On Wednesday night, July 23, 2025, Israeli forces conducted a raid in the town of Al‑Khader, south of Bethlehem. They opened fire on a group of teenagers near the Al-Abbara area, adjacent to Settlement Road 60.

Two Palestinian teenagers — Ahmad Ali As’ad Salah (15) and Mohammad Khaled Alian Issa (17) — were shot and killed by Israeli forces in the town of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem. The bodies of the two boys were reportedly held by Israeli forces for a time before being transferred to hospitals in Bethlehem.

At least two others, including minors, were wounded and transferred to hospitals in Bethlehem. The Palestine Red Crescent Society confirmed that paramedics were denied access to reach the injured, potentially costing lives and contributing to severe injuries or loss of limbs.

The village of Al-Khader has seen repeated raids and settler incursions in recent years. In April 2025, Israeli forces opened fire during a raid, injuring a young man.

Names of the martyrs:

1. Ahmad Ali As’ad Ashira Salah, 15
2. Mohammad Khaled Aleyan Issa, 17

Israeli army statement

In a statement, the army announced that its soldiers killed two Palestinians and wounded 2 others claiming that “the force spotted a number of young men throwing Molotov cocktails on a central road in the area.” It added that Israeli forces “opened fire on them, killing two of them, and there were no casualties among our forces.”