Israel’s aggression against Palestine continues amid recognition efforts

WEST BANK: Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinians in a pre-dawn raid in the West Bank on Sunday, the Palestinian health ministry said, as the army confirmed it carried out “counter-terrorism” activity in the occupied territory.

Violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has surged since early last year, particularly in the West Bank, where the latest deaths bring the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli incursions since Tuesday to eight.

“Two Palestinians were killed by live Israeli bullets to the head” in the town of Tulkarem, the ministry said, while the army confirmed a soldier had been “moderately injured by gunshot fragments” during clashes in Nur Shams refugee camp near the town.

The Palestinian health ministry identified the two killed as Osaid Abu Ali, 22, and Abd al-Rahman Abu Daghash, 32. Ibrahim al-Nimer, a resident and representative of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club advocacy group in the camp said the “two were civilians”. “The army entered the camp after 2:00am … and demolished streets and some houses in the camp,” Nimer told media.

Troops dismantled an “operational command centre” inside a building in the camp and also uncovered a large number of explosive devices including gas-based explosive devices, the army said in a statement.

“During the activity, suspects opened fire and hurled explosive devices at the forces who responded with live fire,” the army said. In recent months, there has been a surge in such military raids and a rise in Palestinian attacks on Israelis, as well as an increase in West Bank settler attacks against Palestinians.

At least 241 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict so far this year. The bloodshed has also seen 32 Israelis, a Ukrainian and an Italian killed over the same period. In recent days, unrest has also surged in the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip, with Palestinians holding daily protests that have turned violent along the border with Israel.

On Saturday, the Israeli army carried out a drone strike after violent protests in which three Palestinians were wounded by Israeli fire. The strike was one of a series that have come amid protests at the border by Palestinians after Israeli closed the Erez crossing, the only one into Israel from Gaza. – INP