Israeli troops shot and killed two Palestinians during clashes in Jenin on Thursday morning as tensions between Israel and the Palestinians spiked, the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry said, while unconfirmed reports put the death toll at three.
Israeli commandos entered the Palestinian city in a rare daytime raid to conduct arrests, the army said in a statement.
“During the operation, terrorists opened fire at the forces. Israel Defense Forces soldiers shot back and struck the armed men,” the army said.
One soldier was lightly wounded and taken to the hospital for treatment, according to the army.
Palestinian health officials said that 14 Palestinians were struck by Israeli bullets, with three seriously wounded and one in moderate condition, in addition to the two killed.
At almost the same time, a person was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack near the West Bank settlement of Neve Daniel, medics said.
According to the Rescuers Without Borders emergency service, a Palestinian stabbed a person on a bus near the settlement before being subdued. Three others are being treated for anxiety.
The Israeli army also confirmed the attack, saying the stabber had been “neutralized.” His condition was not immediately clear, and some reports said he had been shot dead.
The morning violence comes as Israel sees one of the worst terror waves in recent memory, with 11 Israelis killed over the past week and a half.
Israeli soldiers patrol on March 30, 2022 a village south of Jenin in the West Bank. (AFP)
On Monday night, Diaa Hamarsheh, a 26-year-old Palestinian from Ya’abad, near Jenin, gunned down five Israelis in the central city of Bnei Brak before being shot and killed by police.
Israeli troops raided the shooter’s hometown on Tuesday, arresting several suspected accomplices and Hamarsheh’s brother.
Officials have warned that the Ramadan holy month — which is set to begin over the weekend — could raise tensions still further. Israeli cabinet ministers decided on Wednesday night not to initiate a crackdown over Ramadan so as not to feed an escalation.
