Two Palestinians killed as IDF raids West Bank town

Two young men were killed by Israeli forces raiding a West Bank town overnight, Palestinian media report.

The two were in Qabatiya, south of Jenin, when troops entered the town, according to Palestinian accounts.

Graphic video shows the bloodied bodies of two men lying in a street. Their identities were not immediately known. The circumstances of the shooting were also unclear, but troops carrying out overnight arrest raids are regularly confronted by violent protests and often use live fire in response if they feel threatened.

There was no comment on the raid from the Israeli army.

Other footage from the town showed a large number of Israeli troops operating in Qabatiyeh, a day after the Israel Defense Forces launched a punishing offensive against the Islamic Jihad terror group in Gaza and the West Bank. Intense gunbattles can also be heard.

Situation is very difficult in Qabatyah

Huge Israeli forces are currently operating in the town looking after several PIJ operatives, a number of houses are surrounded and the military stormed one of them. https://t.co/WR8QlDlL4M pic.twitter.com/HdFfkBjpsm

— Younis Tirawi | يونس (@ytirawi) May 9, 2023

דיווחים פלסטיניים: שני הרוגים מירי צה"ל בעיירה קבאטיה שמדרום לג'נין. חילופי אש במקום@migansh5 pic.twitter.com/jClSE5O6Ct

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 10, 2023

Israeli operations in the West Bank in the past year have mostly focused on the Jenin and Nablus areas, where Islamic Jihad and affiliated groups are thought to enjoy wide support.