Israeli raid in the West Bank: at least 4 Palestinians killed, dozens injured

Jerusalem
CNN
—

At least four Palestinian men were killed and 44 injured in an Israeli military raid and violent clashes in Jenin on Wednesday morning, Palestinian officials said, making it one of the deadliest days in the West Bank this year. which has already seen more than 100 Palestinians killed.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the raid was linked to an attack in Tel Aviv in April that left three people dead, and the suspects retaliated with explosives and gunfire on Wednesday.

IDF troops entered the Jenin refugee camp to « apprehend two suspects involved in a number of recent shootings », the IDF said in a statement.

“As they surrounded the residence where the two suspects were staying, an explosive device detonated and the suspects opened fire in the direction of the security forces. Security forces responded in accordance with standard operating procedures and the two suspects were both killed,” the IDF said.

One of those killed was identified by Palestinian and Israeli officials as Abdel Al Rahman Khazam, brother of Raed Khazem, who carried out the shooting attack on a bar in central Tel Aviv. Raed Khazem was killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli security forces in Jaffa the morning after the April attack.

The other three men killed on Wednesday were identified by Palestinian health authorities as Mohammad Alouna, Ahmad Nazmi Alawneh and Muhammad Abu Na’aseh.

According to the Palestinian state-sponsored news agency, WAFA, « a large armed force attacked Jenin and its refugee camp this morning, firing in all directions and firing tear gas canisters while surrounding and shelling a house which belongs to Fathi Hazem, father of Raed and Unlit. »

Videos from Jenin show several Israeli armored military vehicles driving through Jenin as well as fires and large plumes of smoke emanating from a house. Security video appears to show a group of armed Palestinians shooting towards a street. One of them is then hit in the head and falls to the ground. Local journalists identified this man as Alawneh.

The clashes continued in the middle of the day on Wednesday.

Palestinian Authority Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement that « the Israeli occupation continues to play with the lives of our Palestinian people and undermines security and stability by pursuing its policy climbing ».

« Israel is still a state above international law, and that Israel and the United States of America have lost credibility by demanding calm and the preservation of stability, and practicing all forms of escalation, murder and destruction against the Palestinian people, their land and their holy places,” Abu Rudeineh added.

It is already the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since 2015, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. More than 35 of those killed were in Jenin. Israel says most of those killed engaged violently with soldiers during military operations, but dozens of unarmed civilians were also killed, human rights groups including B’Tselem said.

For months, Israel has regularly attacked towns in the West Bank, focusing in particular on Jenin and Nablus, saying it targeted militants and their arms caches before they had a chance to cross into Israel and to carry out attacks. The operation, dubbed « Breaking the Wave » by the IDF, was launched after a series of attacks against Israelis. At least 20 Israelis and foreigners have been killed in attacks targeting civilians and soldiers in Israel and the West Bank since the start of the year.