Israel Launches Investigation into Soldiers for Throwing Bodies from Rooftop

The Israeli military is currently investigating soldiers involved in an incident where bodies were thrown from a rooftop in the northern occupied West Bank, as part of an ongoing Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operation in the area. The incident, which took place on Thursday, occurred amid an incursion that left seven people dead, according to the Palestinian government. This operation has also led to clashes and heavy gunfire between the IDF and militants.

The events were captured on video from various angles by residents of Qabatya, a town near Jenin, and were witnessed by an Associated Press (AP) reporter. CNN had reported on the incident but has not been able to verify whether the men whose bodies were thrown were dead, though the footage shows their bodies motionless and seemingly lifeless.

Israeli soldiers were seen throwing the body of a Palestinian man off a rooftop in the occupied West Bank. pic.twitter.com/lML0i9Hzoi
— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 20, 2024

One video, the longest of several, shows three Israeli soldiers on a rooftop. In the footage, they can be seen pushing one body off the edge of the building. As the body falls, its feet get entangled in electrical or telephone cables, causing it to hang headfirst from the roof. A soldier then dislodges the body’s feet, allowing it to fall to the ground. The video continues, showing two other bodies being thrown from the rooftop—one after being swung by two soldiers and another after being kicked over the side.

The Israeli military has expressed concern over the incident, stating, “This is a serious incident that does not coincide with IDF values and the expectations from IDF soldiers.” The military has launched an official review of the event.

Under international law, militaries are obligated to treat the bodies of enemy soldiers with respect and are required to prevent mutilation while ensuring their return to the deceased’s family. However, the Israeli military often retains the bodies of militants killed in combat. Kamal Abu Al-Roub, the governor of Jenin, informed CNN that the Israeli forces took four bodies from Qabatya and that funerals for three other individuals killed in the incursion would take place the following day.