On Sunday evening, the Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the deaths of two Palestinians who were shot after Israeli soldiers opened fire on their car near the northern entrance to Salfit in the central West Bank and prevented Palestinian medics from approaching them.

The two were kidnapped by an Israeli colonial paramilitary force and managed to escape before the soldiers killed them when they accidentally entered the illegal colony of Ariel.

The Health Ministry said the soldiers killed Odai Nizar Nimir Abu Na’sa (Troush), 27, and Mos’ab Hassan Ali Moqasqas17 before their bodies were taken to an unknown location.

The Israeli army claimed that the two Palestinians drove their car into oncoming traffic and rammed several vehicles in an attempt to ram a military post.

Israeli National News claimed that the vehicle driven by the two Palestinians collided with other cars “and attempted to ram soldiers operating in the area, slightly injuring one” before the soldiers “eliminated the two.”

It further said that one soldier was slightly injured before being taken to a medical center for medical treatment.

In a voicemail recording refuting Israeli accusations and justifications for their murder, Odai said a colonizer kidnapped him and Mosab and they managed to escape, but they accidentally drove into the area of ​​the illegal Ariel colony and could not find a way out.

“Please forgive us if something happens to us,” Odai said. “The colonizers kidnapped us and took us to Ariel, we escaped… they are chasing us and now we are in Ariel and we don’t know what to do or where to go…”

The recording also reveals that the two were abducted by someone from Jenin who they thought was from historic Palestine, but then they realized it was a paramilitary colonialist who kidnapped them before they escaped and accidentally entered Ariel.

Israel has killed 644 Palestinians, including 147 children, in the occupied West Bank since October 7, 2023.