Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces shot and killed two Palestinian children during an operation in Tubas in the occupied West Bank on 15 February 2026, according to local and regional media reports.
The victims were identified as 16-year-old Yazan Samer Samara and his three-year-old sister, Ronza Samara, who were inside a vehicle when PA personnel opened fire while attempting to apprehend their father, who is reportedly wanted by Israeli authorities. The teenage boy died at the scene, while the toddler later succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
Importing live ammunition into a civilian setting has drawn sharp criticism from residents and Palestinian rights advocates, who questioned the decision to open fire in a populated area where children were present. The killings have intensified longstanding criticism of the PA’s security tactics, particularly in cases linked to security coordination and internal enforcement operations. The incident has further fueled public anger in parts of the West Bank, where distrust of PA security forces has been growing amid wider political tensions.
