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Illegal Israeli settler 'rams and kills' Palestinian brothers

Mohammad and Muhannad Yousef Muteir, from Qalandia refugee camp in occupied Jerusalem, were fixing a tyre puncture when a settler rammed his car into them, Wafa news agency reports.

Mohammad (R) and Muhannad Yousef Muteir are seen in this undated photo released by official Palestinian news agency.

Two Palestinian brothers have been killed in a car-ramming attack by an illegal Israeli settler in occupied West Bank, official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

Mohammad and Muhannad Yousef Muteir, from Qalandia refugee camp in occupied Jerusalem, were fixing a puncture in one of the tyres of their car when an Israeli settler rammed his car into them, killing Mohammad instantly and wounding his brother who succumbed in a hospital later, Zakaria Fayala, a spokesperson for Jerusalem Governorate said on Saturday.

The attack took place near the Israeli checkpoint of Za'tara, south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank.

Mohammad's body was taken to a hospital in the nearby city of Nablus, while Muhannad, who was was rushed to a hospital in Israel for medical treatment, was pronounced dead a short time later.

Imad Mutair, cousin of the victims said they were killed after being hit hard by a fast-driving Israeli settler.

This evening, 2 Palestinian brothers were changing a car tier when they were both run over to death by an Israeli settler

If the assailant was Palestinian, Israeli media, gov & army would go on panic mood, scream "terror attack" & launch manhunts.

But now, there's only silence! pic.twitter.com/ng3sZVAaeM
— Muhammad Shehada (@muhammadshehad2) December 17, 2022

Deadly year amid occupation

Palestine's Health Ministry says Israeli forces have killed more than 212 Palestinians so far this year in deadly raids.

The United Nations says 2022 has been the deadliest year for Palestinians in 16 years.

At the same time, at least 23 Israeli civilians and eight members of Israeli troops have been killed in Israel and the occupied West Bank, while violent clashes between illegal Israeli settlers and Palestinians have also increased.

Israel occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza during the 1967 Middle East War. It annexed the entire East Jerusalem city in 1980, claiming it as Israel's "eternal" capital — a move never recognised by the international community.

It pulled back from Gaza in 2005 and has since then maintained a harsh blockade from land, sea and air on the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Palestine sees those territories as part of its country, with East Jerusalem its heartland and ultimate capital.

International law views the West Bank and East Jerusalem as "occupied territory" and considers all Jewish settlement-building activity on the land to be illegal.

Palestinians accuse Israel of waging an aggressive campaign to "Judaize" the historic city by effacing its Arab and Islamic identity and driving out its Palestinian inhabitants.

Almost 500,000 illegal Israeli settlers live in over 130 settlements dotting the occupied West Bank alongside nearly three million Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation.