Palestinian Child Killed After Stepping on Landmine in West Bank
The Palestinian Red Crescent said a Palestinian child died after stepping on a landmine near an Israeli military camp in the occupied West Bank. A source from the Israeli Defence Ministry confirmed the death.
"Our team received the body of a 13-year-old child who was killed after a mine exploded at one of the old camps in Jiftlik in the northern Jordan Valley," the Red Crescent said in a statement, as reported by AFP on Wednesday (18/2/2026).
A source at COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body responsible for civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, confirmed the death to AFP. The boy was identified as Mohammed Abu Dalah, from the village of Jiftlik.
The Israeli military had previously stated that three Palestinians were injured "as a result of playing with unexploded ordnance", without mentioning their ages.
The Israeli military said the area of the incident, Tirzah, was a military camp in the Jordan Valley region, near the village of Jiftlik and close to the Jordanian border.
"This area is a live-fire zone and entry is prohibited," the military said.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
The village of Jiftlik and the nearby Tirzah base are located in Area C of the Palestinian territories, which is under direct Israeli control.
Much of the area along the border with Jordan — with which Israel signed a peace agreement in 1994 — remains littered with landmines.
In January, the Israeli Defence Ministry said it had begun clearing mines in the border area as part of construction work for a new barrier which it said was aimed at curbing weapons smuggling.
"Our team received the body of a 13-year-old child who was killed after a mine exploded at one of the old camps in Jiftlik in the northern Jordan Valley," the Red Crescent said in a statement, as reported by AFP on Wednesday (18/2/2026).
A source at COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body responsible for civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, confirmed the death to AFP. The boy was identified as Mohammed Abu Dalah, from the village of Jiftlik.
The Israeli military had previously stated that three Palestinians were injured "as a result of playing with unexploded ordnance", without mentioning their ages.
The Israeli military said the area of the incident, Tirzah, was a military camp in the Jordan Valley region, near the village of Jiftlik and close to the Jordanian border.
"This area is a live-fire zone and entry is prohibited," the military said.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
The village of Jiftlik and the nearby Tirzah base are located in Area C of the Palestinian territories, which is under direct Israeli control.
Much of the area along the border with Jordan — with which Israel signed a peace agreement in 1994 — remains littered with landmines.
In January, the Israeli Defence Ministry said it had begun clearing mines in the border area as part of construction work for a new barrier which it said was aimed at curbing weapons smuggling.