A Palestinian journalism student was fatally shot in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, sparking accusations against the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) security forces. Shatha Al Sabbagh, in her early 20s, was killed by a bullet to the head during an overnight incident on Saturday, her family said.
Al Sabbagh’s family alleged that she was killed by a sniper from the PA’s security forces while she stood in a fully lit area where no clashes were occurring. “She was with her mother when a sniper’s bullet from the Palestinian Authority’s security forces struck her directly,” the family stated on Sunday. They held the PA accountable for what they described as a “heinous crime.”
The PA security forces, however, denied responsibility and attributed her death to Palestinian militants. In a statement, the PA described the incident as a “heinous crime committed by outlaws inside the Jenin camp” during night-time clashes.
The militant group Hamas also accused the PA forces of killing Al Sabbagh, calling the act “cold-blooded and deliberate.” Hamas condemned the PA’s security apparatuses, alleging a history of violence, arrests, and mistreatment of Palestinians.
The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate has called for an independent investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding her death.
Al Sabbagh’s killing highlights escalating tensions in Jenin, a hotspot of violence between PA security forces and Palestinian militants. The clashes, which began on December 5, have resulted in 11 fatalities. While the PA asserts it is targeting “outlaws,” Palestinian factions accuse the authority of suppressing resistance groups.
The Jenin refugee camp has also seen frequent Israeli military raids. The PA, which has partial administrative authority in the West Bank under agreements with Israel, faces criticism from rival factions within its ruling Fatah party for what they describe as collaboration with Israeli forces.
Jenin remains a stronghold of armed Palestinian factions who view themselves as more effective resistance against Israeli occupation than the PA. The ongoing unrest underscores the complex and fragile dynamics within the West Bank, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967.
