Palestinian Boy Describes Deadly Attack on Family Car
A 12-year-old Palestinian boy has described the terrifying moments when gunfire struck his family’s car in the occupied West Bank, leaving his parents and two brothers dead.
Khaled Bani Odeh said he believed he was the only surviving member of his family in the moments after the shooting. The incident occurred as the family drove home after a shopping trip.
According to Khaled, the shots hit the car through the windscreen. His parents, Ali Khaled Bani Odeh and Waad Bani Odeh, and his two younger brothers were killed during the attack.
One of the victims was seven-year-old Othman Bani Odeh, who was blind and disabled.
Survivor Recalls Final Moments
Khaled said the family was only minutes away from their home in Tammun, West Bank when the shooting happened shortly after midnight.
He recalled hearing his mother cry out before she fell silent. His father, he said, recited the Shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith, shortly before dying.
Two brothers survived the attack, including Khaled and his sibling Mustafa.
Account of Events After the Shooting
Khaled said Israeli forces approached the vehicle after the gunfire stopped. When they attempted to remove his brother from the car, he tried to intervene.
According to his account, soldiers pulled him out of the car and questioned him about who had been inside. He said he told them his parents and siblings were in the vehicle, but the questioning continued.
Family Had Just Returned From Shopping
Relatives said the family had been returning from a trip to Nablus after shopping and eating dinner together.
Ali Bani Odeh had recently returned home after working for several weeks at a construction site in Israel. The children had asked him to take them shopping before the upcoming Eid al‑Fitr celebration.
The parents and two of their sons were buried the following day in Tammun.
Israeli Military Response
The Israel Defense Forces said its soldiers and border police were carrying out operations in the area to detain individuals suspected of planning attacks.
According to the military statement, the family’s vehicle moved quickly toward the forces, and soldiers opened fire after they felt threatened.
