Israeli army kills Palestinian activist in West Bank

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli soldiers shot and killed a suspected Palestinian gunman in an overnight arrest raid in the northern West Bank, according to Israeli and Palestinian reports.

The army said it spotted a group of armed men driving around in cars and motorbikes during an operation near the city of Nablus and opened fire. The Den of Lions, a local militant group, said one of its members, Sayid al-Kuni, was killed in a « clash with occupying forces ».

Israel has carried out nightly arrest raids in the northern West Bank since a series of deadly Palestinian attacks inside Israel last spring. Some of the attackers came from the area.

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed, making 2022 the deadliest year in the occupied territory since 2016. Most of the Palestinians killed were wanted militants or young men and teenagers who threw rocks or firebombs at soldiers invading their cities. But some civilians, including an Al Jazeera journalist and a lawyer who inadvertently entered a combat zone, were also killed in the violence.

Last week, Den of Lions members briefly clashed with Palestinian security forces in Nablus. The group sees the Palestinian Authority as a vehicle for corruption and collaboration with Israel.

The Associated Press

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