AQABAT JABR, West Financial institution — Israeli forces killed 5 Palestinian gunmen in a raid on refugee camp within the occupied West Financial institution on Monday, the most recent bloodshed within the area that may seemingly additional exacerbate tensions.
The Palestinian president’s workplace referred to as the violence a criminal offense, urging the USA to strain Israel to carry again on its incursions. The army stated the raid was meant to apprehend a militant cell that staged a botched taking pictures assault on a restaurant in a Jewish settlement within the West Financial institution.
The violence comes amid one of many deadliest durations in years within the West Financial institution and within the first weeks of Israel’s new authorities, its most right-wing ever, which has promised to take a tricky stance in opposition to the Palestinians.
The Israeli army stated it was working within the Aqabat Jabr refugee camp to apprehend the suspects behind a failed taking pictures assault final month at a West Financial institution restaurant, the place attackers allegedly have been thwarted by a weapon malfunction. The attackers then fled the scene, the army stated, including that they have been members of the Hamas militant group that guidelines the Gaza Strip and has parts within the West Financial institution as nicely.
The army stated it was looking Monday for the militant cell behind the taking pictures that it stated had sealed itself inside a house within the refugee camp. Through the search, troops encountered gunmen and a gun battle erupted. The army stated a number of of the gunmen who have been killed have been concerned within the tried assault on the restaurant.
“The brand new Israeli authorities is continuous its collection of crimes in opposition to our Palestinian folks,” an announcement from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ workplace stated.
Jihad Abu Al-Assal, the governor of Jericho and the Jordan Valley, stated the army was nonetheless holding on to the gunmen’s our bodies. With out entry to the our bodies, the Palestinian Well being Ministry didn’t instantly affirm the deaths, saying solely that three have been injured, one among them critically.
Talking at an occasion on the website of a latest lethal Palestinian taking pictures assault, Netanyahu confirmed earlier stories by Israeli safety officers that 5 gunmen have been killed, two of them concerned within the tried assault.
The safety officers informed The Related Press the 2 have been Hamas members, whereas the three others have been gunmen who had exchanged hearth with troops in the course of the raid. The officers spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t approved to debate the raid with the media.
Hamas stated it mourned the deaths of the members of its armed wing, with out specifying what number of had died. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem stated the violence could be met with a response.
“Our folks and their resistance won’t delay in responding to this crime,” he stated.
The raid comes days after an earlier incursion within the Aqabat Jabr camp, which is close to the Palestinian metropolis of Jericho, a desert oasis in an space of the West Financial institution that hardly ever sees such unrest, the place troops have been additionally looking for the suspects.
For the reason that taking pictures on the close by settlement, the Israeli army has blocked entry to a number of roads into Jericho — a closure that has positioned town underneath a semi-blockade, disrupting enterprise and creating hourslong bottlenecks at checkpoints that affected even Palestinian safety forces, footage confirmed.
Monday’s violence comes days after an Israeli army raid on the Jenin refugee camp killed 10 Palestinians, largely militants but additionally a 61-year-old girl. The following day, a Palestinian taking pictures assault outdoors an east Jerusalem synagogue killed seven folks, together with a 14-year-old.
The Israeli military has ramped up near-nightly raids within the occupied West Financial institution since a collection of lethal Palestinian assaults inside Israel final spring. Over the past 12 months of escalating raids, Jericho has remained a type of sleepy desert city, spared a lot of the violence.
The Palestinian Authority, in retaliation for final week’s raid into the Jenin refugee camp, declared a halt to safety coordination with Israel.
Practically 150 Palestinians have been killed final 12 months within the West Financial institution and east Jerusalem, making it the deadliest 12 months in these areas since 2004, in keeping with figures by the Israeli rights group B’Tselem. For the reason that begin of this 12 months, 41 Palestinians have been killed in these territories. Some 30 folks have been killed in Israel by Palestinians in 2022.
The Israeli military says many of the Palestinians killed have been militants. However stone-throwing youths protesting the incursions and others not concerned in confrontations have additionally been killed.
Israel captured the West Financial institution, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem within the 1967 Mideast warfare. The Palestinians search these territories for his or her hoped-for impartial state.
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Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Wafaa Shurafa contributed reporting from Gaza Metropolis, Gaza Strip.