On May 21, Israeli soldiers fired warning shots as a foreign diplomatic delegation visited the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. The delegation, comprising representatives from more than 20 countries including France, the UK, Canada, Italy, Japan, and China, was on an official visit coordinated in advance with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to observe the humanitarian situation in the camp.
According to the IDF, the group deviated from the pre-approved route and entered an unauthorized area within what it described as an active combat zone. No injuries were reported. Footage from the scene showed diplomats retreating as gunfire was heard. The IDF stated the shots were intended as a warning and later issued an apology, expressing regret for the incident.
Brigadier General Yaki Dolf launched an internal inquiry, while Brigadier General Hisham Ibrahim, head of the Civil Administration, instructed officers to contact the affected governments and is expected to personally brief the diplomats.
Governments including France, Italy, and Spain summoned Israeli ambassadors for explanations. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the visit and condemned the incident. Jenin has been under Israeli military operations since January 2025, which, according to UNRWA, displaced over 16,000 residents by March.