Palestinians say 4 shot dead by security forces in Jenin, near Jerusalem
Border Police say they ambushed suspects readying firebombs near road linking capital to West Bank settlement; 6 Palestinians killed since late Tuesday, including at least 3 teens
Two Palestinians were killed during an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, and another two were killed during a clash with security forces near Jerusalem, Palestinian media reported Wednesday morning.
The violence came in the wake of concerns that the Hamas terror group is pushing West Bank Palestinians to engage in violence against Israel, as Muslims mark the holy month of Ramadan, which started earlier this week.
Palestinian media reported that two men were shot dead during an IDF operation in the West Bank city of Jenin early Wednesday morning.
According to the reports, Rabih Al-Nursi and Mahmoud Abu Al-Haija were hit by gunfire, as Israeli forces approached the Khalil Suleiman Governmental Hospital. Four others were also hit by bullets and suffered various injuries, the official Palestinian Wafa news outlet reported.
The IDF said in a statement the Jenin raid was one of several operations overnight in the West Bank during which seven wanted suspects were arrested.
In Jenin, soldiers arrested one suspect, confiscated weapons, and discovered explosives that were planted under roads, for use against security forces, the IDF said.
The Palestinians Mahmoud Abu Haija and Rabei Noursi who were killed by the occupation forces in the yards of Jenin hospital. pic.twitter.com/DYJptWKLzy
— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) March 13, 2024
During the activities, soldiers “fired at armed men identified in the area” and confirmed hitting some of them, the statement said, without providing further details. There were no injuries to Israeli forces.
Those arrested overnight were taken away for investigation, the IDF said.
In Jerusalem, police said officers shot five suspects who were preparing to throw Molotov cocktails at drivers on a road near Jerusalem. Palestinian media reported that two of them were killed.
Police had been staked out near Route 436, which connects the north-western Jerusalem Jewish neighborhood of Ramot and the West Bank settlement of Givat Ze’ev, after suspects were seen on security camera footage hurling firebombs at cars along the road on Monday night.
הרוג שלישי הלילה בירושלים.
מחבל הרוג במ.פ שועפת .
שני הרוגים בכביש רמות גבעת זאב.
שלושת המחבלים חוסלו לאחר שסיכנו את כחותנו בזריקת בקבוקי תבערה. pic.twitter.com/EXMB2asqrU— מאור צמח-לך ירושלים (@Lachjerusalem) March 12, 2024
Security forces opened fire after spotting a group of five suspects who lit Molotov cocktails with the intention of throwing them at drivers, a police statement said. All five were hit, it added.
The Palestinian media outlet Wafa cited the Palestinian Red Crescent Society as saying its medics received two fatalities and three injured people at a checkpoint near the West Bank town of Al-Jib.
Wafa identified the two fatalities as Zaid Ward Shukri Khalifa, 23, and Abdullah Mamoun Hassan Assaf, 16.
The shooting near came hours after Border Police shot dead a 13-year-old on Tuesday, as he was launching fireworks during clashes with security forces.
Violence continued Wednesday with a Palestinian stabbing two people at a checkpoint near Jerusalem, lightly injuring them. The assailant was shot and killed.
The Ynet outlet reported that there were also disturbances this week by security prisoners in both the Megiddo, Ofer, and Kezitot prison facilities. In Ofer, wardens used force to overcome rowdy prisoners, four of whom were injured and required medical treatment.
Tensions are high across Jerusalem with Israeli security officials expressing fears that violence could escalate during the Ramadan holiday, accusing Hamas of attempting to foment unrest as it battles Israeli forces in Gaza.
War erupted when terror group Hamas led a devastating October 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people via horrific atrocities. Terrorists also abducted 253 people who were taken as hostages in Gaza.
Israel responded with a military campaign to topple the Hamas regime, destroy the terror group, and free the hostages, over half of whom are still in captivity.
