists warn that this climate has allowed the number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank to surge, with children among those most affected.

Figures verified by UN staff indicate that more than a thousand Palestinians in the West Bank have lost their lives since October 2023, reflecting the widening impact of the genocidal war on communities far from Gaza. The consistent absence of justice, combined with violent actions carried out by both forces and settlers, has fuelled fears that the situation is sliding further out of control. Calls have been made for urgent, impartial inquiries capable of identifying responsibility and ending the impunity that has characterised these events.

Reports from Jenin suggest that the two men killed on Thursday had been apprehended and posed no immediate danger at the time they were shot. Their bodies have not been returned to their families, compounding the grief of relatives who now face uncertainty and prolonged waiting. Local residents say the incident has deepened the sense of vulnerability felt across the city, where military operations and settler violence continue to intensify.