According to Palestinian sources, Israeli security forces killed four people in a raid in the occupied West Bank. At least 45 people were injured, five of them seriously.
Four Palestinians killed, 45 others injured, seven wounded Israeli soldiers and border police officers: This is the preliminary balance of violent clashes between the Israeli army and Palestinians in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank.
According to local media reports, the army entered Jenin to arrest suspected Palestinians – including the son of a senior Hamas official. During the raid, there was an exchange of fire with militant Palestinians.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the dead are a 29-year-old, two 21-year-olds and a 15-year-old. A 15-year-old girl was seriously injured when a shot hit her house. Ten injured Palestinians are in critical condition, it said.
According to the Palestinian agency Wafa, the Palestinian cabinet and the foreign ministry condemned the raid. “The international silence and double standards encourage Israel’s government to commit even more murder, destruction and intimidation against our people,” the cabinet said in a statement.
Israeli combat helicopter in action
Israel used attack helicopters to secure an air evacuation of the soldiers. It is the first combat helicopter mission in the occupied West Bank since the end of the second Intifada almost 20 years ago, the Haaretz newspaper reported.
According to the Times of Israel newspaper, a total of 20 people have been killed in Palestinian attacks in Israel and the occupied territories since the beginning of the year. At least 158 Palestinians, including civilians, were killed in clashes with the Israeli army during the same period, according to Palestinian sources.