IDF probes fatal shooting of Bedouin man during suspected smuggling near Egypt border

The IDF says it is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred overnight during a suspected smuggling incident in the Nitzana area along the Egyptian border, as Haaretz reports that the man killed was a Bedouin civilian from the village of Bir Hadaj.

According to an initial IDF probe, an IDF soldier and a civilian, who were traveling in a civilian vehicle after completing a planned operation and while outside the designated operational military area, identified several masked suspects allegedly engaged in smuggling. It is unclear if and to what extent the civilian was involved in IDF operations.

The civilian then opened fire at the suspects’ vehicle tires using both his personal weapon and the soldier’s firearm, causing the vehicle to veer off course.

One of the suspects was wounded in the incident and later died after being evacuated to a hospital, the military says. Haaretz identifies him as Ayoub Mohammed Tohi, a Bedouin man in his 20s. Another man who was with him was arrested, and the Beersheba Magistrate’s Court has extended his detention until Sunday on suspicion of involvement in smuggling, according to court proceedings cited by Haaretz.

Lawyers for the detained suspect tell the newspaper that their client denies any involvement in smuggling and claims he and the driver did not realize they were being ordered to stop, saying the vehicle from which shots were fired was a civilian vehicle and that its occupants were dressed in civilian clothing. Relatives of the deceased say family members were prevented from approaching the scene after the shooting and that the vehicle involved was towed away and not returned.

The IDF says the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the soldier and the civilian are under review. The incident is being investigated by a joint team from the Military Police and Israel Police.