Israeli forces opened fire to intimidate a visiting foreign diplomatic delegation as it approached the entrance of the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian official Ahmed al-Deek. Speaking to Anadolu Agency on Wednesday, al-Deek, an aide to the Palestinian foreign minister who accompanied the group, described the incident as a deliberate act to instil fear and block the delegation’s access. The shooting, he stated, occurred despite the presence of 35 ambassadors, consuls, and diplomats from countries including the UK, France, China, India, and others, and marked a clear violation of diplomatic norms.

The visit, organised by the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, aimed to allow diplomats to witness the impact of Israel’s ongoing military operations in the West Bank, following a similar visit to Tulkarem a week earlier. The Jenin camp, which has been under siege since January 21, has been a focal point of these operations. The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the delegation included representatives from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Al-Deek strongly condemned the Israeli military’s actions, calling for international accountability and an end to the continued assaults on Palestinians in both the West Bank and Gaza.

The Israeli army acknowledged the incident, confirming that warning shots were fired after the convoy allegedly deviated from a designated route within what it termed an active combat zone. The military expressed “regret” over the inconvenience caused and claimed that senior officers would engage directly with the diplomats to clarify the situation. Meanwhile, the toll of violence continues to rise, with the Palestinian Health Ministry reporting at least 969 Palestinians killed and over 7,000 injured in the West Bank since October 2023. The International Court of Justice last year ruled Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.