'Israeli' military probe into Tal attack reveals army fire may have killed reservist

• The ‘Israeli’ military said it could not determine whether a reservist killed during a July settler attack in the occupied West Bank died from Palestinian or ‘Israeli’ fire.
• An internal investigation found the settlers' visit to the area had not been approved by the military and identified operational failures in the army's response.

The ‘Israeli’ military said it remains unclear whether an ‘Israeli’ reservist killed during a settler attack in the occupied West Bank in July was shot by a Palestinian or by ‘Israeli’ fire.

The incident occurred on July 24 in the village of Tal, where four Palestinians, the reservist, and an ‘Israeli’ soldier were killed.

Initial ‘Israeli’ media reports alleged that a Palestinian man seized a rifle from an ‘Israeli’, opened fire, and killed the reservist during what was later described as a settlers' "hike" through Palestinian neighborhoods.

Multiple Palestinian accounts disputed that version of events.

In its findings, the military said it was "not possible to determine unequivocally" whether the reservist was killed by Palestinian gunfire or by fire from ‘Israeli’ forces.

The investigation also found that the settlers' visit to the area had not received prior approval from the military and would not have been authorized had it been submitted in advance.

It further concluded that the delayed deployment of ‘Israeli’ forces and the lack of coordination in evacuating the wounded and recovering the dead constituted a "serious failure."

The incident was followed by an escalation in raids by ‘Israeli’ settlers and military forces across the occupied West Bank.