News | International
29 Jun 2025 20:56
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > International

    Falling missile debris smash West Bank villages and terrify residents

    While Israel's war on Iran claimed hundreds of Iranian lives and dozens in Israel, Palestinian villages were being showered by missile debris and interceptor shrapnel.


    While Israel's war on Iran claimed hundreds of Iranian lives and dozens in Israel, Palestinian villages were being showered by missile debris and interceptor shrapnel.

    Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank said they were put at risk by Israeli interceptions over the territory, which sent more than 200 pieces of debris raining down onto villages and cities, damaging homes and businesses and starting fires.

    Palestinians do not have bomb shelters or reinforced rooms in their homes and the Palestinian Authority said it does not have the equipment, expertise or budget to set up a missile alert system, as Israel has, leaving West Bank residents without any warning of missile waves.

    "We don't even know where these missiles are coming from. Whether they're incoming or outgoing, we have no idea. You could be walking down the street and suddenly you can die," Raed Ahmad Robeh, from the village of Hajje, told the ABC.

    An 11-metre section of an Iranian missile fell onto Mr Robeh's house during the war, damaging the roof.

    "I got a call saying a missile had struck my house. I was terrified; this is a home built over many years, and seeing it hit like that was devastating," he said.

    "Thank God it didn't fall vertically; it landed horizontally on the stairway instead."

    The large piece was one of several that fell in Mr Robeh's village.

    The Palestinian Authority, the internationally-recognised government that has limited self-rule over parts of the West Bank, says eight people, mainly children, were injured in the territory by missile debris, over the course of the 12-day war.

    Ziad Abu Arkub's son had a lucky escape when a piece of missile fell on the street near him.

    "He says that he felt a danger near him. He escaped the missile. The bigger part of the missile could have killed him as it fell in the same place where he was," Mr Abu Arkub said.

    Some of the missile debris also released chemicals, strange liquids and gases that Palestinians fear could be dangerous.

    A two-metre-long piece of missile released both gas and liquid when it fell in the small village of Deir as-Sudan, leaving stains from unknown liquids on the ground.

    "It released a substance that could be poisonous, potentially dangerous to people. If any resident had been inside their homes at the time, they could have been injured or even killed," village mayor Sufian Suleyman said.

    "The sound of the strikes was scary. You have children here and women, the sound was really scary."

    The Israeli government said 550 missiles were fired by Iran towards Israel during the war, with most of them intercepted by Israel's sophisticated air defences.

    The interceptors were also shooting down debris above Israeli cities, ensuring it did not fall on homes.

    But the Palestinian Authority said debris fell on 35 homes and three factories in the West Bank, as well as starting two bush fires.

    Israel's military has also closed many West Bank roads to Palestinians since the war in Gaza began and set up extra checkpoints, making it difficult for emergency services to respond.

    "Our biggest problem is that the crossings are always closed; ambulances and firefighters can't reach us. We have no shields, no shelters, and no way to protect ourselves," Raed Ahmad Robeh said.

    Father Ziad Abu Arkub said Palestinians felt the Israeli military was deliberately putting them in danger.

    "Israel could not care less about our safety. The fact is that their interception missiles are purposely done over our villages provoking damage on our livelihood, our village main squares and schools up to the point of becoming quite dangerous," he said.

    The Israeli military said it had no comment regarding that allegation or about missile interceptions or debris in the West Bank. 


    ABC




    © 2025 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

     Other International News
     29 Jun: Kneecap play Glastonbury set amid terrorism charge as police investigate crowd chants
     29 Jun: Popular and easy winter desserts
     29 Jun: Zohran Mamdani defeats New York Democratic rivals and claims victory for party's progressives
     29 Jun: F1 Austrian Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri qualifies third as Lando Norris takes pole
     29 Jun: Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo sign US-mediated peace deal aimed at ending decades of bloody conflict
     29 Jun: After Operation Midnight Hammer, pilots reveal realities of marathon B-2 bomber missions
     28 Jun: From Lewis Capaldi's triumphant return to a surprise album party: Here's what you've missed at Glastonbury 2025 so far
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has revealed why they opted to bring Dalton Papali'i into camp again following the injury to Wallace Sititi More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Dairy farmers are remaining optimistic, despite some road bumps More...



     Today's News

    Politics:
    A plea to keep Auckland's Takapuna golf course open, from one the country's best known golfers 18:57

    Rugby:
    All Blacks coach Scott Robertson has revealed why they opted to bring Dalton Papali'i into camp again following the injury to Wallace Sititi 18:36

    Netball:
    The Central Pulse have put themselves right into the playoff reckoning in netball's ANZ Premiership with a 59-50 win over leaders the Mainland Tactix in the capital 18:07

    Environment:
    Killer whales are cruising through shallow Auckland waters looking for a tasty treat 18:06

    Rugby:
    All Blacks coach Scott Robertson is keen to see what both Rieko Ioane and Billy Proctor can do in season 2025 17:26

    Law and Order:
    Kneecap play Glastonbury set amid terrorism charge as police investigate crowd chants 17:06

    Rugby:
    All Blacks coach Scott Robertson hopes to channel the lessons of 2024 into his second year at the helm 16:56

    Law and Order:
    The family of missing a 17-year-old missing in Auckland for nearly a week, are desperate for news 16:16

    International:
    Popular and easy winter desserts 15:46

    Environment:
    The clean-up phase has begun in the Upper South Island, following severe flooding and heavy rain 15:36


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd