X-ray of the injured youth showing live round; Photo credit: Free use
Saturday, June 28, 2025, 21:55 This Friday night IDF forces arrived to demolish a Jewish outpost that was set up a few weeks ago on the Mount Hatzor ridge in the Binyamin region. One IDF officer indiscriminately opened fire on the youths at the outpost, seriously injuring a 14-year-old youth. An X-ray shown at right indicates that he was wounded by a live round. Because the Sabbath-observant youths did not share their side of the story with the media until after Shabbat, the incident was turned into a blood libel against them. Currently, they are sharing video and photo documentation of the incident that refutes the lies: “We did not take any violent actions. The battalion commander entered, opened fire with live rounds, and threatened us saying ‘I will kill all of you.’ The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit did not report the injury of the youth from IDF fire until after the Shabbat.”
The incident began close to the onset of Shabbat, approximately 19:30 on Friday. Border police forces who had cleared out the outpost earlier that day and remained at the site until then, left. The youths who had planned to return to the outpost after Shabbat received a report that Arabs intended to burn property left at the site, and so returned shortly after the border police left.
Youths on the ground in front of IDF Jeep; Photo credit: Free use
At approximately 22:00 on Friday night, the youths noticed a vehicle without lights driving toward the outpost. The youths were concerned that hostile Arabs were approaching and drove out in the direction of the vehicle. Before they could reach it, they realized that it was a battalion commander’s Jeep and stopped their car. The commander turned on his headlights, got out of the Jeep and opened fire with live rounds over the youths’ heads, while shouting at them to lie down on the ground.
The startled youths raised their hands and lay down on the ground as the commander aimed his loaded weapon and laser sight at them. When one of the youths started to record the incident on his phone, the commander was filmed by another youth stopping the recording of the incident and threatening the youths with his weapon. The commander then stopped shooting live rounds and launched tear gas and stun grenades from a grenade launcher, one of which was aimed directly at the windshield of the youths’ car, calling out, “I’ll kill all of you!”
The commander was later filmed threatening them again saying that he would “kill all of them” if the border police did not come and detain them. See video below.
The injured youth evacuated in an MDA MICU ambulance; Photo credit: Free use
The incident escalated to a massive volley of tear gas and stun grenades directly fired at the youths, and additional gunfire that injured a 14-year-old youth in his upper body. Following reports of shooting at the youths, injuries at the scene and concerns of a life-threatening situation, rescue forces, residents of adjacent farms and additional citizens were called to the site. They were also met with a massive, indiscriminate volley of tear gas and stun grenades. The injured youth was treated at the scene by Hatzala medics and evacuated in moderate to serious condition by a MDA MICU ambulance to the intensive care unit of Hadassah Mt. Scopus Hospital. In an absurd and unbelievable act, the police detained a Hatzala medic who treated the injured youth, and another individual who assisted with his evacuation. Both detainees were released after interrogation.
Throughout the entire incident, the youths did not engage in any violence and did not resist detention. They unanimously and unequivocally deny the claims made by an IDF spokesperson of violence, running over and choking soldiers, and throwing rocks at the soldiers. Some of the youths did argue with the soldiers. However, one of the youths was filmed calming another youth who was being handcuffed saying, “Don’t argue with them. They want you to argue with them. We’ll film everything.”
The injured youth at Mt. Scopus Hospital; Photo credit: Free use
Throughout Shabbat, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit did not report in any of their press releases or briefings that a 14-year-old youth was seriously injured by the soldiers’ gunfire, and as of this posting has still not reported the injury.
The bullet entered the youth’s arm and lodged in his back. He suffers from shattered bones in his shoulder and arm, blast injuries to his lungs, and shrapnel injuries. On Shabbat, the injured youth was transferred from Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital to the intensive care unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital.
The name of the injured youth for the purpose of prayer is Assif Hallel ben Efrat.
IDF commander will “kill all of them” if the border police do not detain them;
Video credit: Free use
Youths lying on the ground, note the laser sight; Video credit: Free use
The youths raise their arms and lie on the ground; Video credit: Free use
Bullet casings; Video credit: Free use